Brian May
Latest about Brian May

Brian May gifts Tony Iommi a customized Red Special replica
By Phil Weller published
It stays faithful to the original recipe, save for two important changes

Dirty Boy’s pedals are loved by the likes of John Frusciante and Neal Schon – is Brian May next?
By Andrew Daly published
The future’s bright for the boutique guitar and pedal brand. Its CEO tells us its story so far and why he believes he has just what Brian May needs for his tone

Steve Cropper on writing Green Onions, stressing out Brian May and the secret of Billy Gibbons’ guitar style
By Phil Weller published
The co-writer of classics including Green Onions and (Sittin’ On) the Dock of the Bay proved you don’t need technical wizardry to make a mark. In 2024, he walked us through a career marked by hits, groove and soul

Steve Vai has reimagined Brian May’s Red Special in his own vision with the help of a UK boutique guitar builder
By Matt Owen published
The 'Vai Special' puts a distinct spin on May's legendary guitar, and was meticulously spec'd by Vai himself – with a few Ibanez JEM inspirations to boot

How Steve Howe ended up playing on a Queen track
By Phil Weller published
The prog legend was asked to channel a flamenco icon for the spontaneous guest spot

Named after a Måneskin track, inspired by Queen and Arctic Monkeys, here’s how Baby Said became the UK’s hottest rock duo
By Amit Sharma published
Fresh from a triumphant run of festival dates, Veronica Pal checks in to give us the guitar story behind this sister act's stellar debut, BS! – and that's no b.s.

Sam Ryder delivers an electric guitar-driven rendition of the British national anthem – and somehow stirs up controversy
By Janelle Borg published
The guitarist brandished an Ibanez Destroyer during a high-profile English sporting event – and his performance seems to have divided fans

The first time I met Brian May – and we were both wearing clogs
By Neville Marten published
It was 1985, and Brian May was the most high-profile musician our own Neville Marten had yet interviewed. He had a fresh tape. He left in plenty of time. But it didn't quite go to plan... Luckily, the Queen guitarist was a good sport

Brian May on how astronomy, the Everly Brothers and Freddie Mercury influenced his Gibson SJ-200
By Neville Marten published
The Queen guitarist's signature model is a super-rare example of a 12-string Gibson jumbo, replete with May's own aesthetic flourishes. But why is it strung like a Ricky? Here, May explains all
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