 |
|
|
|
|
PROGRAMME INFO |
|
|
|
|
|
Desert Island Discs is one of Radio 4's most popular and enduring programmes. Created by Roy Plomley in 1942, the format is simple: each week a guest is invited by Sue Lawley to choose the eight records they would take with them to a desert island.
|
|
|
|
|
LISTEN AGAIN |
|
|
|
|
PRESENTER |
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
Sue's biography
- Sue's interview
- Quiz about Sue |
|
|
|
"Lawley's consensual, almost sensual probing, producing an ambiguous bond like that between hostage and hostage-taker, is ... a masterpiece of technique."
The Sunday Times 17 March 1996
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
PROGRAMME DETAILS |
|
|
|
|
|
|
Brian May
Brian May spent his childhood in Feltham near London and he learnt his first chords on his father's ukelele banjo. He soon progressed to the guitar, which he started learning when he was eight. He perfected his technique by buying records and copying the trickiest guitar parts.
Although Brian's dream was to be a guitarist, it didn't seem like a reality so, encouraged by his parents, he went to London University's Imperial College to study Physics. Whilst there he continued playing in bands with his drummer friend Roger Taylor. They were soon joined by art student Freddie Bulsara (who became Freddie Mercury) and John Deacon and formed Queen.
Brian was researching infra red astronomy and part-time tutoring. But Queen soon hit the big time with their 1974 album Sheer Heart Attack, a success on both sides of the Atlantic. The band recorded 20 albums over a 22 year period and had frequent hits around the world with Killer Queen, Radio Ga Ga and Bohemian Rhapsody. Brian wrote huge Queen hits such as We will Rock You, Fat Bottomed Girls and Flash. They were known for their flamboyant live shows, where Brian provided technical brilliance and extended guitar solos inspired by Eric Clapton and Jimi Hendrix.
When lead singer Freddie Mercury died of an AIDS-related illness in 1991, Brian and his fellow band members organised a huge tribute concert for AIDS research which was shown on television screens around the world.
Thirty-one years after Queen began, the band is still popular: Bohemian Rhapsody was voted most popular British song in a BBC Radio 2 poll this year, 24 years after its first release.
Brian has also written and toured with his own band and in June this year he kicked off the Queen's Jubilee concert with an amazing guitar solo of The National Anthem from the roof of Buckingham Palace.
This month he came fifth in a poll to find the World's Greatest Guitarists.
1. Saturn - The Bringer of Old Age from the Planets Suite
Performer: Royal Scottish National Orchestra, conductor Sir Alexander Gibson
Composer: Gustav Holst
Publisher: Chandos Records Ltd
CD Title: Holst: The Planets
Band: CD Track 5
Label: Chandos
Rec No: Chan 7082
2. Maybe Baby
Performer: Buddy Holly and the Crickets
Composer: Hardin/Petty
Publisher: MCA Records
CD Title: Buddy Holly and the Crickets 20 Golden Greats
Band: CD Track 7
Label: MCA Records
Rec No: DMCTV 1
3. Tracks of My Tears
Performer: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles
Composer: Robinson/Moore/Tarplin
Publisher: Motown
CD Title: Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, 18 Greatest Hits
Band: CD Track 6
Label: Tamla Motown
Rec No: TCD 06071
4. Back On My Feet Again
Performer: The Babys
Composer: Bugatti/Musker/Waite
Publisher: Chrysalis Records
CD Title: The Babys Anthology
Band: LP Side 1 Track 5
Label: Chrysalis
Rec No: CHR 1351
5. To Know Him Is To Love Him
Performer: Anita Dobson featuring Brian May on guitar
Composer: Phil Spector
Publisher: Bourne Music Ltd
CD Title: Talking of Love
Band: LP Side 2 Track 3
Label: Odeon
Rec No: ODN 1007
6. Since You've Been Gone
Performer: Rainbow
Composer: Russ Ballard
Publisher: Island Music Ltd
CD Title: The Best of Rainbow
Band CD2 Track 1
Label Polydor
Rec No 800 075-2 & 076-2
7. Highway to Hell
Performer: AC/DC
Composer: Young/Young/Scott
Publisher: J Albert and Son (Pty) Ltd.
CD Title: Highway to Hell
Band: CD Track 1
Label: Atlantic
Rec No: K 250628
8. We Will Rock You
Performer: Brian May and Queen
Composer: Brian May
Publisher: Queen Productions Ltd
CD Title: News of the World
Band: CD Track 1
Label: EMI
Rec No: CDP 746209 2
If Brian could take just one record it would be No 1, Saturn - The Bringer of Old Age from the Planets Suite, by Holst
His book, apart from The Bible and the Complete Works of Shakespeare, would be Out of the Silent Planet, by C S Lewis.
His luxury would be his own guitar: the Red Special.
More about Brian on the Queen website
Check out the Message Board
|
|
|
RELATED LINKS
|
|
|
|
|
