He Still Keeps Me Going — Roger Taylor Pushes Back on Claims Brian May Has Slowed Down

Brian May — Queen’s guitarist, astrophysicist, and one of rock music’s most enduring innovators — remains a working performer at 78. That simple fact keeps generating debate. A recent line in Guitar World suggested that age has dimmed his famous flair, describing his live “Bohemian Rhapsody” solo as “a slow burn.”

Roger Taylor — Queen drummer and one of May’s closest collaborators for more than five decades — challenged that conclusion immediately.

“I just jammed with him last week in the studio – he still keeps me going. Age is just a number, but the fire is still burning.”

The pushback reframes the narrative: speed is not the only metric that defines guitar skill, and never was in May’s case.

His recorded legacy — from “Killer Queen” to “Bohemian Rhapsody” — was not built on extreme tempo. It was built on a layered harmony language, custom tones shaped by the Red Special guitar he designed with his father as a teenager, and a melodic approach so identifiable that a single line is usually enough to confirm authorship.

May still performs, occasionally and selectively. After health setbacks, he has chosen targeted appearances rather than full-scale touring. He also continues to be discussed in major polls and rankings — including those that have named him a top rock guitarist of all time — evidence that his influence remains both global and current.

Taylor’s central message is simple: longevity does not erase talent. It gives context to it.

There is a difference between playing faster — and playing with purpose. Brian May built a career on the second.