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But what is this? None of the musical sharks clearly "notices" the birth of a new star. The phone in Mercury's house is not torn from those wishing to sign a contract with Queen, no one offers to save the guys from the Trident scoundrels - and to earn money on them. And "Trident" reacted to the success of their charges only by a gracious permission to use studio equipment at any time convenient for them. Instead of buying houses and limousines, what any group would do in their place, Queen continued to make ends meet. But still the concerts bring at least some money, and now they can devote themselves entirely to music.

In April, they were in for a new trouble - their joint tour with "Mott Hoppl" was thwarted due to the illness of Brian May - he was aggravated with not fully healed hepatitis, and the poor fellow fainted right on the stage. He went to the hospital, the group was urgently replaced, and everyone who communicated with May had to do anti-hepatitis vaccinations. You can imagine in what mood they were returning home ...

In the summer they begin work on a new album. Brian May was still not feeling well, he was constantly sick of it, nevertheless, he obstinately continued to work. As was to be expected, this disorder went badly - he again got to the hospital, this time for a long time. It seemed that Queen was on the brink of collapse, but Mercury came out with dignity from this crisis.

Despite May's illness, there was not even a question of replacing him - not the last time Queen showed an example of true friendship and mutual assistance. Loyalty to May did not lead to a simple group - work on the album continued, in the notes left blanks for May's guitar parts, and at the concerts, May was replaced by his friend and former colleague Smile, Tim Steffel. It was in the hospital, reflecting on the future fate of the group, May wrote the famous spiritual anthem "Now I here". After May's return to the studio Queen recorded a strange song "Stone Cold Crazy" ("Stone, cold, crazy"), in the creation of which the whole group participated. In it, for the first time, the topic of persecution and persecution, to which Queen is exposed, was frankly raised.

And here comes the Law, they want to break the doorAnd again, take me.Never, never, never again!I must escape from this cold floor.Mad, you know, stone, cold, crazy ...

The hero runs, struggling, chasing him, singing sirens, he wants to be thrown into prison or killed ... Pay attention to the cold stone floor - does such a floor happen in a dwelling?

In fact, this is a Parsi image - the lines about the floor clearly belong to Mercury. In the Zoroastrian funeral rite, the deceased is placed on a stone slab, and the expression "on the stone floor" for the Parsa is approximately the same as for the Russian "on the table." It's about death, which threatens the hero and which he tries to avoid, and on the side of his enemies - society and the police. The hero dreams that he is Al Capone, and they come to arrest him. As you know, Al Capone was imprisoned for non-payment of taxes. The song seems to predict the future flight of Queen from England. The hero wants to be arrested because he pours passers-by from a water pistol-that is, a joke is equated with a crime. It was with this attitude that Freddie faced all his life.

Freddie also hints at accusations of homosexuality when he says: "If I do not go to heaven, will they take me to hell?". According to the Zoroastrian tradition, the soul of a homosexual is not taken either to hell or to paradise.

Then the comic song "Bring Back Leroy Brown" ("Bring Back Leroy Brown") is recorded - a tribute to Mercury's favorite film "Who wants hot". In this song, called by critics meaningless, the torturers of "Queen" from the world of show business are showered with cruel ridicule. And the rascals from the Trident also got to someone, and someone higher:

Papa Kul with a ninety-dollar smileHe took my money, not saying "thank you"And he left the city - well,I must act decisively, find it and shoot it.

It is not difficult to guess that this is a matter of robbers from the Trident. And the joke about the gaping smile is an obvious mockery of the American manager Jack Nelson.

Big Mama Lulu Böhlle has a nervous breakdown,Leroy took her lovely baby.But she met him at the station,Stuck a gun to his head,And, if I'm not mistaken, that's what she said:"Big bad guy Leroy Brown,I'm taking this cutie. "

"Mom" is a slang word, understandable in all major cities of the world and means bandershu, and "babes" in relation to "Mama" are prostitutes. In this passage, the world of show business is compared with a public house, and musicians - with prostitutes, who are in bondage with "sharks" and who do not have the right to leave when they want.

And do not need a comment line, as if continuing "Stone Cold Crazy":

I need to escape the verdict,Go into the shadows where it's not so hot.I need to stay alive.

... Finally, despite all the circumstances, the third album "Queen" with the symbolic name "Sheer Heart Attack" ("Acute heart attack") was published, and despite the almost complete absence of advertising, took second place. Mercury's "Killer Queen" also won second place in the British charts, dozens of commercial radio stations in Europe, America and Japan twisted it, next year Mercury received for her the prestigious Ivor Novello Award, and even Mercury's hostile press had to praise the album and admit , That "Queen" - not a one-day ... but what is it?

The album sells in a huge circulation around the world, new Queen concerts are sold out - but Mercury's phone is still not torn from offers to work for another music company, no crowds of producers shaking multivalued contracts - nothing, silence. True, old friends from EMI and Elektra are ready to help, but only on the condition that the band part with Trident. And what about "Trident"? Could it be that greed has so stained the eyes of these people that they did not understand - for "Queen" you have to grab, and these guys will bring millions? Nothing like this. "Queen" did not get a penny from the huge profits from the sale of the album and songs, and for their success they were thanked ... having raised their salary to 60 pounds a week! At the same time, the company refused to give people who brought her huge money, in the most basic - in a loan for the purchase of housing, only 2,000 pounds,

The guys understand that with the "Trident" it is necessary to tear - otherwise they will never break out of poverty. But no one wants to help them, and they themselves go to the lawyer Jim Beach with a request to take up their cause.

At first glance, it seems that the "Queen" happened the same as with many celebrities. Suddenly glory comes, crowds of producers and owners of firms are besieged with the offer of multimillion-dollar contracts, adding value, as at auction. All would be well, but ... the contract, during a time of hungry youth, the prisoner with the firm N. for many years ahead, does not give the chance to change the owner. And the celebrity, cursing the day and the hour when she got in touch with the damned scoundrels for the dishwasher's salary, goes to court, knowing full well: no matter what the costs are, the wealth that will come with the conclusion of a new contract will cover everything. And then, like obsequious producers: "Do not worry, man, you just sign a contract with us, and we'll send you the best lawyer, we'll pay all your legal costs, just go to us ...".

However, "Queen" seems to exist in a vacuum, in which the laws of show business do not apply. No producer extends a helping hand to them, no one wants to take advantage of the difficult situation of the guys, save them from bondage - and earn money on them. And the "Trident" does not seem to understand that spoiling the relationship with "Queen", she kills a chicken carrying golden eggs.

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The History of Freddie Mercury by MV AhundovaWhere stories live. Discover now