Goodbye Freddie Mercury

Goodbye Freddie Mercury

Author: Nadia Akbar

Publisher: Penguin Enterprise

Published: 2021-08

Total Pages: 320

ISBN-13: 9780143448662

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Lahore is burning. General elections are right around the corner. The summer city rages with the drug-fuelled parties of the oblivious, the rich and famous, while campaign posters and rally cries dominate the airwaves. Bugsy, rock RJ and host of the nation's top English radio show, is young and fabulous. Seeking more than wealth, fame and prestige, he performs a dangerous favor for an old friend that plunges him into the dark recesses of desi politics. Nida, a young student desperate to escape the oppressive atmosphere of her traditional family home and her conservative college, and still mourning the death of her brother, throws herself recklessly into the drug-addled arms of Omer Ali, son of the prime minister's right-hand man. As Nida spirals into decadence and Bugsy descends into darkness, their paths cross and sparks begin to fly. Nadia Akbar's audacious debut has all the makings of a cult novel-parties, drugs, mysteries, love triangles, political intrigue and power struggles-but its lush, sexy writing has the assuredness and precision of the most acute style of our time. Told in alternating voices and brimming with sharp observation, Goodbye Freddie Mercury hits the rocks and trails a twist.


Book Synopsis Goodbye Freddie Mercury by : Nadia Akbar

Download or read book Goodbye Freddie Mercury written by Nadia Akbar and published by Penguin Enterprise. This book was released on 2021-08 with total page 320 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Lahore is burning. General elections are right around the corner. The summer city rages with the drug-fuelled parties of the oblivious, the rich and famous, while campaign posters and rally cries dominate the airwaves. Bugsy, rock RJ and host of the nation's top English radio show, is young and fabulous. Seeking more than wealth, fame and prestige, he performs a dangerous favor for an old friend that plunges him into the dark recesses of desi politics. Nida, a young student desperate to escape the oppressive atmosphere of her traditional family home and her conservative college, and still mourning the death of her brother, throws herself recklessly into the drug-addled arms of Omer Ali, son of the prime minister's right-hand man. As Nida spirals into decadence and Bugsy descends into darkness, their paths cross and sparks begin to fly. Nadia Akbar's audacious debut has all the makings of a cult novel-parties, drugs, mysteries, love triangles, political intrigue and power struggles-but its lush, sexy writing has the assuredness and precision of the most acute style of our time. Told in alternating voices and brimming with sharp observation, Goodbye Freddie Mercury hits the rocks and trails a twist.

Somebody to Love

Somebody to Love

Author: Matt Richards

Publisher: Weldon Owen

Published: 2018-05-08

Total Pages: 464

ISBN-13: 1681884097

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For the first time, the final years of one of the world's most captivating rock showman are laid bare. Including interviews from Freddie Mercury's closest friends in the last years of his life, along with personal photographs, Somebody to Love is an authoritative biography of the great man. Here are previously unknown and startling facts about the singer and his life, moving detail on his lifelong search for love and personal fulfilment, and of course his tragic contraction of a then killer disease in the mid-1980s. Woven throughout Freddie's life is the shocking story of how the HIV virus came to hold the world in its grip, was cruelly labelled 'The Gay Plague' and the unwitting few who indirectly infected thousands of men, women and children - Freddie Mercury himself being one of the most famous. The death of this vibrant and spectacularly talented rock star, shook the world of medicine as well as the world of music. Somebody to Love finally puts the record straight and pays detailed tribute to the man himself.


Book Synopsis Somebody to Love by : Matt Richards

Download or read book Somebody to Love written by Matt Richards and published by Weldon Owen. This book was released on 2018-05-08 with total page 464 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: For the first time, the final years of one of the world's most captivating rock showman are laid bare. Including interviews from Freddie Mercury's closest friends in the last years of his life, along with personal photographs, Somebody to Love is an authoritative biography of the great man. Here are previously unknown and startling facts about the singer and his life, moving detail on his lifelong search for love and personal fulfilment, and of course his tragic contraction of a then killer disease in the mid-1980s. Woven throughout Freddie's life is the shocking story of how the HIV virus came to hold the world in its grip, was cruelly labelled 'The Gay Plague' and the unwitting few who indirectly infected thousands of men, women and children - Freddie Mercury himself being one of the most famous. The death of this vibrant and spectacularly talented rock star, shook the world of medicine as well as the world of music. Somebody to Love finally puts the record straight and pays detailed tribute to the man himself.

Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic

Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic

Author: Mark Blake

Publisher: Omnibus Press

Published: 2016-09-12

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 1783237783

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Freddie Mercury was rock’s most dazzling showman, a legendary entertainer who in 1991, at the age of just forty-five, became the first major music star to die of AIDS. Mercury’s soaring four-octave voice was a defining element in Queen’s unique sound, crucial to the success of the band’s fifteen studio albums, from Queen (1973) to Made in Heaven (1995). He was also a supremely talented songwriter and musician who wrote many of the band’s greatest hits, including ‘Killer Queen’, ‘We Are the Champions’ and their biggest triumph, the epic anthem ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. As a solo artist he released two acclaimed albums: Mr. Bad Guy in 1985 and the operatic 'Barcelona' with Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé in 1988. Mercury’s extraordinary charisma was perhaps best seen in his imperious live performances, in which he’d hold vast stadium crowds to rapturous attention. His outrageous theatrics, physicality and over-the-top costumes led one commentator to describe him as ‘a performer out to tease, shock, and ultimately charm his audience with various extravagant versions of himself’. He pushed the limits of camp in everything he did. His extreme behaviour, in a society in which being gay was only starting to be accepted, just added to Freddie Mercury’s allure. With expert understanding, Mark Blake traces Mercury’s life from his childhood in Zanzibar and India to his untimely death, and charts his astonishing achievements including in Queen’s world-conquering performance at Live Aid in 1985. In the year that marks what would have been his seventieth birthday, Freddie Mercury: A Life celebrates a remarkable life, lived to the fullest. Featuring revealing interviews with fellow musicians, producers and collaborators, and a detailed discography and timeline, this is a memorable tribute to a unique recording artist and an irreplaceable performer who rocked the world.


Book Synopsis Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic by : Mark Blake

Download or read book Freddie Mercury: A Kind of Magic written by Mark Blake and published by Omnibus Press. This book was released on 2016-09-12 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Freddie Mercury was rock’s most dazzling showman, a legendary entertainer who in 1991, at the age of just forty-five, became the first major music star to die of AIDS. Mercury’s soaring four-octave voice was a defining element in Queen’s unique sound, crucial to the success of the band’s fifteen studio albums, from Queen (1973) to Made in Heaven (1995). He was also a supremely talented songwriter and musician who wrote many of the band’s greatest hits, including ‘Killer Queen’, ‘We Are the Champions’ and their biggest triumph, the epic anthem ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’. As a solo artist he released two acclaimed albums: Mr. Bad Guy in 1985 and the operatic 'Barcelona' with Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé in 1988. Mercury’s extraordinary charisma was perhaps best seen in his imperious live performances, in which he’d hold vast stadium crowds to rapturous attention. His outrageous theatrics, physicality and over-the-top costumes led one commentator to describe him as ‘a performer out to tease, shock, and ultimately charm his audience with various extravagant versions of himself’. He pushed the limits of camp in everything he did. His extreme behaviour, in a society in which being gay was only starting to be accepted, just added to Freddie Mercury’s allure. With expert understanding, Mark Blake traces Mercury’s life from his childhood in Zanzibar and India to his untimely death, and charts his astonishing achievements including in Queen’s world-conquering performance at Live Aid in 1985. In the year that marks what would have been his seventieth birthday, Freddie Mercury: A Life celebrates a remarkable life, lived to the fullest. Featuring revealing interviews with fellow musicians, producers and collaborators, and a detailed discography and timeline, this is a memorable tribute to a unique recording artist and an irreplaceable performer who rocked the world.

