I love Freddie Mercury - Some people dont!!! Read This and Give Your Opinion

Motley Crue

Launch Radio Networks reports: Freddie Mercury would have been 60 years old next Tuesday (September 5), but there's some dispute in his homeland about whether he should be celebrated. The late QUEEN frontman was born Farrokh Bulsara on the East African island of Zanzibar, which is now part of Tanzania, and some conservative Muslims want to block any official recognition of the man or the day. Abdallah Said Ali, who is the leader of the group The Association For Islamic Mobilization And Propagation, wrote to the local culture ministry and said that because the singer was gay and died of AIDS, "Associating Mercury with Zanzibar degrades our island as a place of Islam." Ali also wrote, "Allowing such a function for a person known outside Zanzibar as a homosexual tarnishes the name of Zanzibar... Let us protect our good culture."

Not everyone agrees, however. Simai Mohamed Saidi, who owns a theme restaurant called "Mercury's," is moving forward with a party on Saturday (September 2), and he told the AFP news service, "I plan to ask the authorities to advocate Mercury because he was an artist who advertised Zanzibar abroad."

There's been no official response from the government either for or against honoring Mercury.

According to AFP, Zanzibar is almost 99 percent Muslim, though most are thought to be moderate, and the local government works hard to balance the desires of observant Muslims with the tourism industry and people who lead more secular lives.

senordingdong

Some people love religion - I don't.
That's my two cents.

mike65

Freddie 60? God thats a shocking thought.

Mike.

DMC

Decent BBC Radio 2 documentary series here to mark the event..

Doctor J

Freddie was one of the greatest performers of our time, as well as a gifted and visionary composer and no Zanzibar homophobe is going to change my mind on that. The man could communicate with a stadium of 100,000 people and make every single one feel like they were part of the band. It doesn't matter a damn what he did in his private life, everyone has their own way to live their own life and some folks would be better off paying attention to resolving the flaws in their own character, rather than interfere in the lives of others.

If anyone is in any doubt, check out Queen's set at Live Aid, probably the most fantastic 20 minutes by any band ever.

cournioni

I like Queen, they're very good. All I have to say really.

crosstownk

If you ask me Freddie was simply the best frontman a band could ever have.

Any celebration of Freddie, for any reason, at any time gets my nod of approval.

Freddie Mercury - RIP.

Motley Crue

Glad to see there's so much love of Freddie, although apparently Brian May has had his own problems recently too, but im glad to see Freddie getting the respect he deserves from boarders.

Its funny though, because he always said he never wanted to live past 50 anyway, i went to visit his house there a few weeks ago and was shocked by its majestry, it was like a palace down some indiscreet lane in Kenningston

Incidently, anyone see Queen with Freddie when they played here in 82 or 86? Anyone see Brian May in 93 or Queen in 05?

layke

Yay Freddie Mercury.
Boo religious nazi's.

I find that hard to picture a loose skinned 60 year old with buck teeth.

mike65

indiscreet

discreet surely? Anyways yep Freddie was great, and I'm glad there was only one of him if you see what I mean, any attempts to copy would be doomed to failure. I was watching a bit from Wemberly 86 on VH1 a few weeks back and it still rocks like a good un. It was also a shock to realise its 20 years since I saw it.

Mike.

johnplayerblue

Just listening to Queen at the BBC way back in 69 i think it was which was always one of my favorite Queen albums with Great king Rat, Doing Alright, keep Yourself Alive, Liar, My Fairy King, what tracks and light years ahead, only then to be followed by Queen ll another gem of an album. Have to say i was never one for hero worshiping but as a younger man id have to say i would had given a lot to be Freddie Mercury. Got me through some very dodgy years, me my Queen albums and an old turntable. Thanks Freddie, One of a kind.

tj-music.com

crosstownk wrote:

If you ask me Freddie was simply the best frontman a band could ever have.

Bang on correct

Doomspell

crosstownk wrote:

If you ask me Freddie was simply the best frontman a band could ever have.

Any celebration of Freddie, for any reason, at any time gets my nod of approval.

Freddie Mercury - RIP.

I'll drink to that. Very well said.

Karl Hungus

Queen were probably the first band I was into. My very first tape, way back when, was Live in Wembley.

I probably owe my love of music to them.

byte

Yes Queen were great. I still have my old yellow EMI tape of Queen's Greatest Hits about somewhere. It was my first introduction to Queen.

I'd like to have seen Queen in concert, as Freddie was a spectacular frontman.

Motley Crue

Launch Radio Networks reports: A celebration planned for this weekend in Zanzibar to honor native son Freddie Mercury has been called off due to religious protests. The population of the Tanzanian islands off the East Coast of Africa is primarily Islamic, and conservative Muslims threatened to disrupt the event, which would have marked the 60th anniversary of the late QUEEN singer's birth, according to the AFP news agency. Sheikh Azzan Hamdani of the local Association For Islamic Mobilization And Propagation said, "We were ready to join forces against the party because we had information that a number of gays from abroad had come to take part."

Organizer Simai Mohamed Saidi said, "We have decided to cancel the party after misleading and erroneous information was spread about it. I urge Muslim groups in the future to seek correct information from us instead of relying on rumors." Saidi, who owns the "Mercury's" theme restaurant in Zanzibar, had also intended to use the party to raise money for people with HIV/AIDS.

