The controversial guitarist Brian May called “absolutely my hero”
Queen guitarist Brian May said in a 2001 Q&A that Eric Clapton remains his “absolute” hero, despite Clapton’s controversial views and actions. May’s admiration shows how a musician can continue to value an artist’s work while disagreeing with their conduct.
May praised Clapton for growing through mistakes, while the article notes his racist outbursts and vaccine scepticism. It contrasts Clapton’s public controversies with May’s advocacy for animal rights and LGBTQ+ causes, and his criticism of artificial intelligence in the arts.
In short
- Brian May called Eric Clapton his hero in 2001.
- May said Clapton had made mistakes but continued to grow.
- The article weighs Clapton’s guitar legacy against his views.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
May’s admiration can be understood as respect for Clapton’s musical influence and guitar playing, without endorsing his public statements or actions. People can acknowledge an artist’s significant work while also recognising their mistakes and allowing for personal growth; separating artistic achievement from conduct need not mean excusing harm.
The case against
Admiration for an artist is not always separable from the public meaning of that endorsement, particularly when the artist has made racist remarks or promoted vaccine scepticism. Critics may argue that calling Clapton a hero risks softening the impact of those actions and that musical influence should be acknowledged without elevating the person, especially when doing so can seem at odds with values such as equality and public responsibility.
Explained simply
Brian May is the guitarist in Queen, the British rock band behind songs such as “Bohemian Rhapsody”. Eric Clapton is another influential British guitarist whose career spans several decades, and May has spoken about admiring his musicianship.
Clapton has faced criticism for racist remarks and for questioning vaccines. May, meanwhile, has publicly supported animal rights and LGBTQ+ causes. Their different public positions have prompted discussion about whether someone can respect an artist’s work while disagreeing with their words or actions.