Brian May has said he finds it frustrating to listen to Queen’s 1973 debut album, despite recognising its importance as the band’s first full statement. The guitarist reportedly feels the record does not fully capture the group’s live energy or the sound they wanted to achieve, reflecting the limitations and pressures surrounding its production.

Released in 1973, ‘Queen’ introduced the band’s early hard-rock and progressive influences, including tracks such as ‘Keep Yourself Alive’ and ‘Liar’. The album began a career that later produced far more ambitious and commercially successful records, but May’s comments suggest he judges the debut against the stronger sound and greater creative control Queen developed later.