It's A Kind of Magic

Sometimes the past can pop it's head round the door in a most unexpected way.  I was so excited to see of photo of myself  in the new Freddie Mercury biography by Lesley-Ann Jones .



Yes, I'm the body painted lady in the lift with Freddie! I was so lucky back in 1986 to be part of the now seemingly legendary Queen party at the Kensington roof Gardens.  It was held after their concert at Wembley Stadium on the 12th July, the last gig of their 'Magic' Tour.

During 1985 - 86 I'd been involved in a couple of courses run by the marvellous german make-up artist Bernd Bauer. He was/is particularly renowned for his body-painting and I'd already had the chance to be a model for his work on the front cover of 'Timeout Magazine'.

'Timeout Magazine' 1985. I'm the cocktail in the middle!

 . So I get a phone call  a couple of days before the party asking if I'd like to be a model there and it took all of a split second to think about it and say YES  :))

It really was an astonishing and utterly unforgettable evening. I was painted up to look like I was wearing a bell boy uniform and my job was to bring the guests up to the Roof Gardens in a mirrored lift . (which is where the photo was taken).  There were other body-painted models there, some mingled with the guests whilst others were painted up as shells and stones and lay in a huge faux aquarium! An extraordinary sight.

I  loved every minute of it and once all the guests had arrived I was able to just party along with everyone else. A never ending supply of champagne, Queen giving a brief  but wild performance, dancing all night and then a cab home at about 7.00 in the morning , it was a hard job but someone had to do it  ;)  It took about 4 baths to get all the body-paint off but what a hell of an adventure and such a special thing to be a part of. So to see this piccie was such a treat :))

Tweet