Brian May: Astounding, brilliant guitarist and songwriter. Let’s appreciate.

Then you'd be wrong.
I've heard them all.
They have not made a lasting impression in the thirty years since they came out.

 

You can check my content in this thread before you tar me with that brush. An apology would go a long way and I would gracefully accept.

 

Rockabilly, jazz, funk, metal, hard rock, folk.....and he added his own style seamlessly. He is arguably one of the best rock guitar players of all time.

 

The OP forgot awesome stage presence. Go to 7:39. Cool as can be.

 

I was never a huge Queen fan but could admire some tracks as their albums were released.
I really hated his kazoo guitar sound - honestly, I found it to be humorous.
I still hate that sound.
But, over time, and having seen more live performances, I have come to appreciate his musicianship and what he added to the band sonically.
He is a solid musician worthy of admiration.

 

Have always loved Brian May’s guitar playing and songwriting. He is my favorite songwriter in the group.

Had the good fortune to see Queen twice in the 1970’s. During the Jazz tour, his song “It’s Late” was easily the highlight of the show in Madison, Wisconsin. I have never understood why there is no live version of that song featured in their numerous live releases.

 

Even with the fact that he was in a mega-successful band (now brand) like Queen in mind, I still think Brian May is a touch underrated as a guitarist and a songwriter. As a guitarist he had his own unique sound in part due to his melodic sense, in part due to the way he played the guitar and in part due to the guitar he mostly played. There aren't many other guitarists (if any, as none spring to mind) that have actually crafted their own instrument. The Red Special is all his own.

As a songwriter, it's easy to forget that even with Taylor and Deacon writing some of the hits, May and Mercury were really the dominant songwriters in that band. It'll never cease to amaze me that it was May that was responsible for "Fat Bottomed Girls" and not Mercury or Taylor. Dark horse, eh?

Also, May's job in Queen (by his own admission) was making sure Queen retained the rock in their sound, while Taylor was making excursions into pop, and Deacon and Mercury made excursions into pop, funk and disco.

 

Bruce Dickenson is also a published novelist, commercial pilot, business entrepreneur, master brewer, and competitive international fencer.

 

Excellent guitarist, songwriter and singer.
An overall excellent musician.
And my favorite guitarist.

 

Confession: I never the existence of this song, on which May plays lead, until today.



Actual song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CGMHZQSQ0Cs

 

Most here have commented on ‘Brian the guitarist’ and ‘Brian the song writer’….and that is understandable for a music forum.
But i would like to comment on another amazing quality of his - his truly generous nature.
The man is a kind soul, modest, and down to earth despite the stunningly high heights of success he has accomplished.

Anyone who has spent time with him, interacted with him, or had the pleasure of communicating directly with him will know what I am talking about.
A class act on so many levels.

-

 

Besides being a famous guitarist, Brian is also really into stereoscopic photography. I have his first two books, A Village Lost and Found and Diableries: Stereoscopic Adventures in Hell, both highly recommended for anyone interested in vintage 3D photos.

 

Interesting:

 

Brian seems like a great guy, a fantastic musician and composer. Him and Freddie did pretty much the equal share of the songwriting through the 70s and then into the 80s things got a bit more democratic with Roger and John, and though the quality of his writing got a bit more 'basic' he still pulled fantastic things out of the bag like 'Who wants to live forever'.

Like all great bands, it's the combination of them all which made them great, without Freddie's writing, for the most part they may have been another meat and potatoes 70s rock band, but Brian's 70s writing and guitar orchestrations (plus the vocal harmony thing which was also there in Smile) would have elevated them over more bog-standard bands for sure.

My favourite record of all time is Queen II, and my favourite Brian song is on there;

 

Brian May sounds like two different guitarists in this one song, "Long Away"



Mostly played on a Burns 12 string, when Brian switches over to the Red Special at 1:51 it sounds like a guest guitarist doing a solo.