Brian May Guide, Meaning , Facts, Information and Description
Brian Harold May (born 19 July 1947 in Hampton, United Kingdom) became famous in the 1970s and 1980s as the guitarist of the rock group Queen and composed many of Queen's hits: We Will Rock You, Hammer to Fall, Who Wants to Live Forever and I Want it All. He remained an active musician in the 1990s, after Freddie Mercury's death.
May has played a range of guitars, most often the Red Special, which he designed with his father, Harold May, and built with wood from a most unlikely source—an old fireplace. His comments on this instrument, from Queen In Their Own Words (ed. Mick St. Michael, Omnibus Press, 1992, p62) are:
- "I like a big neck - thick, flat and wide. I lacquered the fingerboard with Rustin's Plastic Coating. The tremolo is interesting in that the arm's made from an old bicycle saddle bag carrier, the knob at the end's off a knitting needle and the springs are valve springs from an old motorbike."
May's early heroes were Cliff Richard and The Shadows, whom he says were the most metallic thing out at the time. Many years later he gained his opportunity to play on separate occasions with both Cliff Richard and Shadows lead guitarist Hank Marvin. May was proud upon hearing that Cliff Richard had mentioned in an interview that he would have Brian May in his personal fantasy band. As well as recording with Hank Marvin, May also contributed to the 1996 album "Twang!: A Tribute to Hank Marvin & the Shadows," playing FBI. The album featured other greats such as Mark Knopfler of Dire Straits, Tony Iommi of Black Sabbath, Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple, Pete Green of Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, and Francis Rossi and Rick Parfitt of Status Quo.
May had been part way through a PhD course when Queen became successful, and never completed his astronomy doctorate. He was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Science in November 2002 by Hertfordshire University.