Brian Harold May CBE (born 19 July 1947) is an English musician, singer, songwriter, record producer, and astrophysicist.
May maintains such a non-stop schedule as a guitarist, songwriter, humanitarian and so many other roles — “rocket ship builder,” says his Twitter description — that he may not pause for long to consider the passing years. Born on July 19, 1947, he’s still doing what he’s done for decades: inspiring fans with his unmatched playing, as Queen + Adam Lambert continue to be a worldwide attraction.
Beyond that, Brian May keeps up a workload that has included the publication of his Queen In 3-D book and his second album with Kerry Ellis, Golden Days, for which he wrote two new songs. The summer of 2018 also saw him resuming his role as a photographic historian, contributing to the book George Washington Wilson, Artist and Photographer, published by the London Stereoscopic Company. It’s written, in a remarkable coincidence, by the collaborator and professor who shares the name of his Queen bandmate Roger Taylor.
Brian retains the inquisitiveness and appetite for knowledge that always informed his rise to longtime status as one of the best guitarists in the world. Read our dedicated feature on ten of his greatest guitar solos. “I got interested in music and astronomy at the same age, when I was about eight,” May told Q magazine in 2008.
Brian May, left, and Roger Taylor, right, of Queen, and Rami Malek with the award for best motion picture, drama, for “Bohemian Rhapsody” at the 76th annual Golden Globe Awards 2019. Jordan Strauss
Astronomy is one of May’s many hobbies, about which he’s famously obsessive. He has a doctorate in astrophysics (his thesis was entitled: A Survey of Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud), has co-authored books, launched an asteroid awareness campaign, and even had an asteroid named after him (the 52655 Brianmay).
Sources:
- https://www.afr.com/life-and-luxury/arts-and-culture/brian-may-rock-star-who-rocked-the-stars-20190108
- https://www.udiscovermusic.com/stories/life-of-queens-brian-may/