BLOG 54

Firstly, I would like to thank all of you who have written to me giving me your support and thanking me for keeping Freddie’s legacy alive. Really it is all of you who do that by listening to his music, asking questions about him and always wanting to know more. I am there to help you how I am able. Freddie meant the world to me, just as he does for so many of you, so I am sure his ‘legacy’ is in safe hands for the foreseeable future.

Donna asked a topical question which a few of you have asked; how did Freddie prepare for Christmas.
Christmas was a busy time for Freddie’s organisation skills. By now the 4 metre (14 ft) tree would already be set up and decorated. Jim would have ordered the tree and had it delivered and it would be set up by the minstrels’ gallery in the big sitting room. Freddie would decide how it would be decorated. A step ladder would be used for the bottom half and the rest would be done from the gallery. Freddie would about now make final decisions on the Christmas Day and Boxing day guest lists and we, Joe Fanelli, Jim and myself would talk to him about our individual tasks. We would let him know what we thought suitable menus for both meals the traditional roast turkey with all the trimmings for the 25th and a baked ham + for the 26th. I would be putting the final touches to the Christmas cakes that I started in October and making sure that the Christmas puddings were ready. The last thing Freddie would do would be his Christmas shopping. To make Christmas fun for all his guests, Freddie made a guest list for each of his guests and everyone was expected to buy a little something for each name on the list so that everyone had the same amount of presents to open.

Patrick wanted to know if Freddie got bored with playing the piano.
I think the piano appeared less in albums after The Works mainly because the direction of the music changed rather than boredom setting in. Freddie never considered himself a great piano player, so was probably happier to let others have a go as well. He was never possessive about being the pianist for all recordings and would satisfy himself playing on his own tracks.

Stephanie wanted to know what Freddie did if he had writer’s block.
For Freddie, the hardest part of writing songs was the words. Many of Freddie’s songs are about situations in his life at that time, or specific people, so he knew what he wanted to say. While a song might not make sense in a normal story way, any sentence had to mean something. It always made it easier for him to write down feelings if he had an argument before hand and he would often create a stressful situation to give him the kick start he needed.

Paul asked about a video that was filmed for ‘Don’t Try So Hard’.
To my knowledge this was never filmed. Freddie had said the ‘Days of Our Lives’ was the last one he would ever make, because of what it took out of him, so I cannot see him going back on his decision after June 1991. I don’t think there is any other footage filmed for other songs that have never seen the light of day. Of course there is a lot of edited footage from existing videos, but nothing that was created and not released.

Another Stephanie wanted to know what Freddie’s typical breakfast was.
Generally Freddie would have his Earl Grey tea (milk and two sugars) A few slices of toast and some jam. That’s it. If we were at home it would generally be home made strawberry jam or marmalade. I used to make 12 jars of each every year and this would usually last as he didn’t eat so much.

Marco asked if Freddie owned his own jet.
No, Freddie always hired the private planes he used.

Rossella wanted to know if Harrods was closed for him when he wanted to shop there.
Harrods was never closed specially for Freddie to go and shop there. It did happen a couple of times in Tokyo, Japan, when his friend Misa Watanabe would organise shopping trips for him.

Eli asked if Freddie was really happy despite all his money.
I think Freddie answered this best himself in an interview when he was asked the same question. He said that if he didn’t have money, he would find another way to make it. The old saying about money not buying you happiness is probably true, but I don’t think that having money makes you unhappy. For Freddie it gave him the chance to share his good fortune with his friends, which did make Freddie happy.

Viki wanted to know if Freddie was funny or quiet.
Freddie was both. He was a shy person in general when in company with people he didn’t know very well, but when he was with a group of friends he was the life and soul of the party. He had a very sharp sense of humour and he loved having a good laugh.

I have heard great things about the Exhibition in Montreux, and I am very much looking forward to seeing it next time I get to Switzerland. I suppose I’d better get a move on and start thinking about Christmas, it will be here and gone before I know it, time is flying by so quickly. Enjoy yourselves till the next time.