Mercury and Me

Mercury and Me

Author: Jim Hutton

Publisher:

Published: 2019-08

Total Pages: 224

ISBN-13: 9781526614506

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Book Synopsis Mercury and Me by : Jim Hutton

Download or read book Mercury and Me written by Jim Hutton and published by . This book was released on 2019-08 with total page 224 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Somebody to Love [Reissue]

Somebody to Love [Reissue]

Author: Matt Richards

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2024-06-18

Total Pages: 512

ISBN-13:

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An intimate look at the life of Freddie Mercury, the iconic singer of Queen, featuring interviews with close friends and rare photographs revealing facts about his personal life, search for love, and his tragic battle with HIV/AIDS. With four new chapters, Somebody to Love pays tribute to an extraordinary life. Freddie Mercury’s untimely death at the age of 45 in 1991 revealed his hidden battle with AIDS, shocking the world and shedding light on the devastating impact of the disease. In Somebody to Love, authors Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne interweave Mercury’s pursuit for musical greatness with Queen, his personal struggles and quest for love, and the origins and aftermath of the AIDS epidemic that swept the globe in the 1980s. Four new chapters in this revised and updated edition bring fresh insights into the legacy of Freddie Mercury, the future of Queen, and the lasting impression he continues to make on fans around the world.


Book Synopsis Somebody to Love [Reissue] by : Matt Richards

Download or read book Somebody to Love [Reissue] written by Matt Richards and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2024-06-18 with total page 512 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An intimate look at the life of Freddie Mercury, the iconic singer of Queen, featuring interviews with close friends and rare photographs revealing facts about his personal life, search for love, and his tragic battle with HIV/AIDS. With four new chapters, Somebody to Love pays tribute to an extraordinary life. Freddie Mercury’s untimely death at the age of 45 in 1991 revealed his hidden battle with AIDS, shocking the world and shedding light on the devastating impact of the disease. In Somebody to Love, authors Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne interweave Mercury’s pursuit for musical greatness with Queen, his personal struggles and quest for love, and the origins and aftermath of the AIDS epidemic that swept the globe in the 1980s. Four new chapters in this revised and updated edition bring fresh insights into the legacy of Freddie Mercury, the future of Queen, and the lasting impression he continues to make on fans around the world.

Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best

Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best

Author: Peter Freestone

Publisher: Omnibus Press

Published: 2010-01-07

Total Pages: 276

ISBN-13: 0857121278

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An intimate memoir of the flamboyant Queen singer by the man who knew him best. Peter Freestone was Freddie Mercury’s Personal Assistant for the last 12 years of his life. He lived with Mercury in London, Munich and New York, and he was with him when he died. In this book, the most intimate account of Mercury’s life ever written, he reveals the truth behind the scandalous rumours, the outrageous lifestyle and Mercury’s relationships with men, women and the other members of Queen. From the famous names – including Elton John, Kenny Everett, Elizabeth Taylor and Rod Stewart – to the shadowy army of lovers, fixers and hangers-on, Peter Freestone saw them all play their part in the tragi-comedy that was Freddie Mercury’s life. Freestone lived with Mercury in Europe and America for over a decade. From the East 50s apartment in New York to Kensington Lodge, the house in London where Mercury died – not to mention innumerable international hotel rooms and apartments in between – Freestone was always on hand to serve and protect the man he had first met in the Biba department store in the early 1970s. Then Queen was a largely unknown band. Soon it would be the most glitzy of glam rock bands. Freestone saw the fame arrive and with it the generosity, the excess, and the celebrity friends who came and went. “I was chief cook and bottle washer, waiter, butler, valet, secretary, amanuensis, cleaner, baby-sitter… and agony aunt,” he writes. “I shopped for him both at supermarkets and art markets, I travelled the world with him, I was with him at the highs and came through the lows with him. I saw the creative juices flow and I also saw the frustration when life wasn’t going well. I acted as his bodyguard when needed and in the end, of course, I was one of his nurses.” Freestone’s bet-selling account of a talented and extravagant star’s life and death is compelling, entertaining and ultimately, very touching. Illustrated with many photos from personal and Freestone’s own archives. Press Reviews“An entertaining and thought provoking read” – PRS for Music Sales “This collection of Freddie’s own words is the closest thing there is to an autobiography of a man with no regrets. The foreword is written by his mother” – reFRESH magazine, Leading Gay mag in the UK


Book Synopsis Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best by : Peter Freestone

