To his legions of fans, Freddie Mercury was a flamboyant, and very British, rock star. But in the background was a much more complex sense of identity, summed up by one picture, a black and white image of a baby called Farrokh Bulsara smiling in his pram, watched over by an African nanny in the gardens of the home in colonial Zanzibar where his Indian parents lived.
Published in The Sunday Telegraph |via DNA India
The little boy in the pram would go on to change his name to Freddie Mercury, achieving wealth and fame before a life cut short at 45 by Aids. As he became a worldwide star, little was said of his childhood in the dying days of Empire, being brought up by his Indian parents in wealth – then having to flee a bloody revolution that took the family to London to build a new life.
The pictures of life before fame were made public as his family prepare to mark the 20th anniversary of his death and discuss their pride in his Asian heritage. Mercury’s background, his family is Parsee, followers of the Zoroastrian religion, whose ancestors came from Persia, was never at the forefront as he sang in Queen. There were sometimes whispers in the Asian community that he ignored his heritage. But to his family it was an essential part of his identity.
His father, Bomi, was born in India and went to a British possession in Africa to work as a registrar for the colonial government, taking with him his wife Jer. They brought up Mercury and his younger sister Kashmira, in Zanzibar, now a part of Tanzania, but then a colony in its own right.
When he was eight Mercury was sent to St Peter’s, a boarding school near his parents’ home city of Bombay, now Mumbai, and showed a natural talent for the piano. Jer Bulsara recalled, "He was quite happy and saw it as an adventure as some of our friends’ children had gone there. Right from the start, Freddie was musical. He had it on his mind all the time. He could play any tune. He could hear something and play it straight away."
He honed his piano skills by playing Indian tunes, then joined his first band, called The Hectics. When he left school, now known as Freddie, a nickname given to him by schoolmates, he returned to Zanzibar, but its independence in 1963 was followed by a revolution which saw the largely poor Africans involved in riots that targeted the wealthier Indian population.
The Bulsaras fled in 1964 and settled in Feltham, west London, swapping a life of servants and sunshine for a semi-detached home in the suburbs. Mercury enrolled at Isleworth Polytechnic to study graphic design, but it was music that entranced him.
Mrs Bulsara, 89, said, "He would write songs from an early age. I kept on saying, as all mothers do, ‘carry on with your studies and clean up your bedroom."
"Once when I went into his bedroom at our home in Feltham, I told him I was going to clear up all the rubbish including the papers under his pillow. But he said ‘Don’t you dare’. He was writing little songs and lyrics then and putting them under his pillow before he slept. It was more music than studying and my husband said he didn’t understand what this boy was going to do. I made him type some letters for jobs and when he posted the applications he said, ‘I hope I don’t get these jobs."
"The applications were for graphic design. Had he got one of those jobs, things would have been quite different. In the end, he thought it was too much because he was in his bedroom most of the time and elderly neighbours were complaining about the noise and he decided to leave home."
Mercury formed Queen with Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon and the band’s first major concert was as a support act to Mott the Hoople at Hammersmith Odeon in 1973. His parents were the very antithesis of the glam rock movement which was sweeping the nation, but they were there, somewhat to the surprise of members of the audience.
"My favourite memory of him is that very first concert at Hammersmith Odeon," Mrs Bulsara said. "My boy was showing the best of himself as support to Mott the Hoople. When the show was over people came over to me and my husband and said it was nice that we supported him. I said simply ‘Well, he is my son.’ Rock and roll was not my lifestyle, but I said I would attend every concert. It was very exciting for me. It was 1973 and he always used to dress flamboyantly.
"But I used to tell him to have his hair cut short as it was long. He said, ‘No, no mum, that is the way I am. But when short hair came into fashion he said, ‘You see I’ve had it cut short. I did it.’"
As he was on the verge of musical success, he failed his driving test, but told his family not to worry. "He said it didn’t matter. I said he didn’t want to spend his life on buses and he said, ‘It doesn’t matter because one day I will be chauffeur driven everywhere.’ I thought that my boy certainly had a dream." As he became more famous, his Asian upbringing and heritage faded increasingly into the background. But it was never something he forgot himself, his family say – being Asian was part of his life.
