Brian May, legendary guitarist of Queen, visited Paignton to promote his book on astronomy, Bang - The Complete History of the Universe. Though famous for his music, May's first love was astronomy and he earned a PhD in the subject. Music careers sidelined his astronomy work for decades, but the success of Queen allowed him to return to it. May discussed returning to astronomy late in life to finally complete his thesis, and how his determination to do things "better than anyone else" led to success in both music and science. Despite his fame, May came across as warm, approachable and down-to-earth in person.

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LEGENDARY Queen guitarist Brian May was
treated like royalty when he popped in for a
book-signing session in Paignton.
Expectant fans and hosts automatically rose to their
feet when the ace musician strolled nonchalantly into the
Palace Theatre to launch the paperback version of Bang —
The Complete History of the Universe.
A room on its feet seemed the only fitting greeting for a
man who is considered rock royalty by many, especially
after his famous appearance playing God Save the Queen
on top of Buckingham Palace to open HRH’s golden
jubilee celebrations in 2002.
But one of the greatest living guitarists wasn’t in
Paignton because of his music, it was his love of
star-gazing that led to the visit.
In true rock star fashion the 62-year-old doctor of
astronomy was more than an hour late for the signing, but
his reasons — bad traffic on the A303 — were somewhat
less rock ‘n’ roll.
By the time I sat down to talk to the living legend I’d
already had a lengthy chat with co-authors, veteran
astronomer and Sky at Night presenter Sir Patrick Moore,
and his co-presenter Chris Lintott, a former Torquay Boys’
Grammar School student.
Dressed in a black suit that looked more Oxfam than
Savile Row and wearing a pair of scruffy white trainers
Brian looked every inch a rock star.
But as hosts clamoured to cater for his every need, his
calm, laid back manner put those nervous about his arrival
instantly at ease and was a reminder that although
elevated to god-like status he was, after all, only human.
“I used to come to Paignton on holiday all the time,” he
revealed as he talked about an upbringing which was
humble compared to the vast sums he earned with Queen.
“We didn’t have much money when I was growing up.
We used to scrimp and save the whole year.
“In those days you used to have to put shillings in the
gas and electricity meter. My mum used to save the
shillings up in little jars and there would be a jar for
holiday.
“A few times we came to Paignton and really liked it.
“I remember it very well, all the red sand. I was hoping
to have time to go down there today. It would be nice to
get to the sea just for a minute.”
Brian May is a man known for his music. He was
recently highly praised by instrumental rock guitarist,
songwriter and vocalist Steve Via who said in Classic Rock
magazine: “He’s a class act from head to toe.”
But it was Brian’s extraordinary talent and, I was to
learn, drive for perfection, that gave him the opportunity
to come full circle and return to astronomy.
His love of star-gazing began as a child, at about the
same time as he developed a passion for music.
His father helped him build a telescope and a guitar.
Brian, who penned, among others, Queen’s hit We Will
Rock You, was in his fourth year of postgraduate study
and writing his thesis when his career with one of the
greatest rock bands of all time took off.
Music dominated his life and, 36 years after beginning
the project and probably one of the longest extensions on
record, he handed in his thesis entitled Radial Velocities in
the Zodiacal Dust Cloud.
For a man who has achieved so much he is remarkably
modest, admitting that despite two honorary doctorates
he hadn’t been happy using the suffix until he achieved
one he’d worked for.
“You can now call me Dr May,” he is reported as saying
when he handed in the 48,000-word thesis at London's
Imperial College.
It was Brian’s phenomenal success with Queen that
facilitated his return to astronomy and enabled him to ‘tie
up the loose ends’ he left when he pursued his musical
career.
“I have come full circle and I consider myself very
fortunate,” he told me.
“You come to various forks in the road of your life —
and you have to make a very bold decision to walk down
one road and forsake the other. I have had a few moments
like that.
“It’s great if you find out at another point that you can
reconnect to the past things you loved.
“I have been incredibly fortunate that the success that I
have had as a musician has given me a bridge to do
anything I want, which is amazing.”
But had it not been for the determination of long-time
friend Sir Patrick Moore, Brian might never have returned
to astronomy.
“I didn’t really think I could do it,” he admitted.
“But Patrick kept telling me I could take a year off and
finish my thesis, which I did. I surprised myself.”
It was clear from meeting the three co-authors of Bang
that Sir Patrick, despite his insistence to the contrary, is
the boss.
“Patrick told me: ‘I have decided, you are co-writing
this’,” revealed Brian.
