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Brian May

English rock guitarist, songwriter, and Queen co-founder known for his handmade Red Special guitar and orchestrated, harmonically rich solos.

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Born: July 19, 1947
Genres: Rock, Hard Rock, Progressive Rock, Pop Rock
Notable Bands: Queen, Smile, Queen + Adam Lambert
Years Active: 1964–present

Biography

Brian May is an English guitarist, songwriter, and singer best known as the co-founder and lead guitarist of Queen. Born on July 19, 1947, he came to prominence through a blend of towering melody, studio craft, and theatrical rock ambition. His work helped define Queen’s sound from its earliest albums through its stadium-era hits, while his solo releases and later collaborations showed a parallel career built on the same melodic instincts.

May’s musical history reaches back to school days, when he was playing with Tim Staffell in 1984 before moving on to Smile. By 1970, Queen had formed, and the classic lineup was completed when John Deacon joined in 1971. Within the group, May became a central creative force, contributing lead guitar, vocal harmonies, arrangement ideas, and songs that became part of the band’s core repertoire.

He wrote or co-wrote some of Queen’s most enduring material, including We Will Rock You, Save Me, Who Wants to Live Forever, and I Want It All. In 1992, he released Back to the Light, his first full-length solo studio album, followed by Another World in 1998. May was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame with Queen in 2001 and was knighted in the 2023 New Year Honours.

Beyond music, May completed a PhD in astrophysics at Imperial College London in 2007, returning to a project interrupted by the demands of his career. His public profile also includes animal advocacy and stereoscopic photography, both of which have remained part of his identity alongside performance. Across decades, he has stayed closely identified with a distinctive personal instrument and a highly individual vision of how electric guitar can function inside a song.

Signature Playing Style

May’s playing is defined by melody first: he often treats the guitar like a singing voice, shaping lines that feel like vocal hooks rather than technical displays. His lead work is famous for sustained notes, controlled feedback, and phrasing that locks tightly to the song’s emotional arc.

He is also known for layered studio guitar parts that move like arranged voices, with harmonies following the underlying chord changes rather than sitting in rigid parallel motion. In live settings, he has used long delays to create overlapping phrases and contrapuntal answers, turning solo sections into miniature orchestral textures.

His attack is closely associated with the use of a coin as a pick, which gives his notes a bright, distinctive edge. He also uses fingerpicking and volume control to vary distortion and articulation, so the sound comes as much from touch and phrasing as from equipment.

Signature Guitars & Gear

Original Red Special — The handmade guitar May built with his father in the early 1960s, using reclaimed materials and a highly versatile pickup and switching layout.
Vox AC30 — The amplifier most closely linked to his classic tone, especially in combination with overdrive and his preferred front-end boost.
Rangemaster treble booster — A key part of his high-gain sound, helping push the AC30 into the singing sustain associated with his lead work.
Deacy amplifier — A small home-built amp used for layered studio textures and orchestral-style guitar arrangements.

THE JOURNEY

Career Timeline

1963–1964 — May and his father begin building the Red Special, the handmade guitar that would become inseparable from his sound.
1964 — He is playing early band material with Tim Staffell in 1984, marking the start of his documented school-era collaboration.
1968 — May, Roger Taylor, and Tim Staffell form Smile, the direct precursor to Queen.
1970 — Queen forms, establishing the band that will define May’s career.
1971 — John Deacon joins in March, completing the classic Queen lineup.
1992 — May releases Back to the Light, his first full-length solo studio album in the UK.
2001 — He is inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Queen.
2007 — May completes his astrophysics PhD at Imperial College London.

THE SOUND

Essential Listening

Three recordings worth exploring.

Brighton Rock — Queen

Sheer Heart Attack (1974)

One of May’s defining showcases, this performance captures his extended solo language at full stretch. The track became a template for his live improvisational style, with fast runs, singing sustain, and delay-enhanced harmonies building a climactic climax. It remains essential for understanding how he turns lead guitar into drama.

Good Company — Queen

A Night at the Opera (1975)

Here May turns the guitar into a miniature brass-and-reed ensemble, layering lines that evoke a vintage jazz band. The piece is a masterclass in arrangement, tone color, and phrasing, showing how far his imagination extends beyond conventional rock lead work. It is among his most inventive studio creations.

We Will Rock You — Queen

News of the World (1977)

This anthem highlights May’s gift for economy and impact. Built on a stark rhythm foundation and crowned by a concise guitar statement, it shows how he could write something immediate, communal, and iconic without sacrificing personality. Its compact solo section is brief, but unmistakably his.

FROM THE ARCHIVE