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The Show Must Go on: The Life and Times of Freddie Mercury
In November 1991, the world was shocked by the death of one of rock's most flamboyant and adored superstars. Freddie Mercury's unique blend of brilliant musicianship and outrageous showmanship had kept Queen at the top of the charts for years, but no one suspected he was sick with AIDS. Now, for the first time, the whole story can be told. Rick Sky, a journalist who covers the international rock scene, has put together some rare interviews with Mercury's closest friends and loyal colleagues and come up with fresh insights into the rock star's glamorous career and turbulent life. He explores Freddie Mercury's modest beginnings as a shy art student from Zanzibar; Queen's tentative first steps in 1968 and their big break in 1972; Mercury's emergence as the extroverted king of Glam/Glitter Rock; Queen's triumphant set at Live Aid; the inside story behind the creation of Queen's rock anthems like "Bohemian Rhapsody" and "We Will Rock You"; the singer's outrageous partying and lavish lifestyle; the two women in his life; and his reluctance to admit his bisexuality despite having had AIDS for five years before his death. Featuring rare photos and a comprehensive Queen chronology, this revealing biography is the fascinating story of a man who became a legend in his own lifetime.
- GenresMusicBiographyNonfiction
179 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 1992
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Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews
November 25, 2018
Перечитав на хвилі інтересу до Queen в зв'язку із виходом фільму Bohemian Rhapsody.
Тоді, коли ця книга в мене з'явилась, а це 1992-1993 роки, в умовах відсутності подібної літератури взагалі, вона звісно справила враження.
Сьогодні розумієш, що ця книга була нашвидкоруч зібрана так само на хвилі інтересу до персони Фредді після його смерті.
Поставив "трієчку" і те, більше за те, що вона була хоч і ненайповнішим але одним з перших джерел інформації для школярів на початку 90-х.
Тоді, коли ця книга в мене з'явилась, а це 1992-1993 роки, в умовах відсутності подібної літератури взагалі, вона звісно справила враження.
Сьогодні розумієш, що ця книга була нашвидкоруч зібрана так само на хвилі інтересу до персони Фредді після його смерті.
Поставив "трієчку" і те, більше за те, що вона була хоч і ненайповнішим але одним з перших джерел інформації для школярів на початку 90-х.
June 5, 2013
This book on Freddie Mercury could have been better and it could have been worse. Frankly, it was only mediocre. Even the cover is mediocre, like the author pulled some first year graphic art student out of class and asked him to draw Freddie looking like one of the Village People.
The book does have some interesting pieces spread throughout the pages, but it's arranged so oddly, that it gives you a disjointed feeling. You start out eerily with his death, move on to his childhood in Zanzibar, jump to the "Beginning of Queen" chapter, which covers every Queen album ever released -- not just the beginning. (Very odd.) Then you have chapters covering his hedonistic years in Munich, his infamous spending sprees, the great Live Aid performance by Queen and how that resurrected the band's career, oh, and there's a chapter titled "The Men and Women of Freddie Mercury's Life," all about Mercury's sexual escapades. Really? Is this a smutty magazine or what? There's a chapter on his collaborations, which really wasn't necessary to the book, I thought, and of course a chapter on him with AIDs and the rumors that surrounded him for so long. The author interviewed several hangers on, but no band members, I believe, and very few people in general. Frankly, I don't know how he got 200 pages out of this. I have other books on Freddie Mercury that do the great man more justice. This one just glosses over so many things, while ensuring that we know that Freddie did a lot of coke. Nice. One thing that irritated me toward the end of the book was his covering of the great tribute concert for Freddie after he had passed on. He cites Guns N' Roses as covering "Queen's hits 'Paradise City' and 'Knockin on Heavens Door' to rapturous applause." SERIOUSLY? You couldn't even get that right? Those weren't Queen hits, you freakin' idiot! Was this a typo or just poor reporting? It's things like this that annoy the heck out of me about this book. Still, it was a quick, easy read and I might have learned one or two things about Freddie I hadn't known. Maybe. Whatever the case, not recommended.
