There seemingly isn’t much that Brian May can’t do. From obtaining his PhD in astrophysics to achieving global fame as the lead guitarist of iconic rock band Queen, he’s a true modern-day renaissance man. Still, imposter syndrome comes for us all. Even this highly accomplished musician has previously admitted to doubting the quality of his own work. In a recent interview, May, 77, revealed that the nerves never quite left him, even after years of success.
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Brian May Would “Always Be Embarrassed and Apologizing” For His Songs
In addition to his guitar skills (which are legendary) Brian May is quite the songwriter. He is responsible for penning some of Queen’s most recognizable tunes, including “Fat Bottomed Girls” and “We Will Rock You.”
You might think that such a jaw-dropping resume would leave no room for doubt, but you would be wrong. “Every time I brought a new song to the boys I’d be as nervous as hell, thinking, ‘They’re gonna say it’s rubbish, they’re gonna hate it…” May said during a recent interview with Mojo magazine.“I’d always be embarrassed and apologizing. That never ever went away.”
Thankfully, his bandmates didn’t agree. If they had, we may have never experienced the eight minutes of sheer genius that became “The Prophet’s Song.”
And May was far from alone in this (however unwarranted) insecurity. Drummer Roger Taylor, 75, admitted in the same interview, “I used to make a little demo and see how that went down. It’s true that Brian and I had an advantage over John because we could sing, but Freddie was an enormous help to John [Deacon] in his writing — and to all of us, actually. We’d say, ‘You’re the leader,’ and he’d say, ‘No, no — I’m the singer.’”
[RELATED: 6 of Queen’s Best Songs Written by Brian May]
Queen Remembers One of the Final Recordings With Freddie Mercury: “He Was Stupendous”
Sadly, Freddie Mercury, the band’s larger-than-life frontman, died in 1991 of complications from AIDS/HIV. He was 45 years old.
“The Show Must Go On” chronicles Mercury’s dogged perseverance as he continued to perform in the face of deteriorating health. Brian May primarily wrote the song as the final track off Queen’s 1991 album Innuendo. When it came time to record, however, he feared Mercury was too ill to sing.
“He could hardly stand, but he’s propping himself up, knocking back the vodka and saying, ‘Play the f—ing tape! I’ll get it,’” May recalled. “And he was stupendous.”
Featured image by Scott Legato/Getty Images
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