Blog 21

After a fairly nice few days, snow fell this morning… again! Ah, mother nature just telling us who is in charge!

The first question today if from Ed who is shocked at some of the comments I make in documentaries and the manner in which I make them.
I am truly sorry if I cause offense to some people. I occasionally feel like I might have said too much, but in the end I always remember a couple of things that Freddie said, not only to me, others were there when he said it. Firstly, Freddie said in an interview… I wish people could see me as a human being…. He also said to me, when people hear about me, they must see all of me, warts and all. When I do interviews I always want to stress Freddie’s happy side, his sense of humour, his humanity. Yes, while he was alive he tried to keep away from the headlines, but he also knew when he wasn’t around anymore the press could have a field day. I also try to take some of the sting out of what they say by showing how what he did away from the stage was what any one of us could do.

Rachel asked about Freddie’s exercise regime.
Freddie had one of nature’s natural good physiques. He never went to a gym in the 12 years I knew him. He is the only person I know who had 2 sets of gym equipment in places he owned, or rented, and they were only used by friends. He had one set in the apartment in Manhattan, and one set in the house he rented in Los Angeles. He never over ate, but never felt the urge to go out for a run. While Queen were touring, he got enough exercise on the stage.

Sylvia wanted to know how Freddie would have changed his stage performance if he was alive today.
It is hard to say what would have happened, except to say, I don’t think he would be performing in his 60s. He always said something like… the dinosaurs are out again… when older bands started touring again while he was still alive. If you look at his performance style over the years you see how his shows became stronger as the years went by. He created the performance to suit the venue. Early he perfected the whole androgynous feel, with the nail varnish, fox fur jacket, bodysuits. When the shows became larger, so Freddie’s image on the stage became bolder. His rule of thumb for his costumes was; if the venue is small, you wear darker clothes, if it is big… WHITE! It really had nothing to do with his life off stage.

Olivier asked about the song You Take My Breath Away.
I was not around for the creation of this song, so I don’t know the exact process, but as far as I am aware he did have someone in mind when he wrote it.

Jane wanted to know about the quiet side of Freddie.
Freddie was a true romantic. I remember once while we were on tour a friend of his was on a date and while the friend was out of his room Freddie covered the bed with rose petals. He thought nothing about buying gifts for friends; in fact that was one of his greatest pleasures, just to see his friends’ faces when they opened them. While many people have read that Freddie could be a tyrant, he was really the complete opposite. Provided you did what was expected as well as you could, with thought and consideration, he was the kindest person you could ever wish to meet.

Hally asked if Freddie planned for the future of his music.
I think the honest answer to that would be no. Even during his lifetime so many Queen songs had become part of the fabric of our lives. When Freddie wrote a song he didn’t think of it’s longevity, he just hoped fans would like it.

Lily asked about Freddie and languages.
Sadly, Freddie had a problem with learning languages. In foreign interviews, with good editing, it looks like he understands the questions, that is because he had heard the question in English first. When he uses a phrase in the local language during shows abroad, it was because he had heard the phrase in the dressing room and it sometimes was written down for him and placed somewhere on the stage. For the song he sang in Hungary, he had the words written on his hand!

John asked if Dr. Atkinson, Freddie’s doctor, came to a show because Freddie might be sick.
Gordon Atkinson, besides being Freddie’s doctor, was also a good friend. They had known each other for many years, and considering what you normally have to tell your doctor, it helps if they are your friend as well. Gordon had taken care of all of Freddie’s ailments from the mid 70s and was often invited to parties at Freddie’s flat in Stafford terrace and also Garden Lodge well before Freddie showed any signs of HIV/AIDS.

Anthony wanted to know when the quiet, home Freddie became the rock star Freddie.
Really this happened from the minute he left home. At home he could be himself, surrounded by people that knew him. As soon as he left his front door, it was as if he had put on the rock star persona over his normal self. He became what the public expected him to be. He then took that to a further level when he went onto the stage.

Some of you will notice that I am picking some of the older questions; this is because I keep opening them as I see them, and then answering the questions as I see them. I do look at all of them and while you don’t all get a name check, I do try to answer what is asked. Enjoy yourself till next time!