Brian May: “I loved to write for Freddie. I loved to see him do his stuff with us”

Queen: Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, Brian May and John Deacon
Queen: Roger Taylor, Freddie Mercury, Brian May and John Deacon (Image credit: Richard E. Aaron/Redferns - Getty)

Queen’s Brian May has reflected on working with Freddie Mercury in a deleted scene from Sammy Hagar’s AXS TV show Rock & Roll Road Trip.

The guitarist was speaking with the Red Rocker about his recording projects, including his work with Kerry Ellis and more recently with Kings Daughters.

May says: “I like playing my guitar and I like instrumental stuff, but to me a song is about the singer – and music is about songs because you have some message to convey and that’s what the singer does.

“The rest of it can be important, but it’s not as important as the person who’s putting across the idea.

“I loved to write for Freddie. I loved to see him do his stuff with us. You would give Freddie something and he would make it into something else – he would take it to the next place. 

“So I miss that, but I love working with Kerry and a new bunch of girls called Kings Daughters.”

May also says that he’s also recorded “in secret” with Adam Lambert but adds: “We haven’t felt it was right to put it out. We just didn’t think we hit the right vibe.”

Watch the full clip below.

Earlier this week, it was revealed that Queen and Howard Blake’s soundtrack to the 1980 sci-fi movie Flash Gordon would appear in a box set celebrating the film’s 40th anniversary.

The package will also include a feature titled On The Soundtrack featuring May and Blake.


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Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent 35 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving into e-commerce in 2020. Scott keeps Louder’s buyer’s guides up to date, writes about the best deals for music fans, keeps on top of the latest tech releases and reviews headphones, speakers, earplugs and more for Louder. Over the last 10 years, Scott has written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog. He's previously written for publications including IGN, Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to tech reviews, video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, The Tragically Hip, Marillion and Rush.