13 Things People Forgot About Queen"s Freddie Mercury

Believe it or not, legendary rock and roll vocalist Freddie Mercury passed away 25 years today. The Queen frontman is widely considered to be one of the greatest voices in music history, and is still a major influence on the industry as a whole. His death was absolutely heartbreaking to all of his fans and his absence in the world is still missed to this day. However, some of the biggest Mercury fans probably don’t remember these miraculous things that Freddie did in his lifetime. 

1. He released a solo album before joining Queen.

Being relatively unknown at the time, Mercury could only get studio time in the wee hours of the night. When he was approached by a local producer who was trying to emulate the sounds of Phil Spector’s recordings, Mercury and his pals covered songs by The Ronettes and Dusty Springfield. 

2. He created the band’s logo.

He said he always wanted the band to be dandy and whimsical, and his interpretation of a royal crest is somehow the perfect symbol for such a group of musicians. 

3. He almost named the band Build Your Own Boat.

Other options included The Rich Kids and The Grand Dance. 

4. He went to the same art school as fellow rockers Ronnie Wood and Pete Townshend.

London’s Ealing Art College was the place where all these men learned to sketch.