“My journey began with acoustic guitars, and for quite some time, that was my sole focus,” Brian May reflects. “I primarily sang while providing accompaniment. It took me a while to grasp the concept of playing single notes. I could hear others doing it on recordings, but I was at a loss on how to replicate it.”
Brian May would eventually craft a guitar tone that stands out as one of the most recognizable in the realm of rock music. Though, mastering the guitar was a gradual process for him. In a recent interview with Music Radar, he shared that guitars were considered “forbidden” at his school, Hampton Grammar. Before he could confidently play electric guitar solos, he had to navigate the challenges of learning in secret.
“During lunch breaks,we would conceal ourselves behind the bike sheds because bringing a guitar to school was strictly prohibited,” he recalls. “Seriously, times were quite different back then! At Hampton Grammar, you could face suspension just for having a guitar, let alone playing one.”
“So, we would gather behind the bike sheds, playing and discussing the music of legends like Hank Marvin. Elvis was making waves, Buddy Holly was on the scene, and we were eager to learn their techniques.That was our aspiration!”
Eventually, May electrified his playing style and has frequently enough recounted the challenges he faced while constructing his iconic Red Special guitar, which became synonymous with his work in Queen.
Throughout his teenage years, several records that he cherished became pivotal in his quest to perfect his sound.Here, in his own words from a 2004 interview with Guitar Player, are May’s self-identified “Six Tones That transformed My Life.”
“Hello Mary Lou” — Ricky Nelson
“James Burton’s astonishingly vibrant and crackling tone — along with the way he bends the unwound third string on a Telecaster to create a growl reminiscent of a cat — is simply breathtaking! We all rushed to swap our wound third strings for Clifford Essex Banjo strings from the BMG Music store on Earlham Street, Cambridge Circus, in London. For me, this solo altered the course of music history.”
“Bold As Love” — Jimi Hendrix
“Hendrix’s sound is incredibly rich yet sharp. It has a clarity that is laced with a sticky edge of overdrive. He dives into the solo, shreds it, and just when you think you’ve heard it all, Mitch Mitchell reintroduces the rhythm with a deep tape phasing, and Hendrix’s guitar returns — also drenched in phasing — delivering one of the most piercing and otherworldly endings ever recorded. It truly reaches for the cosmos.”
“Where Were You” — Jeff Beck
“Despite my lifelong admiration for Hendrix, this might just be the pinnacle of recorded guitar work in history.
“Beck is unparalleled.Throughout his career, he has consistently left us in awe. Guitarists view Jeff much like Mozart’s contemporaries viewed him; we are ofen left bewildered by his magic.What he accomplishes here is monumental, and the exquisite sound — stemming from his unique harmonic playing and the way he plucks the strings — is utterly mesmerizing.
“This track inspired me to make a meaningful change during a tumultuous period in my life. It sparked a revival of my spirit, and it’s the closest I’ve come to experiencing a divine moment.”
“key to Love” — John Mayall and the Blues Breakers
“Writing these reflections reminds me that sound is everything for a guitarist. without it, even the most passionate guitar playing falls flat.
“You can hear Eric Clapton’s guitar weaving throughout this track, subtly hinting at what’s to come. After what feels like an eternity of verses, the young Clapton strikes an open B string at the end of the main riff, unleashing a torrent of emotion. The very first double-unison note pierces through, igniting a storm of passion. It’s impossible to listen to this and not feel a chill.”
“The Frightened City” — The Shadows
“Hank Marvin is a master of lush guitar tones — tracks like ’Wonderful Land,’ ‘Atlantis,’ and ‘Foot-Tapper’ showcase his brilliance — but this early piece is filled with fervor. The sound is almost a snarl, yet it retains an underlying beauty.
“while it may seem polished compared to ‘Smells Like Teen Spirit,’ it embodies the rebellion and confidence of Hank’s era. A truly magnificent sound.”
“Looking for Someone to Love” — Buddy Holly
“A powerful clang.An unrefined energy that inspired me and countless others to create that sound.”
Long after his school days, May continued his clandestine guitar education. He reminisced about sneaking into London’s Marquee Club in the late ’60s to meet Rory Gallagher and inquire about tone.
This encounter led him to develop a relationship with Vox amplifiers and treble booster pedals. Although he briefly experimented with Marshall amps,a humbling experience with Jimi Hendrix prompted him to return to Vox,a decision he has never regretted.
In recent news, May has unveiled his first signature guitar as partnering with Gibson last year: a limited-edition SJ-200 12-string crafted in Gibson’s Custom Shop in Bozeman, Montana. He hints that a Gibson-made Red Special could be on the horizon.
