Queen Bandmates Open Up About Their Heartwrenching Final Conversation With Freddie Mercury

Jan 25, 2022 by apost team

There’s no denying that Queen is one of the most legendary rock bands of all time. The band’s original line-up consisted of Brian May, Roger Taylor, John Deacon and, of course, Freddie Mercury. Mercury was known for his impressive singing and songwriting abilities, and penned some of the most memorable songs to date. His four-octave range and boisterous personality gave him great stage presence, ultimately making him an undeniable rockstar. He broke barriers and showed just how theatrical frontmen could be, proving to be a humble star every step of the way.

Born on Sept. 5, 1946, in Zanzibar, Mercury attended school in India and Zanzibar, before moving to Middlesex, England, in 1964. He had studied and written music for years, and formed Queen in 1970. Some of their most notable songs include “Somebody to Love,” “We Are the Champions” and “Bohemian Rhapsody.” One of their most remembered performances as a group was at the 1985 Live Aid concert, which showed just how much exuberance and charisma Mercury truly had.

In 1987, Mercury was diagnosed with AIDS, but continued performing with his band, and didn’t tell the world until the day before his death. The world lost the musical legend in November 1991 when Mercury was only 45 years old. His death was a result of complications from AIDS.

Since then, many movies and documentaries have been made, sharing Mercury’s story and legacy, including “Freddie Mercury: The Final Act” from 2021. The documentary revealed that Mercury knew he was dying and also touched on some of the words he said to his loved ones before his death.

Mercury was known for being very outspoken, talented and charismatic, sharing his story with people from all over the world while performing some incredible music. While Queen to this day still has a huge fan following, not everyone was as on board with the band when it first started up, especially Mercury’s parents.

In October 2019, Express reported that Mercury’s parents had not been thrilled to find out that he was in a band. “My parents were outraged when I told them what I was up to,” Mercury said. “I used to go home periodically and turn up in these outrageous clothes and with my fingernails painted black and at that time my mother used to freak out.” However, once his parents saw how successful he was, they turned around.

Queen’s work is still being recognized. In December 2018, NBC News reported that “Bohemian Rhapsody” was the most-streamed song of the 20th century. The six-minute track was also inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame back in 2004 and has continued to receive critical praise. “Bohemian Rhapsody” was given an extra boost in sales following the release of the Mercury biopic by the same name, which grossed about $600 million in ticket sales in its first five weeks.

It’s evident that Mercury’s legacy has carried on for decades, and his memory will never be forgotten. In the 2021 BBC documentary titled “Freddie Mercury: The Final Act” did a deep dive into the life and death of Mercury, detailing his final months and what he had told his loved ones prior to his passing in November 1991.  

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According to Smooth Radio, Mercury’s performances changed after he was diagnosed with AIDS in 1987. He began looking pale and thin, and only made a few public appearances. He didn’t even announce that he had the disease until the day before he died, a move that his bandmates respected. “It was announced before he died but he did not want to be the object of pity of scrutiny and within 24 hours it was gone,” Taylor said. “It was probably perfect timing. Bloody good move I thought.”

May recalled the moment when Mercury told the band about his diagnosis. “The first time we really knew was when we got together in Montreux,” he explained. “Freddie just sat down and said, ‘OK, you guys probably know what is going on with me. You know what I am dealing with. I don’t want to talk about it… We will not dwell on it and we will go on.’"

The musician continued, “We felt comfortable about that. When we were in the studio and the studio doors were closed we had fun. For Queen as a family it was fantastic. We were never closer. But then Freddie was suffering.”

May’s wife Anita Dobson said that Mercury began to “slowly let go” about six months before he died. She explained, “I remember he said, ‘When I can’t sing anymore darling, then I will die. I will drop dead.’”

It was clear that Mercury’s love for music lasted until his final days, and his legacy has continued to live on ever since. May said, “Freddie lived for his music and loved his music and he was proud of himself as a musician above everything else.” 

What do you think about the life and legacy of Freddie Mercury? Let us know, and be sure to pass this along to any Queen fan you know.