We've always told the truth - Brian May and Roger Taylor
Before viewing this movie, it's important to note that it is a biographical film centered on Freddie Mercury, the iconic lead singer of Queen. It's crucial to understand that this film does not encompass a comprehensive biography of the entire band, nor does it function as a documentary. Freddie Mercury takes center stage as the protagonist, with Brian May, Roger Taylor, and John Deacon playing supporting roles. The life experiences of these three band members are not extensively explored within the scope of this film.
The movie only covers events up to the 1985 Live Aid concert. It doesn't include the band's later albums like "A Kind Of Magic" (1986), their most successful world tour, "The Miracle" (1989), and "Innuendo" (1991). Afterward, Freddie collaborated with Montserrat Caballé, one of the greatest operatic sopranos, to create the iconic song "Barcelona," which became the theme for the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. After Freddie's passing, the band members, as per his wishes, compiled his recorded moments into Queen's final studio album, "Made In Heaven" (1995), and released a single, "No One But You (Only The Good Die Young)," as a tribute to Freddie.
The reason the film ends with Live Aid is perhaps due to the band members not wanting to relive the pain of Freddie's final days and death. Continuing the story beyond Live Aid might have reopened those deep wounds for them. Freddie himself didn't want the world to see his suffering, even though he appeared in music videos and shot "These Are The Days Of Our Lives" when he was unable to walk. The film's essence is to celebrate and pay tribute to Freddie's extraordinary talent, showcase his true character, and remember his humanity.
In reality, Freddie was diagnosed with AIDS in April 1987. However, since the film ended in 1985, it couldn't depict what happened afterwards. Therefore, the film plays with timelines and adjusts the storyline to provide an overview of Freddie's life. Although it involves factual adjustments, these story elements are truthful to Freddie and the band's later experiences.
If you wish to know the accurate historical facts about Freddie and Queen, it's recommended to watch their documentaries. You might want to start with “Days Of Our Lives”. There's also the recent documentary, "Queen Rock The World," which focuses on the band's 1977 album "News Of The World" and the corresponding tour. You'll also find Freddie's documentary, "The Great Pretender." Don't forget to explore numerous biographies, such as Brian May's "Queen In 3-D," Peter Freestone's "Freddie Mercury: An Intimate Memoir by the Man Who Knew Him Best," Jim Hutton's "Mercury and Me," Peter Hince's "Queen Unseen: My Life with the Greatest Rock Band of the 20th Century," David Minns' "THIS WAS THE REAL LIFE: The Tale of Freddie Mercury," and others.
Lastly, the best way to understand Freddie and Queen is through their music. This movie serves as a testament to the excellence of Rami Malek's portrayal because he thoroughly studied and embodied Freddie.
The film's authenticity in costumes, props, and stage design is thanks to Brian May and Roger Taylor's involvement. They frequently visited the set and personally guided the filming, particularly during the concert scenes. Furthermore, Queen has a vast archive of materials, cared for by the band's official archivist, Greg Brooks. You can find almost any obscure item or event from their history. Most impressively, Peter Freestone, who was Freddie's personal assistant, sat beside the director and screenwriter, ensuring the utmost accuracy. The director would shoot a scene, then ask Peter, "I think Rami's performance here is good. Do you think Freddie would react like this?" Peter: "It's quite good... but perhaps Freddie might react this way..." Director: "Okay, let's shoot it again!"
Here's another critical factor to consider: your own values.
If you perceive the film as typical Hollywood sentimentality and cliché family drama, you might have entered the wrong theater. If you cannot appreciate the movie, it's possibly because your values differ from those of Freddie and Queen. The film portrays the worldviews, philosophies, and values of Freddie and Queen. They were traditional, educated British gentlemen who espoused a mainstream society's set of values, including hard work, the pursuit of dreams, reflection on their thoughts and actions, and advocating love, peace, and equality. They were an embodiment of the mainstream values that one would find in textbooks—a role model influencing generations. The term "We Are Family" is not just a slogan; it reflects reality. They genuinely supported and loved each other. Despite disagreements and conflicts, both creative and personal, they remained like a loving family, always coming back together. They profoundly loved each other. Over 27 years since Freddie's passing, the ongoing Queen+Adam Lambert global tour and the decade-long journey to make this movie symbolize the band's love and remembrance of Freddie. If it weren't for their active participation, Freddie's character could have been drastically distorted.
