ONE VISION

“It’s about making that guitar sing,” says Brian May, the Queen legend voted Number One Rock Guitarist Of All Time by readers of Total Guitar. In an exclusive and wide-ranging interview, he tells TG Editor Chris Bird how he created his unique sound, and pays tribute to his heroes and friends who placed high in our poll – from Hendrix and Clapton to Eddie Van Halen and Nuno Bettencourt.

- Chris Bird

What does it mean to you to come in at number one in Total Guitar’s poll of the greatest rock guitarists?

“I’m absolutely speechless. I’m blown away. I have to say it’s completely unexpected. Obviously I’m deeply touched that people feel that way about me. I’m not under any illusions that, technically, I’m even on the tree of great guitarists. I guess this tells me that what I’ve done has affected people, and that means a great deal to me. I will never claim to be a great guitarist in the sense of, you know, a virtuoso. I guess I just try to play from my heart and that’s about it.”

Perhaps you’d reflect on the players who came behind you in our poll? Jimi Hendrix was second.

“Oh my god! Well, it is very humbling. Jimi is, of course, my number one. And I’ve always said that. To me, he’s still something superhuman. It’s like he really did come from an alien planet, and I will never know quite how he did what he did. And every time I go back to Hendrix, I’m thrilled and stunned, and I get that feeling all over again, like either I’m going to give up playing guitar, because I can’t face up to this, or I’m gonna really have to get into it in a big way and try and do what is in my own body and soul. I never stop learning from Jimi. Strangely enough, these days I very seldom play his stuff but it’s kind of inside me anyway.”

I think that’s the same for a lot of people, isn’t it? Jimi’s part of the backdrop of guitar music.

“Yeah. So I’m deeply honoured. I never would have thought the day would come. I know my dad would have had a wry smile on his face.”