Get talking about legends in classic rock and see how long it takes for someone to bring up Queen. A lot made this band fantastic, whether it was their versatility and innovative approach to music, Brian Johnson’s ability as a guitarist, or, most importantly, one of the greatest frontmen to ever live, Freddie Mercury.
Mercury wasn’t just a singer; he was an entertainer through and through. He was completely flamboyant with his on-stage antics and capable of having the crowd in the palm of his hands within a matter of seconds of stepping into the limelight. His outstanding vocal performance was just the icing on the cake; it was the whole package that separated Mercury from the rest of the musical world.
Mercury was no stranger to acting outrageously. This applied to both on-stage and off-stage. For instance, once, when he met the king misfits Sex Pistols, he was quick to put them in their place, making it obvious that the spikey hair and aggressive nature weren’t much of a threat to him.
After a comment was made by Sid Vicious, Freddie Mercury stood up, walked over to him and delivered a devastating line that undermined the Sex Pistols ruggish exterior. Pete Hince, Queen’s roadie, recalled, “Fred casually got up, walked over to him and quipped: ‘Aren’t you Stanley Ferocious or something?’, Took him by the collar and threw him out.”What was Vicious’ comment that got Mercury so riled? The Sex Pistol had asked whether Mercury had been successful in “Bringing ballet to the masses?” It’s no surprise that Mercury got offended by this comment, as he never planned on bringing ballet to the masses; it was Cabaret on which he based his career.
Mercury never held back confessing his love for the 1972 films Cabaret and Liza Minnelli, both of which profoundly impacted him as a performer. “I like the Cabaretish sort of thing. In fact, one of my early inspirations came from Cabaret,” he said, “I absolutely adore Liza Minnelli; she’s a total wow. The way she delivers her songs – the sheer energy.”
While the music might not quite match up, there is something about Queen’s stage presence, set design, and overall look that lines up with Cabaret. The band’s flamboyant nature had to come from somewhere, and their on-stage theatrics, it turns out, were quite literally inspired by the theatre. This approach to live performance is unquestionably one of the biggest factors that separated Queen from other bands at the time.
Mercury went as far as to say that Queen “have more in common with Liza Minnelli than Led Zeppelin,” saying, “We’re more in the showbiz tradition than the rock ‘n’ roll tradition.”
Mercury continued, “On stage, you either have the magic or you don’t, and there’s no way you can work up to it. Liza Minnelli just oozes with sheer talent. She has energy and stamina, which she gets across on stage, and the way she delivers herself to the public is a good influence. There is a lot to learn from her.”