Anyone who admires the Queen group cannot fail to know the greatest guitarist of all time - Brian May. Brian May is truly a legend. He was one of the most famous musical "royal" four in place with the unsurpassed Freddie Mercury. But not only participation in the legendary group made May a superstar. In addition to her, the artist has many solo works collected in several albums. He is a songwriter and composer for both Queen and other projects. And his virtuoso guitar playing captivated millions of listeners around the globe. In addition, Brian May is a doctor of astrophysics and an authority on stereoscopic photography. In addition, the musician is an animal rights campaigner and advocate for the social rights of the population.
Childhood and youthful years of the musician
Brian May is a native of London. There he was born in 1947. Brian is the only child of Ruth and Harold May. At the age of seven, the boy began attending guitar lessons. These activities inspired Brian so much that he even went to school with an instrument and parted with it only for the time of sleep. It is worth saying that the young musician made great strides in this area. Moreover, from a young age he clearly knew who he wanted to become in the future. In high school grammar school, May, along with friends (who are also in love with music), created their own group, 1984. The name was taken from the novel of the same name by J. Orwell. At the time, the novel was incredibly popular in Britain.
The group "Queen" in the fate of the musician
In 1965 May, along with Freddie Mercury decided to create a musical group called "Queen". The guys could not even think that they would become kings in the world of music for many years, not only in Britain, but throughout the globe. As a diligent astronomy student working on his PhD, Brian put his university studies on hold. It happened because of the wild popularity of Queen. Over the next four decades, the group achieved resounding success. For a long time she topped the lists of British and world charts.
Brian May as author and composer
Brian May wrote 20 of Queen's Top 22 singles. Moreover, "We Will Rock You", the namesake of the world-famous hit "Rock Theatrical", written with Ben Elton, which has now been watched by more than 15 million people in 17 countries. Also, the track of the recognized sports anthem was declared the most played song at American sporting events (BMI). It was played over 550 times during the 000 London Olympics.
At the closing ceremony of the Games, Brian performed solo in his famous jacket. It was embroidered with emblems of British wildlife. He then launched the "We Will Rock You" video with Roger Taylor and Jessie J. The work was watched by a television audience estimated at one billion viewers. An iconic live performance was Brian's performance of his arrangement of "God Save the Queen" from the rooftop of Buckingham Palace at the opening of HM The Queen's Golden Jubilee celebrations in 2002.
Music for film projects
Brian May became the first composer in the country to score for a major Flash Gordon film. It was followed by the final music for the film "Highlander". Brian's personal credits include further film, television and theater collaborations. Two successful solo albums brought the artist two Ivor Novello awards. He continues to inspire musicians of various genres from all over the world. Brian often performs as a guest artist, showcasing his distinctive guitar playing style. It was created on a homemade Red Special guitar using a sixpence as a plectrum.
Brian May with Paul Rogers and other stars
Queen and Paul Rodgers' joint performance at the UK Music Hall of Fame induction ceremony in 2004 led to a return to tour after a 20-year hiatus. The tour featured the former Free/Bad Company singer as a guest vocalist. 2012 marked the return of Queen to the stage. This time with current critical acclaimed guest vocalist Adam Lambert. Over 70 concerts have been played worldwide, including an impressive New Year's Eve concert marking the start of 2015. The entire action was broadcast live by the BBC.
Brian loved writing, producing, recording and touring with Kerry Ellis. In 2016 they gave a number of European concerts. As a result, the artist returned to tour with Queen and Isle of Wight headliner Adam Lambert, as well as a dozen other European festival appearances.
Brian May - scientist
Brian maintained his passion for astronomy and returned to astrophysics after a 30-year hiatus. Moreover, he decided to update his doctoral thesis on the movement of interplanetary dust. In 2007, the singer received his PhD from Imperial College London. It is noteworthy that he continues his work in the field of astronomy and in other scientific fields. July 2015 Brian spent time with fellow astrophysicists at NASA Headquarters. The team interpreted new data from Pluto's New Horizons probe while compiling the first high-quality stereo image of Pluto.
Brian is also very proud to be an ambassador for the Mercury Phoenix Trust. The organization was created in memory of Freddie Mercury to support AIDS projects. Over 700 projects and millions of people have benefited from the Trust as the global fight against HIV/AIDS continues.
Books and publications of the musician
Brian has co-authored numerous scientific publications, including two in the field of astronomy with the late scientist Sir Patrick Moore. He now runs his own publishing house, The London Stereoscopic Company. It specializes in Victorian 3-D photography. All books come with a stereoscopic OWL viewer.
This is Brian's own design. In 2016, the publication of Crinoline: Fashion's Greatest Disaster (Spring 2016) and the famous short animated video work One Night in Hell were presented to the world. All stereoscopic material is available on Brian's dedicated website.
Fight for the protection of animals
Brian is a lifelong advocate for animal welfare and is one of the main masterminds behind the fight against fox hunting, trophy hunting and badger culling. He campaigns tirelessly from the grassroots to Parliament with his 'Save Me Trust' campaign, set up in 2009 to protect the UK's wildlife. For many years, the musician has been working with the Harper Asprey Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Projects include rejuvenating ancient woodlands to create protected wildlife habitats. As a key player working alongside major non-governmental organizations, the Save Me Trust created Team Fox and Team Badger, the largest wildlife coalition.
Brian was appointed an MBE in 2005 for "service to the music industry and for his philanthropic work".
