Brian May Says He Does Not Want to Tour With Queen Again

Queen guitarist Brian May says he decided 18 months ago that he no longer wanted to tour, citing the loss of personal freedom on the road and a desire to spend more time with family and other interests. His comments describe his own position, rather than a binding decision by every member of the band, and leave open the possibility of a different kind of Queen production. May said a close family friend died while Queen were touring in the United States. He recalled asking his tour manager whether he could return home for a few days and then rejoin the tour, but was told that was not possible. The episode highlighted the limits touring placed on his ability to respond to events at home, he said. May said he still enjoys playing and traveling, but that touring requires sacrificing freedom. He pointed to his wife, grandchildren and interest in astrophysics as reasons he wants to devote less time to life on the road. He described his decision as having been made about a year and a half earlier and said he was considering whether 50 years of touring was enough. The comments do not establish that Queen as a group has formally ruled out touring.