Sir Brian May and Arielle perform with the Gibson Custom Brian May SJ-200 12-String Acoustic Guitar at the Gibson Garage, London. (All Images Courtesy of Gibson)
Guitar legend Sir Brian May of Queen took center stage at the Gibson Garage London on February 18th to launch his brand-new signature model: the Gibson Custom Brian May SJ-200 12-String acoustic guitar. This marks his first collaboration with the iconic instrument brand, and what better way to unveil it than with a surprise performance? The event also kicked off Gibson Garage Fest, a week-long celebration marking the one-year anniversary of the London flagship (located at 61-62 Eastcastle St). Continue reading Queen Legend Brian May Unveils Gibson SJ-200 12-String with Intimate London Performance at the Gibson Garage→
Aside from The Beatles, no band has influenced my life and lifestyle quite like Queen. I was 15 when A Night at the Opera was released, and its iconic track “Bohemian Rhapsody” dominated the airwaves. That was the beginning of a teenage obsession. Queen became more than just a favorite band for me; they were more like a religion, or a way of life. I joined their official fan club in London and quickly connected with Queen pen pals worldwide, one of whom remains one of my closest friends to this day. Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor were deeply important to my teenage years, and I still look back on those memories with immense fondness. Continue reading Yes, It Exists: Queen Paper Dolls By Jenn Waitt→
For all of you Queen Freaks and Freddie-o-philes out there, it is my pleasure to bring you another of Freddie Mercury’s stage costumes photographed by me at Sotheby’s when I was in London. This dazzling outfit, a Scarlet Sequined, short-legged one-piece stage suit, is a truly iconic and historic piece of rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia and a testament to Freddie’s flamboyant style and unforgettable stage presence. Continue reading Eye On Design: Freddie Mercury’s Scarlet Sequined, One-Piece Stage Costume→
There’s a saying that being older (i.e. Baby Boomer generation) carries perks such as living at a time that allowed you to see all of the really cool bands in concert. I’ll own it. I have many priceless concert memories from the 1970s — like seeing The Who when the ticket price was $12! For me though, the real coupe was seeing Queen live in concert on each of the Night at The Opera, Day at The Races, and News of The World tours, and twice when they toured in support of their 1978 release, Jazz. Â For this then-teenage Queen fan, my fervent ardor for Freddie Mercury and company moved beyond ‘favorite band’ status to being more like a religion, or a way of life. I wouldn’t trade that time in my life of anything.
My ongoing coverage of Sotheby’s auction exhibit,  Freddie Mercury: A World His Own, would not be complete if I didn’t feature one of his possessions as a weekly Pink Thing. Presented here: Freddie’s Pink Suit worn in  the 1987 video for “The Great Pretender.” The official auction catalog describes it as follows: Continue reading Pink Thing of The Day: Pink Silk Suit Worn by Freddie Mercury→
