Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud

Guitar virtuoso Brian May, of Queen, now 60 years old, got his Doctorate in Astrophysics this week. It's amazing someone with such an incredible musically creative mind, also has a life-long interest for astrophysics and excelled in it. Radial Velocities in the Zodiacal Dust Cloud is the title of his thesis. To me, the musical ability and the science ability.... well, it is the whole left-brain, right-brain thing combined together.


His memorable riffs and guitar solos will live in my head forever. I know them better than the words to some of Queen's songs. His guitar solos .... combined with all that overdubbing... made for a sound so different and unique that you knew Queen instantly. Even before Freddie Mercury's voice kicked in. For the longest time they boasted "NO SYNTHESIZERS" on their album covers.

It was a badge of honor... to boast their musicianship over cheap studio tricks. Musical brilliance is rare these days. I lament it everyday. I kid myself that I play guitar. I actually strum and pick a bit. But I take comfort in the fact that although I will never duplicate the Brian May guitar riffs I hear in my head, the world needs people like me who can appreciate those riffs, and the talent to make them come alive.