Brian May has been voted the greatest rock guitarist of all time by the readers of Total Guitar magazine, it was announced today.
The Queen guitar legend edged out Jimi Hendrix for top honors, a distinction May said left him "absolutely speechless."
"I’m blown away. I have to say it’s completely unexpected," May said of the honor.
“Obviously I’m deeply touched that people feel that way about me. I’m not under any illusions that, technically, I’m even on the tree of great guitarists. I guess this tells me that what I’ve done has affected people, and that means a great deal to me.
"I will never claim to be a great guitarist in the sense of, you know, a virtuoso. I guess I just try to play from my heart and that’s about it.”
When asked about Hendrix, May said “Jimi is, of course, my number one. And I’ve always said that. To me, he’s still something superhuman. It’s like he really did come from an alien planet, and I will never know quite how he did what he did.
“And every time I go back to Hendrix, I’m thrilled and stunned, and I get that feeling all over again, like either I’m going to give up playing guitar, because I can’t face up to this, or I’m gonna really have to get into it in a big way and try and do what is in my own body and soul. I never stop learning from Jimi.”
You can pick up a copy of the new issue of Total Guitar - which also features May's 20 best guitar moments, a lesson on how to play like the Queen legend, plus a guide to achieving Red Special tones - from My Favourite Magazines.
“I took from the best and tossed in little bits of myself. Before long, it started to sound like me.” Eric Gales shares his secret for developing your own guitar style
“He makes it sing, and he makes it cry. He can do it all.” Jeff Lynne explains why a "campfire classic" proves George Harrison's slide playing was second to none
