True Story

You can feel sex, drugs and rock and roll seeping out of every inch of this establishement I now call my workplace - Ibiza Rocks House at Pikes. The who's who of the 80's have all stayed here. I had a three hour interview with the founder and host Tony Pike. He told me some fabulous stories and I had to share this one with you. I hope I've done it justice...

‘Take it or I’ll scream’ demanded Freddie thrusting a CD case under Tony Pikes face. Tony knew Freddie wasn’t kidding. One glance at Freddie’s determined diva like stance, thrust back shoulders, tilted out jaw, nostrils flaring, with a defiant ‘I’m used to always getting what I want’ narrowing eyes, Tony was in a dilemma. Having just taken a call from the world’s cleanest living star of the time Julio Iglesias, Tony looked at his famous friend with eyes that read ‘Will you fuck off’. The full gram of coke was shoved further towards Tony’s face. ‘If you don’t take it, then I’ll scream’ Freddie repeated calmly, clearly enjoying putting Tony under this predicament. ‘What’s going on?’ Julio queried, miles away in the Hollywood Hills. ‘I’m sorry there’s an idiot here.’ ‘Is he staying in MY room?’ Julio asked, talking about the Julio suite which was in fact named in his honour and where Tony put his biggest stars. ‘Yeah, he wants to know why it’s not called the Freddie room’ Tony grinned, giving in to one final shove and the opening of one rather large mouth, revealing equally large tombstone teeth. Lowering his head expertly, and within seconds, the challenge had been met. In all honesty it would never have been refused; Freddie Mercury wasn’t a man many dared to say no to. ‘Now what’ sniff ‘can I do for you?’ sniff ‘Julio?’ sniff sniff. ‘Have you just taken a line of coke?!’ ‘Yeah Freddie forced it on me. He said he’d scream...’ pause. ‘He’s a real prick isn’t he?’ Julio concluded. Tony choosing his words carefully so not to offend, or been seen to take either side of, two of the world’s highest profile megastars ‘He’s a lovely guy. I know he’s a bit out of hand but... you’d love him.’ ‘No I would not!’ Julio snorted. ‘Well, you’d like him...’ ‘That’s better, don’t say love, unlike Freddie, I keep that for the ladies...'