We already brought you part one of our list of 15 things you probably did not know about Freddie Mercury, and now we’re back with part two! Check out eight more fascinating facts about the iconic Queen frontman that you definitely (probably) did not know below. You might be surprised by what you find out!
Number Eight: He Announced He Had AIDS the Day Before He Died. Though many people had been speculating about Mercury’s health and general condition because of his slim appearance, he did not actually announce that he had AIDS until one day before he died.
Number Seven: He Loved Cats. At one time, it was rumored that Mercury had 10 cats at the same time. He wrote an entire album dedicated to his cats, and the album was called Mr. Bad Guy. His song mentioning “Delilah” is about his cat.
Number Six: He Was Known for Using the Bottomless Mic. During a performance, Mercury was mid-song when the mic stand he was using snapped in half. However, he didn’t feel like waiting to have it replaced, so he just used it that way. He reportedly liked it so much that he continued to perform with the half mic.
Number Five: He Was an Amazing Songwriter. Mercury wrote “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “We Are The Champions,” and “Crazy Little Thing Called Love.” He even reportedly wrote “Crazy Little Thing Called Love” in the bathtub!
Number Four: He Was a Genre Bender. Mercury obviously worked with rock and roll as part of Queen, but he also finished a solo opera album with Montserrat Caballe and wrote his own disco-inspired album. The disco-inspired album, titled Mr. Bad, was reportedly influenced by Mercury’s experience in the clubbing scene in New York.
Number Three: He Collaborated With Michael Jackson. However, the songs were never released. This is reportedly because Jackson decided to bring a llama into the recording studio.
Number Two: He Did Not Like Comparing Himself to Other Songwriters. Mercury once said, “I don’t like to write message songs, I’m not like a John Lennon or Stevie Wonder.” Interestingly, Mercury’s most popular songs are the ones he wrote about finding love.
Number One: His Last Appearance in Front of an Audience Was in 1990. Mercury’s last ever appearance in front of an audience was at the Brit Awards in 1990. He appeared in front of an audience to accept the award that Queen had won for Outstanding Contribution to Music.