It might seem from a distant view that rock stars have it all. From owning eight-bedroom mansions to driving the most modified car on the market, it can feel like there’s no door a rocker cannot open with their excessive publicity and wealth. After all, everybody wants a piece of the spotlight, and what’s better than to turn all the crosshairs on the ones who thrive on stage?
Kurt Cobain would be a nice example of how publicity might drain someone out. Things weren’t easy for the Nirvana frontman, as his fans wanted a piece of him to worship; the media was obsessed with him to make the next most-read news, and, ultimately, he was left in the middle of a crossfire where no matter where Cobain stood, the spotlight would drain him one way or the other.
This and all the other underlying reasons regarding Kurt’s mental health and personal problems led him to write one last note before taking his life in his Seattle house. In his letter, Cobain exampled Freddie Mercury, stating how the Queen frontman thrived under the spotlight, then stating that he was no Mercury as he couldn’t bear being on stage anymore.
It was true that Freddie enjoyed being on stage and all the applause and the love he received from his admiring audience; however, Kurt seemed to have missed something. Even though the Queen frontman seemed like he could deal with anything with his witty answers and, at times-intimidating personality, he was far away from enjoying the blinding spotlight.
The media never let Mercury have a break, as they had been the not-so-silent judges of his lifestyle. The vocalist always seemed to have people coming right after him, wanting a piece of him and stalking him to create the next great news. Things got even worse after news about Freddie’s health and battle with AIDS were made public, as the media didn’t care how hurtful their words could be.
Paul McCartney witnessed all these and saw firsthand how challenging the period had been for Mercury. The two rock icons were acquaintances through their shared love of Buddy Holly’s music, but they became friends after meeting for Live Aid and bonding backstage more than they’d ever had.
So, McCartney wanted to collaborate on a project with Mercury to show him support and wrote ‘Once Upon a Long Ago,’ with the Queen icon in his mind. The song emphasized all the harsh criticism Freddie received from the press, and Paul wanted to show that he was on his friend’s side with this duet.
However, Freddie couldn’t make it to the studio due to his busy schedule with his solo projects and Queen, and the single was released in 1987, only featuring McCartney on vocals. Still, it seemed that Paul had hoped for the pair to unite their powers in the future for another project, but a tragedy came in the way.
Mercury lost his life in 1991, and the Beatles icon’s hopes to collaborate disappeared. Linda McCartney later recalled how the Queen frontman’s death had devastated her husband as she appeared on British TV alone a few days after Freddie died.
From the beginning to the end of his career, the media had never been ‘gentle’ against Mercury, and things had gotten even more challenging in the last few years of his life. So, Paul wanted to support his friend, and the best way to do that would be to collab for a track. However, life seemed to get in the way, leaving McCartney devastated over his plans with Mercury.
