Freddie Mercury: 'Goodbye' Video Broadcast

Freddie Mercury's previously unseen, last performance was recently shown by the BBC.

The documentary, "Queen: Days Of Our Lives", included film of the flamboyant frontman preparing for the video of "These Are The Days Of Our Lives". The unseen Mercury footage was discovered by Rhys Thomas, who co-produced the documentary.

According to the Independent newspaper, Thomas said: "The footage of Freddie in his final video is shocking. He is so frail, he needs two hands to hold a champagne glass. But he knows he is being filmed and wants to show people what he was going through."

Queen guitarist Brian May commented: "At this time, Freddie's becoming weakened by this horrible disease, but he'd throw a couple of vodkas down and prop himself up on the mixing desk and go for it. He actually says a kind of goodbye in the video."

Mercury died of complications stemming from AIDS in 1991.

Thanks for the report to Andrew Vaughan, Gibson.com.

Comments

[Rob E]

It was indeed shocking to see the unseen footage. You think he looks frail in the actual music video for "These are the Days of our Lives" but it's nothing compared to seeing the colour footage when he's not performing...really sad to see.

[buchla200]

But very brave that he continued working until the last. A shame he didn't take precautions..
I saw Queen in the late 70's twice. Not my favorite band but probably the best show I will ever see.

[hudsonstradlin]

It was an awesome documentary miniseries. Absolutely heartbreaking to see him in that fragile state. Behind Lennon, probably the most tragic rock star death.

[dial-a-death]

Absolutely phenomenal documentary. Queen will always be one of my favourite bands, and their relatively "unknown" songs hold their own or superseed the hits easily. Queen's diversity of styles it what attracts me to them, I cannot think of another band that have the range that Queen did. No matter what I feel, Queen always get me singing along, they lift me when i'm sad and keep me soaring whn I'm happy. In my opinion, they are quite possibly the greatest band of all time.

[dial-a-death]

*is what attracts. Brain fail there.

[Rocketpumpkin]

where can you get this footage?

[willbeerock]

i watched this documentary, and since ive become pretty much obssessed, i even shelled out 60 quid to go and see We Will Rock You (which btw is frikin amaaaazing!) anyway, it was really depressing seeing freddie like that and after seeing this documentary i appreciate their music so much more and feel for the band and what they had to go through... RIP Freddie Mercury

Rocketpumpkin wrote:

where can you get this footage?

bbc iPlayer, its still there so hurry becasue it runs out...

[District]

It was a very interesting documentary, and that footage was indeed very awkward.

[Igamikun]

Rocketpumpkin wrote:

where can you get this footage?

Go to youtube and look up "Queen: Days of Our Lives". There was multiple uploads I just watched literally minutes ago. BBC iPlayer doesn't work if you're in the US because the BBC hates americans, but hey who doesn't right?

[Daburcor]

In all my many years as a Queen fan, this is the absolute best documentary on them I have seen (a close second is "Magic Years"). On top of all of the great previously unseen/lost footage (Top of The Pops performances, We Are the Champions recording sessions, video rushes, etc.), there were loads of great anecdotes that neither the band nor those involved have previously shared on record.

If you like Queen, it's a must see documentary.

[Veritas69]

That man is a god

[Hungry_Hameds]

they showed the 1975 old grey whistle test gig as well which was epic, but yeah really sad to see the colour footage of him, but inspiring to see the guy still working and banging out monster vocals right up until the end. You also see Roger Taylor talk about being on his way to see Freddie the day he died and was 300 yards away then got a call saying he's gone... so sad. The man was the greatest of all frontmen, but also a hero for accepting his fate and fighting on in the face of such a terrible illness.