His background made his sense of identity complex. Being a Parsee meant he identified more with his Persian ancestry than India, where his parents were brought up and he was educated. Roger Cooke, his brother in law, said, "To an English mind, Asian means Indian. It doesn’t in Freddie’s particular case, he was Persian by ancestry.’ There were people who said he was burying his Asian roots and he was accused of denying his Indian heritage. I don’t think he ever did, but if he did, it would have been because he was Persian," Mr Cooke said. Mercury’s mother added: ”Freddie was a Parsee and he was proud of that, but he wasn’t particularly religious."
At the height of his fame, the singer would want nothing more than to sit in the kitchen while his mother cooked for him. "He wanted to be as normal as possible," Mrs Bulsara said. "Business was on one side and his family on the other. He would come home and say, ‘Mum are you making your special cheese biscuits?’ Whenever he was in the studio and working long hours, he would say, ‘Mum, make some more because all the boys are there,’ and I would say, ‘of course, why not.’"
This week his mother and sister will attend The Asian Awards in London to receive a posthumous honour on his behalf – The Founders Award for his outstanding contribution to music. Their presence will highlight a combination of love of Mercury with pride in his roots. But the greatest comfort his family have is that his songs remain ubiquitous.
Kashmira said, "We are very proud and happy of him. The group has been together 40 years, but 20 of them without Freddie. That really hits me hard because when you are hearing Freddie on a daily basis, you lose track of time. He has been dead 20 years this November, that is a long time.
"Because we hear him every day, it is almost as if he is around. I don’t have to play his records because they are on the radio every day." Mrs Bulsara summed up the family’s sense of pride. "The whole world seems to know him," she said. "They know who Freddie Mercury is. My boy was a genius. It makes me proud that he remains my Freddie and has not been forgotten. It is because God loved him more. That’s why he was taken away.
Freddie is without any doubt the most influencial rock musician in the world.
Freddie is without any doubt the most influencial rock musician in the world.
I loved him too!
I loved him too!
I loved him too!
A well-written piece, but veers off topic by saying ‘bloody revolution’ which was rather insensitive to many Indians, parsis included who participated in freeing India. One only needs to read JRD and how he channeled his anger constructively, to build the Taj Mahal hotel when he was kicked out of an uppity hotel. It’s a tragedy that India is unable to rise above corruption, but it’s still our land! Freddie Mercury was a great rock star whose life ended rather prematurely.
A well-written piece, but veers off topic by saying ‘bloody revolution’ which was rather insensitive to many Indians, parsis included who participated in freeing India. One only needs to read JRD and how he channeled his anger constructively, to build the Taj Mahal hotel when he was kicked out of an uppity hotel. It’s a tragedy that India is unable to rise above corruption, but it’s still our land! Freddie Mercury was a great rock star whose life ended rather prematurely.
A well-written piece, but veers off topic by saying ‘bloody revolution’ which was rather insensitive to many Indians, parsis included who participated in freeing India. One only needs to read JRD and how he channeled his anger constructively, to build the Taj Mahal hotel when he was kicked out of an uppity hotel. It’s a tragedy that India is unable to rise above corruption, but it’s still our land! Freddie Mercury was a great rock star whose life ended rather prematurely.
Ah you mean bloody revolution in Zanziber or India, either way article needs better structuring and organisation.
Ah you mean bloody revolution in Zanziber or India, either way article needs better structuring and organisation.
The revolution he is talkling about, took place in Zanzibar (not India) and was certainly bloody!
The revolution he is talkling about, took place in Zanzibar (not India) and was certainly bloody!
The revolution he is talkling about, took place in Zanzibar (not India) and was certainly bloody!