Local religious leaders felt that honoring Mercury, who was gay and who died of AIDS in 1991, would have gone against their faith, and that it would have brought shame to Zanzibar, where Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946.

The local government had been asked to close the party down before it started. Officials, who never formally responded to the request, are said to walk a fine line between the needs of people who lead a secular lifestyle, a busy tourist industry, and religious conservatives. However, media outlets that are overseen by the government were told by the information ministry not to cover Saidi's Mercury event.

BUT THEY WONT BREAK MY SPIRIT, OR ANYONE ELSES, AND FREDDIE WILL STILL BE HONOURED IN HIS OWN WAY!

timmy69

He rocked! no one like him broz.

kodute

Nothing makes my blood boil more than ignorant religious zealots! stupid religion!!!!:mad: :mad:

He was truly a legend! Rock on Freddy! :cool:

sham69

First band I really got into, started playing guitar coz of Brian May.
Freddie was a legend, there has never been or ever will be a front man like him. He could have an audience in the palm of his hand. Queen 1 and 2 are classic albums to name but 2. I am going to spend the week catching up on my queen cd's and dvd's. Really thought the band might have had some sort of gig for the 10 year anniversary or something?
Didnt really approve of the Paul Rodgers thing.
Happy Birthday Freddie, you will never be forgotten.

billy the squid

Freddie Mercury could sing any type of music known to man. There hasn't been a single person on this blue and green earth that could do as many musical styles as he could.

Classical (Barcelona,)
Comedic (I'm Going Slightly Mad, Delilah)
Ballad (Jealousy Too Muck Love Will Kill You, Love Of My Life)
Pop (Radio Ga Ga, A Kind Of Magic, Friends will be Friends)
Rock'n'Roll (Crazy Little Thing Called Love)

And one or two you couldn't even fit into a genre like Bohemian Rapsody and Innuendo.

I have heard musicians who have been the best at their style of music, but put them into another type of music and they are a disaster. This never happened with Freddie Mercury. Haven't heard anyone like him, And I have listened to all sorts of music.

kinaldo

billy the squid wrote:

Freddie Mercury could sing any type of music known to man. There hasn't been a single person on this blue and green earth that could do as many musical styles as he could.

How about Prince (one of Freddie's idols)...

Pop (When U Were Mine, Raspberry Beret, Little Red Corvette, U Got the Look etc.)
Rock (Darling Nikki, Purple Rain, Sign O' the Times, So Far So Pleased, Empty Room etc.)
Funk (Housequake, Let's Work, Controversy, Erotic City, Strange Relationship, Love or $ etc.)
Ballad (Do Me Baby, Adore, The Most Beautiful Girl in the World, Condition of the Heart, Sweet Baby etc.)
Rock 'n' Roll (Let's Go Crazy, Delirious, Sister)
Party (1999, Baby I'm a Star, Play in the Sunshine)
Blues (The Ride, The Undertaker)
R&B (Soft and Wet, I Feel for U, I Wann Be Your Lover)
Soul (Anna Steisa, Just My Imagination, Slow Love, Crucial, Solo etc.)
Jazz (Madhouse albums, The Rainbow Children, NEWS)
Disco (Sexy Dancer, Just as Long as We're Together)
Rap (Dead on It, Pussy Control, My Name is Prince)
Techno (Loose!)
Metal (Bambi)
Electronica (Something in the Water Don't Compute, Automatic, Batdance, Interactive, Space etc.)
Folk (The Truth, Don't Play Me)
Swing (Courtin' Time)
Classical (Kamasutra)
Comedic(?) (Movie Star and Bob George)
Miscellaneous (most of his many albums and vault)

Motley Crue

Lover of Life, Singer of Songs, simple as that...

"I personally dont think id make old bones, I have no aspirations to live to 70, that would be boring"

evad_lhorg

You cant not like Queen. They are just great.

kinaldo

evad_lhorg wrote:

You cant not like Queen. They are just great.

It seems to me most people who like Queen are very casual fans. I know loads of people around my age group (early/mid 20s) who own their greatest hits cds but none of their studio albums. I think that's mostly to do with Bohemian Rahpsody and Wayne's World. Not to derail this thread or anything but I personally can't stand most of Queen's music. I wouldn't argue that Freddie Mercury is a legend, he was a very good singer and had a lot going for him. The band on the other hand showed their true colours by teaming up with Five a few years ago to record another number one hit. Freddie was probably turning in his grave.

crosstownk

Motley Crue wrote:

Glad to see there's so much love of Freddie,

Incidently, anyone see Queen with Freddie when they played here in 82 or 86?

It's glad to see that Freddie still lives on in so many peoples memories. His songs will be around long after we are all six feet under.

I was at the RDS in 84 (Works Tour) and in Slane in 86 (Magic Tour). Both gigs are stamped on my memory forever. It rained for a lot of the day in Slane but it made no difference. I also remember Freddie telling the crowd that they we're not going to play until some concert goers stopped fighting (click on the Slane link here). I have a bootleg tape of the gig but can't find it anywhere.:mad:

Motley Crue

crosstownk wrote:

I was at the RDS in 84 (Works Tour) and in Slane in 86 (Magic Tour). Both gigs are stamped on my memory forever.

Man id love to have seen that! The perfect time to have seen Queen I think, and twice within a relatively short period, and two nights in Dublin!Oh god that would have been cool