Queen guitarist Brian May has described his recent health struggles as a “wake-up call” after suffering a minor stroke last year. The 77-year-old musician spoke about his recovery during an appearance on Alan Titchmarsh’s Love Your Weekend.
May revealed that the stroke came on suddenly, leaving him unable to control his left arm. “It was a little scary,” he said, but praised the “fantastic” medical care he received. He added that he has had “a number of things” but feels lucky to recover each time.
The guitarist previously suffered a heart attack in 2020 caused by arterial disease, which he said brought him “very near death”. Doctors found three congested arteries. May stressed he does not want sympathy, saying it would “clutter up” his inbox.
Despite the setbacks, May has returned to performing. Earlier this month, he joined Benson Boone in London for renditions of ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Beautiful Things’, drawing a rapturous response. The performance contrasted with a lukewarm reception at Coachella earlier this year, where Boone later joked about the crowd’s lack of recognition for May.
May also revealed that Queen have worked on new music with Adam Lambert, though he said “nothing really materialised so far”. The band have considered bringing their live show to The Sphere in Las Vegas, with May noting he is “very keen on the Sphere”.