This film is their gift to Freddie.
Therefore, avoid overlaying the norms and expectations of the entertainment and rock music industry onto Freddie and Queen. As Deacy said in the film, "Every band is not Queen."
Reality vs. Fiction, Memes, and Jokes
1. In the scene where Freddie is working at Heathrow Airport, the background music is a live version of "Doing Alright," newly recorded by the original members of the Smile band, Tim Staffell, Brian, and Roger at Abbey Road Studios. The lyrics of this song is a close match to Freddie's situation at the time.
2. Freddie was known for being a dedicated fan of Smile when he attended Ealing College of Art with Tim Staffell, who was also his roommate. The movie simplifies this into a more enthusiastic fan who secretly follows Smile. In the film, when Freddie watches Smile perform, you can see his affection for Roger and Brian. On a side note, the actor portraying Tim Staffell is actually the son of actor Tim Roth.
3. When Tim left Smile, Brian and Roger reflected on their shortcomings. Roger even said, "I have better things to do on weekends. I can give you their names." This was a reference to Roger's womanizing ways. Freddie wanted to join Smile, but Roger jokingly said that his teeth weren't good enough, which seemed to hurt Freddie deeply. However, Freddie later claimed that the extra teeth from having four more teeth had broadened his vocal range.
4. Brian met Mary at a college concert. He tried to date her, but it didn't work out. Freddie believed that Mary was Brian's girlfriend, and he secretly admired her for almost six months. He finally asked Brian if Mary was his girlfriend, to which Brian responded that she wasn't. He even encouraged Freddie to date her. The film altered the sequence of events to emphasize Mary's strong support for Freddie's self-expression and dreams. Without Mary's support, Freddie's life would have been quite different. The scene with Biba also highlights Freddie's belief in transcending labels and norms related to clothing and gender. He often mixed and matched men's and women's clothing, embodying a gender-fluid image, which was part of Queen's identity.
5. In Queen's first performance with John Deacon, the film arranges for Brian to struggle with Freddie's name for a reason. Roger introducing himself as the band's most famous member is historically accurate. Roger returned to his hometown in Cornwall, and he was quite the legendary drummer, with posters even featuring "Roger Taylor and Queen," where Roger's name was prominent and "Queen" in a smaller font. This concept of highlighting Roger's popularity and fan base among young girls was a reality that persisted in many live shows.
6. The scene in which Freddie waits at the station for his bandmates with "Keep Yourself Alive" playing in the background was a clever touch. The lyrics of the song reflect the band's situation at the time.
7. When Freddie brings Mary's parents and the band to meet his parents, this was a common occurrence at the time. Their five families were quite close. Freddie and Roger even lived together in Kensington Market, and Roger's mother used to visit them (to inspect hygiene). This would often lead to a panicked cleaning spree. Mary's parents were deaf and mute, and the actor playing Mary's father in the movie is a genuine deaf actor.
8. When the parents talk about their children's education, it's true that Brian's parents didn't support his musical pursuits. Brian and his father didn't speak for years, and his mother was distraught. It wasn't until 1977 when Brian invited his parents to watch a show at Madison Square Garden in New York that his father truly understood his son's career. In reality, the parents of all four members opposed their children's music careers, particularly given their high educational achievements and prospects for professional careers. Brian was on the verge of completing his Ph.D. thesis and working on missile designs in an internship at a national laboratory.
9. When Freddie is lying on his bed talking about their past, he sings a segment of "Lazy On A Sunday Afternoon," which is quite meaningful in this context.
