Born Farookh Bulsara at the Government Hospital on the Indian island of Zanzibar the first born child of Bomi and Jer Bulsara. Freddie started to learn to play the piano from about the age of eight at St Peters School in Panchgani, Maharashtra. his talents in music soon became apparent as his aptitude for piano playing flourished.When the family returned to England, they lived in Feltham in Middlesex where Freddie suffered racial abuse in his early teens. In 1972 Freddie joined the band "Smile", which also contained drummer Roger Taylor and guitarist Brian May. Freddie was one of the most  flamboyant and colourful of entertainers, and by midsummer that year Farookh Bulsara changed not only his own name (Freddie Mercury) he also insisted that the band be called "Queen", perhaps the name was a clue to Freddie's sexuality, a practising homosexual. Queen's first hit record in 1974 was the start of one of the most successful rock bands since the Beatles. Their music has been recognised and praised for three decades and their "Bohemian Rhapsody" which was acclaimed by music critics has pure genius, has become one of the most successful records of all time. Freddie Mercury died of AIDS in November 1991. Not since the the death of John Lennon has a rock singers demise had such a deep impact on music fans all over the world.