Freddie Mercury: The Biography (41 page)

Warwick, Dionne
195
,
225

‘We Are the Champions’
125
–
6
,
185
,
198
,
251
,
252

We Will Rock You (musical)
259

‘We Will Rock You’ (single)
125
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7
,
185

Wembley Arena
148
,
172

Wembley Conference Centre
126

Wembley Stadium
57
,
182
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184
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5
,
197
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200
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246
,
249

Wessex Studios, London
111
,
124

West End
259

Whitman, Slim
106

Whistle Test, see Old Grey Whistle Test,

The

‘Whiter Shade of Pale, A’
126

Who
30
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43
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44
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79
,
142

‘Who Wants to Live Forever’
179
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204

Whole World Band
48

Wimbledon Stadium
133

Wings
103
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134
,
142

‘Winter’s Tale, A’
257

Wishbone Ash
21
,
27
,
48

Wizzard
67

Wonder, Stevie
195

Wood, Steve
133

Woodstock
177

‘Words of Love, The’
see
‘Las Palabras de

Amor’
Works, The
(album)
168

‘Works, The’ (tour)
172
,
181

Wreckage
25
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8
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32
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34
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36
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39
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47

X-Ray Spex
122

Yeadon, Terry
ix
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54
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6
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60
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65

Yes
48
,
62
,
128
,
177

York, Susannah
ix
,
221
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2

‘You’re My Best Friend’
111

‘You Nearly Done Me In’
107

‘You Sexy Thing’
105

Young, Paul
ix
,
174
,
185
,
248
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9

Zappa, Frank
29
,
200

Zoroastrianism
2
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6
,
243

With Mary Austin in 1987 at his 41st birthday at Pikes Hotel, Ibiza. Although Mercury had ended his physical relationship with Austin a decade earlier, she remained, to the end, the love of his life and inherited the bulk of his estate on his death.
(Photo courtesy of Tony Pike)

Kindred spirits. Mercury and German film actress Barbara Valentin relax in the studio during a break in recording. ‘We shared a once-in-a-lifetime love. It was so special, and I still loved him,’ Valentin said.
(Photo courtesy of Barbara Valentin)

Barbara Valentin’s unique friendship with Mercury survived throughout the eighties. In the late phase of his illness, the star tried to cut himself off from some of his friends, but Valentin recalls, ‘My doorbell rang one day, and it was Freddie. He said “I can’t stay away from you. Take me in and take care of me.”’
(Photo courtesy of Barbara Valentin)

One of many attempts at an early Queen publicity shot, taken in Freddie Mercury’s flat at 100 Holland Park Road, London. Mercury would regularly veto any photograph he felt didn’t flatter him enough.
(Photo courtesy of Ken Testi)

Queen’s two party animals celebrate at Pikes. Mercury’s friendship with Roger Taylor was strong and dated from the days when they survived on the tiny income from the stall that they ran together in London’s infamous Kensington Market.
(Photo courtesy of Tony Pike)

Mercury’s first manager when he fronted Ibex in 1969, Ken Testi also become Smile’s first manager. When Mercury suggested renaming Smile as Queen, Testi remarked to him, ‘You can’t get away with that!’ To which Mercury replied, ‘But of course we can, my dear.’
(Photo courtesy of Ken Testi)

Freddie Mercury gets to the bottom of things here during the infamous 1978 New Orleans after-gig party. PR guru Tony Brainsby says: ‘It was a really wild night – half naked dancers in bamboo cages, female mud wrestlers, snakes and strippers. All in all, in fact, a first-class party!’
(Photo courtesy of Tony Brainsby)

(Left to right) Queen’s manager Jim Beach, composer and close friend Mike Moran, Mercury, Spanish soprano Montserrat Caballe and promoter Pino Sagliocco are seen together in 1987 at the Spanish Embassy in London. A year later Mercury and Caballe were to headline at La Nit, the opening celebration for the run-up to the 1992 Olympic Games held in Barcelona.
(Photo courtesy of Pino Sagliocco)

Surrounded by some of his closest friends at the Ibiza hideaway in 1989. Left to right: (back row) actor Peter Straker, promoter Pino Sagliocco, Mercury, his bodyguard Terry Giddings, an unknown associate, composer Mike Moran and Jim Hutton; (front row) hotelier Tony Pike and Mercury’s confidante Barbara Valentin.
(Photo courtesy of Tony Pike)