Download or read book Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man who Knew Him Best written by Peter Freestone and published by Omnibus Press. This book was released on 2010-01-07 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: An intimate memoir of the flamboyant Queen singer by the man who knew him best. Peter Freestone was Freddie Mercury’s Personal Assistant for the last 12 years of his life. He lived with Mercury in London, Munich and New York, and he was with him when he died. In this book, the most intimate account of Mercury’s life ever written, he reveals the truth behind the scandalous rumours, the outrageous lifestyle and Mercury’s relationships with men, women and the other members of Queen. From the famous names – including Elton John, Kenny Everett, Elizabeth Taylor and Rod Stewart – to the shadowy army of lovers, fixers and hangers-on, Peter Freestone saw them all play their part in the tragi-comedy that was Freddie Mercury’s life. Freestone lived with Mercury in Europe and America for over a decade. From the East 50s apartment in New York to Kensington Lodge, the house in London where Mercury died – not to mention innumerable international hotel rooms and apartments in between – Freestone was always on hand to serve and protect the man he had first met in the Biba department store in the early 1970s. Then Queen was a largely unknown band. Soon it would be the most glitzy of glam rock bands. Freestone saw the fame arrive and with it the generosity, the excess, and the celebrity friends who came and went. “I was chief cook and bottle washer, waiter, butler, valet, secretary, amanuensis, cleaner, baby-sitter… and agony aunt,” he writes. “I shopped for him both at supermarkets and art markets, I travelled the world with him, I was with him at the highs and came through the lows with him. I saw the creative juices flow and I also saw the frustration when life wasn’t going well. I acted as his bodyguard when needed and in the end, of course, I was one of his nurses.” Freestone’s bet-selling account of a talented and extravagant star’s life and death is compelling, entertaining and ultimately, very touching. Illustrated with many photos from personal and Freestone’s own archives. Press Reviews“An entertaining and thought provoking read” – PRS for Music Sales “This collection of Freddie’s own words is the closest thing there is to an autobiography of a man with no regrets. The foreword is written by his mother” – reFRESH magazine, Leading Gay mag in the UK

The True Story of Freddie Mercury the Parrot

The True Story of Freddie Mercury the Parrot

Author: Victor Rash

Publisher: iUniverse

Published: 2020-08-04

Total Pages: 103

ISBN-13: 1532092768

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When author Victor Rash visited a bird rescue and encountered the bird that would eventually become Freddie Mercury, a blue-and-gold–scarlet macaw mix, he was thrilled. He knew the one-and-a-half-year-old parrot was very special. Freddie quickly made himself part of Victor’s life, playing with toys and living happily in the Florida room at the back of the house. Then one January day a few years later, in the midst of a remodeling project, Victor accidentally took Freddie outside on his shoulder. The parrot flew off for a strange adventure, leaving Victor wondering how he would get his friend back. Over the course of the next ten days, the bird faced threats from cold, storms, and birds of prey, all while Victor and members of his community worked to bring Freddie home. His desperate search finds help from many neighbors, a local radio station, and an out-of-state police department, eventually delivering Freddie back home, where he belonged. This personal narrative recounts the tale of how an entire community came together in an effort to rescue an escaped tropical parrot in the middle of winter.


Book Synopsis The True Story of Freddie Mercury the Parrot by : Victor Rash

Download or read book The True Story of Freddie Mercury the Parrot written by Victor Rash and published by iUniverse. This book was released on 2020-08-04 with total page 103 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: When author Victor Rash visited a bird rescue and encountered the bird that would eventually become Freddie Mercury, a blue-and-gold–scarlet macaw mix, he was thrilled. He knew the one-and-a-half-year-old parrot was very special. Freddie quickly made himself part of Victor’s life, playing with toys and living happily in the Florida room at the back of the house. Then one January day a few years later, in the midst of a remodeling project, Victor accidentally took Freddie outside on his shoulder. The parrot flew off for a strange adventure, leaving Victor wondering how he would get his friend back. Over the course of the next ten days, the bird faced threats from cold, storms, and birds of prey, all while Victor and members of his community worked to bring Freddie home. His desperate search finds help from many neighbors, a local radio station, and an out-of-state police department, eventually delivering Freddie back home, where he belonged. This personal narrative recounts the tale of how an entire community came together in an effort to rescue an escaped tropical parrot in the middle of winter.

