Queen's Brian May opens up about recent stroke which left him with no control over arm
4 September 2024, 10:52 | Updated: 4 September 2024, 13:37
Queen guitarist Sir Brian May has revealed he recently suffered a stroke that left him temporarily unable to use his left arm.
Listen to this article
Loading audio...
The 77-year-old legendary musician, astrophysicist, and animal rights advocate shared the news in a video on his personal website, describing the episode as a ‘little health hiccup.’
Despite the frightening experience, Brian assured fans he can still play guitar, emphasizing that he’s on the road to recovery.
In the video, Brian, who appeared animated and in good spirits, downplayed the severity of the incident. He acknowledged that while the stroke was scary, especially when he lost control of his arm, he is doing well and is thankful for the fantastic care he received from medical staff.
Brian May reveals he had a minor stroke
“All of a sudden, out of the blue, I didn’t have any control over this arm, so it was a little scary, I have to say,” he explained. The guitarist recounted the “very exciting” emergency ambulance ride to Frimley Hospital in Surrey, where he was treated.
The stroke, which Brian described as “minor,” occurred about a week before he publicly shared the news. In his typical humble fashion, he said he delayed making the announcement because he didn’t want to attract sympathy or overwhelm his inbox with messages of concern.
“Please don’t do that because it’ll clutter up my inbox and I hate that,” he joked in the video.
Brian reassured fans that the good news is his ability to play guitar remains intact, showing off his finger movements as proof. “The good news is that I can play guitar after the events of the last few days,” he said with relief.
He added that he’s under strict instructions to take it easy. “I’m grounded… I’m not allowed to go out - well, I’m not allowed to drive, not allowed to get on a plane, not allowed to raise the heart rate too high… but I’m good.”
This isn’t Brian May’s first health scare. In 2020, he suffered a heart attack while recovering from a torn muscle and trapped nerve caused by a gardening accident. After undergoing surgery to insert stents, he made a full recovery, though the experience was a reminder of how quickly life can change.
