Badger Anti-Cull Awareness Projects
Throughout the 2000's and 2010's, Brian May has taken on
many animal welfare projects. in 2010, he started his own organization,
Save Me, to campaign against fox hunting and badger culling. In addition,
he has started Team Badger, a coalition of national, local and grass roots
animal and wildlife welfare organisations representing millions of compassionate
citizens. They reject the UK government's policy of badger culling as unsound,
unscientific and unacceptable. Brian has recorded numerous tracks to promote
awareness and raise money, all of which are listed below.
Save The Badger Badger Badger 1:11
Appears on: iTunes Save The Badger Badger Badger Download
In 2013, Brian May wrote a tongue-in-cheek comedy track called Save The Badger Badger Badger. The song was used to raise awareness and money for Brian's anti-cull crusade. The track features elements fromg Flash's Theme, new guitar from Brian, and a audio cameo from Brian Blessed. UK Internet personality Jonathan Picking (a.k.a. Weebl) created a flash animation to accompany the theme.
Badger Swagger 4:18
Appears on: iTunes Badger Swagger Download
The Artful Badger connected with Brian May via Twitter earlier in 2013 around the Badger Swagger campaign and project and he was invited to become a guest artist on the track. The Badger Swagger project grew, featuring many artists and personalities. The list of artists includes Brian May (guitar, piano, writer), Slash (guitar), Shara Nelson (vocals), Kerry Ellis (vocals), David Attenborough (spoken word), Sonny Green (rap and verse lyrics), Sam Ritchie (brass arrangement), Sam And The Womp, Rob Cass (music producer and project initiator). As part of the video, the Artful Badger team put out a social media call to the British public to be apart of a flash mob dance outside of Parliament.
Badger Boys 2:27
Appears on: iTunes Badger Boys Download
Badger Boys, credited to Shirley Higton and the Badger Bovver Boys, is a protest song sung by Sirley Higton. Shirley Higton is a activist who writes songs concerning local news and issues. Shirley wrote and recorded the Badger Boys song in a day and posted it on Brian's Save Me website. A youtube video was created for the song and Brian helped her record a new version featuring him on guitar.
Save The Badger Badger Badger 1:11
Appears on: iTunes Save The Badger Badger Badger Download
In 2013, Brian May wrote a tongue-in-cheek comedy track called Save The Badger Badger Badger. The song was used to raise awareness and money for Brian's anti-cull crusade. The track features elements fromg Flash's Theme, new guitar from Brian, and a audio cameo from Brian Blessed. UK Internet personality Jonathan Picking (a.k.a. Weebl) created a flash animation to accompany the theme.
Badger Swagger 4:18
Appears on: iTunes Badger Swagger Download
The Artful Badger connected with Brian May via Twitter earlier in 2013 around the Badger Swagger campaign and project and he was invited to become a guest artist on the track. The Badger Swagger project grew, featuring many artists and personalities. The list of artists includes Brian May (guitar, piano, writer), Slash (guitar), Shara Nelson (vocals), Kerry Ellis (vocals), David Attenborough (spoken word), Sonny Green (rap and verse lyrics), Sam Ritchie (brass arrangement), Sam And The Womp, Rob Cass (music producer and project initiator). As part of the video, the Artful Badger team put out a social media call to the British public to be apart of a flash mob dance outside of Parliament.
Badger Boys 2:27
Appears on: iTunes Badger Boys Download
Badger Boys, credited to Shirley Higton and the Badger Bovver Boys, is a protest song sung by Sirley Higton. Shirley Higton is a activist who writes songs concerning local news and issues. Shirley wrote and recorded the Badger Boys song in a day and posted it on Brian's Save Me website. A youtube video was created for the song and Brian helped her record a new version featuring him on guitar.
Burns Red Special Demonstration
Burns Red Special A-B Tests 3:23
Appears on: Guitarist Magazine promo CD
The November 2001 issue of Guitarist magazine featured a bonus CD featuring Brian May testing out the new Burns Red Special guitar. Here, Brian compares the old Red Special with the new Burns copy by playing one and then the other.