Love of My Life

Love of My Life

Author: Lesley-Ann Jones

Publisher: Coronet

Published: 2021-09-02

Total Pages: 367

ISBN-13: 1529362342

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'EYEWITNESS GOLD' SUNDAY TIMES WHO - OR WHAT - WAS THE REAL LOVE OF FREDDIE MERCURY'S LIFE? THE SENSATIONAL NEW BIOGRPHAY OF QUEEN'S FRONTMAN Millions of Queen and screen fans who watched the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody believe that Mary Austin, the woman he could never quite let go of, was the love of Freddie Mercury's life. But the truth is infinitely more complicated. Best-selling biographer and music writer Lesley-Ann Jones explores the charismatic frontman's romantic encounters, from his boarding school years in Panchgani, India to his tragic, final, bed-ridden days in his magnificent London mansion. She reveals why none of his love interests ever perfected the art of being Freddie's life partner. In Love of My Life, the author follows him through his obsessions with former shop girl Mary, German actress Barbara Valentin and Irish-born barber boyfriend Jim Hutton. She explores his adoration of globally fêted Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé. She delves into his intimate friendship with Elton John, and probes his imperishable bonds with his fellow band members. She deconstructs his complicated relationship with the 'food of love' - his music - and examines closely his voracious appetite for - what some would call his fatal addiction to - sex. Which of these was the real love of Freddie Mercury's life? Was any of them? Drawing on personal interviews and first-hand encounters, this moving book brings to the fore a host of Freddie's lesser-known loves, weaving them in and out of the passions that consumed him. The result, a mesmerising portrait of a legendary rock star, is unputdownable. Love of My Life, published during the year of the 30th anniversary of his death and that would have seen his 75th birthday, is Lesley-Ann's personal and compassionate tribute to an artist she has revered for as long as she has written about music and musicians.


Book Synopsis Love of My Life by : Lesley-Ann Jones

Download or read book Love of My Life written by Lesley-Ann Jones and published by Coronet. This book was released on 2021-09-02 with total page 367 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'EYEWITNESS GOLD' SUNDAY TIMES WHO - OR WHAT - WAS THE REAL LOVE OF FREDDIE MERCURY'S LIFE? THE SENSATIONAL NEW BIOGRPHAY OF QUEEN'S FRONTMAN Millions of Queen and screen fans who watched the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody believe that Mary Austin, the woman he could never quite let go of, was the love of Freddie Mercury's life. But the truth is infinitely more complicated. Best-selling biographer and music writer Lesley-Ann Jones explores the charismatic frontman's romantic encounters, from his boarding school years in Panchgani, India to his tragic, final, bed-ridden days in his magnificent London mansion. She reveals why none of his love interests ever perfected the art of being Freddie's life partner. In Love of My Life, the author follows him through his obsessions with former shop girl Mary, German actress Barbara Valentin and Irish-born barber boyfriend Jim Hutton. She explores his adoration of globally fêted Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballé. She delves into his intimate friendship with Elton John, and probes his imperishable bonds with his fellow band members. She deconstructs his complicated relationship with the 'food of love' - his music - and examines closely his voracious appetite for - what some would call his fatal addiction to - sex. Which of these was the real love of Freddie Mercury's life? Was any of them? Drawing on personal interviews and first-hand encounters, this moving book brings to the fore a host of Freddie's lesser-known loves, weaving them in and out of the passions that consumed him. The result, a mesmerising portrait of a legendary rock star, is unputdownable. Love of My Life, published during the year of the 30th anniversary of his death and that would have seen his 75th birthday, is Lesley-Ann's personal and compassionate tribute to an artist she has revered for as long as she has written about music and musicians.

The Show Must Go on

The Show Must Go on

Author: Rick Sky

Publisher:

Published: 1994-01

Total Pages: 207

ISBN-13: 9780006384359

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This is an absorbing and intriguing account of Freddie Mercury's life. Former showbiz reporter Rick Sky knew Mercury for 15 years, interviewing him on numerous occasions, sharing his thoughts and feelings as he changed from a young man into a star. Few others can claim such access to Mercurys's life. Filled with beautiful photography of the flamboyant star and a fascinating look at the impact his death had on friends, family and the world at large, this celebration of his extraordinary life is brought back to the world.


