Brian May greatest guitarist of all time. He was ranked at No. 26 on "Rolling Stone" magazine's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time". In 2012, he was ranked the 2nd greatest guitarist in a "Guitar World" magazine readers poll. May was appointed a CBE by Queen Elizabeth II in 2005 for "services to the music industry and for charity work". May earned a PhD in astrophysics from Imperial College London in 2007, and was Chancellor of Liverpool John Moores University from 2008 to 2013. He was a "science team collaborator" with NASA's New Horizons Pluto mission. He is also
Smile (band) Smile (band) Smile was an English rock band based in London, best known as the predecessor to renowned rock band Queen. The band was formed in 1968 by Brian May, who went on to become Queen's guitarist. It included Tim Staffell as lead singer and bass guitarist, and later, drummer Roger Taylor, who also went on to play for Queen. They recorded only six songs and disbanded in 1970. In 1968, Brian May, a student at London's Imperial College, and Tim Staffell formed a group when May placed an advertisement on the college notice board for a "Ginger Baker type"