Paul Gambaccini
Freddie Mercury was known for his flamboyant stage persona and four-octave vocal range – the lead singer of Queen defied the conventions of a typical rock frontman. He paved the way for many contemporary artists to have a more confident and theatrical act which indelibly shaped the next generation of pop and rock music. From working as a baggage handler at Heathrow airport to hiding his HIV diagnosis from the public until just before his death, Mercury’s life was filled with adventure, publicity, and perhaps above all, a clear duality. He was both flamboyant and shy, outspoken and intensely private. The illness that claimed his life could never have defined Freddie, and now, years later, his legacy is greater than he could have ever imagined.
Brian Jones, Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Jim Morrison all died at the age of 27 between 1969 and 1971. At the time, the coincidence gave rise to some comment, but it was not until the death of Kurt Cobain, about two and a half decades later, that the idea of a “27 Club” began to catch on in public perception, reignited with the death of Amy Winehouse in 2011. Through interviews with people who knew them, such as music stars, critics, medical experts and unseen footage, the lives, music, and artistry of those who died at 27 are investigated with a bid to find answers.
The life of Frank Sinatra, as an actor and singer and the steps along the way that led him to become such an icon.
Experience an inside look at David Bowie’s incredible influence on music, art and culture via interviews with some of the people who knew him best.
Documentary which celebrates, over the period covering the end of the 1950s and the beginning of the 60s, the phenomenon of the Everly Brothers, arguably the greatest harmony duo the world has witnessed, who directly influenced the greatest and most successful bands of the 60s and 70s – The Beatles, The Stones, The Beach Boys and Simon & Garfunkel to name but a few.