Book Synopsis The Show Must Go on by : Rick Sky

Download or read book The Show Must Go on written by Rick Sky and published by . This book was released on 1994-01 with total page 207 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This is an absorbing and intriguing account of Freddie Mercury's life. Former showbiz reporter Rick Sky knew Mercury for 15 years, interviewing him on numerous occasions, sharing his thoughts and feelings as he changed from a young man into a star. Few others can claim such access to Mercurys's life. Filled with beautiful photography of the flamboyant star and a fascinating look at the impact his death had on friends, family and the world at large, this celebration of his extraordinary life is brought back to the world.

Mercury

Mercury

Author: Lesley-Ann Jones

Publisher: Simon and Schuster

Published: 2012-07-03

Total Pages: 357

ISBN-13: 1451663978

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Revealing and intimate, based on more than 100 interviews with key figures in his life, this is the definitive biography of Queen front man Freddie Mercury, one of pop music’s best-loved and most complex figures. A revealing, intimate look at the man who would be Queen. As lead vocalist for the iconic rock band Queen, Freddie Mercury’s unmatched skills as a songwriter and his flamboyant showmanship made him a superstar and Queen a household name. But despite his worldwide fame, few people ever really glimpsed the man behind the glittering façade. Now, more than twenty years after his death, those closest to Mercury are finally opening up about this pivotal figure in rock ’n’ roll. Based on more than a hundred interviews with key figures in his life, Mercury offers the definitive account of one man’s legendary life in the spotlight and behind the scenes. Rock journalist Lesley-Ann Jones gained unprecedented access to Mercury’s tribe, and she details Queen’s slow but steady rise to fame and Mercury’s descent into dangerous, pleasure-seeking excesses—this was, after all, a man who once declared, “Darling, I’m doing everything with everyone.” In her journey to understand Mercury, Jones traveled to London, Zanzibar, and India—talking with everyone from Mercury’s closest friends to the sound engineer at Band Aid (who was responsible for making Queen even louder than the other bands) to second cousins halfway around the world. In the process, an intimate and complicated portrait emerges. Meticulously researched, sympathetic yet not sensational, Mercury offers an unvarnished look at the extreme highs and lows of life in the fast lane. At the heart of this story is a man...and the music he loved.


Book Synopsis Mercury by : Lesley-Ann Jones

Download or read book Mercury written by Lesley-Ann Jones and published by Simon and Schuster. This book was released on 2012-07-03 with total page 357 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Revealing and intimate, based on more than 100 interviews with key figures in his life, this is the definitive biography of Queen front man Freddie Mercury, one of pop music’s best-loved and most complex figures. A revealing, intimate look at the man who would be Queen. As lead vocalist for the iconic rock band Queen, Freddie Mercury’s unmatched skills as a songwriter and his flamboyant showmanship made him a superstar and Queen a household name. But despite his worldwide fame, few people ever really glimpsed the man behind the glittering façade. Now, more than twenty years after his death, those closest to Mercury are finally opening up about this pivotal figure in rock ’n’ roll. Based on more than a hundred interviews with key figures in his life, Mercury offers the definitive account of one man’s legendary life in the spotlight and behind the scenes. Rock journalist Lesley-Ann Jones gained unprecedented access to Mercury’s tribe, and she details Queen’s slow but steady rise to fame and Mercury’s descent into dangerous, pleasure-seeking excesses—this was, after all, a man who once declared, “Darling, I’m doing everything with everyone.” In her journey to understand Mercury, Jones traveled to London, Zanzibar, and India—talking with everyone from Mercury’s closest friends to the sound engineer at Band Aid (who was responsible for making Queen even louder than the other bands) to second cousins halfway around the world. In the process, an intimate and complicated portrait emerges. Meticulously researched, sympathetic yet not sensational, Mercury offers an unvarnished look at the extreme highs and lows of life in the fast lane. At the heart of this story is a man...and the music he loved.