Freddie Mercury, Farrokh Bulsara, is the most complex, most prolific composer since Mozart. His melodies and lyrics are layered, mystical, and often written in daunting Zoroastrian riddles. We who have not been judgmental have had the most amazing experience studying his Music, his Mind, and his Persian culture. Here is a True Genius, in the clearest sense of the term, with an eidetic memory who has shared his Gifts with the world, shared his generosity with friends and strangers, and shared his most intimate feelings of being Persian & Zoroastrian in the lyrics of his songs. There is no other composer situated in the 20th Century who has given the world such a variety of Music: Opera, ragtime, jazz, blues, waltz, rock ‘n roll, folk, show tunes, love songs, anthems, hymns and so much more. For thirty full years he worked at a pace few would endure because he cared about the Music. Under normal circumstances, band mates would be jealous but the other members of Queen knew Freddie had The Gift; they respected his genius and his judgement. There are millions of people on this planet who did know the magnitude of his Life; we invest our time and energies promoting his legacy, teaching our children, and contributing in any way possible so that his Music will live forever. His mother Jer and sister Kashmira are admired by the world for their good thoughts, good words, good deeds and their full participation with people of the Earth who realize the Greatness of their son and brother. I hope I live to see the day a proper Memorial is built in Mumbai which celebrates this incredible Persian Man. One hundred years from now there will be as many university courses examining the Music of Mercury as there are examining the Music of Mozart. Thank you for publishing this article in Parsi Khabar. I look forward to the day when his cause of death will no longer be repeated in articles and books; we all know about his painful illness and the personal courage he manifested until the last breath was drawn. He would not revel in that detail. He would revel in the Joy, the Appreciation, and Gratitude mankind feels when that extraordinary Music fills our Souls, stirs our Hearts, and gives us Hope …..even Centuries from now.
Respectfully,
J.K. Wilson-Synar
Rattlesnake Mt.
Oklahoma
jkws@ecewb.com
What can be said about Mr. Freddie Mercury? In my opinion he was above the word “legend”. There will never be a person with all the natural talents Freddie had. Never.
Freddie Mercury, Farrokh Bulsara, is the most complex, most prolific composer since Mozart. His melodies and lyrics are layered, mystical, and often written in daunting Zoroastrian riddles. We who have not been judgmental have had the most amazing experience studying his Music, his Mind, and his Persian culture. Here is a True Genius, in the clearest sense of the term, with an eidetic memory who has shared his Gifts with the world, shared his generosity with friends and strangers, and shared his most intimate feelings of being Persian & Zoroastrian in the lyrics of his songs. There is no other composer situated in the 20th Century who has given the world such a variety of Music: Opera, ragtime, jazz, blues, waltz, rock ‘n roll, folk, show tunes, love songs, anthems, hymns and so much more. For thirty full years he worked at a pace few would endure because he cared about the Music. Under normal circumstances, band mates would be jealous but the other members of Queen knew Freddie had The Gift; they respected his genius and his judgement. There are millions of people on this planet who did know the magnitude of his Life; we invest our time and energies promoting his legacy, teaching our children, and contributing in any way possible so that his Music will live forever. His mother Jer and sister Kashmira are admired by the world for their good thoughts, good words, good deeds and their full participation with people of the Earth who realize the Greatness of their son and brother. I hope I live to see the day a proper Memorial is built in Mumbai which celebrates this incredible Persian Man. One hundred years from now there will be as many university courses examining the Music of Mercury as there are examining the Music of Mozart. Thank you for publishing this article in Parsi Khabar. I look forward to the day when his cause of death will no longer be repeated in articles and books; we all know about his painful illness and the personal courage he manifested until the last breath was drawn. He would not revel in that detail. He would revel in the Joy, the Appreciation, and Gratitude mankind feels when that extraordinary Music fills our Souls, stirs our Hearts, and gives us Hope …..even Centuries from now.
Respectfully,
J.K. Wilson-Synar
Rattlesnake Mt.
