The life of rock legend Freddie Mercury is explored in the brand new Queen biopic Bohemian Rhapsody, out today (October 24), starring Rami Malek. It follows the unconventional lifestyle and genre-defying talent of one of the greatest singers who ever lived. But before you think you know everything about this superstar, check out these five crazy facts:
Rami Malek with Brian May and Roger Taylor at the Bohemian Rhapsody world premiere / Photo Credit: JW/Famous
1. He once went by the name Larry Lurex
In 1973, just before Queen's debut release, Freddie teamed up with Brian May and Roger Taylor to unveil a cover of the Ronettes' I Can Hear Music and Carole King's Goin' Back (made famous by The Beach Boys and Dusty Springfield) respectively. He wanted to use a pseudonym so as not to distract from the Queen album, and named himself Larry Lurex as a dig at Gary Glitter and glam-rock in general. The single didn't make any chart impact whatsoever, but Freddie was unperturbed.
2. His first band was called The Hectics
Having been taking piano lessons since the age of 7, you probably won't be surprised to learn that he was just 12-years-old when he set up his very first band. He was studying at St. Peter's School - an English boarding school in India - at the time and was joined by classmates Derrick Branche, Bruce Murray, Farang Irani and Victory Rana. We actually know what became of the other members too: Branche embarked on an acting career, Murray runs a music retail outlet called The Music Centre, Irani ran his own restaurant and Rana was a general in the Nepali army.
3. He once worked as a baggage handler at Heathrow Airport
He's been in and out of Heathrow Airport so many times, flying all over the world, sharing his art internationally. But did you know that he once worked there throwing suitcases into aeroplane holds? Plus, after graduating from Ealing Art College, he had a job selling second-hand clothes at Kensington Market in London.
4. He left his home to his ex-girlfriend
Before he came out as gay, Freddie dated a woman named Mary Austin. After they split, he bought her a house in London close to his own, and hen he died, he left her his twenty-eight room Georgian mansion in his will rather than his partner at the time Jim Hutton. Freddie and Mary had remained close, and he even wrote a song about her called Love of My Life.
5. He was totally shy
He might come across as one of the most dynamic superstars in music history, but in truth he was only an extrovert when he was on the stage. Outside of his Freddie Mercury persona, he was a private person who rarely granted interviews. Those who knew him in his younger years described him as a shy person who struggled socially within groups of people he didn't know very well.
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