Sideburns 1:21
Appears on: Guitarist Magazine promo CD
Brian ends the Burns Red Special demonstration with an original piece, called Sideburns. Sideburns is an actual produced track with a Duck Productions copyright. Justin Shirley-Smith plays a programmed drum track for Brian to play along to. The track starts with an intro from Brian before he starts to play. There are several layers of guitars on this instrumental. The track ends with Brian naming the track and thanking the listeners.
Appears on: Guitarist Magazine promo CD
The November 2001 issue of Guitarist magazine featured a bonus CD featuring Brian May testing out the new Burns Red Special guitar. Here, Brian compares the old Red Special with the new Burns copy by playing one and then the other.
Sideburns 1:21
Appears on: Guitarist Magazine promo CD
Brian ends the Burns Red Special demonstration with an original piece, called Sideburns. Sideburns is an actual produced track with a Duck Productions copyright. Justin Shirley-Smith plays a programmed drum track for Brian to play along to. The track starts with an intro from Brian before he starts to play. There are several layers of guitars on this instrumental. The track ends with Brian naming the track and thanking the listeners.
Fun At The Funeral Parlour
Fun At The Funeral Parlour (Opening
Theme) 0:21
Appears on: Unreleased
Fun At The Funeral Parlour was a BBC Choice comedy series that ran two seasons (2001 and 2002). The series was written and star Rhys Thomas, who later produced the Queen/Freddie Mercury documentaies Days Of Our Lives and The Great Pretender. The main theme is Brian May performing the funeral march, followed by an up tempo guitar riff.
Fun At The Funeral Parlour (Closing Theme) 0:56
Appears on: Unreleased
The closing theme of Fun At The Funeral Parlour was played during the credits of the show. It is not a rehash of the opening theme, rather it is an original theme. The song is very big and grand, but still retains the same style as the opening theme.
Appears on: Unreleased
Fun At The Funeral Parlour was a BBC Choice comedy series that ran two seasons (2001 and 2002). The series was written and star Rhys Thomas, who later produced the Queen/Freddie Mercury documentaies Days Of Our Lives and The Great Pretender. The main theme is Brian May performing the funeral march, followed by an up tempo guitar riff.
Fun At The Funeral Parlour (Closing Theme) 0:56
Appears on: Unreleased
The closing theme of Fun At The Funeral Parlour was played during the credits of the show. It is not a rehash of the opening theme, rather it is an original theme. The song is very big and grand, but still retains the same style as the opening theme.
(I Don't Want Nobody) Teasin' Around (With Me)
(I Don't Want Nobody) Teasin'
Around (With Me) 3:49
Appears on: Japan Good Rockin' Tonight - Legacy Of Sun Records CD
Good Rockin' Tonight - Legacy of Sun Records was a CD released that featured many famous artists covering famous tracks from the legendary Sun Records label. The japanese version of the CD features extra, unlisted tracks not found on the UK version. One of those tracks is Brian May covering (I Don't Want Nobody) Teasin' Around (With Me), originally by Billy "The Kid" Emerson. This is a fantastic cover from Brian and is worth tracking down.
Appears on: Japan Good Rockin' Tonight - Legacy Of Sun Records CD
Good Rockin' Tonight - Legacy of Sun Records was a CD released that featured many famous artists covering famous tracks from the legendary Sun Records label. The japanese version of the CD features extra, unlisted tracks not found on the UK version. One of those tracks is Brian May covering (I Don't Want Nobody) Teasin' Around (With Me), originally by Billy "The Kid" Emerson. This is a fantastic cover from Brian and is worth tracking down.
Macbeth
Brian May wrote and performed the music for the Red and
Gold Theatre Company's 1987 and 1990 productions of Macbeth. The production
was performed at The London Riverside Studios. The soundtrack was recorded
entirely on computer. The versions listed below are all demos Brian made
on computer. The tracks have no vocals or non-synthesized instruments
(meaning no red special or guitar).
