The story of a crazy party thrown by Queen» on the occasion of the release of the seventh album
"Jazz." was the seventh studio album "Queen."one of the most legendary ones of musical bands in history. Released in 1978It received both heartfelt admiration from fans and harsh criticism from reviewers. Nevertheless, "Jazz" presented quite a hit "Fat Bottomed Girls.", "Don't Stop Me Now" and other singles, showcasing many different styles, from glam rock to heavy metal.
On the occasion of this record's release, Queen threw one of the most of crazy parties in all of history. It happened New Orleans, Louisiana, at the hotel "Fairmont.". The event was full of excess, debauchery, and outrage, which is a full testimony to the dynamic personality of Freddie Mercury and the band's place in the annals of rock history.
Excesses in the heart of the French Quarter
The idea of throwing a party before the release of the seventh album hit Queen During the tour. "We just wanted to have some fun... And New Orleans was the obvious place to do it!" - recalled Freddie Mercury. Thus, after a speech in Civic Auditorium On Halloween night in 1978, the group headed to a hotel.
In fact, planning the Jazz release party proved to be more of a challenge than the public relations manager had anticipated Bob Gibson. It was he who chose the Fairmont Hotel because of its location and its large dance hall. The most interesting thing is that it took Gibson several trips to New Orleans to do it! However, the choice turned out to be more than successful: a huge "Imperial Ballroom" could accommodate hundreds of guests right in the heart of New Orleans' French Quarter!
The night before the party
New Orleans was only the third stop on the Queen tour 1978 of the year. And before they could have any fun at all, the band had a night full of crowd participation and wild energy.
Freddie MercuryKnown for his fantastic costumes and eccentric stage antics, he dominated the stage in a black suit with sequins, before changing into orange shorts for the first encore and a frank white overalls For the second.
As a result, the show was characterized by journalists as "one of the most ambitious in rock.". This extravaganza preceded an evening filled with excitement and spectacle.
The budget for the party was $200,000.
The budget allocated to the party was 200 thousand dollars. As Mercury said, "To hell with the price, darlings, let's Let's live a little!" When Bob Gibson was planning the event, he was more interested in making the night was successfulthan in the amount that such a party might cost. He told the manager "Queen to Jim Beachthat doesn't want to hear word "budget.".
Guests enjoyed oysters, lobsters, stuffed crabs and caviar... The food was stacked on high tables in the form of pyramids. Journalist Sylvia Simmons called the party "a bizarre medieval fantasy banquet. Champagne served by impeccably dressed waiters and, according to some reports, gnomesThe people who handed out trays of food, and not only dishes...
When the band arrived, their guests were already enjoying food, alcohol, and, according to some reports, illegal substances. Among the partygoers were music industry executives, reporters, celebrities, friends, and any weirdo the Queen management could find on the streets of New Orleans! In all, the guest list included hundreds of people: the total number varied 300 to 500 guestswho celebrated the release of their seventh album with the band until the early hours of the morning.
Entertainment program
Freddie Mercury wanted street performers at the event. So, shortly before the party began, the Queen promotional group went out looking for performers and weirdos in bars and on the streets of New Orleans. From memory Bob Gibson:
"Freddie wanted to bring in a lot of street performers to liven up the evening. I was instructed to find someone out of the ordinary who could bring a little, shall we say, color..."
The party decorations were dominated by love Mercury to excess and the rich culture of the French Quarter. According to Bob GibsonThe goal was "to create an environment in which everything you wanted to do was sanctioned.
The band's arrival at the Fairmont meant that the party had really begun. At midnight, to the sound of the brass band's trumpet, Queen brought with them artists of all sorts. It was a legion of dancers, snake charmers, revelers, and just plain weirdos! Indecency was synonymous with evening.
Even when the band left the event, the party went on
By 3:00 a.m. Mercury and the other band members left the party. When they left, the hotel security guards asked when the party would really come to an end. To this they were told that the band wanted "the fun to go on Until the dawn!" Answering a question about the holiday the next day at a press conference, Brian May noticed:
"It (the party) was intentionally excessive...partly for our own enjoyment, partly for the enjoyment of our friends, and partly just for the enjoyment of everyone present..."
Anyway, this crazy party was completely in keeping with Queen's image and the way Mercury lived and performed. According to the recording manager Joe Smith:
"It was definitely Freddie's holiday. He was testing the limits of what he could get away with. And people were stunned because nothing like this had ever happened..."
This party completely described Freddy's lifestyle
Mercury from the heart enjoyed a good party, and this was not the last of his extravagant celebrations. His birthdays included everything from fireworks to flamenco dancers, not to mention sexual Entertainment, often illegal.
So, for his 35th birthday, Mercury invited friends to a party at a penthouse in New York City for the weekend, drinking only champagne there to the tune of £30,000! For Freddy never there were no boundaries.
