Sir Brian May - The Red Special Guitar Podcast - Episode 20
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- Опубліковано 4 лис 2022
- Hello there 👋
Welcome to the home of the Red Special Guitar Podcast.
In this instalment today we are talking to Dr Brian Harold May himself. If you don’t know the story of the Red Special then you are in for a treat as Brian and his Dad built the guitar out of necessity when Brian was a 16 year old boy. What is more impressive is that he has used that same guitar not only through his whole recording career with Queen but he has also used it live every night on every tour for almost 60 years. In the episode we talk about everything from building the guitar, politics, animals, the Worldwide Red Special Community, his relationship with his dad Harold. This was a real honour for me to get to sit down with Bri and talk about all of this. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did recording it.
You can check out Brian’s website here brianmay.com/
You can check out Brian’s work with animal welfar and the Save Me Trust here savemetrust.co.uk/
You can follow Brian on instagram here - brianmayfor...
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This episode was edited by Luke Holwerda - you can find Luke’s youtube and instagram below / lukeyourself
lukeiswho?...
Also I want to make a shoutout to our Editor Mr Andrek Hernandez from Red Special Tribute. Make sure to check out his youtube channel and Instagram for some cracking content.
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Keep safe and catch you later
The Red Special Guitar Podcast
Brian is proof that you can be rock star of epic proportions and still be a warm, polite, proper Gentleman at the same time.
❤
Not to mention a physicist who bears a striking resemblance to Isaac Newton now that he's in his 70s
@@willdwyer6782 True that 👍
Sir Paul M agrees …
Absolutely agree on this government... disgraceful bunch. But love the rest of this podcast.... keep on rocking Bri.
There aren't enough superlatives to describe Brian May. As a lover of astronomy and a guitarist myself, that he's an astrophysicist AND one of the greatest guitar players/composers ever ....PLUS such a gracious gentleman.... I'm really at a loss for words. He's an inspiration.
what a delightful, modest, clever, intelligent charismatic man Brian is. i love his humanity and his talent is wonderful and so is his self belief. Great interview. Long may he play. Been a fan since 1973. God bless you Brian
It's not only about how he plays, (he is one of greatest even among the greatest!) the more you hear Brian May speak , the more you love him!
He is just such an awesome human in all ways
My god, what great engineers the Mays were, to create this instrument and have it come together so perfectly, and for it to last for 6 decades.
Brian is on of the most amazing human beings I know. He is one of the most known and respected musicians of our time, a solid scientist, activist and so much more, yet he speaks to people as a member of their family, as an old friend who came by for a nice and cozy dinner. Every single topic and opinion he speakes out seems taken from our everyday conversations about the human race, it's ups and downs: Brexit, Ukrain, Armenia, politics, animals, human relations... Simply a-mazing!
The first time I heard Brian May made his own guitar with his dad I couldn't believe it. That was probably in the early nineties when Freddie was leaving. Thirty years have past since then I'm still in love with this music. Such a Podcast to spread out the story about how the events unfold. To Sum up; watching two guys chatting like this give me some kind of relief in a world where almost everybody is blundering so bad.
Thanks for watching and the lovely comment 😊
You can’t get better than this one! A must for all Brian May fans and devotees of the Red Special, well done Jon.
Thanks Richard - it came out rather well didn’t it?
What a wonderful interview/discussion. Brian May is such an inspiration, as well as a gentleman, scholar, top-shelf musician, and amazing human being.
Couldn’t agree more
Every time i see Brian being interviewed he is just so humble and unpretentious. A true legend.
Couldn’t agree more - thanks for watching
Pure legend, Brian eminates class and respect. His character is so relaxing and engaging, his guitar playing is just.....well, epic I think is an uderstatement. Destiny brought together Queen, the band created their own success and they have all made a positive impact on our world.
I don’t know anything about guitars but I could listen to Brian speaking for ever!
He is very easy to listen to isn't he?
That was a really excellent interview, well done. It's refreshing to see an interviewer just let the interviewee speak without interruptions.
