I was always surprised how Freddie got so much love and respect from listeners and musicians, but so much hate from the press - especially press that praised similar but inferior acts. To what extent do you think ugly press reviews of his work were due to unspoken racism and homophobia on behalf of journalists?
I think journalists on the whole have little ability to think outside the box. They tend to chose the easy route by herding together like sheep and slagging off talented artists because is fashionable to do so.
You never read a review on any band, gig or album that speaks of the musical ablity or creative effortthat goes into producing a peice of work, it's always about the fact they hate the guys face.
NME in the 80's for example ran pages and pages of press about Phil Collins simply asking if he was ugly
Why?? it's school boy humour and has no merit at all. Frankly most of the music press write pure crap about everybody and everything and there work is only fit for wiping your arse with.
Freddie was very arrogant and very talented, unfortunately it was only fashionable to admit how talented he was after he died, suddenly then everyone became a Queen fan overnight and claimed they had always been one.
Once you become successful the UK music press hate you.... it's amazing, these peole bring millions of pounds into the country and talentless morons can think of nothing positive to say. They just go back to questions about Brian's hair or Robbie's drug habit or Madonna's marrage... pathetic