Mercury Phoenix Trust
The Mercury Phoenix Trust is a nonprofit organization based in Maidenhead ( UK ), which has set itself the goal of the immune deficiency disease worldwide AIDS fight.
history
The organization was founded in 1992 by members of the rock group Queen after their AIDS-infected singer Freddie Mercury died of pneumonia in November 1991. In addition to Brian May , Roger Taylor and John Deacon , the Queen's manager Jim Beach was also involved in the establishment, which was financed from the proceeds of the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert .
The following year the EP Five Live was released, on which songs interpreted by George Michael , Queen and Lisa Stansfield can be heard. Except for the last song (only included in the album editions), all of them are live recordings, which is what the title implies.
- Somebody to Love (Queen and George Michael during the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert)
- Killer (George Michael; cover version by Adamski feat. Seal )
- Papa Was a Rolling Stone (George Michael; cover version of The Temptations )
- These Are the Days of Our Lives (Queen with George Michael and Lisa Stansfield during the Freddie Mercury Tribute Concert)
- Calling you
Partly included:
- Dear Friends (from Queen's 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack )
While the album made it into the top ten of the sales charts in numerous countries, the EP managed to reach the top of the British singles charts on April 22, 1993.
The first nationwide fan fundraising event was held on the streets of Britain in 1994 and has been held annually since then. Shortly after Queen's last studio album Made in Heaven was released in 1995 , on World AIDS Day the Trust received a donation of all of Five Live's profits , which was given by Queen and her record companies.
On November 22, 1996, a traveling exhibition , the so-called Freddie Mercury Photographic Exhibition, was launched, which consists of 94 photos documenting Freddie Mercury's life from childhood to the last photo in May 1991. After starting her journey at the Royal Albert Hall , she had later traveled to Paris , Cologne and even Timișoara , Romania . She was also seen at Nuneaton . Brian May commented on the exhibition as follows:
“The exhibition is a little history of someone very small who became someone very big. Ultimately, we are all very small but Freddie was exceptional. "
“The exhibition is a little story of someone very small who became someone very big. At the end of the day, we're all very small, but Freddie was outstanding. "
"Everywhere this exhibition goes it helps to remind people that there is still a huge problem with HIV / AIDS."
"Wherever this exhibition is shown, it helps to remind people that there is still a huge problem with HIV / AIDS."
Since 2004, Queen have also been offering bootlegs of concerts in their official shop , which can be downloaded directly after paying by credit card . The proceeds flow into the foundation.
Other Projects
The foundation supports over 100 non-profit organizations in Europe, Asia, Africa and America. These range from giant organizations like the World Health Organization to tiny institutions in Uganda, Kenya and India. So z. B. supports the British organization START, which is engaged in research into the skin disease folliculitis , as well as the London Royal Marsten Hospital, which is researching Kaposi's sarcoma . The Missionaries of Charity were also supported by Mother Teresa in Calcutta with medical supplies.
The foundation also works with fundraising initiatives from fans and fan clubs around the world .