10. In the scene where Roger appears to hit on Freddie's sister, Kashmira, it humorously reflects his womanizing nature.
11. Freddie arrives in women's clothing at the station to meet John Reid and receives derogatory comments from passing punks. This was a real incident that occurred. Deacy once asked Freddie if he could borrow clothes for church, as Deacy's wife, Veronica, was a Catholic.
12. In a scene from "Top of The Pops," a photographer keeps focusing on Freddie's lower half, which was a reference to the media at the time making comments about various aspects of Freddie's appearance, including his chest hair. Freddie's reaction was one of frustration.
13. Freddie lies on the bed, and on the notebook placed on the bed are hand-drawn band emblems and icons by Freddie himself. The two lions represent the zodiac sign Leo for Roger and Deacy, the crab is for Brian's Cancer sign, and the two fairies represent Freddie's Virgo sign. The letter Q represents Queen, and above it is a phoenix, not an ordinary large bird.
14. The scene where Freddie plays the piano with his back to the camera and plays a few notes from "Bohemian Rhapsody" is a nod to the fact that Freddie often played the piano in this manner. He's been called the "Mozart of Rock," and the melody of "Bohemian Rhapsody" had been in his mind for a long time.
15. The scene where Freddie doesn't want Mary to leave for work and Mary jokingly says that if she gets fired, who will feed him, reflects their actual living conditions. Freddie and Mary were quite poor at the time, and they lived in a similar manner to the film, with a piano used as a bedside table. Freddie had no income from his band, and it was all expenses. They relied on the band members' student grants to make ends meet. Everyone in the band supported each other financially. They were all in the same boat.
16. The real moment of the proposal took place on a Christmas Eve. Freddie handed Mary a box, within which was a smaller box, and inside the smaller box was a miniature box. Mary opened numerous boxes, eventually finding an exquisite jade ring. Afterward, she delivered a line identical to the one in the movie. However, Freddie never brought up the topic of marriage again, and Mary's occasional hints went unanswered. This has led many to argue that calling Mary Freddie's wife or ex-wife is inaccurate. They were only engaged and never married. Nevertheless, Freddie regarded her as his "legal wife" and believed that their time together was a form of matrimony.
17. When the other three members of the band, Queen, broke into Freddie's house to share the news of the upcoming American tour, Roger mistakenly called one of the girls by the wrong name, indicating his flirtatious nature.
18. Adam Lambert, playing a truck driver in the film, is accompanied by the background music of "Fat Bottomed Girls," written by Brian. The song is humorously referred to as the "greatest flesh and leather song" in rock music, even though Brian mentioned that he initially thought of Freddie while composing it. The visual transition from the bus to the live performance in the movie is impressive. Within the bus, Roger is depicted partying with two beautiful women, highlighting his hedonistic personality. However, it's worth noting that "Fat Bottomed Girls" was released in 1978, and Freddie's hair at that time was medium-length, not long, as during the first American tour. The inclusion of this song in the movie serves to underscore Freddie's evolving love life after his career in concert tours took off.
19. In the movie, Paul arranges accommodations for the band members and assigns the largest room to Freddie. This mirrors Freddie's status as the star of the band in real life; he always demanded the best. Roger would occasionally settle for the second-largest room, and Brian would do the same. However, John Deacon was known for his modesty.
20. In the film, Paul forcibly kisses Freddie. However, in reality, he only became Queen's manager in 1977 and was not involved in the creation of the album "A Night at the Opera." Nonetheless, the movie altered this event to emphasize Paul's character. It is worth mentioning that Freddie's first male partner was David Minns, a record executive, and he claimed that "Love of My Life" and "You Take My Breath Away" were written for him, although officially they are attributed to Mary. Therefore, when Freddie tells Paul in the movie that the song is for Mary, Paul goes along with it. While there is speculation of a relationship between Freddie and Paul, there is no confirmation of him being Freddie's official boyfriend. Moreover, other members of Queen and people around them disliked Paul. It is said that he used his relationship with Freddie as a way to exert control over him.
