“I had moments where I thought, ‘I am in a great place. I can make music… then somehow, everything would fall apart. That’s what the song was about”: Brian May on how The Night Comes Down was born of depression – and the desire to prove people wrong

Brian May plays the modded classical that he used to write and record Queen classic The Night Comes Down.

Brian May has revealed how a bout of depression and a “bastardised” cheapo acoustic guitar led to the creation of one of Queen’s all-time greatest tracks, The Night Comes Down.

Speaking in the latest episode of Queen The Greatest, the YouTube series documenting the making of their recently restored and reissued 1973 debut album, May, modded £10 classical guitar in hand, discussed the evolution of the track, and how it would become an declaration of artistic intent. Queen was going to be a band who were determined to do things their own way in the studio.