Back To The Light - Music

The Brian May Band Was Officially Formed In Late October 1992 Following The Release Of Brian May's Album Back To The Light. An Early Version Of The Band Was Loosely Formed For 19 October 1991 When May Took Part In The Guitar Legends Guitar Festival In Seville Spain. The Line-Up For His Performance Was May Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar Cozy Powell Drums & Percussion Mike Moran Keyboards Rick Wakeman Keyboards Maggie Ryder Backing Vocals Miriam Stockley Backing Vocals And Chris Thompson Backing Vocals . Following The Death Of Freddie Mercury In November 1991 May Chose To Deal With His Grief By Committing Himself As Fully As Possible To Work First By Finishing His Solo Album And Then Touring Worldwide To Promote It. He Frequently Remarked In Press Interviews That This Was The Only Form Of Self-Prescribed Therapy He Could Think Of. The Original Line-Up Was Brian May Lead Vocals And Lead Guitar Cozy Powell Drums And Percussion Mike Caswell Guitar Neil Murray Bass Maggie Ryder Backing Vocals Miriam Stockley Backing Vocals And Chris Thompson Backing Vocals . This Version Of The Band Lasted Only During The South American Support Tour Supporting The B-52's And Joe Cocker On Only Five Dates. Afterwards May Made Significant Changes Feeling The Group Never Quite Gelled. In Spain A Catalan Band Sweet Sister Support The Tour Most Significantly May Brought Guitarist Jamie Moses On Board To Replace Mike Caswell. May Considered Moses A Perfect Fit To The Band. The Other Change Made Was In The Backing Vocal Department. Ryder Stockley And Thompson Are Replaced With Catherine Porter And Shelley Preston. On 23 February 1993 This New Line-Up Of The Brian May Band Began Its World Tour In The US Both Supporting Guns N' Roses And Headlining A Few Dates. The Tour Would Take Them Through North America Europe And Japan. After The Tour Ended On 18 December 1993 May Returned To The Studio With Fellow Surviving Queen Band Members Roger Taylor And John Deacon To Work On Tracks That Became Made In Heaven The Final Queen Album. The Band Took Freddie's Solo Album Demos And Last Recordings Which He Managed To Perform In The Studio After The Album Innuendo Was Finished And Completed Them With Their Additions Both Musically And Vocally. Work On The Album After Freddie's Death Originally Began In 1992 By John Deacon And Himself But Was Left Till A Later Date Due To Other Commitments. In 1995 May Began Working Towards A New Solo Album Of Covers Tentatively Named Heroes In Addition To Working On Various Film And Television Projects And Other Collaborations. May Subsequently Changed The Approach Of His Second Album From Covers To Focus On Those Collaborations And On New Material. The Songs Recorded For That Album Another World Would Feature Mainly Edney Powell Murray And Moses Who Had Become His Core Support/collaborative Team. On 5 April 1998 Cozy Powell Was Killed In A Car Accident On The M4 Motorway Near Bristol England. This Caused A Huge Unexpected Dent In The Upcoming Tour For The Brian May Band With The Need For A New Drummer On Short Notice. Steve Ferrone Was Brought On To Help May Finish Recording Drums For The Title Track "Another World" And To Join The Band For The Early Stage Promotional Tour Of Five Dates In Europe Before The World Tour. The Line Up Was Then Brian May Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar Spike Edney Keyboards Neil Murray Bass Jamie Moses Guitar Steve Ferrone Drums & Percussion Susie Webb Backing Vocals And Zoe Nicholas Backing Vocals . Following The Early Promo Tour Eric Singer Replaced Steve Ferrone For The Full 1998 World Tour. The Band Then Consisted Of Brian May Lead Vocals & Lead Guitar Spike Edney Keyboards Neil Murray Bass Jamie Moses Guitar Eric Singer Drums & Percussion Susie Webb Backing Vocals And Zoe Nicholas Backing Vocals . read less