Brian May Quotes

I don't surf the net in general. I have someone do it for me instead, because I find it sluggish.

Each gig should be unique. You're always treading that line between keeping yourself fresh and giving people something they want to hear

From the beginning of Queen there was such momentum that I never had any time to do anything else. My energy was 95% focused on the band

I never took sheet music seriously. I could do better myself just by listening to other people and using my own intuition.

The guitar was my weapon, my shield to hide behind.

A Queen track has those big, thick, block harmonies.

To my mind Keep Yourself Alive was never really satisfactory. Never had that magic that it should have had.

I'm a much better musician than astronomer. I think the world got the right choice.

I don't think anybody comes close to The Beatles, including Oasis

The potential audience seems to be dwindling in the states. I was kind of embarrassed for the band because of the size of the audience.

In print, people can do anything to you. Everything you do is picked apart. People love it; they're waiting for you to make a mistake.

The first nine albums there was never a Synthesiser, never any Orchestra. There was never any other player except us on the albums.

When we were touring heavily in America, we based ourselves there for a couple of years, but now we're all back here and it seems to be the place.

Every time I listen to Jeff Beck my whole view of guitar changes radically. He's way, way out, doing things you never expect.

I think Queen tribute bands are great. However, we have to keep them at arm's length, otherwise it could be too dangerous.

It's wonderful for me to see what 'We Will Rock You' has done. 'We Will Rock You' and 'We Are the Champions' have kind of transcended the normal framework of where music is listened to and appreciated - they've become part of public life, which I feel wonderful about.

On the first few albums the songs would grow into strange shapes.

We wouldn't have put it out with the name Queen on it if we didn't think it was musically up to scratch.

I'm the nice guy who sits there signing everything that's put in front of me.

I had this idea... I wanted the sound to sing and have that thickness but yet still have an edge so that it could articulate. So my dad and I designed the guitar... the one that was made from an old fireplace.

My big hobby is photography. I collect stereo photographs from the 19th century.

What we were trying to do differently was this sort of layered sound.

I think a lot of people would be better off in America, where at least you would find some radio station somewhere that would play you.

I think music is about our internal life. It’s part of the way people touch each other. That’s very precious to me. And astronomy is, in a sense, the very opposite thing. Instead of looking inwards, you are looking out, to things beyond our grasp.

A good video can make all the difference

I just want to be able to play as fast as my brain goes, and my brain doesn't go all that fast.

My children hate me being such a big star. It's very hard for them to have a father who is always in the public eye.

I'm into paradoxes. I wanted to make an album about them, but the group told me I was a pretentious fart. They were right.

I like to go for a walk or swimming or in the garden when I can. It's a busy kind of life, but I guess I'm lucky.

I was actually perfectly happy when I had no money, which lasted right up until we had a hit with Killer Queen, in 1974. I never wanted for anything.

I despise the Lottery. There's less chance of you becoming a millionaire than there is of getting hit on the head by a passing asteroid.