Quiz for the day - Freddie Mercury and Queen Trivia

Freddie Mercury's statue

If you're a Freddie Mercury/Queen fan, answering these questions should be a breeze.

  • Where did Queen record some of their biggest hits?
  • Fill in the blank: Freddie Mercury told his friends, "If you want peace of mind, come to _______"

Congratulations if you answered "Montreux, Switzerland" to all of the above. You're a real fan!

Queen first came to the lakeside resort to record an album at Mountain Studios while the Montreux Jazz Festival was in full swing. They were so inspired by the picturesque beauty of the region that they named the album that they were recording, "JAZZ". After purchasing Mountain Studios, they went on to record some of their biggest hits in Montreux, including their last album "Made in Heaven".


To pay homage to Freddie Mercury and commemorate his love for the Swiss Riviera, the remaining three members of Queen erected a statue of him overlooking the Lake of Geneva. The plaque reads:

Freddie Mercury
Lover of Life - Singer of Songs
1946 - 1991

Born Farrokh Bulsara on the East African island of Zanzibar, Freddie Mercury became one of the world's greatest rock music performers. His career as lead singer of the band Queen spanned twenty years and together they sold over 20 million records worldwide.

Innovator, musician, showman extraordinaire, he left a compelling legacy and had an enormous influence on the next generation of rock performers.

Queen acquired the Lakeside Mountain recording studios in 1978 and Freddie's strong links with the town continued until his death. He appreciated the kindness and discretion of the townspeople and Montreux became a haven for him, his second home, and the setting for his final work.

Montreux is also where I'm hanging out this week. If you need to find me, I'm in room 301 of the Montreux Palace.

Comments

  1. Looks gorgeous there! I love Queen, but didn't know that trivia, thanks! Freddie looks like he's standing on one leg in that second photo.

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    1. Here's another little bit of trivia about Montreux from Wikipedia for a fellow Led Zeppelin fan:

      "Bonzo's Montreux" is a song by English rock group Led Zeppelin. The song is a solo by drummer John Bonham, recorded in September 1976 at Mountain Studios in Montreux, Switzerland.[1] Jimmy Page added the electronic effects afterwards.[2]

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    2. I listened to a whole drum solo just for you ha ha! Not too bad as drum solos go, I must say ;) Thanks for the extra Montreux trivia

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    3. You listened to the entire drum solo?! You're a brave woman! I've got it playing in the background now to see how long I can listen to it -- nope, I couldn't make it to the end. I tried!

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  2. Lover of Queen here. Another talent gone too soon. Great facts and photos.

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    1. Agreed. Much too soon. That's why I really like the words on the plaque: "Lover of Life, Singer of Songs."

      Queen's songs have provided the soundtrack for so many memorable moments in my life - not only from when I was a teenager but also from when they played "We are the Champions" and "We Will Rock You" before our children's swim meets.

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  3. Wow! That hotel is so grand!! I love the yellow awnings!

    You've inspired me to listen to "Killer Queen". I'm so jamming out right now! I love this song. Thanks for the trivia!

    Have fun you world traveler you!

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    1. I love the yellow awnings, too! I recently posted a comment on Joseph's blog about how most of the awnings in Paris are red. In Montreux, they're almost all yellow or green and white stripes. I guess that it's intended to give the place more of a Mediterranean feel.

      Killer Queen - thanks for reminding me! I'm listening to it now.

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  4. Well I AMa Queen and Feddie Mercury fan, but I didn't know any of this.

    Thanks.

    Love Denise

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    1. I have to admit that I learned most of what I wrote about Freddie Mercury while doing the research for this post. I really should have known more about him because his statue is one of the most famous meeting points in town.

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  5. Mary Kay...a wonderful post. Montreux is one of my favourite cities and I too love the yellow awnings.

    The adoration of Freddie is universal. I once stayed in a small establishment in Kyoto where the proprietor discretely played Queen videos in a corner of the foyer 24 hours a day.

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    1. While "discrete" and "Queen" are two words that you don't normally see combined in the same sentence, I really like the idea of the shrine to the band in Kyoto.

      As a Swiss-by-marriage who has spent lots of time living in and around Montreux, I've very pleased to hear that it's one of your favorite cities. Looking out at the lake and cloud capped mountains, I agree with Freddie that it's a good spot to find peace of mind.

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    2. And I wonder which tipple Baron Akers has enjoyed in this fine Swiss town. Do tell.

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    3. A Pernod on ice is the perfect conclusion to a day in Montreux!

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  6. Yes, I'll have to say I love the yellow awnings too. Very chic and distinctive. Well, maybe not distinctive there is everyone else has them, but certainly nice.

    Is there a harbor in town? The lake has no boats in view.

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  7. There are quite a few harbors along the lake and it's usually dotted with sailboats and old fashioned tourist boats on sunny days. There probably weren't any boats when I took the photos because a storm was coming so there was probably an advisory to get off the lake. One of the most famous boats to sail on the Lake of Geneva was the Alinghi, the winner of the America's Cup.

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  8. Thanks for featuring this. But I think Queen sold around 300 million records worldwide and not 20 million as mentioned. Maybe we should say 300 million and counting! (considering the concerts that should be happening this year). Nice pictures, lovely article

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    1. Thanks for commenting. I'm ready to agree with 300 million and counting! The 20 million records that is mentioned in the post was a direct quote taken from the plaque on Freddie Mercury's statue. Perhaps that's how many records they had sold when the statue was first erected.

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  9. the remaining three members of Queen erected a statue of him overlooking the Lake of Geneva.

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