21. It's mentioned that Deacy didn't participate in the backing vocals for any Queen songs because he claimed to be tone-deaf. However, he did sing on stage, although his microphone was turned off. Occasionally, technical mistakes occurred where his microphone was left on, leading to some unfortunate situations.
22. In the movie, Freddie plays opera music by Caballé in front of EMI executive played by Mike Myers. Freddie's love for Caballé developed later. At that time, he was particularly fond of bringing Caballé's records to the recording studio, playing them loudly, and getting lost in the music. Jim Beach, on the other hand, genuinely loved opera. He came from an upper-class legal background and had a deep appreciation for opera, ballet, art, wine, and other high-culture elements, which he introduced to Freddie. As for John Reid, who doesn't love classical music?
23. Jim Beach mentions that the EMI executive once produced Pink Floyd's "The Dark Side of the Moon," an album known for its unusually long songs.
24. In the film, Kenny Everett receives a Queen single and mistakenly plays "I'm In Love With My Car" instead of the intended song. The film humorously alludes to a classic Queen anecdote: Roger locked himself in a cupboard until the rest of the band agreed to include this song as the B-side. It remains a mystery why this wasn't depicted in the film. Was it simply a running joke?
25. Queen visited Rio de Janeiro in 1985, not the time depicted in the movie. The movie moved the focus to the 1970s, to emphasize the theme of "Love of My Life." The portrayal of Mary's description of their coming out of the closet in that era, with the dialogue and scenes mirroring real-life events, was deeply moving for many viewers.
26. Freddie's change in image during the 1980s, characterized by short hair and a beard, represented a particular look associated with some gay communities, especially in Castro, USA. The film uses this change to mark Freddie's transition into embracing his openly gay lifestyle, which began in the mid-1970s.
27. The birth of "We Will Rock You" in 1977 was also used in the film to transition Freddie's image into the 1980s, ensuring narrative continuity and flow.
28. Throughout the film, several women who appear are the girlfriends of the band members (Brian's Chrissy, Deacy's Veronica, Roger's Dominique), and they later became their wives, with the exception of Mary.
29. The scene in the film where Freddie and Mary turn the lights off actually happened in real life, leading to many emotional reactions from the audience.
30. The extravagant and wild party outfit worn by Freddie in the film is based on the band's closing attire from their 1986 tour. The inclusion of bicycle-riding individuals, playfully smacked by Freddie, pays homage to the famous "Bicycle Race" music video.
31. Freddie distributed gifts to guests, saying that money can't buy happiness, but giving can bring joy. This was his life's creed. He was extremely generous and spent a lot of money buying gifts for others. Anyone with even a slight connection to him, anyone who had done something for him, would receive his gifts. He carried a birthday book with him, filled with the birthdays of his family and friends. He would frequently flip through it to ensure he didn't miss anyone's birthday because he prepared thoughtful birthday gifts for each person. Even after his passing, Elton John received his Christmas present a month later, as Freddie had arranged it before he died.
32. During the banquet, Paul acted arrogantly, which angered Mercury. Brian jokingly commented that Freddie was a member of a rock band, not the Village People, an American band known for a disco style and comprised entirely of gay members. Freddie's police outfit slightly resembled the Village People's image. In this scene, Brian subtly dissuades Freddie from engaging with Paul in this type of music, given the band's rock identity. Roger mocks Freddie for keeping Paul as a pet. Freddie defends his loyalty, asking Dominique if that's true, which is hurtful because Freddie was known for being promiscuous and addressing someone's private life in front of guests, even asking about their girlfriend. This made the other band members leave the scene, and Brian angrily scolds Freddie. Freddie quickly apologizes, claiming he was joking, but Paul drags him away. Freddie rides on Paul's shoulders, imitating Freddie's stage performances when he used to ride on various characters, like Superman, Darth Vader, and Santa Claus, while singing.
