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Like how Brian May, lead guitarist for Queen, became an astrophysicist. That’s completely different from what he became famous for, and it makes him unique and

Like how Brian May, lead guitarist for Queen, became an astrophysicist. That’s completely different from what he became famous for, and it makes him unique and interesting to talk about. He isn’t “just another musician” any more. This is actually the reverse of what happened. Brian May left a career in astrophysics to pursue Queen in 1974, once Queen started getting big. He was about 6 months away from defending his dissertation and earning his PhD. He re-enrolled in his PhD program in 2006, and earned his doctorate in 2007. Doesn't detract from the author's point, however. Try a lot of stuff. You never know which bet will work out. Just so happened that, for Brian May, being a rock star panned out first!

exlurker 6y ago
Guitarist, astrophysicist, and even a hardcore gardener! https://www.spin.com/2020/05/queens-brian-may-tore-his-butt-muscle-while-gardening/ https://www.spin.com/2020/05/queens-brian-may-tore-his-butt-...
- cushychicken 6y ago
  I love gardening too, but I've never done anything that approaches the level of enthusiasm required to tear a butt muscle while gardening. Dude's in a league of his own. XD
  - yowlingcat 6y ago
    Great accomplishments often require certain sacrifices.
interestica 6y ago
Two artists I grew up with were educated punk rockers. Greg Graffin (lead of Bad Religion) has a PhD in Zoology from Cornell. Brian Dexter Holland (lead of the Offspring) just went back to finish his PhD in Molecular Biology from USC. (Like May, he left his academic pursuits when the band got big).
- Jetroid 6y ago
  ...and who could forget about Milo Aukerman, of Descendents fame?
mkolodny 6y ago
Reading about Brian May reminded me of Richard Feynman - the Nobel Prize winning physicist who took on challenges in many different fields during his life: Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, Drumming, Painting, Lock Picking, and Mayan Hieroglyphics! Feynman only won the Nobel Prize in Physics. But he was able to reach a professional, or near professional level in all of those areas. "I got a kick out of succeeding at something I wasn't supposed to be able to do."

exlurker 6y ago

Guitarist, astrophysicist, and even a hardcore gardener! https://www.spin.com/2020/05/queens-brian-may-tore-his-butt-muscle-while-gardening/ https://www.spin.com/2020/05/queens-brian-may-tore-his-butt-...

cushychicken 6y ago
I love gardening too, but I've never done anything that approaches the level of enthusiasm required to tear a butt muscle while gardening. Dude's in a league of his own. XD
- yowlingcat 6y ago
  Great accomplishments often require certain sacrifices.

interestica 6y ago

Two artists I grew up with were educated punk rockers. Greg Graffin (lead of Bad Religion) has a PhD in Zoology from Cornell. Brian Dexter Holland (lead of the Offspring) just went back to finish his PhD in Molecular Biology from USC. (Like May, he left his academic pursuits when the band got big).

Jetroid 6y ago
...and who could forget about Milo Aukerman, of Descendents fame?

mkolodny 6y ago

Reading about Brian May reminded me of Richard Feynman - the Nobel Prize winning physicist who took on challenges in many different fields during his life: Computer Science, Chemistry, Biology, Drumming, Painting, Lock Picking, and Mayan Hieroglyphics! Feynman only won the Nobel Prize in Physics. But he was able to reach a professional, or near professional level in all of those areas. "I got a kick out of succeeding at something I wasn't supposed to be able to do."