Slade’s Noddy Holder recalls pre-fame friendship with Freddie Mercury in rare TV appearance
19 December 2023, 12:25
Noddy Holder has revealed he knew Queen star Freddie Mercury when he worked on a stall at Kensington Market.
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In a rare television appearance on Sunday (December 17th), Slade star Noddy Holder shared insights into his friendship with Queen frontman Freddie Mercury.
The 77-year-old singer was a guest on Sunday Brunch and delved into the topic of his flamboyant stage outfits from the 1970s, revealing that he used to personally create many of them.
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Holder took the opportunity to dispel a longstanding myth about his renowned mirrored hat, clarifying that contrary to popular belief, he did not acquire the iconic headgear from Freddie Mercury.
He did, however, tell a brilliant story of Freddie Mercury pre-fame and how the unknown singer already had lofty ambitions.
Speaking about his famous stage costumes, Noddy recalled: "I went to Kenny Market and Freddie used to have a stall there, him and Roger from Queen selling shirts and paraphernalia," he said.
"And I used to buy shirts off him, and Freddie used to say to me: "Noddy, darling. I'm going to be a big pop star like you one day.
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"And I said 'get off, Freddie' – in more colourful language – I'd say 'go on, Freddie' you're never going to be a pop star.
"Well, he showed me didn't he!" he said, laughing.
Explaining the origin of his famous mirrored top hat, Noddy went on to explain: "And two stalls down, they used to sell old Victorian memorabilia, he said.
"I bought the top hat there and stuck the mirrors on and it became the famous icon of the glam rock era!"
Noddy Holder recalls friendship with Freddie Mercury
Slade had a successful career with six UK Number One singles, including 'Merry Xmas Everybody', 'Mama Weer All Crazee Now' and 'Cum on Feel the Noise'.
The band was formed in Wolverhampton in 1966 with Dave Hill, Don Powell and Jim Lea joining Noddy. Holder and Lea left the band in 1992, while Hill and Powell continued as Slade with different singers and musicians.
The rare TV appearance comes just two months after Holder's wife revealed the Slade singer has been fighting throat cancer for five years.
Suzan Price, 57, wrote a touching article for Great British Life about Noddy's secret fight with oesophageal cancer and how he took part in a new trial of chemotherapy that helped him survive.
She wrote: "Five years ago we were given the devastating news that he had oesophageal cancer and only had six months to live.
"I’m sorry if that comes as a bit of a shock; it came as a total bombshell to us too. We coped with it the only way we could, by hunkering down, sticking together and doing everything we could to survive it.
He received treatment at The Christie Hospital in Manchester and was given a new type of chemotherapy that worked wonders for him.
Noddy has been in good spirits and even performed on stage this summer after being invited by Cheshire musician Tom Seals.
Suzan wrote: "There were no guarantees, no one knew if it would have any effect, let alone work miracles, but he responded well. As anyone who has received a cancer diagnosis will know, the experts never like to use the word "cure", but here we are five years later and he’s feeling good and looking great."