33. After the wild party ends, Freddie plays a few notes on the piano. The tune is familiar, but it's difficult to remember which song it is. Despite the high spirits during the party, Freddie appears quite dejected afterward because Paul and his friends took advantage of the event to profit from Freddie's money. Freddie harassed Jim Hutton but later apologized, and they engaged in a heart-to-heart conversation, which was fictionalized but embedded with real-life events.
34. There's a scene where Freddie argues with the band members. Deacy plays the intro on bass for "Another One Bites the Dust," which helps quell the dispute. Brian remarks that when Deacy starts playing the bass, the argument always stops. This scene is an indication of their artistic differences and foreshadows Queen's later experimentation with funk music, especially on the "Hot Space" album. It also highlights Mercury's growing frustration with Paul's influence.
35. The press conference is highly realistic, with the dialogue closely following the actual words spoken by the media and Freddie Mercury. It offers deep insight into Freddie's emotions, feelings, and the band's dynamics, making it a key scene for both fans and non-fans to study.
36. After the family feud scene, when life seems difficult for Freddie, the movie cuts to the line "But life still goes on" from a song, symbolizing the continued journey despite adversity. The pink lace nightdress Brian wears is an authentic piece from Brian himself.
37. The family argument scene, questioned by many fans as fictional, was actually confirmed by Brian during the Los Angeles premiere. When fans asked him which part of the movie was the most authentic, he pointed out this particular scene. He mentioned that initially, this scene was going to be cut from the final edit, but he vehemently opposed it because it was a true event. In the scene where "I Want To Break Free" was banned by MTV in the U.S., the lines spoken by Freddie in anger were the actual criticisms he faced from the media at that time. Freddie stated that despite Queen's contribution to the birth of MTV, they were banned by them, which is a factual occurrence. "Bohemian Rhapsody" was the first music video used for commercial promotion, and Queen played a significant role in the inception of MTV. Freddie's later statements were all in his own words. However, Queen losing a significant part of the U.S. market was largely due to Paul's interference. Paul refused many promotional opportunities and was determined to separate Freddie from Queen, exerting control over him. Yet, Freddie wasn't the first in the band to release solo work; Roger did so in the '70s, and Brian collaborated with others. The issue wasn't about going solo but rather the lack of cohesion within the band, leading to fatigue and loss of confidence among the members. Freddie also remarked that if it weren't for him, Brian would be an astrophysicist – a poignant remark. After Freddie's passing, many years later, Brian returned to Imperial College and, at the age of 60, earned a Ph.D. in astrophysics with outstanding achievements.
38. In this segment, Brian mentioned, "We are a family," and Freddie erupted, saying, "We are not a family. You have families. You have wives, you have children. I have nothing." This statement is verbatim, verbatim, verbatim!!! He cried with a broken heart. This illustrates how lonely and fearful Freddie was, dealing with issues related to his sexuality and the instability of his romantic life at the time. He consistently lived in a state of profound insecurity. The film's portrayal of this aspect of his life is very accurate.
39. When Mary calls Freddie but is intercepted by Paul, Freddie plays "I Was Born To Love You" on the piano.
40, In the rain, Mary tells Freddie that he is loved, by her, Brian, Deacy, and Roger, emphasizing this as a fact, not just sentimentality. The scene resonates well with the lyrics of "Under Pressure," and it's a moving moment.
