Brian May, the guitarist and co-founder of Queen, has turned 79, prompting a look back at his life and career. Alongside Freddie Mercury, Roger Taylor and John Deacon, May helped make Queen one of the best-selling bands in history, contributing distinctive layered guitar work to hits such as "Bohemian Rhapsody", "We Will Rock You" and "Crazy Little Thing Called Love", and is widely regarded as one of the finest guitarists of his generation.

Born in Hampton, Middlesex, in 1947, May built his own guitar, the "Red Special", with his father using household materials including firewood, and played it throughout his career. He formed pre-Queen bands 1984 and Smile before Mercury joined in 1970, and the classic line-up endured until Mercury's death in 1991. Beyond music, May earned a physics degree and later a PhD from Imperial College London, has consulted on NASA missions, released three solo albums, and is an active animal welfare campaigner.