“I want to break free from your lies, you’re so self-satisfied, I don’t need you…”

Just a quick tribute to a band that I love and a man that I admire. Today would have been Freddie Mercury‘s 65th birthday, and I figured it was only right that Y,WGAV! paid homage to  this legendary performer. Freddie was everything that pop and rock can and should be when it reaches for the skies or simply wants to go a little OTT. Freddie was a man’s man and a gay icon, a born entertainer and a remarkably private person, a brilliant singer and musician that could shrug off hate as though it was next to nothing. His music has inspired me for so many years – no matter how daggy they might be seen as, there will always be room in my heart to admire them.

Which brings us to this, my favourite Queen video. I’ve chosen this one because of how strongly it reflects on the multi-layered facets of Freddie’s public persona. One minute he’s vacuuming the house in drag, the next he’s shirtless and hairy and busting out the song with masculine grit in leather pants. No matter what he does, you can’t take your eyes off him. So what if the video is almost completely pointless, with a dozen ideas that go nowhere? You honestly think that’s the point? It’s a fun video, and certainly something different for Queen, who normally just made performance or studio videos. Thanks for everything, Freddie. Your soul within music is here to stay.