Star Fleet Project

Last updated

Star Fleet Project
Starflet3pq.jpg
EP by
Brian May + Friends
Released31 October 1983, November 1983
Recorded21–22 April 1983
Studio The Record Plant, Los Angeles
Genre
Length28:11
Label Capitol
Singles from Star Fleet Project
  1. "Star Fleet"
    Released: 1983

Star Fleet Project is a solo project of Brian May, Queen's guitarist, and a mini-album of the same name. Released as the work of Brian May + Friends, the album features May, guitarist Eddie Van Halen, drummer Alan Gratzer (then of REO Speedwagon), Phil Chen (session bassist who played with Jeff Beck and Rod Stewart), and Fred Mandel (keyboard player for Alice Cooper and additional keyboard player on Queen's Hot Space Tour and The Works ). "[T]he result is high-octane rockist instrumentals, instantly Queenish, and not unlike Flash with added fretboard pyrotechnics". [1] The tapes were not intended to be released and received minimal mixing. [2] "Star Fleet Project was called a 'mini-album' by [May] because he thought it ... too short to be a proper album, but too long to be even an EP single". [3]

Contents

The EP was re-released along with a collection of other session recordings and alternate takes titled Star Fleet Sessions on 14 July 2023. [4]

Production

The idea for the album came from May's son Jimmy, a fan of Star Fleet, the English title of Japanese sci-fi puppet TV show X-Bomber . [5] The show, which aired on Saturday mornings, "was compulsive regular viewing for [May] and his 4-year-old son Jimmy ... inspiring [May]'s attachment to its title song". [6] [7] "It was my little boy who really got me keen on it. He said, 'Daddy, Daddy, get up, it's time for Star Fleet!' I had to rush out of bed and tumble downstairs and we used to watch it. I was very keen on the music and a couple of verses at the end, and I thought, 'One day I should do something because it would be great.' And I could hear it buzzing around in my head the way I wanted to do it." [8] "[M]y little boy had been watching this science fiction series and I always thought that the theme tune for it would be a great vehicle for all-out guitar playing". [9] "And [Jim] said, 'Daddy, you should play that!', and I thought, 'Actually, that's a rather good piece of music!'" [10] "If [composer] Paul [Bliss] hadn't written a very catchy song as the theme tune for that kid's TV science fiction drama series, things would have been different," said May. "The signature tune began to stick in my head, and I could hear my own arrangement of the tune developing in my mind. But how to record it?" [11]

There was a seven-month period between when May watched the show with his son and the mini-LP's recording. [12] "We were all in a little bit of downtime in our own projects. Queen was in a bit of a hiatus, and I think Van Halen weren't doing too much and my neighbour [in Los Angeles] Alan Gratzer from R.E.O. [Speedwagon] wasn't doing much and we got together". [13] "I just played [the theme tune] to them, and they were all people who I liked as friends and people who I admired as musicians, and I made a little demo I'd done on acoustic guitar and made a little demo tape of how I wanted it to be and they said 'Great, that sounds fine, let's try.'" [8] Recorded on 21 and 22 April 1983 at the Record Plant Studios, Los Angeles, California, [5] the mini-album was released in October that same year. The record consists of three songs: "Star Fleet", "Let Me Out", and "Blues Breaker". The album name apparently comes from the title track: "Because one song was called 'Star Fleet', [May] dubbed the jam session ... Star Fleet Project". [14]

