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Freddie Mercury (05.09.1946-24.11.1991)
Few bands embodied the pure excess of the '70s like Queen. Embracing the
exaggerated pomp of prog-rock and heavy metal, as well as vaudevellian
music-hall, the British quartet delved deeply into camp and bombast, creating a
huge, mock-operatic sound with layered guitars and overdubbed vocals. Queen's
music was a bizarre, yet highly accessible fusion of the macho and the fey. For
years, their albums boasted the motto «no synthesizers were used on this
record», signaling their allegiance with the legions of post-Led Zeppelin hard
rock bands.
Vocalist Freddie Mercury brought an extravagant sense of camp to the band,
pushing them towards kitschy humor and pseudo-classical arrangements, as
epitomized on their best-known song, «Bohemian Rhapsody». He was one of the most
dynamic and charismatic frontmen in rock history, and through his legendary
theatrical performances, Queen became one of the most popular bands in the world
in the mid-'70s. In England, they remained second only to the Beatles in
popularity and collectibility in the '90s.
Because Queen embraced such mass success and adoration, they were scorned by
the rock press. Nevertheless, the public continued to buy Queen records, and the
band's popularity rarely waned. Even in the late '80s, the group retained a
fanatical following except America. In the States, their popularity peaked in
the early '80s, just as they finished nearly a decade's worth of extraordinarily
popular records. And while those records were never praised, they sold in
enormous numbers, and traces of Queen's music could be heard in several
generations of hard rock and metal bands in the next two decades, from Metallica
to Smashing Pumpkins. With chart
success spanning three decades and album sales topping 150 million worldwide,
they continue to fascinate fans and music lovers alike. Queen remains one of the most outstanding rock bands of
all time.
Eric Clapton: «There are people these days who can do things on the
guitar which are beyond my reach. There's one guy who plays with Queen who can
do things I would dream of doing. I sincerely mean that.»
Concert photography: © Helge Øverås. Must not be used without permission.
Links:
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Queen-concerts I have attended:
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Queen