BRIAN MAY

Queen's Guitar Player, Songwriter and Astrophysicist

With a musical career spanning over four decades, Brian May has been referred as a virtuoso guitarist and is best known as the lead guitarist and songwriter of the rock band Queen, composing 22 of its worlwide hits, among them the songs: "We Will Rock You", "The Show Must Go On" and "Who Wants to Live Forever".

Synopsis

Brian Harold May was born on 19 July 1947 in Hampton, Middlesex, England. At a very early age May showed an interest in music, learning to play first the ukulele and piano and later on the guitar (at the age of seven he receives his first guitar as a birthday present). During his college career he goes to study Mathematics and Physics at the Imperial College London where he graduated with honors in 1968. While in college, May also formed the rock trio Smile with fellows drummer Roger Taylor and bassist/vocalist Tim Staffell. Shortly thereafter, after getting his Bachelor Science degree in Physics, May decided to abandon his PhD studies in Physics to focus full-time on music. Unfortunately, Smile is unsuccessful and goes to issue only one single, "Earth", before Staffell left the group. Is at this point where everything starts for the legendary rock band: Staffell's friend Freddie Mercury joined the group's as the new singer, the line is changed, the musical direction is changed and therefore a new band name issued: "Queen". However, after Queen formally formed, they still had to go through numerous bassists until John Deacon became a permanent member. After Queen, he decided to return to his studies and in 2007 he finished his PhD in Astrophysics at the Imperial College London.

"I really thought I was pretty good before I saw Hendrix, and then I thought: Yeah, not so good."

The Red Special

May really wanted the Les Paul and Stratocaster guitars, but he couldn't afford them so, with the help of his father, he started to build his own custom guitar from scratch. This guitar, one-of-a-kind instrument, was completed two years later and would become known as the "Red Special", May's visual and sonic trademark.

Fun Facts

• His favorite color is black.
• Two favourite albums: Abbey Road (Beatles) and Band of Gypsies (Hendrix).
• May celebrated his 71st birthday in July 19, 2018.
• He mainly used his "Red Special", which May designed when he was only 16 years old. It was made with wood from an 18th century fireplace.
• The group Save Me, was formed by May to promote animal welfare.
• British actor Gwilym Lee played Brian May in the movie Bohemian Rhapsody.
• May teamed up with Soundgarden, playing the guitar on the track "New Damage".
• In 2005, May was named “Commander of the Order of the British Empire” for services to the music industry.
• Anita Dobson, his second and actual wife, inspired the song “I Want It All”.
• Apart from his work in Queen, May released two full length studio solo albums, a number of singles, and a live album.
• After receiving his PhD in 2007, an asteroid discovered 10 years earlier was renamed in his honor, known today as (52665) Brianmay.
• May built his own wildlife refuge. On behalf of animals, May dedicated a piece of his land to the rehabilitation of injured animals.