Brian May finds himself at the crossroads. Forced to forget his past as a guitarist for a successful group (Queen), he needs to take charge of his solo career, which begins with an album that he released as a solo artist, Back to the light.
Between the longing and the challenge, the British musician, one of the most renowned hard rock guitarists, talked about his future, inseparable from the memory of his friend Freddie Mercury.
Brian May announces the reissue of ‘Back To The Light’ with a preview of the ‘Driven By You’ video. The energetic images show Brian performing the song with an all-star band that includes the unforgettable teacher Cozy Powell on drums, Neil Murray on bass, and Steve Vai on rhythm guitar. Also, Rick Wakeman and Mike Moran on keyboards, along with Maggie Ryder, Miriam Stockley and Chris Moran on backing vocals.
Brian May’s first solo success had the most unlikely origin. ‘Driven By You’ is one of the most exciting and enduring anthems in rock. Originally composed for a Ford television commercial, the song was a worldwide hit when it debuted as a single from May’s 1992 album ‘Back To The Light’. However, it had its beginnings a long way off the roads of the British countryside. in which the television commercial was framed.
‘Back To The Light’ has been reissued this August. The reissue of the album is accompanied by an incredible new video montage on the occasion of the 30th anniversary, ‘Driven By You’. The performance was originally filmed when the Queen legend sang the song live for the first time at the 1991 Guitar Legends concert in Seville and during their tour of South America in 1992.
Brian May’s 1993 debut solo record notes, Back to the Light, that the guitarist was broken.
“You won’t find much in here about how fab it is to be a rock star in Queen,” he wrote. “But you may find, in contrast, glimpses of someone quite small and insecure. I know him well.”
Still, “Music is joy to me,” he added, pointing out that while he held no “real hope” of finding the light, it was now glimmering “dimly.”
May revealed to UCR that despite being “older and wiser” now, the Brian Man who wrote those liners almost 30 years ago is still somewhat fragile.
“I make no apologies for it,” he says. “I actually feel for every word in that album, still. It’s still a statement from me that I would stand by.”
Also, the iconic musician opened up and talked about what the band’s career has been like after Mercury’s death and the conversation he had with him. A pity that still accompanies the group from the United Kingdom.
“The funny thing is, 30 years later, how do I feel? I thought I was going to go back into this album in a kind of paternal way and think, “Oh, I was having a bit of a problem, and I was working my way through it. Now, I’m a grownup, now I’m older and wiser. I should view things differently.” Well, you know what? It didn’t happen. I went back in there, and I felt exactly the same, listening all of the way through to this album, many times, I feel that I’m still that boy. I feel like I’m in the same place, I didn’t grow up, I didn’t manage to solve the problems. I didn’t get over the passion and the pain. I’m still there. So putting this album out now, I make no apologies for it. I actually feel for every word in that album, still. It’s still a statement from me that I would stand by.”
On the other hand, the guitarist admitted that he has not yet reconciled with the death of Mercury, but finds comfort in knowing that the legendary leader had “a great life.”