Oklahoma
jkws@ecewb.com
Freddie Mercury, Farrokh Bulsara, is the most complex, most prolific composer since Mozart. His melodies and lyrics are layered, mystical, and often written in daunting Zoroastrian riddles. We who have not been judgmental have had the most amazing experience studying his Music, his Mind, and his Persian culture. Here is a True Genius, in the clearest sense of the term, with an eidetic memory who has shared his Gifts with the world, shared his generosity with friends and strangers, and shared his most intimate feelings of being Persian & Zoroastrian in the lyrics of his songs. There is no other composer situated in the 20th Century who has given the world such a variety of Music: Opera, ragtime, jazz, blues, waltz, rock ‘n roll, folk, show tunes, love songs, anthems, hymns and so much more. For thirty full years he worked at a pace few would endure because he cared about the Music. Under normal circumstances, band mates would be jealous but the other members of Queen knew Freddie had The Gift; they respected his genius and his judgement. There are millions of people on this planet who did know the magnitude of his Life; we invest our time and energies promoting his legacy, teaching our children, and contributing in any way possible so that his Music will live forever. His mother Jer and sister Kashmira are admired by the world for their good thoughts, good words, good deeds and their full participation with people of the Earth who realize the Greatness of their son and brother. I hope I live to see the day a proper Memorial is built in Mumbai which celebrates this incredible Persian Man. One hundred years from now there will be as many university courses examining the Music of Mercury as there are examining the Music of Mozart. Thank you for publishing this article in Parsi Khabar. I look forward to the day when his cause of death will no longer be repeated in articles and books; we all know about his painful illness and the personal courage he manifested until the last breath was drawn. He would not revel in that detail. He would revel in the Joy, the Appreciation, and Gratitude mankind feels when that extraordinary Music fills our Souls, stirs our Hearts, and gives us Hope …..even Centuries from now.
Respectfully,
J.K. Wilson-Synar
Rattlesnake Mt.
Oklahoma
jkws@ecewb.com
What can be said about Mr. Freddie Mercury? In my opinion he was above the word “legend”. There will never be a person with all the natural talents Freddie had. Never.
What can be said about Mr. Freddie Mercury? In my opinion he was above the word “legend”. There will never be a person with all the natural talents Freddie had. Never.
Freddie had a multitude of talent, flamboyant and eccentric at times, but generous and with a kindred heart! He was a man who had a lonely soul and yet he infect everyone with his gregarious personality. Freddie was an introvert, simple, shy but when he’s on stage he was an extrovert full of passion, big, he shows the world the he was the boss!
i wonder and really wonder what would he be like if he’s still with us today? he may slow down? maybe but am sure he’d be this playful Freddie we knew when he started.
one thing i remember about him was when he was interviewed in the past and the interviewer asked “Freddie what’s it like to perform with an audience of about 100,000?
Freddie said…. I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE! haha what a down to earth man! miss your music FReddie NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR PLACE ….. !!! your music lives on!!! miss ya
Reme (here in Australia)
Freddie had a multitude of talent, flamboyant and eccentric at times, but generous and with a kindred heart! He was a man who had a lonely soul and yet he infect everyone with his gregarious personality. Freddie was an introvert, simple, shy but when he’s on stage he was an extrovert full of passion, big, he shows the world the he was the boss!
i wonder and really wonder what would he be like if he’s still with us today? he may slow down? maybe but am sure he’d be this playful Freddie we knew when he started.
one thing i remember about him was when he was interviewed in the past and the interviewer asked “Freddie what’s it like to perform with an audience of about 100,000?
Freddie said…. I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE! haha what a down to earth man! miss your music FReddie NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR PLACE ….. !!! your music lives on!!! miss ya
Reme (here in Australia)
Freddie had a multitude of talent, flamboyant and eccentric at times, but generous and with a kindred heart! He was a man who had a lonely soul and yet he infect everyone with his gregarious personality. Freddie was an introvert, simple, shy but when he’s on stage he was an extrovert full of passion, big, he shows the world the he was the boss!
i wonder and really wonder what would he be like if he’s still with us today? he may slow down? maybe but am sure he’d be this playful Freddie we knew when he started.
one thing i remember about him was when he was interviewed in the past and the interviewer asked “Freddie what’s it like to perform with an audience of about 100,000?
Freddie said…. I HAVE NEVER DONE THAT BEFORE! haha what a down to earth man! miss your music FReddie NO ONE CAN TAKE YOUR PLACE ….. !!! your music lives on!!! miss ya
Reme (here in Australia)
THE REVOLUTION REFFERED TO WAS IN ZANZIBAR AND NOT INDIA.
J. R. D. DID NOT BUILD THE TAJ MAHAL HOTEL. IT WAS SIR JAMSHEDJI NUSSERVANJI TATA ( WHO FOUNDED THE TATA EMPIRE ) AND HIS SONS DORAB AND RUTTON.
