Peter Freestone - Freddie Mercury : An Intimate Memoir by the Man Who Knew Him Best

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This book is for my late mother, Olga, and my Father, Leslie, who always let me get on with my life and yet were always around if I needed them. I couldnt properly grieve for my mother because her death coincided with my growing involvement with deeper care for Freddie and so in some ways this book is my acknowledgment to her.

November 28, 1995, and October 10, 1997,

I lived for art, I lived for love
Why does God repay me thus ?
Tosca. Act II. Puccini.

In the Sunday Times of September 24, 1995, a league table of artistic achievement, Masters of the Arts, was published. Included in this were two sections, favourite pop performer and greatest pop performer. Amongst the favourite group which included the likes of Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Elton John, the name Freddie Mercury ranked number ten. Amongst the greatest pop performers, which again included Elvis Presley, The Beatles and Elton John, Freddies name again appeared, ranked at number five, oddly enough above that of Elton John.

During his life, Freddie greatly admired both Elvis Presley and John Lennon, almost regarding them as heroes. He never dreamed that when he died, he would be included in the same league. And in October 1979, when I first had the offer of working with Queen, I never dreamed that I would be involved with a man whom I see as one of the greatest composers of the late twentieth century.

I was involved with Freddie on a day-to-day basis for twelve years, almost to the day, in a multitude of different roles which eventually all came together under the umbrella description of Personal Assistant. I was chief cook and bottle washer, waiter, butler, valet, secretary, amanuensis, cleaner, baby-sitter (the baby being him) and agony aunt. 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 wasnt going well. I acted as his bodyguard when needed and in the end, of course, I was one of his nurses.

And I was indubitably one of his friends. Im one of a handful of people who were lucky enough to have witnessed the creation of much of his work, from conception to performance. There is so much more to creating music than putting lyrics and notes down on paper. The feelings involved and the reason for them mean so much and Freddie had a bottomless well of feelings.

By undertaking this project, I find I have a responsibility to be as truthful as I can in portraying what Freddie went through both as an artist and as a man. I want to show that there was much more to Freddie than has been written about until now. I also want to dispel some of the grosser imaginings of both press and biographers alike, who, doubtless writing from the best of motives, didnt know the man they were writing about. I realised very early on that the man about whom I am writing was one of the most complex creatures anyone could ever encounter. But, at the same time in writing about him, I also realised that he was in fact just a human being like the rest of us and I sincerely hope that in reading this, anyone will be able to find elements of themselves contained within this very special person. In my time, I have discovered we are all very special and complex people.

A large percentage of the population of the world have read all about Freddies comings and goings and doings of this and that but many people have come up and asked me: What was Freddie really like?

With this book, I hope I can answer some of their questions. I dont believe that anyone person can know a hundred per cent about another person and so I would never lay claim to writing anything definitive. What follows is my telling of Freddies life. I want to show both the man and the genius and the results of the collaboration.

Peter Freestone
London 1995-1998

CAST LIST

I thought it might be helpful to the readers unfamiliar with the cast in this slice of life to have a list of those major players for easy reference as to their place in this tale.

A

HRH The Prince Andrew Great fan of ballet dancers.
Thor Arnold Nurse, friend and confidant.
James Arthurs Businessman and longtime friend in New York.
Debbie Ash Actress.
Jane Asher Actress and, later still, cake-maker.
Gordon Atkinson Freddies General Practitioner.
Mary Austin Former girlfriend. Lifelong Friend.

B

Roy and Barbara Thomas Baker Mr and Mrs Record Producer.
Tony Bastin Lover.
Jim and Claudia Beach Queens manager and his wife.
Stephanie Beacham Actress.
Martin Beisly Art expert at Christies auction house.
Rupert Bevan Picture frame gilder and furniture restorer.
Debbie Bishop Actress and singer.
David Bowie Composer, musician. Still a private company.
Bryn Bridenthal Friendly ally at Elektra Records, Los Angeles.
Dieter Briet Physiotherapist.
Briony Brind Prima ballerina.
John Brough Sound engineer and scapegoat.
Kim Brown Wife of Pete Brown, once Queens day-to-day manager.
Cake-maker.
Michael Brown Ballet wardrobe master for the Royal Ballet.
Jackie Brownell Sympathetic contact at Elektra Records, LA.
Bomi and Jer Bulsara His parents.
Joe Burt Guitarist and sometime boyfriend to Mary Austin.

C

Carlos Caballe Artists manager.
Montserrat Caballe La Superba. Opera diva and friend.
Montsy Caballe Niece and personal assistant to Montserrat.
Piers Cameron Father to Marys children. Interior Decorator.
Rupert Cavendish Furniture dealer.
Annie Challis Record company executive and friend.
David Chambers Tailor.
Charles the Canadian Lover.
John Christie Actor. Colleague of Dave Clarks. Friend.
Dave Clark Sixties pop star, theatrical producer and friend.
Trevor Clarke Nightclub front man and friend.
Roger and Kashmira Cooke Sister and brother-in-law.
Carolyn Cowan Make-up artist extraordinaire.

D

Gordon Dalziel Chauffeur. Partner to Graham Hamilton.
Jo Dare Singer.