What I really loved about this video; is when Brian expressed his insecurity regarding whether he could accomplish his dreams with that guitar. Sentimentality was not his reason for sticking with it, but realising its innate uniqueness as maybe being key to achieving his musical aims.
Great podcast Jon, thank you, Brian is a wonderfully humble chap. I'm a Radiographer and had the honour to have scanned the Red Special. I believe it was either late 90's or 2002 ish and they were looking at producing replicas of the Red and obviously it having been built in such unique circumstances they weren't exactly sure what was going on inside. Brian's guitar tech brought the guitar in to the CT scan department at Bart's Hospital in London and my Superintendent at the time Adrian and myself performed a CT scan on her. It was a little overwhelming to think this was the actual iconic guitar that produced all those incredible songs. After we scanned it, I seem to remember some rather cheesy photos of me with it slung over my neck, sadly before the time when mobile phones were a thing, so I don't have copies!
Matt Arnold! What a story!! Would you mind emailing me? Would love to chat…
I guess you can see those x-ray in the recent video for "on my way up", it seems that Brian has hung them in his room of memories!
Love your comment ✌🏼
Hey, of course that's fine - I'd kind of forgotten about it tbh, until I stumbled upon this podcast and it brought it back!@@TheRedSpecialGuitarPodcast
Brian May. What a true guitar hero on so many levels. 🎸🤘🏼❤️✨
Couldn't agree more
Great job to the interviewer.....asks really good questions and doesn't interrupt the interviewee. It's refreshing. Thank you
Thanks for the feedback. There is nothing worse than an interviewer who doesn’t let the guest speak
@@TheRedSpecialGuitarPodcast Too true....have seen it too many times with musical heroes of mine...interviewer just wants to butt in and tell their own stories. Was particularly bad in one with a certain legendary recording engineer. Guy was trying to tell stories that were entirely new but the doofus interviewer wouldn't let him talk.
Thank you for the opportunity to see this magnificent interview. It was very interesting and educational.
Great podcast Jon 👌.
Sir Brian, thank you for the fantastic music and the explanation of The Red Special, your baby. You may be very proud 👏
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thanks Bri! love you lots xxx God bless you all.
Thanks for watching
Brian May's father deeply loved him but couldn't understand how he would be able to make a living and build a life through being a musician which caused conflict, disappointment and estrangement for a long time which, fortunately, was overcome because Brian is incredibly talented and found complementary musical artists who he collaborated and succeeded with. He always has his father with him in his Red Special guitar helping him succeed.
Yes sir
I know a lot of what he says here has been said before, but you see the honesty in his face which i've found incredibly touching in this video. How he talks about his dad left me pretty choked. But the question of what he thinks his dad would think of the red special meet ups, and people talking about the replica's they've made, has really hit home what Brian and his dad have created. It's like they've created a motorbike that competes with the old classics. Just amazing. I went to the house they built the guitar earlier this year. The shed is still there. I so hope a blue plaque is put there or its turned into a museum.
Thanks for you words Wayne
I have a signed Red Special that I brought after seeing Queen and Adam Lambert in the pouring rain in Brisbane 2020. I have had a broken shoulder and have not been able to play her but she takes pride of place in the corner of my living room.
Two absolutely lovely blokes. Magical.
Brian May is a true gentleman.
Jon underhill is a great interviewer with a beautiful smile.
Thanks for that 😊
The best interview with Brian out there...this channel should be huge
Thank you for your kind words
Hearing Brian talk always brings me peace. A genius and a loving soul.
My God that was deep. I'm glad Brian really liked the early Who when they were a dangerous young band
Probably the most interesting Brian May interview I've ever heard, well done...well done.
A truly wonderful podcast Jon. Thank you for persevering for at least a year to finally get Brian May himself on The RSGP. Thank you also for focussing some of Brian's attention on the activities and endeavours of his enthusiast community. I'm proud to call you a friend. Doug. 👍🏻😀
Thanks Doug. Much appreciated. I know you know what goes in to these things and the work behind the scenes to bring it life. :-)
This was such a great podcast, it's wonderful to listen to Brian talk this long. I found myself smiling through the whole thing.
