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The guitarist that Brian May said is incomparable
The Queen co-founder and guitarist Brian May is certainly one of the most influential musicians of all time not only for his songwriting contribution to music but also for unique guitar tone and playing. He simply built his own guitar, the “Red Special”, with his late father when he was a young kid and plays the instrument using a coin instead of a pick. Those characteristics combined with his talent makes May a unique guitarist.
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Over the decades he talked about many of his peers and even said who was, in his opinion, a guitarist who is incomparable.
The guitarist that Brian May said is incomparable
Brian May was elected back in 2020 by the readers of Total Guitar magazine the best guitarist of all time. Although he was happy about that, the Queen member talked about many other guitarists who in his opinion should be above him in the poll. One of them was his late friend, the legendary guitarist Eddie Van Halen. In his opinion, the Dutch guitarist was incomparable.
“Eddie is incomparable. He stands there as one of the pillars of the development of electric guitar technique. He’s a wonderful guy. And you know, it’s funny, during lockdown, you start to look at your life again. One of my regrets is that certain people, I think, I’ve let slip away.”
“I haven’t talked to Eddie for a long time and I really regret that. I’d like to change that because he’s a fantastic guy, not just a great performer but an incredible spirit. The spirit, it’s blinding, and again, you could never get fed up of listening to that.”
He continued:
“Eddie can pick up any guitar and I remember this from the Star Fleet Project sessions. It doesn’t matter what guitar it is, he will make it sound like him! I watched him pick up a bass when we were doing a demo and he made that sound like Eddie Van Halen. It’s just astounding what he can do with those fingers,” Brian May said.
As mentioned by May, the “Star Fleet Project” was a solo EP released by him with many special guests, including Eddie, back in 1983. It had only three songs and besides May and Eddie, also played on the EP Phil Chen, Alan Gratzer, Fred Mandel and Roger Taylor.
May was shocked when he first heard Eddie Van Halen playing
Eddie Van Halen passed away in 2020 at the age of 65 and shortly after that Brian May talked in an interview with BBC Radio 1 about him. He said he was shocked the first time he saw the Dutch guitarist playing and that there was nothing so shocking since Hendrix.
“There hadn’t been anything so shocking since Jimi Hendrix. I saw Van Halen support Black Sabbath. Tony Iommi was a very good friend, even by that time and the pair of us watched Eddie Van Halen do his stuff. We shook our heads and kind of went, ‘Whoa!’ [Chuckles]”
“It was just glorious, almost too glorious to take in. To see this guy romping around a guitar like a kitten, you know. Just running and taking it to places undreamed of. I love his playing – I always will.”
Brian May also lamented Eddie’s passing, saying: “(I am) Completely gutted to hear the sad news. This wonderful man was way too young to be taken. What a talent, what a legacy. Probably the most original and dazzling rock guitarist in History.”
“I think of him as a boy, an innocent prodigy. Always full of joy, always modest and those truly magical fingers opened a door to a new kind of playing. I treasure the moments we shared. His passing leaves a giant hole in my heart. RIP Ed Van Halen,” Brian May said.
