Brian May Reveals the 12-Second Guitar Solo He Nearly Deleted — Now One of Rock’s Most Iconic Moments

After more than five decades of crafting some of rock’s most unforgettable guitar sounds, Queen’s Brian May continues to surprise fans with behind-the-scenes stories from the band’s legendary heyday. But perhaps none is as striking as the tale of a 12-second solo he almost erased — a brief passage that would become one of rock music’s most iconic riffs.

“I thought it was too weird,” May laughed in a recent interview. “Too off. I remember thinking, ‘There’s no way this will make the cut.’”

The solo he’s referring to is the soaring, operatic 12-second guitar break in Bohemian Rhapsody — that electrifying moment when his signature Red Special guitar cuts through Freddie Mercury’s multi-layered harmonies.

May revealed that this now-iconic solo nearly didn’t appear on the track because he felt it clashed with Mercury’s precise vision.
“Freddie had this very clear architecture for Bohemian Rhapsody,” May explained. “Every section was like a movement in a symphony. When I laid down that solo, I improvised — pure emotion. When I listened back, it felt almost too human for something so grand. I actually told them, ‘Maybe we should cut it.’”

But it was Freddie Mercury who insisted on keeping it.
“Freddie just smiled and said, ‘Darling, that’s exactly why it works.’”

That 12-second solo — emotional, haunting, and defiant — went on to define not only the song but an entire era of rock music. Critics have hailed it as one of the most expressive and perfectly restrained guitar solos ever recorded.

“It’s funny,” May reflected, “the bit I almost erased became the bit people hum.”

He also shared that the recording hides a small imperfection — a tiny slide where he missed a fret.
“It annoyed me at the time, but Freddie loved it. He said, ‘Leave it — that’s the feeling right there.’ And he was right. That imperfection made it breathe.”

Looking back, May said this experience taught him an essential lesson: trust imperfection.
“Music isn’t meant to be perfect,” he said. “It’s meant to move you. Sometimes the magic hides in the mistakes you’re too proud to keep.”

More than 45 years since Bohemian Rhapsody first stunned audiences, that brief guitar solo still sends chills through listeners — a burst of raw emotion frozen in time.

For Brian May, it remains a humbling reminder:
“I nearly erased my proudest moment. Now I know — if it gives you goosebumps, don’t delete it.”