عربي English Türkçe اردو فارسى
Logo
Latest News
Entertainment

London Home Freddie Mercury Bought in 1980 Is for Sale, Minus His ‘Exquisite Clutter’ 

This undated handout image shows the house known as the Garden Lodge in London, where rock star Freddie Mercury's lived the final decade of his life. (AP)
This undated handout image shows the house known as the Garden Lodge in London, where rock star Freddie Mercury's lived the final decade of his life. (AP)
TT
20
TT

London Home Freddie Mercury Bought in 1980 Is for Sale, Minus His ‘Exquisite Clutter’ 

This undated handout image shows the house known as the Garden Lodge in London, where rock star Freddie Mercury's lived the final decade of his life. (AP)
This undated handout image shows the house known as the Garden Lodge in London, where rock star Freddie Mercury's lived the final decade of his life. (AP)

Freddie Mercury ’s sanctuary in London, where he lived the last decade of his life, is on sale for the first time in nearly half a century — minus his "exquisite clutter."

Garden Lodge, as the neo-Georgian brick home in the posh Kensington neighborhood is known, is for sale by Knight Frank for offers exceeding 30 million pounds ($38 million). It is not publicly listed.

Mercury, the frontman for Queen, bought the house in 1980 — the year the band's album "The Game," with hits "Another One Bites the Dust" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love," topped the charts. He reportedly paid cash for the property, which was listed for more than 500,000 pounds, according to "Mercury: An Intimate Biography of Freddie Mercury."

"I saw the house, fell in love with it, and within a half an hour it was mine," Mercury boasted, according to the book.

Mercury had extensive renovations done to the house and loaded it with precious artwork, including pieces by Picasso, Dalí and Matisse.

"I like to be surrounded by splendid things," Mercury said. "I want to lead the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter."

Mercury died in the house in 1991 of AIDS-related pneumonia at 45.

He left the eight-bedroom villa and all his possessions to his close friend and ex-girlfriend, Mary Austin, who lived there. She has been raking in millions selling his collection of stage costumes, fine art and song lyrics over the past year. The home was put up for sale late last month.

"This house has been the most glorious memory box, because it has such love and warmth in every room," Austin said in a statement. "It has been a joy to live in and I have many wonderful memories here. Now that it is empty, I’m transported back to the first time we viewed it. Ever since Freddie and I stepped through the fabled green door, it has been a place of peace, a true artist’s house, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person."

The famous gate to the garden, which was inscribed with graffiti and love notes from fans, was one of 59 of Mercury’s most prized possessions that sold for 12.2 million pounds ($15.4 million) in September. The door brought in 412,750 pounds ($521,000), including a buyer's premium.

Most Viewed

 
Entertainment

‘All Good Things Must Come to an End’: The Who Will Perform One Last Time in North America

Pete Townshend poses for photographers during the announcement of "The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American Farewell Tour" on Thursday, May 9, 2025, in London. (AP)
Pete Townshend poses for photographers during the announcement of "The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American Farewell Tour" on Thursday, May 9, 2025, in London. (AP)
TT
20
TT

‘All Good Things Must Come to an End’: The Who Will Perform One Last Time in North America

Pete Townshend poses for photographers during the announcement of "The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American Farewell Tour" on Thursday, May 9, 2025, in London. (AP)
Pete Townshend poses for photographers during the announcement of "The Who: The Song Is Over, The North American Farewell Tour" on Thursday, May 9, 2025, in London. (AP)

British rock band The Who are to say their final goodbye to North America this summer.

Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist Pete Townshend confirmed Thursday that they will perform hits from six-decade career during "The Song Is Over North America Farewell Tour," named after the band’s 1971 hit.

The band, which by the 1970s had become one of the world’s biggest touring bands, easily filling the largest US stadiums, will play their first gig in Florida on Aug. 16, with further dates in cities including New York, Toronto, Los Angeles and Vancouver, before a final date in Las Vegas on Sept. 28.

"Every musician’s dream in the early '60s was to make it big in the US charts," Daltrey said. "For The Who, that dream came true in 1967 and our lives were changed forever."

The band went from performing club shows to headlining the Woodstock festival in the US and becoming one of the biggest box-office draw in the world. The band were inducted into the Rock n’ Roll Hall Of Fame in 1990.

Daltrey, 81, and Townshend, two years his junior, have been one of rock's most prolific double acts, surviving the deaths of drummer Keith Moon in 1978 and bass guitarist John Entwistle in 2002.

"Today, Roger and I still carry the banner for the late Keith Moon and John Entwistle, and, of course, all of our long-time Who fans," Townshend said. "I must say that although the road has not always been enjoyable for me, it is usually easy: the best job I could ever have had. I keep coming back."

Though Daltrey didn’t write songs, he was able to channel Townsend’s many and complicated moods — defiance and rage, vulnerability and desperation.

Together, they forged some of rock’s most defining sounds: the stuttering, sneering delivery of "My Generation," the anguished cry of "They’re all wasted!" from "Baba O’Reilly," and the all-time scream from "Won’t Get Fooled Again." Two of their albums "Tommy" and "Quadrophenia" were also adapted into successful films in 1975 and 1979, respectively.

Pre-sales will run from May 13 ahead of the general sale beginning May 16.

"Well, all good things must come to an end. It is a poignant time," Townshend said. "For me, playing to American audiences and those in Canada has always been incredible."

Daltrey, who said a throat specialist has told him he should have a "day off" after every gig he performs, and Townshend also revealed there are no plans at the moment for a farewell tour of the UK.

"Let’s see if we survive this one," Daltrey said. "I don’t want to say that there won’t be (a UK farewell tour), but equally I’m not confident in saying there will be."