Thanks for watching Lorraine.
Thanks ❤
I learned about these podcasts through Sarah Rugg. She is an amazing artist. I'm so glad she led me to this. I'm always both impressed and amazed how down to earth and humble Sir Bri is. I don't really think he's fully realized, and may never, how many people over the world he's brought together in many different ways. He is so inspiring to me as a human. I could go on and on, but I'll leave it here, that you, Jon did a most spectacular job of being the perfect host. Thank you for this.
Thank you for finding me. Sarah is lovely isn’t she and such a talented artist. I’m really pleased you enjoyed the video and thank you for your kind words 😊
Greatings from Kyiv, great conversation! I am a guitarist and loved Queen since I was a kid, had plesure to watch Queen live in Kharkiv, never forget it!
What a wonderful man to listen to!
I started to listen to his music in 1975, when the very first record I bought was „Night at the Opera“. But even without any music, he is a joy to my ears.
This is worth following to the end, Brian May as I have never heard him, I like him even more.
Thanks for watching :-)
Hey Jon, great work. What a fabulous conversation. Brian is obviously such a lovely humble man, I have nothing but respect for him. A national treasure, our Bri…..God bless him!
Couldn't agree more! Thanks for watching and commenting
Starting watching the podcast to learn more about the building of the Red Special even though I don't play a guitar!!
But Brian May for President if HRH C3R decides to abdicate.......
The whole parliamentary set up in Britain needs overhaul.
Out of the Westminster building and into a modern building OUTSIDE of London.
You spoke the honest Truth, Brian
Thanks for your comments John. Glad you enjoyed it and got something from it
Brian is a fabulous storyteller! I could listen to him for hours.. Thanks for a great interview!
Thanks Maria
Thanks ❤for your support
I was absolutely riveted listening to this! Smartest rock star of all time. I would love to see a movie about the design and building process and the love between Father and Son.
That would be cool!
Finally had the time to sit down in one go and enjoy every word and moment of this episode. Thank you so much for bringing us this Jon, makes me so proud to be part of the community and having been featured on here myself ❤
Thanks Craig. Brian was rather good wasn't he? Yours is a great episode too :-)
@@TheRedSpecialGuitarPodcast Brian is the boss! Seriously, loved it so much , and really happy for you personally to be able to get him onboard 😁
Too kind, but I felt honoured to be asked by you , and loved our chat very much 😊
I loved listening to Brian talk about making the red special. His smile melts my ❤heart
Thanks for watching
"Meritocracy" is like the greatest word on the planet!! GO BRIAN!! RANT!! :)
I have always liked Brian. He seemed to be the levelheaded one. The guitar always symbolized a bit of magic, even when the band was kind of new. There are things in this world that were always supposed to happen, and Queen was definitely one of them.
Great video. Thank you both for making it.
Thanks for your comment Jeff. Couldnt agree more
What an intelligent and deep and philosophic and polite and elegant person Brian is!
All his qualities are in his Art, in his musical instruments, in his solos and in his words.
Look at his eyes when he speaks... he is always searching the best intelligent and right and measured thing to say! Great Man and great Artist.
What a great interview and what an awesome person is Brian May. He's been a huge influence on me personally as a guitarist and here he is after 40+ years of success....and he's such a gracious, kind man. There are no words for how incredibly wonderful this made me feel, so perhaps I will leave you with the phrase I came up with for the "hey we can fix it in the mix," crowd (who are still around today).
_You can't polish a turd!_
🤟😆🤣
Thanks for watching and commenting 👍🏻
There's not too many people that are as great at being a celebrity as Brian May.
Also, to me, the most incredible thing about the Red Special build to me is the fact that a teenager actually had the patience to see a project like that thru to the end.
This literally blows my mind every time I think about it
@@TheRedSpecialGuitarPodcast I had never really thought about it til I watched this....I'm not a Red Special expert at all.....knew the story since forever, but for some reason, hearing it presented this way kinda blew my mind a bit.