"Star Fleet", May's hard-rock arrangement of the Star Fleet theme tune with "extended soloing", [15] "soars on more sheer guitar power as the piece is translated into interstellar heavy metal", [16] with heavy emphasis on May's and Van Halen's guitar work, as May "intended to provide a platform for Van Halen's soloing skills with ... Star Fleet". [17] The "strongest" track, the song "[carries] both the energy and full flavor of an early Queen work". [18] "Van Halen's and May's guitar solos bounce off one another like playful lions". [19] This "[bouncing] off one another" is intended, as May explained: "I wanted to play in a sympathetic way to him, to supply the great rhythms that he could play to. I wanted to be the perfect rhythm guitarist, and I grew up as a rhythm guitarist, so that's natural to me. But when we were trading solos ... we were feeding off each other .... We'd never played together before, and yet the chemistry is there. It was as spontaneous as anything could be". [20] "Edward played the solo on 'Star Fleet' three times. Each time it was incredible. Each time it was different". [21] Prior to beginning work on the project, May "attempted to get in touch with the song's writer, British keyboardist Paul Bliss, but was unsuccessful until after the Star Fleet Project was completed." [22] Of this attempted contact, May said, "I tried to get in touch with the guy who had written the song, Paul Bliss, and couldn't at the time. So I pressed on and did some arrangement around a couple of verses and wrote extra middle bit for it. Later I got in touch with him, and he said it was a pity that I couldn't find him in the early days because he's got some more verse in the middle – which I'm dying to hear – but it was too late for the project. My song does follow his musical theme, and I used the verse he wrote." [23] Apparently "Brian sent a signed copy of the finished [mini-album] to ... Bliss, with a message thanking him for his composition". [24]

"Let Me Out", "an old song of [May's] which found new life", [5] "turns into a blues jam, with Brian and Van Halen trading licks". [16] "[Not as] structured", the song "does carry a nice, bluesy swagger". [18] During this song, "Edward tortures his top string to its audible death and winds up quite naturally on the remaining five". [5] The song "received its first live performance on 7 December 1990 at the Astoria Theatre, when Brian guest-starred on guitar for the last four minutes of The Cross' Fan Club gig ....[and got] one additional airing on 7 July 2001 at [the Auditorium Stravinksi] as part of the Montreux Jazz Festival), with Brian on guitars and vocals, Jon Clearly on piano, Chris Spedding on guitar, John Hatton on bass, Bernie Dresel on drums, and Emily [May], [Jim May], and Anita [Dobson] providing backing vocals." [25] [26] "Queen fans may enjoy the piano blues 'Let Me Out' best, as it sounds like it would have fit right in on News of the World . I can imagine Freddie putting his spin on it quite easily. Brian takes the first solo, but next time he says 'Help me, Edward!' and it's Van Halen playing the blues .... Brian and [Edward] alternate, and then [Edward] blazes the fretboard shredder style." [27] The song "wouldn't have sounded out of place on a Queen album ... [and] there are ... some Queen-esque vocal harmonies on the chorus". [15]

"Blues Breaker", "a 13-minute piece of improvisation highlighted by the attacks and counter-attacks of May and Van Halen", [18] "a masterpiece ... for its pure spontaneity", [16] is a "long blues jam (edited together from several recorded that day), with no lyrics or vocals .... The liner notes dedicate this piece to E. C. (Eric Clapton), and that's where the name comes from." [28] "[W]hen we started ... the Blues Breaker track, I think we kind of had Eric Clapton in our minds and the people that Clapton would revere like [B.B.] King, Muddy Waters; it was the power of the blues which made us gel. I remember [Edward] saying, 'You know, you got me to play today in a way that I haven't played for years.' Just simple and from the heart and with that kind of feeling." [13] Heavy metal magazine Kerrang! said that the song "has something epic, as if every one of the players touched deep into [the] collective music lexicon, and promptly replied to his previous speaker." [29] This song and "Let Me Out" were more spontaneous than "Star Fleet", with May showing off his signature sound and Van Halen using his unique tapping technique to great effect. "May sent ... 'Blues Breaker' to Eric Clapton, who reportedly found the song to be not terribly bluesy. [Edward Van Halen] was greatly disappointed." [14] More than finding the song "not terribly bluesy", Clapton took insult from the song, finding it horrible. [30] "May was on the defensive when he talked about 'Bluesbreaker', a lengthy jam dedicated to Eric Clapton, which took up all of side two: 'It seemed very indulgent putting out a long jam, but having listened to it, I think it's worthwhile ... it's rock blues with all the mistakes left in.'" [31] "Van Halen throws in some tapping and rapid runs as the track progresses whilst May ... keeps it simple but effective .... Fred Mandel gets a piano solo spot ... before the track double-times for the final bars." [15] On the types of guitarists he liked at the time, May told Dave Heffernan in an interview for RTE: "I prefer the kind of people like Jeff Beck or, I mean still Clapton and still Hendrix, I'm very ... maybe call me old-fashioned, I don't know, but also say, Edward Van Halen." [32]

On the mini-album as a whole, Van Halen said:

That was just a get-together jam. [May] invited me down to ... Record Plant and we played .... After we played, he called me up about four months later and asked what I thought about putting the stuff out. And I said, "Send me the tape, let me hear it first," because I didn't remember how it went. He did and said, "Sure, what the hell." It reeks of fun. [33]

Releases

The project was originally released on Halloween, 31 October 1983, and was later re-released in November of that year. [34]

Capitol released "[a] shorter edit of 'Starfleet' ... [a] move [which] proved to be a disaster". [35] .

