#gerry stickells

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

Today, on July 11th, 1986 - Queen Story!

London, UK, Wembley Stadium

'Magic Tour'

🔸"The Wembley concerts in 1986 were the pinnacle for us. We were at our height band-wise, and Freddie had developed this phenomenal way of dealing with stadium audiences. Being back home in London playing two sell-out nights was such a big, big occasion for us. None of us realized that this would be almost the last time we'd play together (live)

- Brian May

📸 Pic: 1986- Freddie Mercury, Brian May and Gerry Stickells backstage

- Gerry Stickells (1942-2019) tour and production manager for rock legends Jimi Hendrix, Queen, and Elton John, among many others, and a recipient of the 2007 Parnelli Lifetime -

[natromanxoff]

[debdarkpetal]

BOYS’ PRANKS.

Germany gets a good name check today, but now it's our second home, good old Munich. A hell of a lot of misbehaving went on at Musicland Studios, the Sugar Shack, the Munich Hilton and just about everywhere else we set foot.

After a heavy days recording a few hours of relaxation was needed in the Shack, with a few bottles of Stolli [Stolichnaya vodka]. After there we went back to either Freddie and Phoebe’s suite, the PPP (Presidential poof parlour) or Roger's and my suite, the HH (Hetero Hangout).

It was winter and about 4am and we're all back in the HH goofing around, when we found one of those little jam's that you get with hotel breakfasts. It's usually this time of the morning after a few slurps that we would get inventive, and JD [John Deacon] and me went into Roger’s bedroom and put a dollop of jam on the earpiece of his phone, and another dollop on the bulb of his bedside lamp. I then used another phone and booked him a wake-up call for 6am, and we all cleared off.

The next morning we all had a good laugh when he was telling us how when his phone rang, he switched on the lamp, and the jam got hot and burnt, and the room stank, and when he answered his wake-up call, his hair stuck to his ear. He did take it in good humour, but was not that impressed when he found his awful green shoes in the toilet that we tried to flush away.

The following day we thought it was so good it had to be repeated. So after another night in the Shack, when we get back to the hotel Roger says he's going straight to bed, and off he goes. We get another pot of jam, different flavour though, and make our way to Roger’s bedroom door. Ratty and Jobby lean against the wall so he can't see them through the peephole, and I knock.

"Who is it" he bellows. I reply "It's me, you left your coat in the car, I've bought it up for you." Lame excuse but it worked, the door opens and we're in. A few dollops in the correct places and out the door.

As we're heading to my door for a nightcap we notice a rather large roll of carpet. The inventors are at it again and we drag the roll of carpet down the corridor and lean it against Paul Prenter’s door, then head back for that well earned drink.

An hour or so later I dial 9, or was it O, and get an outside line and ring the Hilton. When the operator answered I told her who it was and could she phone Prenter urgently and tell him that Roger Taylor had been arrested for drink driving and to get to the cop shop and bail him out.

Over breakfast the next morning when the previous day’s stories were told, Paul said he thought it might of been a hoax call, so before rushing out he phoned Roger to check if he was in his room. Thanks Paul, smelly room and jammy ear. Phase two also worked 'cause when he opened his door in the morning the carpet roll fell on his head.

That's it, catch you all soon.

Crystal Taylor.

📷 from l to r: Freddie, Gerry Stickells, John, Roger and Crystal in Munich, August 1984.

[ylly22]

[deadenthusiasm]

Queen with Gerry Stickells – Before Wembley 1986

[starlightmay]

Queen with tour manager Gerry Stickells over the years.

Hey! If you need a fix, if you want a high, Stickells will see to that...🎶

[i-will-be-a-legend]

Queen in Munich, 1984 by Fryderyk Gabowicz.

[gluttons-for-punishment]

Gerry Stickells R.I.P.

Sorry to have to report that Queen’s Tour Manager Gerry Stickells has died today.

Gerry achieved immortality when he was namechecked in Let Me Entertain You (Jazz, 1978).

(Just had to add this lovely pic, posted on Facebook last night by Jim Jenkins.)

[radio-nano]

Gerry Stickells with Freddie backstage (and Roger putting his tiger pants on in the back)

Mr. Stickells recently watched “Bohemian Rhapsody” (2018), the film about Queen that won four Oscars, including one for Rami Malek for his portrayal of Mr. Mercury. Mr. Stickells was fragile and could barely speak.

“The part that really caught his attention was the Live Aid performance,” Ms. Stickells said, referring to the re-enactment of the 1985 benefit concert that featured a memorable performance by Queen. “That was a huge highlight of his career, and he definitely recognized it, suddenly pointing and smiling, ‘It’s Fred.’ ”

Source : x

📸 : Neal Preston

[hard-yearned-wisdom]

“An expensive idea that lasted only two Queen shows in 1982 was a raked stage, which, using a principle from the theatre, gives the punter a good view from floor level (..)  It looked quite dramatic, but, knowing Fred as I did, I gave it little chance of surviving.  He liked to work on a stage without hindrances, a smooth uninterrupted space: this raked stage caused problems, particularly during blackout or entry and exit - especially when he went to the piano.  It was also hard on the Mercurial muscles and put a lot of strain on his ankles.  After the first show in Gothenburg Fred was not happy, so a lesser-angled version was tried for the next show in Stockholm.

It still didn’t work for him, which Fred angrily told the tour manager after the show:  “Stickells, I am not a fucking mountain goat - get rid of it!”

Peter Hince - Queen Unseen

[freddiemercurylegendabovelegends]

January 20th, 1976 - Queen Story!

London, UK - Queen at Heathrow Airport

👉 Queen flew to United States to start the rehearsals for the 'A Night At The Opera world tour, accompanied by new Tour Manager, Gerry Stickells (born 1942 - died 2019)

👉 This tour which commenced in Waterbury, january 27th, 1976

👉 'A Night At The Opera' Tour

November 1975 - April 1976

📸 Photographer Watal Asanuma

[natromanxoff]

From Mariano Sucatti’s collection.

[heaven4everyone]

Gerry Stickells with Freddie backstage during the USA 'JAZZ' tour in November/December 1978. Photo © Neal Preston.

[debdarkpetal]

#Repost @/_letusclingtogether_ on Instagram:

——

Freddie with Gerry Stickells and Richard Young.

[lickthemagaindeacy]

I hope Mike and Gerry get to see Freddie again.

[deadenthusiasm]

Freddie and Gerry