November 24 is always a sad day for all music lovers, especially for those who love Freddie Mercury and Queen -- Freddie Mercury was the first 'Rock-Star' from India. November 24, 2009 marked the 18th Anniversary of the day we lost the Mercurial legend, but I like to remember this day as his 'Remembrance Day' and a small town in London celebrated the musical brilliance of the inimitable Freddie Mercury -- a 'Hollywood Walk of Fame-style' celebration -- by unveiling the 'Mercury Memorial Star' on Feltham High Street in London, attended by his mother, Jer Bulsara; his sister, Kashmira and Brian May.
Feltham in London was home for Freddie and his family for many years, since their arrival to UK in 1964 - Freddie, after finishing his 'O-levels' at St Peter's, a Public School in Poona in India, moved to Feltham in England with his parents. Therefore, it is highly commendable that this town where he spent his early years is chosen to have the honour of unveiling the 'Mercury Memorial Star' on its High Street -- without doubt, this will be a shrine for all those who love his music, though I am rather surprised that it took this long!
Bomi, his father, was in the Civil Service and was posted in Zanzibar in the forties. Farokh Bulsara was born in Zanzibar on 5 September 1946, where his parents Bomi and Jer lived. Young Farokh studied in Zanzibar till the age of eight and then moved to Bombay. 'Freddie', as he was known to his friends and family, spent the rest of his childhood in Bombay, and studied at St. Peter's, a public school in Panchgani, a beautiful hill station near Poona.
His first exposure to classics and opera was in a city that was a musical melting pot. His family encouraged him to excel in music and art and he received the 'All Rounder' award at St. Peter's for his achievements. Indian Music and the legendary Kishore Kumar and Latha Mangeshkar had great influence on the young Freddie -- not to forget the vivid colours of Zanzibar -- which were crucial to the wonderful, inimitable style, associated with Freddie, and of course, 'Queen'. Freddie's wide artistic horizons drew him to classical music, opera and the ballet, and therefore, the operatic 'Barcelona' that Freddie did with the famous Soprano Montserrat Caballe and Bohemian Rhapsody came as no surprise. Of course, his first moment of fame came at the age of one, when his smiling photograph captured the first prize!
I still remember the first time I heard 'Bohemian Rhapsody' -- I find it still an enigma, and its creator too! Freddie and Queen have given us many more inimitable songs, each one better than the previous, or vice versa. The Live-Aid concert at Wembley Stadium in1985 provided the world stage for Freddie, and he had the whole world in the palm of his hands by the sheer power of his music and personality -- it was twenty minutes of pure magic from the King of Rock that became legendary! It is a known fact that the tribute concert for Freddie at Wembley Stadium in April 1992 turned out to be more than just a tribute -- it proved beyond any doubt that his music was inimitable.
Freddie said good-bye to us in that heart-wrenching song, "These are the days of our lives..." with these words, "I still love you".! I join all those who love his music, to say, " We love you too, and thank you for your beautiful music"!
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