Star Fleet Project was released on two CD formats. It was first re-issued as part of May's "Back to the Light" single, in two CDs: the first featured "Star Fleet" and "Let Me Out", the second "Blues Breaker".

In 1993, the songs were re-issued as tracks 6–8 of the Japanese mini-album Resurrection.

Reception

Although the album did not do well initially [34] —by the end of the year it reached No. 35 in the UK and No. 125 in the US, [36] with the "Star Fleet" single being counted as "a non-starter at 65" [34] that "received no daytime radio airplay", [35] individuals took a liking to the mini-LP—so much so that by 1984, it was reported that the album was "already a cult guitar favorite. Where solo efforts often tend to be politely applauded and then forgotten as an artist's 'indulgence', the raw power of this album has given it instant, unanticipated acceptance .... [May admitted:] 'I must contest I still enjoy it — I still put it on the record player and like what I hear.'" [37] "[O]n this album May is able to let loose and allow his blues influences to show through .... [T]he expert musicianship shows through in such a way that makes [the album] worth purchasing." [19] "[T]here is so much spirited byplay among ... May and ... Van Halen ... Alan Gratzer ... Phil Chen and ... Fred Mandel that [the mini-album] was just too good to be left sitting in the can." [18] Star Fleet Project was voted Best Spontaneous Recording by Hope College in 1984. [38] In a televised interview with Roger Taylor, also in 1984, May's "interest in [Star Fleet had become] quite well known", to the point where it was openly referenced in a televised interview as an introduction to the 'Star Fleet' music video. [39] The titular song "lived on – at the conclusion of 'One Vision' on the 1986 Magic tour, [Queen] launched into the ascending false conclusion [of 'Star Fleet'] before [going] into 'Tie Your Mother Down'." [40] This occurred at Råsundastadion [41] and Wembley. [42] By 1993, general perception of the mini-album was favorable, as Joe Kleon wrote in Scene magazine: "[May] has appeared in many projects, including the highly-acclaimed 'Star Fleet Project' released in 1983 with [Edward] Van Halen." [43] Referencing Star Fleet Project in comparison to the Ultima Thule Mix of May's song New Horizons, Rolling Stone journalist Kory Grow wrote that "May's first-ever solo recording was also a tribute to space travel." [44]

Re-release

In late 2021, May stated that Star Fleet Project would be re-released following re-releases of Back to the Light and Another World . "I'm going to do Star Fleet, which is the one with Eddie Van Halen, after that." [45] Following Van Halen's death on 6 October 2020, May stated that "[a]t some point it would be lovely to revisit [Star Fleet Project] in depth, but at the moment I'm not. It doesn't feel right now." [9]

On the order of re-releases, May explained, "I didn't want to do [Star Fleet] first, because I wanted to put my proper solo album out first .... I'll do [Back to the Light] first, Another World and then the third one will be Star Fleet." [21] Another World was re-released on 22 April 2022. [46] As of late November 2022, the re-release process had begun, with May stating that he had begun "'working on the Star Fleet box set, which is number 3 in the Brian May Gold Series, and probably to be released halfway into next year.'" [47] [48] May additionally admitted, "I was never fond of the original mix of 'Star Fleet', the single, so we cleaned that up. Now, EVH's sound is larger than life. You'll hear the development of Eddie's solo, which I always thought was one of the greatest things he did ... a real immortal classic of Ed Van Halen pieces." [49] This re-release is set to include "'every take of every song,' along with conversations, outtakes and musical experimentation recorded during the sessions." [50]

On 1 June 2023, May announced the official re-released was available for preorder, and would be released worldwide on 14 July 2023, days before his 76th birthday. [4] The digital single "Star Fleet" was released on 1 June 2023. The 14 July release, titled Star Fleet Sessions, includes "a spectacular 23-track CD filled with previously unreleased material. Containing 2 CDs, 1 vinyl LP, and a vinyl single, as well as other collector's items." [4]