Bang — The Complete History of the Universe was
produced by all three men but it was Sir Patrick who took
it upon himself to write the first draft... in just two weeks.
“By the time we met the first time to discuss things he
had written it,” said Brian.
“We proceeded to rip it to bits, reorganise, mould and
get all sorts of inspiration together over the next few
months.”
He added: “It was a very, very interesting journey for
me, and I learned a lot as well.
“I hadn’t been close to the subject for 30 years, so if we
could phrase the book in a way that made sense to me
then I thought it would work for the public.”
Chris Lintott mentioned earlier that Brian would often
keep in him check when the language he used became too
complicated.
“We argued over every word,” admitted both Brian and
Chris.
Bang made it on to the bestseller list and prompted
DR MAY’S LIFE HAS COME FULL CIRCLE
THANKS TO DRIVE FOR PERFECTION
calls for a second book – something that, I am told, is now
in the pipeline.
Brian’s easy-going, relaxed manner made him a pleasure
to talk to.
He smiled graciously when told that people in the queue
were singing Queen hits as they awaited his arrival.
He seemed almost unaware that the buzz in the room
centred around him.
He greeted Chris warmly when he arrived. Then, after
being introduced to the star-struck gathering, his ventured
concern that he hadn’t seen Patrick to say hello.
Brian is softly spoken and gave no hint of a sizeable ego
that could develop after so many years in the limelight.
He put much of his success down to his dad’s mantra: ‘If
a thing is worth doing, it’s worth doing properly.’
This instilled in him the philosophy that if he was going
to do something he would do it ‘better than anyone else’.
Looking at the magnitude of his success in music and
astronomy, this drive and determination has paid
dividends.
“I don’t find it possible to half-do anything. I have to
immerse myself in it and that’s where the satisfaction
comes from.”
Brian said that what he enjoys is ‘going into an area and
finding little corners that have never been unearthed
before’.
“I always find that very exciting, in any pursuit. The
same in music, astronomy and producing.”
And he announced: “I am producing an artist at the
moment called Kerry Ellis.”
Brian met the singer when she auditioned for the first
run of the hit West End musical We Will Rock You, based
on the songs of Queen.
“I was just blown away by her. I remember thinking
what if I am always going to be this entranced by people
who come in for auditions. But actually I wasn’t. She was
a one off,” he said.
“We’ve been working together for a long time now and
we nearly have an album ready.
“This is the same thing. I can’t half-do it. It has to be the
greatest thing ever.”
Brian’s other passion, something he has wholly
immersed himself in since his early days, is stereoscopic
images.
The last year has been spent working on a piece of
photographic history resulting in a book called A Village
Lost and Found.
The work is about rescuing an ancient English work of
art completely lost to the world called Scenes in Our
Village by a stereo photographer called TR Williams.
“It is one of those things that in my life I had to say
goodbye to for a while. But I was able to come back and
rejoin that particular thread. It is a very big deal in my
life,” said Brian.
With time moving on and the book-signing running late,
I could feel the atmosphere in the room becoming
somewhat tense as I monopolised Brian’s time.
Clutching a first edition of Bang belonging to a book-
collecting colleague, I asked if he would mind signing it
and three other copies I’d bought that day.
Brian smiled, borrowed my pen and happily inscribed
the volumes before being ushered to the signing table.
Within minutes he was grinning and chatting to those
who had waited patiently in the queue. The book launch
was underway.
I could see people far back in the line wielding cameras
eager to get a picture of their idol.
Brian’s last words echoed in my mind: “Some day I will
probably stop rushing around, but that doesn’t seem to be
yet.”
I had a very short time with a man whose determination
to do it ‘better than anyone else’ saw him become a rock
god, and then use that Queen legacy to help pursue the
dreams and aspirations he put on hold when his musical
career took off.
One thing will stay with me. Although this likeable chap
has been the focus of much adoration, he wasn’t self-
important. He was warm, approachable, polite and down-
to-earth — a true legend.
● Signed copies of Bang — The Complete History of the
Universe can be bought from Torbay Bookshop in
Paignton.
JENNA RICHARDS
ROCK STARS: Queen (from left) Brian May, Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury and John Deacon
HONORARY DEGREE: Brian May receives his honorary degree
from Exeter University
HONOUR: Brian
May with his
actress wife
Anita Dobson and
children Louisa,
24 and Jimmy,
27, after the
guitarist
collected his CBE
from the Queen
at Buckingham
Palace in 2005