Where Are They Now: Brian May, Legendary Guitarist Of Queen—The Daily Earworm
After the tragic death of Freddie Mercury in 1991, Queen and the rest of the world were never quite the same. While the band toured sporadically with guest singers and released a few more albums, the members increasingly focused on other endeavors as time went on. Today, we take a look at the journey of legendary Queen guitarist Brian May after Mercury’s death and what he is up to these days.
Carrying on the Queen Name
After Mercury’s death, it took a while for May and his bandmates, John Deacon and Roger Taylor, to decide what to do next. They were hesitant to continue on the Queen name with a replacement singer. As May stated at a College Music Journal Music Marathon panel in 1992, “There is no replacing Freddie Mercury in Queen.” The band eventually decided that they would start touring again, but that whoever filled in as guest singer would be billed separately as Queen + (guest name). The band has mainly toured with Paul Rodgers (of Free and Bad Company) and “American Idol” Season 8 runner-up Adam Lambert.
Queen has continued to release albums, with May and Taylor spearheading the projects. The band has released just about every recording they had with Mercury’s vocals to avoid associating other singers’ names with the band. The only album of new music that the band released with Mercury’s vocals was titled Made in Heaven in the late lead singer’s honor. The rest have been live albums using material from before Mercury’s death and greatest hits compilations.
Brian May’s Solo and Collaborative Work
A year after Mercury’s passing, May released his first full-length solo album, Back to the Light. The album was an emotional rollercoaster that was well-received by critics and was certified gold in the United Kingdom and the Netherlands. May released a second solo album in 1998, entitled Another World, before penning the entire (largely instrumental) soundtrack to the 2000 movie “Furia.” May has also released a number of collaborative albums and singles with artists like former Genesis guitarist Steve Hackett, English stage actress and singer Kerry Ellis, and American blues-rock guitarist Kenny Wayne Shepherd.
May has also made solo appearances in support of other artists and projects. The guitarist has popped up as a surprise guest at Queen tribute bands’ shows periodically through the years, and has also made appearances at the “We Will Rock You” musical during its run. Last year, he thrilled fans at Coachella when he rose up out of the stage during a Benson Boone set to play guitar on Boone’s cover of “Bohemian Rhapsody.” You can check out that performance below.
Brian May: Scientist, Activist, Philanthropist
While most people know that May is a mad scientist on the guitar, most don’t realize he is actually a real-life scientist as well. The axe legend graduated with a BSc in Physics from Imperial College London and entered grad school to become an astrophysicist. Though music pulled him away before he got his doctorate at the time, May went back and graduated with his PhD in Astrophysics in 2007. So, you can call him Dr. May, if you like.
In recent years, science has been a major focus for May. He has co-authored five books on astronomy and has become an expert in 3-D printing and stereo imaging. After his popular book “Bang! The Complete History of the Universe” came out, Liverpool John Moores University made him an Honorary Fellow for his work in astronomy, and later appointed him as Chancellor
May has done work with the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). He has provided 3-D printing for missions and has helped locate safe landing spots for spacecraft on asteroids. He has worked on the study of Pluto and also made discoveries in the area of zodiacal dust bands (which was his doctoral thesis). You can check out details of some of his escapades in the video below.
May has also become a very passionate activist and philanthropist. He has campaigned vigorously against the UK’s policies on fox hunting and the culling of badgers, and has been very active in politics there. May has also made several appearances in support of AIDS-related charities.
Awards and Accolades
May has earned several awards and honors over the years. He was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame with his bandmates in 2001, and Queen received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame the following year. The band was also inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame, and they were honored with a Lifetime Achievement Grammy.
Individually, May has received numerous honors. He was appointed a Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005 by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005. He became a Fellow of the Royal Astronomical Society in 2007. King Charles III knighted him in 2023. He has also received honorary doctorates for his contributions to music and science from universities like Exeter, Hull, and Hertfordshire.
May’s Legacy Continues to Grow
May, now 78, does not show signs of slowing down. While he may not perform as much as he used to, as one can see, he has filled that time with contributions in many other areas. Who would have thought that the man providing the guitar work for the soundtrack of intergalactic space hero Flash Gordon would go on to help explore the universe in his own way later in life?
The Daily Earworm is a daily column that tells the stories, from the historic to the lesser-known, of some of the music industry’s greatest songs, albums, and artists. Here are some other music tales that you may find interesting:
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