As part of the marketing for the re-release, May uploaded two videos to his YouTube channels, one promoting the preorder, another of the digital version of "Star Fleet". [51] [52]

Merchandising

At least two black long sleeve t-shirts with a yellow Star Fleet star was manufactured, one of which May owned and wore on multiple occasions throughout the 1980s. [53] In November or December 1983, May wore his shirt during an interview about Star Fleet Project with The Saturday Show's Scott G. Reilly, and had another shirt in his lap. There was a Star Fleet-themed quiz as part of the day's program, the winner had to know Dai-X's name to win a copy of the mini-album, a Star Fleet video cassette tape, and a Star Fleet shirt. [8]

With the re-release of Star Fleet Project in 2023, new merchandise was produced and sold, some of it drawing from previous merchandise, such as a cassette tape of the project, long-sleeve shirt, and multiple vinyl records, as well as original designs for tee shirts—such as one with the Red Special and Frankenstrat crossed—and a mug. [54]

Track listing

Star Fleet Project track listing
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Star Fleet"Paul Bliss/arr. Brian May8:04
2."Let Me Out"May7:13
3."Blues Breaker"May/Edward Van Halen/Alan Gratzer/Phil Chen/Fred Mandel12:48

Personnel

Charts

Chart performance for Star Fleet Project
Chart (1983)Peak
position
UK Albums (OCC) [57] 35
US Billboard 200 [58] 125
Chart performance for Star Fleet Sessions
Chart (2023)Peak
position
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100) [59] 20
Japanese Albums (Oricon) [60] 23
Japanese Hot Albums ( Billboard Japan ) [61] 32
Scottish Albums (OCC) [62] 3
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade) [63] 23
UK Albums (OCC) [64] 35
US Top Album Sales (Billboard) [65] 69

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eric Clapton</span> English guitarist, singer, and songwriter (born 1945)

Eric Patrick Clapton is an English rock and blues guitarist, singer, and songwriter. He is regarded as one of the most successful and influential guitarists in rock music. He ranked second in Rolling Stone's list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" and fourth in Gibson's "Top 50 Guitarists of All Time". In 2023, Rolling Stone named Clapton the 35th best guitarist of all time. He was also named number five in Time magazine's list of "The 10 Best Electric Guitar Players" in 2009.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brian May</span> English musician (born 1947)

Sir Brian Harold May is an English musician, songwriter, record producer, animal rights activist and astrophysicist. He achieved worldwide fame as the lead guitarist and backing vocalist of the rock band Queen, which he co-founded with singer Freddie Mercury and drummer Roger Taylor. His guitar work and songwriting contributions helped Queen become one of the most successful acts in music history.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Van Halen</span> American rock band (1973–2020)

Van Halen was an American rock band formed in Pasadena, California, in 1973. Credited with restoring hard rock to the forefront of the music scene, Van Halen was known for their energetic live performances and for the virtuosity of its guitarist, Eddie Van Halen. The band was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2007.

<i>Van Halen</i> (album) 1978 studio album by Van Halen

Van Halen is the debut studio album by American rock band Van Halen, released on February 10, 1978, by Warner Bros. Records. Widely regarded as one of the greatest debut albums in rock music, the album was a major commercial success, peaking at number 19 on the Billboard 200. It has sold more than 10 million copies in the United States, receiving a Diamond certification from the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and making it one of the best-selling albums in the country.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Taylor Hawkins</span> American drummer (1972–2022)

Oliver Taylor Hawkins was an American musician who was best known as the drummer of the rock band Foo Fighters. Joining the band in 1997, Hawkins quickly became one of the group's most recognizable faces. He remained the band’s drummer for over 25 years until his sudden death in 2022. He recorded eight studio albums with the band between 1999 and 2021. Before joining the band, he was a touring drummer for Sass Jordan and Alanis Morissette, as well as the drummer of the progressive experimental band Sylvia.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Extreme (band)</span> American rock band

