Book review: Somebody to Love by Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne

Even in a time notable for larger-than-life characters, Freddie Mercury stood out.

Flamboyant and outrageous, he added a dollop of stardust to the highly competent musicianship of his ever-so-slightly-dull bandmates — an alchemy that created the most original group of the 70s and 80s. Like him or loathe him, Queen’s frontman was one of a kind.

This meticulous biography tries to capture the essence of Mercury, talking to many in his inner circle, as well as stars such as Annie Lennox and Marc Almond who brushed shoulders with him. Everyone has a different take. Freddie was shy, arrogant, angry, and, above all, a consummate compartmentaliser who didn’t even tell the rest of the group he was gay.

The book, which also contains a brief history of Aids, the disease that killed Mercury, is packed with detail. But the man remains elusive.

The more you find out, the less you feel you know.

Somebody To Love: The Life, Death And Legacy of Freddie Mercury

Matt Richards and Mark Langthorne

Blink Publishing, £20; ebook, £5.03