Brian May has been video jamming with fans all over the world in the Hammer to Fall Challenge
“Sing to me, play to me, drum to me and, um, dance to me if you like,” the Queen guitarist says. “Let’s do it together”
When he’s not giving detailed lessons on how to play the Bohemian Rhapsody solo, Brian May has been passing the self-quarantine time – and entertaining fans – by posting “microconcerts” that show the electric guitar player performing Queen classics like Tie Your Mother Down and We Will Rock You.
Now, May has taken things one step further by “challenging” fans to grab their own instruments and jam along with him on the 1984 Queen classic Hammer to Fall.
As May says, “This is a challenge! Jam with me, okay? Let’s do this!”
"Sing to me, play to me, drum to me and, um, dance to me if you like. Let’s do it together.”
A photo posted by @brianmayforreal on Mar 29, 2020 at 4:31pm PDT
The latest of these challenges features May performing the song with drummer Chris Allan and bassist Ally McLachlin from the UK, along with vocalist and keyboardist Mig Ayesa from the US and guitarist Danny Gomez from Spain. The latter two are also vets of the Queen stage production We Will Rock You.
They’re far from the only group to take on the 1984 Queen song. Nor is this the only tune May will join in on. He’s also played Elvis Presley's (You're So Square) Baby I Don’t Care, the Beatles’ You’ve Got To Hide Your Love Away and his own Keep Yourself Alive, with cello.
And as May points out, “Have fun, folks. And if you post an overdubbed version with you singing or playing on it with me, tag me so I see it – okay?”
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Rich is the co-author of the best-selling Nöthin' But a Good Time: The Uncensored History of the '80s Hard Rock Explosion. He is also a recording and performing musician, and a former editor of Guitar World magazine and executive editor of Guitar Aficionado magazine. He has authored several additional books, among them Kurt Cobain: Montage of Heck, the companion to the documentary of the same name.
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