41. Freddie later became the godfather of Mary's child and taught him to say "tractor" and "guitar."
42. The real reason Freddie fired Paul is that he had known for a long time that Paul wasn't a good person and was secretly mishandling his finances. Freddie wasn't someone who liked confronting people face to face; he had a soft heart. When Queen was initially unhappy with Paul and decided to terminate their contract, Freddie chose to keep him as his manager. This was because, apart from the fact that Paul was gay and could accompany him in social settings (Freddie was often lonely and needed constant company), Freddie had difficulty firing anyone due to his incredibly kind nature. However, as time passed, Paul took over Freddie's life, isolating him from the band and other people, leading him into a life of debauchery. Freddie gradually realized that he had made a mistake, which is depicted in the film, where Freddie dismisses Paul during their recording sessions. The final straw was when Paul, in Freddie's absence, brought a group of friends to Freddie's house, Garden Lodge, and left it in disarray. This infuriated Freddie, leading to him asking Paul to leave. Paul took £65,000 and sold Freddie to The Sun. Although he did not accept a television interview as depicted in the movie, during an era marked by hostility towards homosexuality and at a time when Freddie's sexual orientation was unknown to anyone outside of his close circle, Paul, with the information he provided, allowed The Sun to extensively report on Freddie's homosexual life. The newspaper covered all of Freddie's boyfriends, even including intimate photos with those men. Most frighteningly, it mentioned that two of Freddie's former boyfriends had died of AIDS, claiming that Freddie was very scared and confided in Paul. In the film, Freddie's father seeing the "All Queen’s Men" report in the newspaper is a perfect reproduction of the reports from that time. Of course, what angered Freddie the most was that Paul even disclosed Freddie's current boyfriend, Jim Hutton. Freddie had always been careful to protect Jim's privacy, and Jim did not want his family to learn about his romantic relationship with Freddie through the media. He preferred to tell them himself. Afterward, Paul shamelessly called Freddie, attempting to explain that he gave in because the media was relentless. Freddie didn't even answer his calls.
43. The scene where Freddie talks about reconciling with the band contains many lines that are original. For example, he mentions "four aging Queens" and "dinosaurs." These lines were a reflection of his real personality.
44. Freddie had a fondness for silk pajamas and kimonos, and the film might have used the original items. He had a collection of oriental items in his home.
45. When they mention AIDS, the background music playing "Who Wants To Live Forever" is heart-wrenching. In 1986, at Wembley Stadium, Freddie said that Queen would never break up unless they all died. This is a very poignant moment in the film, given that Freddie, at the time, was not aware of his AIDS diagnosis.
46. Freddie's diagnosis and the scene where he goes to the hospital are depicted accurately in the film. He was diagnosed with AIDS and initially kept it a secret from almost everyone. He first told Jim Hutton, who accepted him despite the diagnosis. In the film, Freddie's condition is portrayed as worsening, and he is unable to go to the hospital himself, so Jim calls for help. This scene is a creative interpretation of real events.
47. The message "do not use" on the soundboard and the sound level increase are depicted as fictional events. In reality, Queen's live sound engineer did not have to interfere with the equipment to increase their volume. This is a dramatic device used for storytelling in the movie.
48. The part where Freddie informs his bandmates about his illness is a timeline shift to before Live Aid. In reality, around 1987-88, during a family dinner where Queen was gathered, someone complained about having a cold. Freddie extended one of his feet, injured and bleeding due to a compromised immune system, telling them, "Look at what I've been through." This was the moment Queen became aware of his condition (Jim Beach had known earlier). The band members had already sensed that something was amiss. Deacy even took the initiative to cautiously ask Jim Hutton. In order to protect Freddie's privacy, Jim reluctantly lied. However, the reactions in this conversation authentically reflect each person's character. Especially the things Freddie said later—hoping they would keep it a secret, not wanting to play the AIDS sympathy card, just wanting to create until the very end—were indeed his actual words. Finally, he hugged everyone, saying even if they cried like little girls, he still loved them. Perhaps those were his exact words! He truly, truly loved this band, loved Brian, Roger, and Deacy. If you look at the lyrics of "A Winter’s Tale" and "These Are The Days Of Our Lives," you'll feel the profound love among the band members. After learning about Freddie's illness, the band protected him even more tightly, not revealing anything to outsiders, lying to the media every day. It was only one day before his death that Freddie announced to the world that he had AIDS, bravely hoping everyone would join him in fighting this disease (he was so incredibly brave—Brian said he could have claimed to have died of pneumonia, but he insisted on admitting that it was AIDS-induced pneumonia). Later, as Freddie's health worsened, Brian decided to temporarily suspend the promotion of his solo album to be prepared for any sudden developments. Freddie, however, said, "Your solo music career has just begun. If I die, it can help promote your album".