This is the best Brian May interview I've ever experienced, the details on the building of the red special blew my mind and he's such a lovely man! Thankyou from a life long Queen fan🙂
Wow, thank you! What a review!
@@TheRedSpecialGuitarPodcast ❤
Just amazing. He is just such a rare human being. Incredible. What a pleasure...thank you.
Couldn't agree more! Thank you for watching
I'm so happy to have come across this video. Cheers
Very thankful to Dr. May!
amazing !! thank
you for this incredible podcast !!! thank you Brian for being the coolest guitarist in the world. We love you !!!❤
Thanks for tuning in and glad you enjoyed it.
Listening from St. Louis, Missouri, USA. Thank you for a wonderful podcast and for your time. ❤
You are so welcome!
What a wonderful podcast - a real gift. Thank you for championing, driving this Podcast and your passion for the guitars and Brian and Queen's music.
What a awesome person is Brain May. I was inspired with the story of him and his Dad. My father was similar in that he took interest in our lives. The Red special guitar is truely a labour of love for Brain. I bought the Red special guitar book when It first came out was would read it through over and over. It just proves that when there is a will there’s a way. You don’t alway have to buy a fender or Les Paul and can build a guitar if you really want to. Brian is a inspiration to all guitar builders. The wiring within it and switch arrangement is simply brilliant. The roller bridge is what should be on every guitar. Brian and his great Dad made a instrument ahead of it’s time. Every time Brian plays that guitar his father is with him. I’ve heard the red special at the Queen concert in Melbourne Australia. Awesome. Great interview. Thanks again.
So much insight from the man who actually built the guitar. It's so thrilling to follow the thought process and research that went into The Red Special. Great podcast!
BRIAN MAY RULES!
This is the first time I have watched your podcast and you have Dr Brian May! Wow, wow, wow... He is such a gent. I never get bored with him telling the story of his Red Special... Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you so much Jon, that was so totally amazing!!
I am not a guitarist but I certainly know and cherish the gentleman that is Dr. Brian May, not to mention familiar with a vast amount (really cannot say all) of his music, that I subbed to your channel in hopes of seeing and hearing more about him... his hopes and dreams for the future of our world and the world of Queen... not to mention I can also enjoy the hard work you do in bringing us such wonderful stories of other people influenced by this man and his creation... looking forward to more soon... blessings.
Thanks Mary, means a lot
Wait - so that guitar that Brian May built all those years ago is the same one he has now? That is literally mindpopping. When you think of all the history, albums, tours, rehearsals that it's seen - damn!!! That is gonna be worth an absolute fortune one day, six figures easy. What an absolute legend, this interview was absolutely fascinating, thanks!!!!
That’s right. He built it as a teenager with his dad and used it forever. Mind boggling
I find it incredible that it's never had a refret
The best interview with Sir Brian about his guitar. Thanks guys, what a gentleman he is.
Thank you for your kind words
What a wonderful moment thank you for documenting and sharing this conversation. What an interesting person Brian is!
Glad you enjoyed it!
So great to hear all these details, and love that asked the question about what he was imagining when he built the guitar! Thank you.
Glad you enjoyed it!
This was amazing. To have Brian on one of the episodes is a dream come true for all of us devotees of the red special. Hearing new stories is always something i look forward to every time i hear the man speak. Well done 👍
Glad you enjoyed it!
Do meet your hero's. I have been playing guitars, (and also started with Ukes) for about as long as that guitar has been around. I discovered Queen in the early seventies ,when Bohemian Rhapsody was on AM radio ;and that song changed my whole attitude about how to play a guitar. What a great inspiration this kind man is!
This is a lovely thing to watch. I read a meme the other day (sign of the times *rollseyes*) that said: Thankyou music, for being there when no-one else was. This is an unspoken part of music imho. Music is so much more than just something to listen to. It's how it makes you feel, it's nostalgia, it's feel-good vibes and it's an arm around your shoulder. Music is the universal language of the world - everyone knows the whole do-rey-mi - and I like that connection with everyone else.
