Brian Harold May, CBE (born 19 July 1947) is a British musician and astrophysicist most widely known as the lead guitarist of the rock band Queen. As a guitarist he uses his home built guitar, "Red Special", and has composed hits such as "Now I'm Here", "Tie Your Mother Down", "We Will Rock You", "Who Wants to Live Forever", "Hammer to Fall", "Save Me", "Fat Bottomed Girls", "I Want It All" and "Too Much Love Will Kill You".May earned a PhD in astrophysics in 2007 and is currently the chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University.He was made Commander of the Order of the British Empire in 2005 for "services to the music industry".In 2005, a Planet Rock poll saw May voted the 7th greatest guitarist of all time.