"Freddiness"

There is, in everything that Freddie produced, a quintessential 'Freddiness'. Whether you call this 'flamboyant', 'genius', 'peacockishness' or whatever is immaterial. Unlike many of his contemporaries, (I hesitate to say 'peers') Freddie was never concerned with the perception of him or his music, considering them rather something to be created, used, and then discarded. In his works he always moved on, always sought new ways to express himself, whether in the balladic rock of his earlier solo albums, or his operatic works on Barcelona; his ballet performances, his artwork or his musical interpretations. Even in his concert appearances, his persona and presentation changed: each show was different, and the songs, although many of his earlier works stayed with him all his performing life, were always being slightly modifed in keeping with the necessities of each performance. Whether this was altering the tune slightly, arranging it differently, or just swapping or moving the order of the set list.

When Freddie took to the stage he owned it and owned

everyone listening and watching. Wether you could see him clearly or not, there was no mistaking the strut around the stage or the larger-then-life Freddie-esque movements. His entire being radiated himself and allowed each and every one of the audience to reach out and touch him, to know something of him, even if it was only the stage Freddie.

Queen had a massive stable of music and one that keep growing and altering, sometimes to the fan's appreciative acceptance, at others to their dislike or disappointment. Whatever happened, the listeners always knew that it was Queen and always that it was Freddie singing and binding the band together with his voice and musical interpretation. Each member was a musical legend in their own right and each had skills that made Queen function as few other bands ever have. Their formula was right, their mix was right and the whole was far, possibly even exponentially, stronger then the parts. Each member's solo productions are good, yet it is only when all four parts of Queen are together that the brilliance occurred.