As for Dr Brian May; he was kind enough to reply a message that I'd left once here on youtube; with intention of connecting with the fans through the pandemic. That is the kind of guy he is. Humble, gentile, immensely likeable.
Great podcast. Enjoyed it a lot...
FINALLY!! Wonderful episode, Jon!! I'm already looking forward to your next episode with Bri now 😎😎
Let’s hope he entertains another one. Thanks Sarah
That tremolo is just genius, what a treat to listen to this guitar legend explain in detail how the guitar was built. Fantastic!
It’s pretty special isn’t it?
Thank you Jon, thank you Brian! A brilliant way to spend my Monday evening.
Thanks David 👍🏻
Thank you!!!
As a lifelong Queen fan (lucky enough to have seen them play twice) this was compulsive viewing.
Thanks Bib
I had a lovely time watching this. Ukraine sends warm regards, we all remember you guys, thank you for the support that the UK gives to us.
Thank you for your comments
❤
Hi Jon, I am delighted to see that you have had the unbelievable honour of chatting to our Brian! Tell me this- is TYMD still banned from the meet up?! 🤣
In general yes but it gets played from time to time
Wow, as a Queen fan is absolutely incredible to have the chance to see Mr Brian May speaking like this face to face, like if he was talking straight to my face on a videocall. I remember the old days in internet, I would visit elblogdequeen almost everyday, I was all crazy about Queen and Brian May, recently I bought his signature Amplitube kit and now I can play his songs with his tone while I watch him telling stories about Queen, how fantastic is this???
God save the Queen!!!
Thanks for watching Rob. It was a great day getting to chat to Dr Sir Brian Harold May.
Imagine how much that guitar is gonna be worth when he passes 😳 I'd like to think it would end up in a museum 🎸 ♥️ but I'd rather have DR. Brian May around forever 😁 lol
Also, I could hear him talk about the Red Special ALL DAY 🤩
I think we could all listen to Brian all day
Uau !! My day gets better when I hear my idol since I was a teenager talking!! Congratulations from Brazil!!
Thanks Fabio
OMG
This was absolutely brilliant. What an utterly amazing and insightful interview. I was getting a bit scared when he first said “oh but you guys all know this story”: so pleased that he took the time to place the details and context in place. What a role model.
He is such a humble and most wonderful chap
What tremendous Inspiration.
Couldn’t agree more. Thanks for watching
Unique guitarist, unique sound.
No surprised that his guitar is a one off - plus the fact that Brian uses a coin as a plectrum.
Great to hear the detail and his recollection of the experience with his father when putting the guitar together.
Good interview.
Never having to re-fret the original guitar is astonishing.
Why Brian?
"...the people get the leaders they deserve" [Plato ~400BC]
What an incredible interview with a gentleman. One of my relatives has met Brian on several occasions through his work with animal rights charities and said he is an absolute gentleman and as genuine a human being as you can find. I think this interview reflects this well. Thank you.
Thanks for watching and commenting. Brian is a real gentleman and an amazing human being.
What a brilliant episode/interview ! I really enjoyed listening to this long chat - it's always a joy to listen to Brian talking about his Guitar, which has essentially become a part of him.
Thanks Mary, appreciate the comments
Truly remarkable.
Thanks for watching
Brilliant podcast Jon, well done. Always amazes me how humbled Brian is by it all.
It comes across he is a little unaware of what he means to us all. Hopefully he is starting to realise
I absolutely loved this interview. I hope you guys sit down again in the future and have another one! Great job, bud!
Wow what a superb episode and a fantastic interview
Thanks for watching :-)
I just discovered this podcast and it is amazing. Cannot wait for another meetup in the US
Why so few views? Brian May is a guitar legend
Let’s get it more views !!
Thank you Jon!
You are most welcome
Thanks!
You are most welcome and thank you too
Fantastic podcast. Bri is the sweetest, smartest, and funniest man alive. I feel a connection with him/relate to him at times. This is one podcast im sure I and everyone else will be re-listening to. Thanks so much Jon. Fingers crossed he comes to a meetup :D
Thanks Branden!
