“I managed to stay behind at The Marquee when everyone had gone home. I asked him, ‘How do you get that sound?’ He said, ‘Well, it’s easy...’” In 1969, a young Brian May hid in a venue to speak to Rory Gallagher –and it led to his tonal breakthrough

Left-Brian May of Queen performs at The O2 Arena on June 05, 2022 in London, England; Right-Irish blues and rock guitarist, singer, songwriter, and producer, Rory Gallagher (1948-1995), poses for a portrait with his guitar on September 25, 1982 at the Old Waldorf in San Francisco, California.

Certain elements of Brian May’s gear are imprinted in the consciousness of guitar players. The Red Special is, of course, as inextricably linked to May as his halo of curls. His devotion to the Vox AC30 comes in at a close second.

Now, more than half a century after the release of Queen's self-titled 1973 debut – and with the recent reissue of the Queen I box set, a reworked version of the album that started it all – May looks back on those early days and tips his cap to the legendary guitarist who converted him into a Vox disciple.