The book does have some interesting pieces spread throughout the pages, but it's arranged so oddly, that it gives you a disjointed feeling. You start out eerily with his death, move on to his childhood in Zanzibar, jump to the "Beginning of Queen" chapter, which covers every Queen album ever released -- not just the beginning. (Very odd.) Then you have chapters covering his hedonistic years in Munich, his infamous spending sprees, the great Live Aid performance by Queen and how that resurrected the band's career, oh, and there's a chapter titled "The Men and Women of Freddie Mercury's Life," all about Mercury's sexual escapades. Really? Is this a smutty magazine or what? There's a chapter on his collaborations, which really wasn't necessary to the book, I thought, and of course a chapter on him with AIDs and the rumors that surrounded him for so long. The author interviewed several hangers on, but no band members, I believe, and very few people in general. Frankly, I don't know how he got 200 pages out of this. I have other books on Freddie Mercury that do the great man more justice. This one just glosses over so many things, while ensuring that we know that Freddie did a lot of coke. Nice. One thing that irritated me toward the end of the book was his covering of the great tribute concert for Freddie after he had passed on. He cites Guns N' Roses as covering "Queen's hits 'Paradise City' and 'Knockin on Heavens Door' to rapturous applause." SERIOUSLY? You couldn't even get that right? Those weren't Queen hits, you freakin' idiot! Was this a typo or just poor reporting? It's things like this that annoy the heck out of me about this book. Still, it was a quick, easy read and I might have learned one or two things about Freddie I hadn't known. Maybe. Whatever the case, not recommended.
October 25, 2010
A disappointing read. I enjoyed the first half, which took the reader through Freddie Mercury's younger years but towards the end it became very repetitive and stale. It was as if the author simply copied the voices from his voice recorder to the page. In Rick Sky's defense, these voices are consistent in their opinions but the repetition slows down the book's momentum and it becomes tedious.
Considering Mercury's flamboyant nature and wild adventures, this book could have revealed so much more about this larger-than-life personality.
Considering Mercury's flamboyant nature and wild adventures, this book could have revealed so much more about this larger-than-life personality.
April 13, 2019
The Show Must Go On started off as a tribute to Freddie Mercury's talent. I fairly enjoyed it for the most part, especially when the author explained the creative process behind some songs and albums, Queen's and also his solo albums. I actually learned quite a lot that I hadn't heard before, like who were his role models, and artists he respected and was inspired by. As well as I enjoyed reading about which Queen member initiated which song or melody.
But down the line, It felt as if the author lacked information/research and on the last third of the book he added unnecessary stuff to fill up the book. For example, he included numerous testimonies of people that once knew Freddie, but this is so repetitive, as they all say pretty much the same. Also, it includes some gossip from Freddie's last years (sex, drugs...) that has no place in this type of book. Not saying the author has to forget the "bad" fame of Freddie and just focus on the good aspects of his life, but the way the author treated the topics felt as if I was reading a magazine than a biography book.
That was a big turn off for me., as it was the times the author talked about himself in a book meant to be somebody else's biography.
But down the line, It felt as if the author lacked information/research and on the last third of the book he added unnecessary stuff to fill up the book. For example, he included numerous testimonies of people that once knew Freddie, but this is so repetitive, as they all say pretty much the same. Also, it includes some gossip from Freddie's last years (sex, drugs...) that has no place in this type of book. Not saying the author has to forget the "bad" fame of Freddie and just focus on the good aspects of his life, but the way the author treated the topics felt as if I was reading a magazine than a biography book.
That was a big turn off for me., as it was the times the author talked about himself in a book meant to be somebody else's biography.
November 22, 2019
Biography of Queen's Freddie Mercury.
This is just dismal. Many of the so-called 'facts' are wrong. The emphasis on Freddie's promiscuity and drug taking comes across as voyeuristic and prurient. The best the author could do for new interviews for this book were some people on the very periphery of Freddie's life, like the owner of the hotel that he stayed in while in Ibiza. The quotes from Freddie himself in the book are so common and well-known that I could even picture the clothes he was wearing in the interview when he said them. Don't waste your time on this one.
This is just dismal. Many of the so-called 'facts' are wrong. The emphasis on Freddie's promiscuity and drug taking comes across as voyeuristic and prurient. The best the author could do for new interviews for this book were some people on the very periphery of Freddie's life, like the owner of the hotel that he stayed in while in Ibiza. The quotes from Freddie himself in the book are so common and well-known that I could even picture the clothes he was wearing in the interview when he said them. Don't waste your time on this one.
November 5, 2017
A must read for any queen fan, loved the parts about how he handled his money...
February 14, 2019
Better than I thought it would be, actually, but I always take these things with a pinch of salt.
June 15, 2012
I absolutely adore Queen and feel they easily rank as one of the best bands to ever play some rock. All four members brought immense talent to the band, but Freddie Mercury was the visual and vocal focal point.
Rick Sky’s The Show Must Go On is just not what I want out of a biography. Too often, bios end up being either puff pieces where a writer gushes about the subject of the bio, or they come off as paid advertisements. I’m not sure where this one falls, but it’s redundant and, by the end, difficult to get through.
A major problem for me is the sheer repetition. Sky interviewed a lot of people who knew Mercury and they all say the same thing; he was a kind, generous, wonderful, down to earth and amazingly talented individual. That’s wonderful but it’s also boring as hell when Sky keeps repeating the same info quoted from his various sources. Facts are also repeated ad nauseam. Sky tells us at least twice that, while Roger Taylor is not gay, he and Freddie were closest in the band. And I will never, ever, ever forget that Mercury did a lot of coke or that his opera hero is Montserrat Cabballe. Sky also calls Mercury “chubby” at one point, which really brings into question Sky’s opinion of what constitutes “chubby.”
