Brian May said that learning to bend guitar strings was the “most fantastic” sound he wanted to make as a young musician, inspired particularly by James Burton’s playing on ‘Hello Mary Lou’. The Queen guitarist viewed the technique as transformative because it made the guitar feel like a lead voice rather than simply a backing instrument, an approach that informed his expressive style.

May described adapting his instrument with a banjo string because lighter-gauge guitar strings were not readily available. While bending is now a basic technique for many players, he said its dramatic, sometimes rough-edged sound captured the excitement of early rock and roll; throughout his career, he has prioritised serving each song and using the guitar as an extension of the band’s voice.