Guitarist Brian May has confirmed that the British rock band Queen will never go on tour again. The 79-year-old musician revealed the decision in an interview with British newspaper The Times, bringing an end to decades of live global performances by the group.
May explained that he made the choice 18 months ago while performing on a concert run in the United States. The decision was prompted by a tragic incident during the tour, when he lost a close family friend and found himself unable to return home.
When May asked the tour manager if he could urgently travel back home for a few days, she explained that leaving the tour was practically impossible. While he loved performing music and traveling, May said that the price of touring was sacrificing his personal freedom.
The guitarist suggested that 50 years of touring might be enough for him. He explained that he wants to focus on his personal life and scientific interests, noting that he has a wife, actress Anita Dobson, as well as grandchildren and ongoing astrophysics work he wishes to pursue.
Future concert concepts
Queen was formed in London in 1970 by May, lead vocalist Freddie Mercury, and drummer Roger Taylor, with bassist John Deacon joining the following year. Following Mercury's death in 1991, the band eventually resumed live performances with guest vocalists, most recently completing major worldwide arena tours alongside American singer Adam Lambert.
Although May remains firm in his decision to retire from traditional live touring, he emphasized that he is still open to new ideas for bringing Queen's music to major arenas. According to news agency ANA-MPA, May noted that the band wants to create something revolutionary along the lines of pop group ABBA, whose ABBA Voyage show uses digital avatars to perform for live audiences in London.
May shared that a visit to the Sphere arena in Las Vegas last year inspired him to design a complete Queen concert concept in his mind. He stated that an immersive experience capable of conquering time and space remains a serious possibility for the group's future legacy.
Concerns over artificial intelligence
However, May explained that such an immersive concert cannot currently be created without relying on artificial intelligence, a technology he views with strong skepticism. He expressed serious reservations about AI, concluding that data centers represent a massive evil that must be actively fought.
The announcement comes as May and Taylor promote a new film documenting Queen's famous 1986 concert performance behind the Iron Curtain in Budapest, Hungary, where the band reflected on their history, bad press, and the end of their touring era.
