When we think of celebrities who live or have lived in Munich, we are very likely to think of one of the countless football professionals of FC Bayern Munich. But did you also know that Freddie Mercury once lived in the Bavarian capital?
Don't be recognized, enjoy the (night) life and focus on the music. Freddie Mercury had this, for most people a very simple wish, when he came to Munich in 1979.
But the rock band's national fame also had its dark sides. The lead singer of the band could no longer live a quiet, unrecognized life in his hometown of London. No matter where he was or where he wanted to go, paparazzi and fans followed him every step of the way. After numerous renovations started at his town villa, Mercury decided to take a break from his grueling daily life and moved to the Bavarian capital.
When Mercury wasn't investing his time in music, which he recorded at "Musicland Studios" in the Munich district of Bogenhausen, he was mostly in the hip Glockenbachviertel. Not only did he have his own apartment in Pestalozzistraße, but in this neighborhood were the most frequented meeting places of the gay scene of the Bavarian capital. It didn't take long before Mercury was a regular guest at many clubs.
He liked to spend his evenings at the Ochsengarten, the oldest leather goods and fetish bar in Germany, where only men can enter until today. Mercury was also often found at the Hotel Deutsche Eiche, which has been one of the city's most popular gay clubs for decades thanks to the hotel's bathhouse. Other regular British pubs were the Teddy Bar and the Frisco.
The frontman's most formative evening, however, was his 39th birthday, which he celebrated at the Old Mrs. Henderson nightclub on Müllerstraße. The legendary black and white party with carriage and outlandish costumes also served as film material for the music video for Mercury's first hit solo hit "Living on My Own".
At the time of Mercury in Munich, however, homosexuality was not yet accepted by the public. There were numerous gay haters in the city and even homosexuals did not receive any political support. Indeed: only a few years before Mercury's move, homosexuals were fully punishable in Germany. Although this was reduced in 1969, holding hands on the street and public holidays were also avoided in the years to come, as limited punishment still existed.
As a result, stage parties were held behind capped windows and locked doors, where guests could only enter if the bell rang. To the benefit of the rock star, of course, because he wasn't officially out at the time. Additionally, Mercury was rarely recognized in bars and clubs as Queen were still one of Munich's lesser known bands and the British preferred to be in an inconspicuous corner during parties.
Back in London, Mercury continued his life of free sex in London clubs as well.
Peter Freestone, the man who was his assistant for 12 years, tells the story behind the star in a biography.
Unrestrained sex, fetish and drugs. A biography, which contains many revelations about the Queen singer, offstage.
The assistant said these words to an Italian newspaper: In the happy years, when he wasn't busy writing memorable music, Freddie would throw himself into sex. For him it was a carefree activity to be practiced without major emotional investments. The love he sang about belonged to another dimension and I don't know if he has ever experienced it in person ". The singer, apparently, was an honorary member of 'Saint', an old New York theater, transformed into a nightclub for homosexuals: "I managed to get an honorary member card - continues Freeston - so that his name would not appear among that of the patrons. The difficult thing was to conquer the locker. He could not do without it because, after wearing the fetish clothes and the essentials to put on during the dances, they put away the normal clothes and the drugs “.
Ghostwriter: Dark side of Barbie https://www.instagram.com/darksideofbarbie/
Credits images: web
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