Freddie Mercury is the music icon behind the band Queen, whose hits include ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ and ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’.
Freddie Mercury did not have tattoos. His fan website states that, though he was intrigued by tattoo design, he did not have any tattoos of his own. He can also be seen in countless images performing shirtless and has no visible tattoos.
Who was Freddie Mercury?
Freddie Mercury was born to parents Bomi and Jer in 1946 in Zanzibar, Tanzania. He is the elder brother of Kashmira, who was born in 1952.
Mercury became a well-traveled child, attending a boarding school in Mumbai. It was during his education that he discovered music, firstly studying piano and then joining a band.
During the 1960s, a revolution unfolded in Zanzibar. The family fled the unrest and relocated to London.
His interest in music still strong, Mercury then attended the Ealing College of Art, and in 1969, joined Ibex, a band. He would be part of several musical groups before finally joining the legendary band Queen.
Mercury had a distinctive appearance and was teased for his teeth. Though he is said to have been self-conscious about this, he chose never to change the appearance of his teeth, despite his wealth making this sort of procedure accessible, for fear of damaging his vocal range.
As an adult, his sexuality was the subject of much speculation. He began dating Mary Austin in 1969, though this relationship ended when Mercury revealed that he was bisexual.
He was romantically linked to several others in his lifetime and had a notable relationship with Jim Hutton, who remained by his side for several years until his death. Mercury remained close friends with Mary Austin throughout his life, saying “All my lovers asked me why they couldn’t replace Mary, but it’s simply impossible.”
On 22nd November 1991, Mercury released a statement explaining that he was HIV positive and was suffering from AIDS. He died just hours later, on 24th November 1991.
Career
Mercury formed Queen with John Deacon, the group’s bassist, Roger Taylor, a drummer, and Brian May, a guitar player, and the group played their first live performance in 1971.
Their first album was released two years later, with Mercury’s showmanship giving the band a unique appeal. They achieved two number one hits on the Billboard Hot 100 chart with ‘Another One Bites The Dust’ and ‘Crazy Little Thing Called Love’, which both topped the charts in 1980.
Queen released an impressive 15 studio albums in total. Between 1976 and 1980, they received four Grammy nominations.
After Mercury’s death, the band continued to release music, including a hugely successful ‘Greatest Hits’ album.
The band has been immortalized with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and has also been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, an honor they received in 2001.
In 2018, the movie ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ was released which detailed the experiences of Queen. Rami Malek plays Mercury, winning the Oscar for best actor for the role.
In his award speech, Malek stated that Mercury “Lived his life unapologetically as himself.”
Tattoos
Peter Freestone, the former personal assistant of Mercury, has created numerous blog posts answering fans’ questions about the musician. Responding to one fan, Freestone confirms that Mercury did not have tattoos.
“Ne, he never had any tattoos of his own,” he says. Despite never being inked himself, he was interested in the artistry of tattoos.
“He was fascinated by some [tattoos] on other people. He didn’t like the small basic ones, but was intrigued by the artwork involved in the more complicated ones.”
The icon has, however, become the subject of many fan tattoos. Many have chosen a tattoo as a tribute to the icon, with fans toting inkings of him in various unique designs.