Freddie Mercury’s 1st Dentist Appointment in 15 Years Forced Queen to Turn Down a Gig That His Musical Enemy Got to Play

Classic rock legend Freddie Mercury had little patience for dental visits and music rival Sid Vicious. But one day in 1976, when the Queen frontman finally decided to see a dentist after 15 years, he inadvertently gave a gig to the Sex Pistols.

Freddie Mercury had 4 extra teeth he refused to remove

The late Freddie Mercury is famous for his beautiful tone and wide-ranging vocals. And as the lead singer of Queen, he delivered dozens of musical masterpieces, including “Bohemian Rhapsody,” “Somebody to Love,” and “We Are the Champions.” 

According to filmmaker Rudi Dolezal — who worked with the singer-songwriter to produce and direct a few Queen music videos and documentaries  — Mercury attributed his vocal mastery to his four extra teeth. And despite being deeply conscious of the way they looked, the Queen frontman refused to have the teeth removed for fear it would hinder his singing abilities. 

“We all know that Freddie Mercury had very strange teeth. And we would all ask ourselves, ‘A guy who was that rich, why didn’t he change his teeth?'” Dolezal told NPR in 2010.

“He was very afraid that if he changed his teeth that his particular sound of [his voice] would go away. So he was more concerned with his voice than his looks, and I think that says a lot about the man.”

How did Freddie Mercury unwittingly give the Sex Pistols a Queen gig? 

Freddie Mercury had a long-standing feud with Sex Pistols bassist Sid Vicious. The two traded jabs in and out of the studio. And they weren’t shy about calling each other out in interviews.

In December 1976, Queen was scheduled to appear on The Today Show With Bill Grundy. But Mercury, who had not seen a dentist in nearly 15 years, developed a toothache that needed immediate attention, GQ reports. 

Queen canceled the appearance so that Mercury could see a dentist. And the Sex Pistols took the gig. 

Mercury’s toothache and the last-minute change proved to be a pivotal point in music. The Sex Pistols’ historic expletive-filled appearance on The Today Show With Bill Grundy ultimately thrust punk rock into the mainstream. 

A study suggests Freddie Mercury’s teeth didn’t improve his singing 

Freddie Mercury avoided getting his teeth removed because he believed it would interfere with his vocal skills. But there’s no proof his extra teeth contributed to his singing abilities.  

Mercury’s unique range was a result of his throat-singing technique, a 2017 study suggests. Researchers found that the singer did not have a four-octave singing voice — a rumor that swirled for years. 

According to the study published on Taylor & Francis Online, Mercury was likely a natural baritone who could easily sing tenor due to his extraordinary control of his chest and head voices. Scientists concluded the singer also produced a subharmonic frequency while singing in his unique growl-like tone.