Queen’s Brian May Recalls a Night He Got ‘out of Control’ With Eddie Van Halen
One aspect of classic rock that adds so much more mystique to the genre is that so many of the most popular acts were coming up at the very same time. The 1970s and 1980s were filled with unforgettable musical icons who crossed paths on a regular basis. Case in point, Queen’s Brian May acknowledged an evening when he and Eddie Van Halen got a little “out of control.”
Brian May admitted he hasn’t kept in touch with his peers
During Queen’s heyday, the band crossed paths with many of their peers. And naturally, friendships developed as a result. May’s friendship with Guns N’ Roses frontman Axl Rose led him to play guitar on the band’s 2008 album Chinese Democracy. But May confirmed to Louder Sound he hasn’t kept in touch with Rose or other iconic rockers in recent years.
“There’s the occasional message [from Axl Rose] but really very little. I really should keep in touch better. I tend to be a bit shy and reclusive myself. I regret terribly that I didn’t keep in touch more with Ed Van Halen.” Van Halen died in 2020 after having a stroke.
The Queen guitarist ‘completely lost it’ during one wild night
No doubt Van Halen and May bonded over their guitar skills. May acknowledged to Louder Sound that he and Van Halen spent a great deal of time together. But one particular memory between the Queen guitarist and the late Van Halen co-founder sticks out.
“I have a lot of favorite memories, but I do remember one time him coming to see [Queen] play,” May said. “We went back to the hotel afterwards. He’d brought a bottle of his favorite drink with him, which I think was Southern Comfort. Anyway, he’s knocking it back, and so I started knocking it back, and I completely lost it. The next thing I remember I was on the floor in the bathroom, having fallen down and cracked my head on the washbasin. I don’t even remember going into the bathroom. It’s one of the few times in my life where I’ve gotten out of control.”
Brian May continues to keep the Queen legacy alive today
While the music created by Queen and Van Halen will certainly outlive any of the men behind those bands, May and his bandmates continue to keep the former in the pop culture spotlight. In fact, Queen has toured with singer Adam Lambert since 2012.
The 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody earned box office success and won four Academy Awards, including Best Actor for Rami Malek. Rumors persist about a sequel to the movie, though nothing is official just yet. Meanwhile, Van Halen has officially disbanded, according to Rolling Stone. Perhaps the band will be the next classic rock act to receive a biopic of its story.
