The Red Special – Brain May’s built his own guitar with his father in 1963

In the year 1963, amidst the burgeoning rock’n’roll scene, a guitar enthusiast, still in his teenage years, is tinkering at home with his father, attempting to craft an electric guitar. Fast forward five decades, and that youthful enthusiast has transformed into Brian May, the revered “guitar god” at the core of one of the world’s preeminent rock bands, Queen. The homemade guitar they created, known as the Red Special, born out of a father-son hobby, has achieved iconic stature.

Reverently referred to as “the old lady” by Brian, the Red Special features prominently on every Queen album and is the instrument he plays at every concert. It played a pivotal role when he performed the national anthem from the roof of Buckingham Palace in 2002 for the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. On tour, the Red Special has its own bodyguard, boasts a dedicated page, and has evolved into a brand – Brian May Guitars – producing affordable replicas..

Although more than two decades have passed since his father’s demise, Brian May remains visibly moved when discussing their precious moments in the workshop. Growing up as an only child in Feltham, Middlesex, May describes his father, an electronics engineer and RAF veteran, as a skilled craftsman who could make anything. Their close bond involved crafting household appliances and even an electric guitar from scratch.

May excelled academically, influenced by his father’s passion for music, and they shared a joint venture in creating the Red Special. The instrument was a manifestation of May’s dream for a guitar that could “talk” and “feed back in a good way,” similar to his hero, Jimi Hendrix. The Red Special, named after the color of wood it was made from, became an integral part of May’s life, producing unique tones that defined his playing style.

Ironically, the project that fueled May’s passion for electric guitar also strained his relationship with his father when Queen was born. Opting for a career in music over completing his PhD in astrophysics led to a nearly two-year period of silence between them. May’s father disapproved of his choice and his lifestyle, particularly his cohabitation with a woman, eventually his first wife, Chrissie.

The turning point occurred when May put his parents on Concorde and invited them to a Queen show at Madison Square Garden in 1977. Witnessing the spectacle and success, May’s father finally understood and accepted his son’s chosen path. However, it was only later that May discovered his father’s suppressed dream of joining a band after leaving the RAF.

May expresses regret over the strain their relationship placed on his mother’s health, leading to a nervous breakdown. His father’s death in 1991, at the age of 66, revealed financial struggles and the toll of a smoking habit. May, in reflection, acknowledges his father’s sacrifices and wishes they were both alive to celebrate the Red’s 50th birthday.

Despite the complexities of their relationship, May believes his father would be proud of the impact he has made, not just through music but also in endeavors to make a positive difference in the world. Reflecting on his father’s motto – “If a thing’s worth doing, it’s worth overdoing” – May acknowledges that they certainly lived up to it with Queen.