From rock stardom to astrophysicist; Queen’s Brian May talks about his excessive past and his spatial present.
When Queen was done, despite attempts at redemption after the death of Freddie Mercury, Brian May recovered his telescopes: and started practicing as a doctor of astrophysics and honorary rector of John Moores University in Liverpool. That long rock star hiatus closed it off in a somewhat academic way.
Brian May revealed in an radio interview what’s it like to be a rockstar and the most critical moment he had with Queen.
“The answer is – good, it’s very good. It’s like nothing else. When it’s working, great, and you’re feeling that connection with the audience and everybody’s lost in the moment, it’s great, I love it.”
We talked about high points – what was your worst moment in Queen?
“Well, I suppose it would have to be losing Freddie. That moment will obviously be indelibly etched in my mind forever. You never quite get over something like that. It’s like losing family, so that would be the worst.”
What tickles me the most is that ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ has become this party anthem. Its lyrics are fairly risque, so does it tickle you that ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’ has become such a gentle anthem?
“Gentle? I don’t know if it’s gentle, really, it’s pretty outrageous, and Freddie was outrageous in that way. I think when we were doing it in the studio, we all thought, ‘Oh, it’s a massive hit.’ But it actually didn’t happen at the time. But, it’s grown ever since.”
“I think it’s become probably the most played Queen record of all. Also I have to say it was never my favorite of Freddie’s compositions, I think it was kind of thrown together very quickly. I love his more soulful things, like ‘The Miracle,’ and a lovely song called ‘Life Is Real,’ which Freddie wrote. I love that really contemplative stuff that he did. People love it and it’s great, Freddie was able to just put his finger on that button of, ‘Yeah, let’s go out and have a good time.’”
Source: Ultimate Guitar