49. The portrayal of Freddie finding Jim on the day of Live Aid is fictional. In reality, Jim finished work at the barber shop that day, and it was Freddie who told him they were going to Live Aid after he returned. Jim, who had never been to a concert before, followed along and witnessed one of the greatest performances in rock music history, starring his boyfriend.
What's even more amusing is that David Bowie's hair on that day was cut by Jim a few days earlier. Freddie had arranged for someone to cut Bowie's hair, and Jim received a scheduled appointment. However, for half the day, Mr. David Jones (Bowie) didn't show up. Jim, eager to leave work, made several calls to urge (and maybe threaten) him. The response was, "Alright, alright, Mr. Jones is coming out now." When Jim finally saw him in the shop, he realized it was none other than Mr. Bowie. Jim didn't recognize Freddie or Queen, but he knew the fashion icon Bowie. However, Jim didn't say a word until after the haircut was done, confirming his identity. On the day of Live Aid, Freddie proudly showed Jim off to Bowie, saying, "Do you remember him?" Bowie looked bewildered. Freddie, getting impatient, asked, "Who cut your hair?" Bowie remained nonchalant. Since Freddie met Jim, not only did he insist on Jim cutting his own hair, but he also forced his family members to have Jim as their barber.
50. Freddie didn't have the chance to bring Jim to meet his parents that day, but they had met several times before. The dialogue between Freddie's parents, sister, and the two of them in the movie is indeed their actual conversation. Freddie never explicitly revealed their true relationship in front of Jim, but the parents understood, treating Jim kindly. During Freddie's final visit to his parents, Freddie's father even accompanied Jim to stroll in the garden, pointing at a withered rose and sighing, "This plant has lost its vitality." Jim didn't know whether he was referring to the rose or Freddie...
51. At Live Aid, the volume for each band was limited, and a note was posted instructing not to tamper with it. In the movie, Jim Beach sneakily increased Queen's volume by moving the note, causing Queen to have a much louder sound compared to the other bands. This is indeed one of the reasons for Queen's immense success. Of course, it's a fact, but it's worth noting that the one adjusting the volume was Queen's official sound engineer, not Miami Beach Grandpa.
52. The band before Queen at Live Aid was Dire Straits, not U2 passing by Freddie. Perhaps U2 was easier to recognize~~ But the movie included a musical segment of Dire Straits' performance.
53. "Crazy Little Thing Called Love" and "We Will Rock You," not featured in the movie's Live Aid segment, will be released in the future.
54. After performing for 20 minutes, Queen left the stage, and before the collective finale in the evening, Freddie and Brian returned to sing "Is This The World We Created?" They were the only band to perform twice on the same stage, a testament to their crowned status. The band also participated in the large ensemble for "Do They Know It's Christmas?"Freddie, wearing a red vest, was very low-key despite showcasing his dominant presence on stage just before. He even handed the microphone to someone else. Moreover, he playfully improvised the lyrics, mostly singing just the names of the songs. In this grand ensemble where everyone was trying to sing in the most prominent spot, he was the opposite, showcasing his modest and unassuming side.
55. When Mary and Jim watched the performance together, Mary excitedly leaned toward Jim— their relationship was quite good during Freddie's lifetime. Even when Freddie and Jim had conflicts, Jim would run to Mary to share his grievances.
56. After Freddie's passing, he left the lavish Garden Lodge and half of his estate, including music rights, to Mary. He entrusted her with his ashes for burial, instructing her to bury them in a place known only to her. Therefore, Mary is the only person in the world who knows where Freddie is buried.
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