That may be my favourite interview with Brian May ever, and I've been watching them since the year dot. You let the man talk and came in with good questions at the right time which led to further gems of information from him. The story of how he built the Red Special with his beloved Dad is fascinating and proves that that guitar is a work of genius played by a genius.
Wow, thank you! High praise indeed. What lovely feedback.
Jon…That interview was awesome and you did a really great job interviewing Brian. I’m so glad I stumbled on to your podcast channel.
Wow,
Thank you for creating such a captivating video. I attended a meet back in Bracknell over 10 years ago where the "old girl" made an appearance. That was something else. This video takes it to a whole new level.
Thank you for your comment
Brian’s dad reminds me of my dad. For some reason he knew how to do everything.
They both sound like great people
That was beautiful! Over an hour of feeling happy and thinking good thoughts. ❤
I have watched it a few times and always feel better after
That was awesome to watch
Thanks and I am glad you enjoyed it
I finally got around to watching this. Excellent interview and Brian seems like such a lovely bloke. There were a few things in there I didn't know and it was great hearing them.
Although I've never made a Red Special, I did make my own guitar when I was 16 as well and took some inspiration from Brians guitar (my Dad also helped). It was SG shaped but thicker, more like a LP, screw on neck with the V shaped headstock, 3 pickups (although the bridge was a humbucker with single neck and middle), floyd rose tremolo, 3 slider DP3T switches that could do the off/on/phase and I also added a parallel/series switch (and that diagram I draw way back when is still floating around the internet). When I look back on it, it's very reminiscent of the guitar Phil X uses now in terms of the body and thickness.
I had planned on building a red special and bought some of the parts a few years back, then came across a copy which I purchased. Swapped out the pickups for actual Burns Tri-sonic Brian May pickups and there was the sound. Although you can't help play "Fat Bottom Girls" and "Tie Your Mother Down" when you strap it on LOL.
Thanks for watching the video. I am glad you enjoyed it.
That was truly excellent. I've been a fan since the early 80s, I feel like I've read and watched eveything but that really was a revelation. Sire we know the main bits but all the incidentals we've ever heard. Thanks
Thanks for watching Paul
I met Brian he in Seattle when I was fourteen years old after their second show of "The Game" tour at the Seattle Center Coliseum. I had been learning to play early Queen, Zeppelin, The Who, Jeff Beck Group(s), etc, since I was nine, ten years old. I had never seen or heard anything so elaborate, bombastic, colorful, emotional, as Queen live. I was just a kid and he was standing right next to me. I'll never, ever forget his kindness. P.s. Just liked and subbed because this is too great not to be a part of. Thank you from Seattle.
Thanks for the sub. Wow what a story. Brian remains one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure of talking to.
Brilliant!
Thanks for watching
While I respectfully disagree with Brian on one or 2 things politically, I will never have any less respect or appreciation for him as a musician, a legend and a person because he is very much a kind, humble, respectful and genuine bloke, who is very much down to earth and just wants the best for everyone in a good way and I don't get how anyone could or would not respect him for that.
As a lefty guitarist, it has always painted me that access to better quality guitars has always been much more lacking due to fewer instruments that are worth the cost or that are truly affordable.
I had considered making my own guitar, but I neither have the knowledge, finances, tools or any kind of work space to make it a reality and even then, I would most likely bugger it up anyway.
Maybe one day I'll be able to get a Red Special replica because of all the guitar legends out there, Brian May's Red Special is still that one instrument that is still decades ahead of it's time and I don't think either Brian or Harold May would have imagined just how unique and amazing "The Old Fireplace" would become.
Awesome interview Jon and only just discovered this channel and interview today, which you now have another new subscriber.
Thank you for the music and inspiration over the years Brian May and to you Jon for a great interview.
Thank you, Jon! You kept the podcast going smoothly. Wonderful!
Thank you for saying that :-)
Means a lot
❤