Description

Mercury, Freddie (1946 – 1991)

An extraordinary circa 1960 ‘friendship page’, being the centre adjoining pages removed from an autograph book, measuring 12.5″ x 4.25″.

Signed in the middle of the far left ‘Name’ column in black ink, “Fred B.” (Bulsara) with Mercury and ten of his classmates using the various columns to answer a variety of topics, including (Mercury’s choice): Best Boy (‘Ramzi’), Best Girl (‘Jinan’), Best Actor (‘Elvis P.’), Best Actress (‘Esther Williams’), Best Dish (‘Venison’), Best Movie (‘Bathing Beauty’), Best Song (‘Kissing Time’), Best Pet Name (Mercury quotes the preceding student), Best Perfume ( ‘Tom Boy’), Ambition (‘Not Decided’), and Best Sport (‘Football’). The page has also been signed and filled out by Derrick Branche (‘Derek B.’), Bruce Murray (‘Bruce M.’), Haroon Ansari (‘Haroon A.’), and Victory Rana (‘Victory R.’), each a member of Mercury’s first band, The Hectics. In fine condition.Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara and lived with his parents and younger sister in Zanzibar for the first seventeen years of his life. When he was eight-years-old, Mercury began studying at the St. Peter’s Boys School, an English boarding school near Bombay. Mercury began to call himself ‘Freddie’ shortly thereafter, and, at the age of twelve, formed his first musical group with four of his St. Peter’s classmates. With Mercury on vocals and piano, The Hectics played exclusively at school events, covering early rock and roll artists like Elvis Presley, Cliff Richards, Little Richard, and Fats Domino, and playing chart-toppers like ‘Yakkety Yak,’ ‘Rock Around the Clock,’ and ‘Tutti Frutti.’

A fascinating piece of early rock history signed by Queen’s legendary frontman at the start of his musical career.