Brian May hinted at a possible retirement in a heartfelt Instagram post where he opened up about his struggles and uncertainties in the music industry. Despite his passion and dedication to his craft, he expressed doubts about the sacrifices and time spent away from his family:
“This is me… in my mind this morning. I’ve put a lot of passion and work into preparing this little adventure… But this is not easy for an old soldier like me. In fact it’s probably one of the most challenging things I’ve taken on for a long time. I felt very dissatisfied with what I came up with at last night’s dress rehearsal – so doing a lot of rethinking today while we all wait for showtime to come around. Why do I spend all these precious days away from home? Pursuing… what? And self-doubt rears its scary head to the point where I wonder who the hell I think I am.”
While grappling with these thoughts, May also expressed gratitude for the opportunity to work with talented individuals in an unfamiliar setting:
“These are the kind of thoughts which beset performers, probably especially at my time of life. This is the inner reality. But I’m also conscious I’m incredibly lucky to have an opportunity like this – to work in a completely unfamiliar environment with an extraordinarily talented man with his highly skilled team. Among it all I’m very grateful.”
In a previous interview on iHeartRadio, May, along with Adam Lambert and Roger Taylor, discussed the challenges of touring as they age. May mentioned the difficulties of being away from home for extended periods and acknowledged the contrast in energy between himself and Lambert:
“I’ll be honest. It gets harder because when you get to our age – well, I’d say my age – I’m gonna discount Adam from this, but you don’t necessarily want to be away for two months from your home, you know, because you can’t get back. There’s no way; you’re stuck in hotel rooms.”
While May hasn’t set a definitive retirement date, it’s clear that the idea is on his mind as he navigates the demands of touring and reflects on his career.
