Brian May Biography Quotes 32 Report mistakes

Early Life and Education
Brian Harold May was born on 19 July 1947 in Hampton, in what is now southwest London, England. The son of a technically minded father, Harold, he grew up in a home where curiosity and craft were encouraged. A bright student with a passion for both science and music, he excelled at school and went on to study physics at Imperial College London. At Imperial he met drummer Roger Taylor and bassist-singer Tim Staffell, with whom he formed the band Smile. The blend of rigorous scientific training and a deep love of guitar-driven music would come to define May's unusual path.

The Red Special and Signature Sound
As a teenager May built his own electric guitar with the help of his father, a project that became central to his artistic identity. Fashioned from salvaged materials, including wood from an old fireplace mantel, the instrument he christened the Red Special produced a rich, singing tone. Paired with Vox AC30 amplifiers and his habit of using a British sixpence coin as a pick, the Red Special allowed him to craft layered harmonies and orchestral textures that became a hallmark of his work. He often recorded elaborate multi-part guitar choirs, aided by a small amplifier constructed by bandmate John Deacon, later dubbed the Deacy Amp.

From Smile to Queen
When Tim Staffell left Smile, singer and pianist Freddie Mercury joined May and Taylor. Mercury urged a new name, Queen, and encouraged them to pursue a bigger vision. John Deacon completed the classic lineup. Under the guidance of producer Roy Thomas Baker and with long-time manager Jim Beach, Queen blended hard rock, pop, opera, and vaudeville into a sound that was both ambitious and accessible. May's harmonized guitar lines and meticulous arrangements complemented Mercury's dynamic vocals, Taylor's driving drums, and Deacon's melodic bass to form one of rock's most distinctive ensembles.

Breakthrough, Songwriting, and Performance
Across albums such as Queen II, Sheer Heart Attack, A Night at the Opera, News of the World, The Game, and Innuendo, May emerged as a formidable songwriter and arranger. He penned anthems including We Will Rock You, Tie Your Mother Down, I Want It All, Hammer to Fall, Fat Bottomed Girls, Save Me, Who Wants to Live Forever, and the folk-inflected '39. His melodic solos and choral guitar parts elevated hits written by other band members as well. Queen's live prowess culminated in their celebrated 1985 Live Aid performance at Wembley Stadium, with May's riffs and Mercury's command of the crowd fusing into a defining cultural moment.

Personal Life
May married Christine Mullen in the late 1970s; the marriage later ended, and he subsequently married actress Anita Dobson in 2000. Dobson became a central presence in his life as he navigated the demands of fame, personal health challenges, and the grief that followed Freddie Mercury's death in 1991. May has spoken openly about periods of depression and the grounding role played by family, close colleagues, and his parallel pursuits in science and photography.

Solo Career and Collaborations
Alongside Queen, May pursued a solo career that showcased his songwriting and distinctive guitar voice. His album Back to the Light produced the hits Driven by You and Too Much Love Will Kill You. Another World followed, and he revisited an earlier collaborative venture, the Star Fleet Project, on which he had worked with Eddie Van Halen. As a member of Queen, he shared a celebrated collaboration with David Bowie on Under Pressure. After Mercury's passing, May and Roger Taylor organized the 1992 tribute concert, performing with a wide range of artists to honor their friend and raise funds for the Mercury Phoenix Trust. Later, May toured under the banners Queen + Paul Rodgers and Queen + Adam Lambert, bringing the band's catalog to new generations while honoring Mercury's legacy.

Science, Academia, and Stereoscopy
May paused his doctoral studies when Queen's success accelerated, but he never abandoned his scientific interests. Decades later, he returned to Imperial College and completed his PhD in astrophysics in 2007, focusing on interplanetary dust. He co-authored popular science books with astronomers Sir Patrick Moore and Chris Lintott, helping to communicate the story of the cosmos to a wide audience. A passionate advocate of 19th-century stereoscopic imagery, he revived the London Stereoscopic Company, designed a user-friendly viewer, and published 3-D books. His expertise in stereoscopy led to collaborations with the New Horizons team, led by planetary scientist Alan Stern, for whom May helped create stereo images of Pluto and the distant object Arrokoth. He also composed the song New Horizons to mark the mission's accomplishments.

Activism and Charity
May is a prominent animal welfare advocate. With conservationist Anne Brummer he co-founded the Save Me Trust to oppose fox hunting and badger culling and to support wildlife habitats in the UK. His philanthropic efforts extend through the Mercury Phoenix Trust, formed by the surviving members of Queen and their manager Jim Beach to fight HIV/AIDS worldwide. These commitments reflect his conviction that celebrity should be leveraged for public good.

Public Moments and Honors
Among May's many public performances, his guitar rendition of the UK national anthem from the roof of Buckingham Palace for the 2002 Golden Jubilee stands out as an emblem of national celebration. Queen's members were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2001. May received a CBE in 2005 for services to the music industry and for charity, and in 2023 he was knighted for services to music and charity. An asteroid, 52665 Brianmay, honors his dual identity as a musician and scientist.

Legacy
Brian May occupies a singular place at the intersection of art and science. As a guitarist, he forged a sound instantly recognizable for its lyrical phrasing, harmonic richness, and architectural layering. As a songwriter, he contributed enduring anthems to the global repertoire of rock. As a scientist and communicator, he connected audiences to the wonder of space and the history of 3-D imaging. As an advocate, he brought persistence and empathy to wildlife protection and public causes. Surrounded by collaborators such as Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor, John Deacon, Anita Dobson, David Bowie, Paul Rodgers, Adam Lambert, Patrick Moore, Chris Lintott, Alan Stern, Anne Brummer, and Jim Beach, May built a life's work that continues to resonate across stages, laboratories, and communities worldwide.

Our collection contains 32 quotes who is written by Brian, under the main topics: Witty One-Liners - Music - Live in the Moment - Science - Work Ethic.

Other people realated to Brian: Nuno Bettencourt (Musician), Ben Elton (Comedian)