Freddie Mercury Biography

Early Years

Mercury (on right) with his college friends in 1964, after a lunchtime drink.

Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on the African island of Zanzibar, at the time a British colony, now part of Tanzania. His parents, Bomi Bulsara and Jer Bulsara were Parsis from India who practiced the ancient Zoroastrian religion.^[6] The family had moved to Zanzibar in order for Bomi to continue his job as a middle-ranking cashier at the British Colonial Office. Mercury had one younger sister, Kashmira.^[7]

Mercury was sent back to India at the age of 7 to attend St. Peter's School, a boarding school for boys at Panchgani near Bombay (now Mumbai). At St. Peter's, he was a bright student who excelled at sports and learned to play the piano. At school, he formed a popular school band, called The Hectics, for which he played the piano. It was also at St. Peter's where he began to call himself "Freddie." Mercury remained in India for most of his childhood, living with his grandmother and aunt. He completed his education in India at St. Mary's (ISC) High School in Mazagon before returning to Zanzibar.

At the age of 17, Mercury and his family were forced to flee from Zanzibar to England as a result of the 1964 Zanzibar Revolution.^[8] The family moved into a small house in the suburban town of Feltham outside London. Mercury enrolled at Isleworth Polytechnic (now West Thames College) in West London where he studied art. He ultimately earned a Diploma in Art and Graphic Design at Ealing Art College, later using these skills in order to design the Queen crest. Mercury remained a British citizen for the rest of his life.

Following graduation, Mercury joined a series of bands and sold second-hand clothes in the Kensington Market in London. He also held a job at Heathrow Airport. Friends from the time remembered Mercury as a quiet and shy student who showed a great deal of interest in music. In 1969 he formed the band Ibex, which was later renamed to Wreckage. When this collapsed in October of that year, he joined a band called Sour Milk Sea as the lead singer. In early 1970, this group, too, had broken up.^[9]

In April of that year, he joined with guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor, who had previously been in band called Smile. Despite reservations from the other members, Mercury chose the name "Queen" for the new band. At around this time, he also changed his surname.