Brian in 1993

Well he always used a natural minor in White Queen, and generally liked using the major second and sixth from the dorian mode in his minor pentatonic (in Great King Rat and Liar for example). But let's face it: Brian never really knew that many scales. The ones he knew though, he knew well, and especially in the early year's I'd argue. Sure, he was still quite good by the late 70's, but from then on, thing were starting to get more predictable. In my opinion that is.

Sure, there are tens of thousands of guys who can play circles around him, then and now...

But - when you focus so much on your chops and theory, something else switches off... like the ability to write songs that people will be humming a century from now.

I bet he hasn't practiced his scales in decades. He just does what he does, and one in 10,000 people will notice that he isn't playing with as much fire as he had in 1976. Everyone else is happy that he wrote songs that help them recapture their youth in some way.

I really focused on my chops until my early 20s, and then I realized, from the standpoint of connecting with people (which is ultimately the job of a musician if he wants to eat and sleep indoors - and possibly get chicks), it was essentially pointless. After years of listening to intense prog and jazz fusion, I put on Yellow Submarine one day and it all made sense.

Theory purists may call guys like me a hack, but if they're willing to sink that low they probably haven't ever written a song that more than ten people like.

The thing Brian will be remembered for is that uncanny ability to write clever, memorable melodies.

Yup.

I just wish he were more known as an innovator. Things like the dixieland jazz band in Good Company are of utmost brilliance.

All that said - I'd say his chops in 1993 were excellent. Ever seen the video of the Barcelona show? He's incendiary that night. Starting around The Miracle period he definitely got a second wind.

[QUOTE] [b]The Real Wizard wrote:[/b]

Yup.

I just wish he were more known as an innovator. Things like the dixieland jazz band in Good Company are of utmost brilliance.

All that said - I'd say his chops in 1993 were excellent. Ever seen the video of the Barcelona show? He's incendiary that night. Starting around The Miracle period he definitely got a second wind.[/QUOTE]

And in the more recent Queen+Adam Lambert tour he was as good as ever for me. Considering that i don´t rate guitar players acording to speed, it gave me great joy to see Brian interpret the "Killer Queen" solo so beautifully!
Many people will never understand what a bend is unless they play the guitar, so they will never share a fucking tear when Dr. May is bending pitch perfect on that beautifull solo at 67 years old, finishing it with one of the most beautiful vibratos rock has ever produced.
And for the first time in his career - that i´m aware of - he incorporated the harmony in his solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABjEBWc8w4o&feature=player_detailpage#t=104

At 67 yo, and still wanting to push the envelop a little further. Fantastic! And probably 99% of the people attending this show don´t even notice or care. But i do, and that´s why i respect this gentleman even more.

In a way, i´m happy that he is more intuitive oriented than theory oriented. It worked well for him.

For me personaly, i have to say that one of the most astonishing solos in rock or song has to be "We Will Rock You". People take it for granted now, but i can assure you that any other guitarplayer would have ruin it. Period! Think about it, if someone gave you WWRY with only the foot and clap, what would you do to it?
Who else would have thought of soloing at the end of the song around a chord - the A major chord? Nobody, and i´m so glad that Brian did it the right way. And his phrasing and tone on this track is just perfect. You can put 1000 guitar players trying to emulate his phrasing on the live version and i can assure you they can´t. It´s so organic, and so Brian May, that it has become a part of his playing, like a breathing pattern. I love this man!

[QUOTE] [b]Mr.QueenFan wrote:[/b]

it gave me great joy to see Brian interpret the "Killer Queen" solo so beautifully!
Many people will never understand what a bend is unless they play the guitar, so they will never share a fucking tear when Dr. May is bending pitch perfect on that beautifull solo at 67 years old, finishing it with one of the most beautiful vibratos rock has ever produced.
And for the first time in his career - that i´m aware of - he incorporated the harmony in his solo.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ABjEBWc8w4o&feature=player_detailpage#t=104
[/QUOTE]

Holy crap, that was wonderful !!!!!

Glad you noticed that. Indeed, I don't think he ever even tried to replicate the record in the Queen years in that spot.

Great point about WWRY. Most other guitarists wouldn't have had a clue of how to play *for the song* ... they play for themselves, and wouldn't have served the song with the modulation and resulting sheer minimalist perfection.

Fookin' love that "MAMA!" scream he lets out between Love Token and Headlong.

I still remember having goosebumbs when he did the
Bo Rhap Segmet during Resurrection.

I think I will watch my old Brixton Video Tape tonight...

I disagree with opinions that Brian would have continued his solo stuff and not go back to Queen had Cozy not passed away. First of all there are 7 years between Another World and first Q+PR tour. are you telling that it took 7 years for Brian to decide not to follow solo career anymore and instead tour as Queen just because Cozy was dead? hell no. we all know that Queen is way better than solo works of its members and Brian is aware of that as well. we also now that he likes to be Queen, tour as Queen as he spent most of his adult life for Queen's success. I can feel that for all 4 members, Queeen was more important then their solo careers and they could always shelve any solo ideas when Queen was the main subject. Brian told a few times that he avoided being Queen for many years after Freddie died. Then in 2004.... well, you know the rest of the story...

[QUOTE] [b]ili wrote:[/b]

I disagree with opinions that Brian would have continued his solo stuff and not go back to Queen had Cozy not passed away. First of all there are 7 years between Another World and first Q+PR tour. are you telling that it took 7 years for Brian to decide not to follow solo career anymore and instead tour as Queen just because Cozy was dead? ...[/QUOTE]

Well in the time between Another World and Queen+PR he didn't record another solo album so I'd say yeah Cozy's death had a lot to do with it.