Brian May has become an icon in the world of rock guitarists. He is a unique breed of player whose technical prowess and melodic interpretations have produced more than two decades of truly memorable work with the band Queen.
With the release of Queen's first album in 1973, it was apparent that May was in a league of his own. His explosive sound, beautifully crafted harmony solos and firewagon rhythm work took the guitar in a direction few had explored.
Of special interest to players, and an integral part of his trademark sound, is the handmade guitar he and his father built (pictured at right). It incorporates a design somewhat similar to a Gibson ES-335 but with a solid body instead. The neck was made from wood from an old fireplace, and the vibrato assembly includes a milled steel plate balanced by springs taken from a motorcycle.
Queen became successful because of the strength of the band as a whole, but May's contribution was a major factor in setting them apart from the rest and inbiding the group with a longevity that ended only with Freddie Mercury's death from AIDS. A string of killer albums, starting with their self-titled debut and followed by 'Queen II', 'Sheer Heart Attack', 'A Night at the Opera', 'A Day at the Races', 'News of the World' and 'The Game' are infused with May's masterful treatments. In fact, in 1976, all four of Queen's albums released to that date, resided in the British top-twenty charts--an astonshing proof of the band's popularity.
For examples of May at his best, some suggestions are: Keep Yourself Alive and Great King Rat (from 'Queen'); Stone Cold Crazy and Flick of the Wrist ('Sheer Heart Attack'); Death on Two Legs and Bohemian Rhapsody ('A Night at the Opera'); the harmony solo on You Take My Breath Away ('A Day at the Races'); Sheer Heart Attack and We Are the Champions ('News of the World'); and Play the Game and Dragon Attack ('The Game').
