Brian May is an English musician, songwriter, astrophysicist, and famous guitarist of ‘Queen’. With his iconic haircut that defies the image of a scientist, he went on to become a legend in the genre of ‘rock’ music, selling more albums than ‘The Beatles’. May’s passion for music and science was evident from a young age, as he picked up the guitar at just 7 years old and formed his first band in school. Despite initially quitting his Ph.D. in Astrophysics to focus on his music career, May eventually returned to complete his doctorate after 30 years. Throughout his career, he has composed numerous tunes, written popular songs, and collaborated with legendary artists, earning him top spots on music charts in both the UK and USA. May’s dedication to both music and science has made him a renowned figure in the industry, and he continues to perform live around the world.
Quick Facts
- British Celebrities Born In July
- Also Known As: Brian Harold May
- Age: 76 Years, 76 Year Old Males
- Family:
- Spouse/Ex-: Anita Dobson (m. 2000), Chrissie Mullen (m. 1974–1988)
- Father: Harold May
- Mother: Ruth May
- Children: Emily Ruth May, Jimmy May, Louisa May
- Born Country: England
- Quotes By Brian May
- Child Prodigies
- Height: 6’2″ (188 cm), 6’2″ Males
- City: London, England
- Diseases & Disabilities: Depression
- More Facts
- Education: Imperial College London, Hampton School, University of London
Childhood & Early Life
Born in Hampton, London, Brian Harold May was the only child of Harold and Ruth May. He studied at Hampton Grammar School and formed his first band in 1984 with Tim Staffell. He completed ten GCE Ordinary Levels and three A-levels and then joined Imperial College, London, where he pursued a B.Sc. degree in Physics and Mathematics.
Career
In 1968, May and Tim Stafell, along with drummer Roger Taylor, formed the band ‘Smile’. The band disbanded in two years with Staffell’s exit. He and Roger Taylor joined Freddie Mercury and John Deacon to form the famous British Rock band ‘Queen’ in 1970. He frequently wrote songs for the band and has also lent his vocals for many songs.
In 1985, the band wrote the song ‘One Vision’ together after the famous ‘Live Aid’ concert. He then collaborated with Eddie Van Halen to record his first solo work ‘Star Fleet Project’ in 1983. He also played the guitar for Steve Hackett’s album ‘Feedback 86’. In 1989, he composed ‘I Want It All’ and ‘Scandal’ for the band’s album, ‘The Miracle’. The same year, he worked with other bands like ‘Black Sabbath’ and ‘Living In a Box’, playing guitar solos for a song in each of their albums.
After the death of Freddie Mercury in 1991, he dealt with the loss by devoting himself to work and completed his solo album ‘Back to the Light’, which was released the following year. In 1992, he finally formed ‘The Brian May Band’. However, unhappy with the equation between the group members, he replaced many of its members the following year. In 1995, May started contributing to film projects and was also working on an album of covers titled ‘Heroes’.
He appeared as a guest alongside Eddie Clarke for the song ‘Overkill’ at the Motorhead 25th Anniversary show. After their announcement of touring with Paul Rodgers in 2004, Brian May and Taylor reunited, and the band toured with the name ‘Queen + Paul Rodgers’. The band toured the world for the next two years.
In 2007, he returned to Imperial College London to complete his Ph.D. in astrophysics, which he had quit before to pursue his musical dreams. In 2008, Queen + Paul Rodgers’s first solo album ‘The Cosmos Rocks’ was released. Following this, the band did another world tour before splitting the next year.
In 2011, Queen performed with Adam Lambert for the MTV Europe Music Awards. The positive response to the performance led Queen and Adam Lambert to perform at two shows in London followed by Ukraine and Moscow in 2012. The same year, Queen performed at the closing ceremony of the Summer Olympics in London. In 2012, Queen and Adam Lambert announced a collaboration tour of Europe. The following year, they gave a performance at the iHeartRadio Music Festival. That same year, the trio announced a summer tour of North America. They also performed in Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, South Korea, and Japan. In 2016, the trio embarked on the Queen + Adam Lambert 2016 Summer Festival Tour. In 2022, they gave the opening performance of the Platinum Party at the Palace.
Major Works
Brian May contributed to singles like ‘Tie Your Mother Down’, ‘We Will Rock You’, ‘Who Wants to Live Forever’, ‘Hammer to Fall’, ‘Save Me’, ‘Fat Bottomed Girls’, and ‘I Want It All’ which changed the face of rock and made him the legendary guitarist he is today.
Awards & Achievements
He collaborated with Elizabeth Lamers, whose music won two Ivor Novello Awards for ‘Best Song Musically & Lyrically’ in 1996. He was presented the Global Icon Award for ‘Queen’ at the MTV Europe Music Awards in 2011. In 2011, he also made it to Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the ‘100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time’.
Personal Life & Legacy
He married Chrissie Mullen in 1974 and divorced her in 1988. They have three children – Jimmy, Louisa, and Emily Ruth. It was rumored that May’s first marriage ended due to his alleged affair with actress Anita Dobson, whom he finally married in 2000. May confessed that he had gone through a period of depression for a few years in the late 1980s and 1990s due to his sinking personal life. He was so aggrieved and depressed that he even contemplated suicide.
Trivia
This famous guitarist plays with his custom-made electric guitar, the ‘Red Special’.