Aug 30 2012 – Iconic singer and celebrated showman Freddie Mercury was hugely popular throughout his brilliant music career as the lead singer of Queen and as a solo artist. The world mourned his untimely death in 1991, but he was incredibly prolific and left behind a stunning legacy of groundbreaking recordings. Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender gives fans unprecedented access to one of the world’s greatest performers.
This officially sanctioned book is a loving and intimate tribute to one of rock’s most enduring legends. It’s an all-access pass to Freddie Mercury’s epic life, with cherished childhood pictures from his parents, formative snapshots of his first singing efforts, and revelatory images of his early days with Queen, courtesy of guitarist Brian May. In addition to this treasured private collection of images, the book features myth making live and studio shots by esteemed photographers such as Snowdon, Mick Rock, and Neal Preston. This ambitious portrait, lovingly and painstakingly recounted in pictures and insightful text, celebrates the electric showman through the many stages of his extraordinary life.
Freddie Mercury: The Great Pretender is a poignant commendation of the mythic entertainer. The book’s release also coincides with a reissue of the landmark recording he made with Montserrat Caballé. Packaged with a fascinating one-hour bonus CD of Mercury interviews, this is a must-have keepsake for Queen aficionados and rock buffs alike.
Seán O’Hagan was named British Interviewer of the Year in the British Press Awards in 2003 for his work with footballer Roy Keane and the musician Brian Wilson. In 2011, O’Hagan won the J Dudley Johnston award from the Royal Photographic Society for what they described as “major achievement in the field of photographic criticism.”
