Farrokh Bulsara, better known as Freddie Mercury, lead singer of the iconic music band Queen, first came to Montreux in 1978. He was accompanied by his band members, and they had specifically come to record their album Jazz , at the Montreux Jazz Festival. However, such were the charms of the quaint town that reposes by the glorious Lake Geneva that Freddie lost his heart to it: he eventually bought a lake-facing apartment and settled here. Those who were close to him, often heard him say, “If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux.” And peace he did get — Freddie spent the last few years of his life here, far from the eyes of the media.
- The British rock band Queen consisted of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon. The trailer of the film created a buzz on social media and received five million views in 24 hours when it was released early this year.
- In the film, Rami Malek essays the role of Freddie Mercury, while actors Gwilym Lee, Ben Hardy and Joseph Mazzello play Brian May, Roger Taylor and John Deacon respectively. Malek is famously known for playing Elliot Alderson in the television series Mr Robot .
- Following his repeated absence from the sets, director Bryan Singer was fired by the production house. Later, it was actor-director Dexter Fletcher who filmed the remaining portions. However, Bryan Singer was given the directing credit.
- Despite the expectations, Bohemian Rhapsody opened to mixed reviews at its international première in London.
- John Ottman has composed the film’s score and retained Queen’s popular numbers for the most part.
- This will rock you
- Singer David Bowie and bands such as AC/DC, The Rolling Stones, Yes, and Led Zeppelin have recorded albums at Mountain Studios.
- Deep Purple’s cult song, ‘Smoke on the Water’ is inspired by a real-life fire at the lakeside Montreux Casino.
- If you are visiting this city, make sure you attend the annual Montreux Jazz Festival which was a hit with Queen, too. 2019 will see Sir Elton John performing at the festival for the very first time.
- Apart from the Freddie Mercury statue, the lakeside promenade is also home to unmissable art exhibits.
- Like the members of Queen, you can also check into the Fairmont Le Montreux Palace.
The studio life
Bohemian Rhapsody that releases tomorrow, celebrates the rise of Queen, its music and follows the life of Freddie. The trailer shows the band in a studio, making decisions about the course of their career. That is Mountain Studios located within the Montreux Casino. It features prominently in the trailers. The band owned it from 1979 to 1993. Queen recorded a total of seven albums here, including their last one, Made In Heaven . A representative from the Mercury Phoenix Trust that currently owns the Queen Studio Experience says, “The Casino Barrière de Montreux plays host to Queen: The Studio Experience exhibition, which is an interactive display of historical Queen artefacts dedicated to the immortal spirit of Freddie Mercury . Each year, the Casino also hosts the ‘Freddie For A Day’ birthday party in September (around his birthday on September 5) to remember him and raise funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust that works towards fighting AIDS across the world.
At the studio experience, fans are treated to a wide range of memorabilia including photographs, lyrics penned in Freddie’s handwriting, records, videos, and original concert costumes. The original control room from Queen’s time still remains, with only a new Neve console . The replacement of the original allows visitors to mix their own versions of Queen’s classic songs. It’s common to see excited visitors play around with the controls as they try to get the right tempo and bass on some of their favourite songs. There’s also one spot that makes for a poignant moment: in the Made In Heaven room, visitors can stand at the exact spot where Freddie recorded his very last vocal session. Teary-eyed fans get to experience some of the last creative moments of this musical genius from Made In Heaven — an album he didn’t live to complete.
Freddie’s Montreux
One of the most striking visuals in Montreux is that of the Freddie Mercury statue facing Lake Geneva. Cast in bronze, it shows him pumping a fist in the air. What’s unique about it is that it’s always decorated with a wreath or other fresh flowers placed there by fans. At the base of the statue is an inscription that says ‘Lover of Life, Singer of Songs’.
Since 2003, every year in September, enthusiastic fan groups organise Freddie Mercury’s Montreux Celebration Days. There are concerts, workshops, and talks, along with a gala night at the Montreux Casino. Additionally, boat trips are organised to ‘Duck House’, the singer’s holiday home and retreat: a peaceful haven in Clarens that was popular with a lot of other musicians as well, who came to the Riviera to record their melodies. The five-room villa is located on the banks of Lake Geneva.
Along with its boathouse, it was made immortal on the cover of the band’s last album, Made In Heaven . The Swiss holiday home broker, Interhome, rents out the property to visitors today. It costs around 662 Euros per night for four people. “The house has contributed a lot to the history of music — ‘It’s a kind of magic!’ We are delighted to be able to offer this gem to our guests from all over the world,” says Roger Müller, Country Manager, Interhome Switzerland.
Melodious heritage oozes from all corners of Montreux and one look at Lake Geneva is evidence enough as to why so many musical geniuses came here for creative chow!
