Brian May finds himself in an enviable position. A true Renaissance man, while he might be more known for his recent ecological efforts and PhD in astrophysics, he’s also a pioneer of art rock and the guitar hero in Queen, showing just how far his immense cerebral reach stretches. A man of many talents, his life has taken on many different dimensions because of this intellectual dynamism.
Naturally, this constantly evolving nature has also surfaced in his music. In their time, Queen drew upon various genres and moved with the times while never veering far from their core artistic values. They were there to blur lines, shock, and instill playful drama into rock when the form was becoming far too serious for its good.
One of the most self-aware outfits of all time, from the outset to the end of their recording career, the quartet knew precisely who and what they were. Ironically, this unique character allowed them more freedom in exploring and expanding their art than it would have done if they were a group without such perception. It drew a clear line out of the various zeitgeists that emerged over the years and affirmed longevity despite such cultural shifts.
Being such a dynamic outfit meant that Queen produced many moments of note that are stylistically diverse. Of course, they all fit within the group’s remit, but the differences between the operatic 1975 anthem ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and the arresting synth-pop of 1984’s ‘Radio Ga Ga’ are stark. The fact that the Queen successfully instituted such changes reflects their effective devotion to charting a course distinct from what was expected; this boldness was always one of their greatest strengths.
It can be challenging for each member to pick their favorite songs, as there are so many ones of note. Furthermore, this constant internal debate is afforded a more complex and heartbreaking significance when noting that the tip of the group’s spear, and arguably the greatest frontman of all time, Freddie Mercury, died from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991. This tremendous sadness regarding their friend completely changes the complexion of his work with the group.
May has openly discussed the brilliance of his late friend on numerous occasions and has also never been one to avoid the fact that their artistic and personal relationship was often strained to breaking point. Despite this continuous push and pull, though, the guitarist has never strayed from the thought that Mercury was an elemental musician of the finest kind.
While worldwide hits such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ would probably be many fans’ first shouts for Mercury’s best efforts, as May witnessed the luminance of the frontman’s creativity firsthand, his contenders are often ones off the beaten track. For instance, he considers the single ‘It’s a Hard Life’ from 1984’s The Works the “most beautiful” track Mercury ever penned, due to its honesty, and how the vocalist opened up to him when writing it.
When speaking on the 2003 documentary Greatest Video Hits 2, May explained: “To my mind, this is one of the most beautiful songs that Freddie ever wrote. It’s straight from the heart and he opened up during the creation of it. I sat with him for hours and hours and hours just pouring out every word and trying to get the most out of it. It’s a very revealing thing about how relationships are and he was talking about his relationship.”
It’s clear that Queen was never just about the music; there was always something more profound shared between the members: friendship. Moments such as ‘It’s a Hard Life’ confirm this deep understanding they shared beneath all the noise surrounding them.
