Brian May is an English guitarist whose career started with the group Queen. His contribution to world music is crucial in many ways…
His soloing set the standards for not just pop music. It enters the realm of jazz in a very sophisticated way, so it has no boring soloing, but just the brilliant parts of style. Brian May made the electric guitar wipe, as very few guitarists made it to accomplish over time. The Queen’s music just can not be imagined without Brian’s solos. Although it has nothing to do with flamenco music, his contribution to guitar and his inventive ideas just can not be overlooked. Although their only direct contact with true flamenco music is through the song Innuendo:
The Spanish Guitar in Brian May’s playing just can not be neglected. The experience Brian May has overflows from their music and his solos, especially left a huge mark in the history of pop music.
Although the very motif is in the rhythm 10/8 that does not exist in flamenco, his love for flamenco is more than obvious. We must pardon him for playing those few bars/measures in five-quarters, or 10/8. It’s because as soon as he finishes the main motif – he runs straight back to the 6/8 rhythm, that’s an absolute Spanish rhythm. It is funny that the most famous flamenco pop motif on Earth is written in the wrong rhythm. But that’s just the way the world works.
This song proves that music has no boundaries or limits. The odd music beat is maybe a Spanish thing, but Spanish music is in 3/4 or 6/8 and NEVER in 10/8. This is just an exception that goes beyond all rules and regulations.
At the top of their career, they just fell apart. That became a custom of many world bands. But Queen gave us such great music that all of Freddy’s “after-party endeavors” literally became negligible…