Brian Harold May - Hero?

Brian May; a person more commonly known as the curly-haired, clog wearing guitarist from the legendary rock band Queen. But there's a lot more to him than just performing. May has many interests and hobbies outside of the music business. He has recently completed his thesis of interplanetary dust, earning him a PhD in astrophysics, and has recently published two books - one entitled Bang! The Complete History of the Universe which he wrote with Sir Alan Moore about space, and the other called A Village Lost and Found about stereoscopy with Elena Vidal. He also has a great love of animals, causing him to set up the campaign Save Me in opposition of the fox hunting repeal in the UK.

Besides working with Queen, May has released three solo albums - Star Fleet, Back to the Light and Another World, and he has worked with numerous artists, including Paul Rogers, Cozy Powell, Eddie Clarke and Phil Collins. He has penned several of Queen's biggest hits, such as Fat Bottomed Girls, Who Wants to Live Forever and I Want it All, as well as helping with the writing of the musical We Will Rock You alongside Roger Taylor and Ben Elton.

Brian May, father of three, was born on the nineteenth of July 1947 in Hampton, Middlesex. He showed a passion for music from an early age; learning the piano at age five, ukulele age six and guitar age seven. Like his father, Brian was good with electronics, and in the summer of 1963, father and son set out to build their own guitar. The resulting product that was finished two years later (which was made out of a piece of hundred year old mahogany fireplace, motorbike valve springs, an oak table and a bicycle saddlebag holder) was dubbed 'The Red Special' - also known as 'The Fireplace' or 'The Old Lady' - and is still used by Brian to this day.

Many of you may be reading this and wondering why I consider Brian to be a hero. His music is certainly something I admire, yes, but that's not why I see him as one of my idols.

During the late eighties, May developed depression due to the failure of his first marriage, the death of his father and the deterioration of his friend and band mate Freddie Mercury. During this time, May was contemplating suicide. But it is because of his strength to survive through his depression, his modest, hard-working attitude and his love for the world around him that makes him stand out to me as somebody to look up to and admire. I also appreciate how he takes the time to reply to fan mail through his 'soapbox' on his website. I deeply admire his passion for music and his love of life.

Whether you are a fan of Queen or not, I believe that there's a lot to be learned from this kind mild-mannered man, and the way he faces his problems is a great source of inspiration to me.

Sources

Queen: As it Began
Save-Me
Brianmay.com
Interview about guitar
Brian's wiki page