Today would be Freddie’s 68th birthday.
SIXTY EIGHT.
While some of the members are still touring under the Queen name, the irony is, I don’t think they would be if Freddie was still alive.
Before he died in 1991, he stated he didn’t think he’d tour again because he felt running around the stage in a leotard at his age was ridiculous.
To be honest, it was ridiculous when he was doing it in his 20’s, but somehow he managed to pull it off.
That said, I can’t believe it’s 23 years since he died.
I was devastated when I heard the news but in some ways, by dying so young [he was 45] he ensured his legacy would continue which he probably would have loved given he once sang, “it’s better to burn out than to fade away”.
Of course it doesn’t have to be that way, when Jagger or Richards pops their clogs, their legend will continue despite the fact they are already pensioners … but there’s something different when someone dies when you feel they still had so much to give.
Who knows what he would have come out with in later years – however given his duets with people like Montserrat Caballé – I know it would have been interesting, regardless of how successful it ended up being.
But it wasn’t meant to be which is why I will spend the day listening to my favourite song of his [a song, just to maintain the level of depression of this post, that I want played at my funeral] and wish him a happy birthday.