Additionally, the writing is kind of like People magazine quality, which is very jarring in a biography. There’s a serious lack of chronology or even storytelling, if you will. The chapter subjects are bizarre and the chapter contents all over the place. Sky did his research, interviewed Mercury’s tight friends and Mercury personally, interviewed Queen, etc. But it’s all very clumsy. Unfortunately, The Show Must Go On reads like a very long magazine article.
Sky talks about himself in the course of the book, as well, which, as usual, drives me bonkers. The. Biographer. Is. Not. Important. To. The. Story. Of. The. Subject. Of. The. Biography. If he/she were, he/she would not be the biographer of that story. Be content your name is on the cover.
The worst for me is when Sky relates how Guns ‘N’ Roses played “Paradise City” and “Knockin’ On Heavens Door,” calling them “Queen classics.” Those aren’t even Queen songs. This may be a typo but it seems unlikely.
I see now, too, that this book was published in ’94, only a handful of year’s after Mercury’s death. Maybe it was a case of Citadel Press wanting to capitalize on Mercury’s memory and legions of fans and figured Sky was the perfect person to give them a nice, light, happy, positive look at the man’s life.
This book isn’t a total loss, though. You might think the only Queen/Black Sabbath connection is Brian May and Tony Iommi being pals, but no! One time Sabbath bassist, Jo Burt, went out with Mercury’s best friend (and likely the inspiration behind “You’re My Best Friend), Mary Austin! These are the facts that make books like this interesting! Which isn’t saying a whole lot, I suppose.
Rick Sky’s The Show Must Go On is just not what I want out of a biography. Too often, bios end up being either puff pieces where a writer gushes about the subject of the bio, or they come off as paid advertisements. I’m not sure where this one falls, but it’s redundant and, by the end, difficult to get through.
A major problem for me is the sheer repetition. Sky interviewed a lot of people who knew Mercury and they all say the same thing; he was a kind, generous, wonderful, down to earth and amazingly talented individual. That’s wonderful but it’s also boring as hell when Sky keeps repeating the same info quoted from his various sources. Facts are also repeated ad nauseam. Sky tells us at least twice that, while Roger Taylor is not gay, he and Freddie were closest in the band. And I will never, ever, ever forget that Mercury did a lot of coke or that his opera hero is Montserrat Cabballe. Sky also calls Mercury “chubby” at one point, which really brings into question Sky’s opinion of what constitutes “chubby.”
Additionally, the writing is kind of like People magazine quality, which is very jarring in a biography. There’s a serious lack of chronology or even storytelling, if you will. The chapter subjects are bizarre and the chapter contents all over the place. Sky did his research, interviewed Mercury’s tight friends and Mercury personally, interviewed Queen, etc. But it’s all very clumsy. Unfortunately, The Show Must Go On reads like a very long magazine article.
Sky talks about himself in the course of the book, as well, which, as usual, drives me bonkers. The. Biographer. Is. Not. Important. To. The. Story. Of. The. Subject. Of. The. Biography. If he/she were, he/she would not be the biographer of that story. Be content your name is on the cover.
The worst for me is when Sky relates how Guns ‘N’ Roses played “Paradise City” and “Knockin’ On Heavens Door,” calling them “Queen classics.” Those aren’t even Queen songs. This may be a typo but it seems unlikely.
I see now, too, that this book was published in ’94, only a handful of year’s after Mercury’s death. Maybe it was a case of Citadel Press wanting to capitalize on Mercury’s memory and legions of fans and figured Sky was the perfect person to give them a nice, light, happy, positive look at the man’s life.
This book isn’t a total loss, though. You might think the only Queen/Black Sabbath connection is Brian May and Tony Iommi being pals, but no! One time Sabbath bassist, Jo Burt, went out with Mercury’s best friend (and likely the inspiration behind “You’re My Best Friend), Mary Austin! These are the facts that make books like this interesting! Which isn’t saying a whole lot, I suppose.
April 12, 2007
Pretty good bio on Freddie...didn't really learn anything new though.
September 4, 2011
A very dubious account of Freddie's life.
October 12, 2013
I have read the Dutch translation. It's not a very good book. That's a shame because its subject is the greatest showman ever!
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August 17, 2017Came out a very short time after Freddie died. I remember at the time disliking that the author was critical of his keeping quiet about his illness for so long. I didn't think that was appropriate, as it's a very personal decision. There are better books to read if you want to know about Queen/Freddie.
Displaying 1 - 12 of 12 reviews