Brian May has addressed reports that Queen has finished touring for good. He shared his response in a new Instagram post.
The statement clarified a recent interview about the band’s touring future. May explained that his comments reflected a personal decision rather than a definitive end to the band’s live career. He said he wanted to take a break from the road, not end touring entirely.
“The news headline Brian May reacted to reads: ‘Brian May Says Queen Won’t Tour Again: “50 Years Is Enough,”‘” he said. “This is a misinterpretation of what I actually said. I have actually never said Queen won’t ever tour again. I could never say never.”
“I simply made a personal decision last year to take a break from touring,” he continued. “I’ve been making lots of music, and Roger and I are constantly working together on Queen projects behind the scenes. I don’t know what the future holds. I’m ever open to new adventures!”
The clarification follows a wave of headlines that spread quickly after May’s interview on Oct. 2. Several outlets framed his remarks as a final farewell to the road. That coverage prompted his response.
In that interview, the 79-year-old guitarist described how his thinking about touring changed. He also explained why the idea of leaving the road had stayed with him.
“I made a decision 18 months ago that I didn’t want to tour again.”
May said a close family friend died while the band was in the United States. That moment led him to reconsider the demands of life on tour. He said he loves to play and to travel, but that the trade-off is sacrificing his freedom.
He also pointed to his life away from the stage. May has a wife, the actress Anita Dobson, and grandchildren. He also has a lot of astrophysics he wants to pursue. It was in that context that he said, “maybe 50 years is enough.” That remark became the basis for the headline he has now disputed.
May has stepped back from touring, but he has not closed the door on Queen. He and Roger Taylor continue to work together on Queen projects.