Macbeth (Main Theme OST PC Demo) 4:58
Appears on: Unreleased
Fanfare (OST PC Demo) 0:40
Appears on: Unreleased
Harpeggio (OST PC Demo) 0:20
Appears on: Unreleased
Minuette (OST PC Demo) 0:20
Appears on: Unreleased
No. 23 (OST PC Demo) 0:16
Appears on: Unreleased
Macbeth (Main Theme OST PC Demo) 4:58
Appears on: Unreleased
Fanfare (OST PC Demo) 0:40
Appears on: Unreleased
Harpeggio (OST PC Demo) 0:20
Appears on: Unreleased
Minuette (OST PC Demo) 0:20
Appears on: Unreleased
No. 23 (OST PC Demo) 0:16
Appears on: Unreleased
My Boy
My Boy 2:02
Appears on: Lullabies With A Difference CD, Another World 2CD Deluxe Edition (2022), Another World Box Set (2022)
My Boy is rumored to have been originally recorded in 1982, during Queen's Hot Space sessions. It is unknown if it was intended to be a Queen song or a Brian solo track at the time. A Brian May solo version was finallly released in 1999 on the Lullabies With A Difference compilation CD. It is a fantastic slow track, featuring just Brian on vocals, piano, and all other instrumentation. Although the recording date of the version that is featured on Lullabies With A Difference is ambiguous, it can be assumed it was recorded during the Another World sessions, due to its inclusion on the Another World Gold Series Deluxe Edition 2 CD set.
Appears on: Lullabies With A Difference CD, Another World 2CD Deluxe Edition (2022), Another World Box Set (2022)
My Boy is rumored to have been originally recorded in 1982, during Queen's Hot Space sessions. It is unknown if it was intended to be a Queen song or a Brian solo track at the time. A Brian May solo version was finallly released in 1999 on the Lullabies With A Difference compilation CD. It is a fantastic slow track, featuring just Brian on vocals, piano, and all other instrumentation. Although the recording date of the version that is featured on Lullabies With A Difference is ambiguous, it can be assumed it was recorded during the Another World sessions, due to its inclusion on the Another World Gold Series Deluxe Edition 2 CD set.
The Stretch
The Stretch 1:08
Appears on: Unreleased
Brian May performed the main theme of the two-part British miniseries, The Stretch. The mini-series starred Brian's wife Anita Dobson and her East Enders co-star Leslie Grantham. The Stretch aired on Sky One on November 12, 2000 and November 19, 2000. Unlike Brian's previous theme work, it is guitar based, featuring him playing the Red Special. There are some programmed drums and effects to fill out the track, but it is primarily guitar based.
Appears on: Unreleased
Brian May performed the main theme of the two-part British miniseries, The Stretch. The mini-series starred Brian's wife Anita Dobson and her East Enders co-star Leslie Grantham. The Stretch aired on Sky One on November 12, 2000 and November 19, 2000. Unlike Brian's previous theme work, it is guitar based, featuring him playing the Red Special. There are some programmed drums and effects to fill out the track, but it is primarily guitar based.
Thames TV Olympic Theme
Thames TV Olympic Theme 3:26
Appears on: Unreleased
Both Brian May and Roger Taylor were approached by UK television station Thames to produce music for the 1988 Olympic games. Ultimately, neither one of their themes were chosen. Brian's theme is synthesizer based (think of his work on the Flash Gordon Soundtrack). Much of it is programmed, but there some bits of guitar here and there, including a guitar solo near the end.
Appears on: Unreleased
Both Brian May and Roger Taylor were approached by UK television station Thames to produce music for the 1988 Olympic games. Ultimately, neither one of their themes were chosen. Brian's theme is synthesizer based (think of his work on the Flash Gordon Soundtrack). Much of it is programmed, but there some bits of guitar here and there, including a guitar solo near the end.