Freddie Mercury, one of rock and roll’s most engaging and iconic performers, died of AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia 27 years ago today. He was just 45 years old.

Here are some of his most memorable quotes:

"You can be anything you want to be, just turn yourself into anything you think that you could ever be."

"I always knew I was a star. And now, the rest of the world seems to agree with me."

"What will I be doing in 20 years’ time? I'll be dead, darling! Are you crazy?"

"Who wants to live forever?"

"I'm just a musical prostitute, my dear."

"I love the fact that I can make people happy, in any form. Even if it’s just an hour of their lives, if I can make them feel lucky or make them feel good, or bring a smile to a sour face, that to me is worthwhile."

"I won’t be a rock star. I will be a legend."

"I think my melodies are superior to my lyrics."

"I'm very emotional. I think I may go mad in several years’ time."

"When I'm dead, I want to be remembered as a musician of some worth and substance."

"Years ago, I thought up the name Queen. It’s just a name. But it’s regal, obviously, and sounds splendid."

"The reason we’re successful, darling? My overall charisma, of course."

"When we began, we approached it the way we did because we were not prepared to be out-of-work musicians, ever. We said either take it on as a serious commodity or don’t do it at all."

"I’m possessed by love, but isn’t everybody?"

"Dullness is a disease."

"A lot of my songs are fantasy. I can dream up all kinds of things. That’s the kind of world I live in. It’s very sort of flamboyant, and that’s the kind of way I write. I love it."

"I dress to kill, but tastefully."

"The concept of Queen is to be regal and majestic. Glamour is part of us, and we want to be dandy."

"I like to be surrounded by splendid things."

"A concert is not a live rendition of our album. It’s a theatrical event."

"Oh, I was not made for heaven. No, I don’t want to go to heaven. Hell is much better. Think of all the interesting people you’re going to meet down there."

"If I die tomorrow I will not regret. I really did everything I could."

"The most important thing is to live a fabulous life. As long as it’s fabulous I don’t care how long it is."

"My soul has painted like the wings of butterflies, fairy tales of yesterday will grow but never die, I can fly, my friends..."

Long live the King