JAMSHEDJI WAS NOT KICKED OUT FROM THE GREENS HOTEL WHICH HAD A BOARD SAYING “‘DOGS AND INDIANS NOT ALLOWED'”. THIS HURT HIS NATIONALISTIC PRIDE AND THE END RESULT, THE FAMOUS TAJ MAHAL HOTEL.
THE REVOLUTION REFFERED TO WAS IN ZANZIBAR AND NOT INDIA.
J. R. D. DID NOT BUILD THE TAJ MAHAL HOTEL. IT WAS SIR JAMSHEDJI NUSSERVANJI TATA ( WHO FOUNDED THE TATA EMPIRE ) AND HIS SONS DORAB AND RUTTON.
JAMSHEDJI WAS NOT KICKED OUT FROM THE GREENS HOTEL WHICH HAD A BOARD SAYING “‘DOGS AND INDIANS NOT ALLOWED'”. THIS HURT HIS NATIONALISTIC PRIDE AND THE END RESULT, THE FAMOUS TAJ MAHAL HOTEL.
THE REVOLUTION REFFERED TO WAS IN ZANZIBAR AND NOT INDIA.
J. R. D. DID NOT BUILD THE TAJ MAHAL HOTEL. IT WAS SIR JAMSHEDJI NUSSERVANJI TATA ( WHO FOUNDED THE TATA EMPIRE ) AND HIS SONS DORAB AND RUTTON.
JAMSHEDJI WAS NOT KICKED OUT FROM THE GREENS HOTEL WHICH HAD A BOARD SAYING “‘DOGS AND INDIANS NOT ALLOWED'”. THIS HURT HIS NATIONALISTIC PRIDE AND THE END RESULT, THE FAMOUS TAJ MAHAL HOTEL.
hi mrs jer bulsara,
I am doulat tehmuras elavia’s daughter rhoda.( my email id is cheerfulroda@gmail.com)
who fled jambaar in 1964.
I keep track of fredy’s news.
His music lives on forever.
hi mrs jer bulsara,
I am doulat tehmuras elavia’s daughter rhoda.( my email id is cheerfulroda@gmail.com)
who fled jambaar in 1964.
I keep track of fredy’s news.
His music lives on forever.
hi mrs jer bulsara,
I am doulat tehmuras elavia’s daughter rhoda.( my email id is cheerfulroda@gmail.com)
who fled jambaar in 1964.
I keep track of fredy’s news.
His music lives on forever.
Lovely article. However Freddie was an African of Indian/Asian heritage. He was not an Iranian or Persian. We Parsees have some roots dating back to pre-Islamic Persia, but we are not Persian. Yes, we have some ancient links there, but we are not from there, at least not any more. So it is a shame to hear by fellow Parsees talk as if we have just arrived from Iran/Persia when in fact that is not the case. Again, Freddie was of Indian/Asian heritage, not Persian. He was also gay, a point that was not at all brought up in this article.
Lovely article. However Freddie was an African of Indian/Asian heritage. He was not an Iranian or Persian. We Parsees have some roots dating back to pre-Islamic Persia, but we are not Persian. Yes, we have some ancient links there, but we are not from there, at least not any more. So it is a shame to hear by fellow Parsees talk as if we have just arrived from Iran/Persia when in fact that is not the case. Again, Freddie was of Indian/Asian heritage, not Persian. He was also gay, a point that was not at all brought up in this article.
Lovely article. However Freddie was an African of Indian/Asian heritage. He was not an Iranian or Persian. We Parsees have some roots dating back to pre-Islamic Persia, but we are not Persian. Yes, we have some ancient links there, but we are not from there, at least not any more. So it is a shame to hear by fellow Parsees talk as if we have just arrived from Iran/Persia when in fact that is not the case. Again, Freddie was of Indian/Asian heritage, not Persian. He was also gay, a point that was not at all brought up in this article.
Freddie made me realise I should be super proud of my Parsi heritage. Love him and his music.
Freddie made me realise I should be super proud of my Parsi heritage. Love him and his music.
Freddie made me realise I should be super proud of my Parsi heritage. Love him and his music.
Freddie is without any doubt the most influencial rock musician in the world.
Ah you mean bloody revolution in Zanziber or India, either way article needs better structuring and organisation.
I loved him too!