Extreme are an American rock band formed in Boston, Massachusetts, in 1985, that reached the height of their popularity in the late 1980s and early 1990s. They have released six studio albums, two EPs and two compilation albums since their formation. The band was one of the most successful rock acts of the early 1990s, selling over 10 million albums worldwide.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">David Lee Roth</span> American singer

David Lee Roth is an American rock singer. Known for his wild and energetic stage persona, he was the lead vocalist of the hard rock band Van Halen for three stints: from 1974 to 1985, during 1996, and from 2006 to when they disbanded in 2020. He has also had a successful solo career, releasing numerous RIAA-certified Gold and Platinum albums. After more than two decades apart, Roth re-joined Van Halen in 2006 for a North American tour that became the highest-grossing in the band's history, and one of the highest-grossing of that year. In 2007, he was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Van Halen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gary Cherone</span> American singer

Gary Francis Caine Cherone is an American rock singer and songwriter. Cherone is known for his work as the lead vocalist of the Boston rock group Extreme and Van Halen. He has also released solo recordings. In 2007, he reunited with Extreme.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">You Really Got Me</span> 1964 single by the Kinks

"You Really Got Me" is a song by English rock band the Kinks, written by frontman Ray Davies. The song, originally performed in a more blues-orientated style, was inspired by artists such as Lead Belly and Big Bill Broonzy. Two versions were recorded, with the second performance used for the final single. Lead guitarist Dave Davies performs the song’s famous guitar solo. Although it was long rumoured that future Led Zeppelin guitarist Jimmy Page had performed the song's guitar solo, this has been debunked by Page himself.

<i>Live: Right Here, Right Now</i> 1993 live album by Van Halen

Live: Right Here, Right Now. is the first live album by American rock band Van Halen, released in 1993. It is the band's only live album featuring Sammy Hagar and the only live album by Van Halen until the release of Tokyo Dome Live in Concert in 2015.

"Eruption" is a guitar solo performed by Eddie Van Halen and the second track from Van Halen's self-titled 1978 debut album. It is widely considered to be one of the greatest guitar solos of all time, having popularized tapping. It segues into a cover of the Kinks' "You Really Got Me", and the two songs are usually played together by radio stations and in concert. The song was later included as the B-side to the group's second single, "Runnin' with the Devil".

<i>Live Without a Net</i> (Van Halen video) 1986 video by Van Halen

Live Without a Net is a live concert video of Van Halen recorded in New Haven, Connecticut, in 1986, and released later that year. It was of their performance on August 17, 1986 at New Haven's Veterans Memorial Coliseum. The 90-minute release removed a few songs from the full performance. While the band attempted to record the previous night, audio problems prevented it from being used, although some video footage from that night would later surface in music videos. The concerts were part of the 5150 Tour, supporting the album of the same name, Van Halen's first with lead singer Sammy Hagar.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">It's Late</span> 1978 single by Queen

"It's Late" is a song written by Queen guitarist Brian May and performed by the band for their 1977 album, News of the World.

<i>The Works</i> (Queen album) 1984 studio album by Queen

The Works is the eleventh studio album by the British rock band Queen. It was released on 27 February 1984 by EMI Records just shortly after recording for the album had been completed in the United Kingdom and it is the band's first studio album to be released by Capitol Records in the United States. After the synth-heavy Hot Space (1982), the album saw the re-emergence of Brian May and Roger Taylor's rock sound, while still incorporating the early 80s retro futuristic electronic music and New York funk scenes. Recorded at the Record Plant Studios in Los Angeles, California, and Musicland Studios in Munich, Germany, from August 1983 to January 1984, the album's title comes from a comment Taylor made as recording began – "Let's give them the works!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wolfgang Van Halen</span> American musician

Wolfgang William Van Halen is an American musician. The son of actress Valerie Bertinelli and guitarist Eddie Van Halen, he performed alongside his father as the bassist for the rock band Van Halen from 2007 to 2020. He also performed with the heavy metal band Tremonti from 2012 to 2016. After his father's death in 2020 led to the disbandment of Van Halen, he began to focus on his solo project Mammoth WVH, in which he performs all instruments and vocals. His debut album Mammoth WVH was released in 2021, and his second album Mammoth II was released in 2023.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">When It's Love</span> 1988 single by Van Halen

"When It's Love" is a power ballad by American rock band Van Halen. It was released in 1988 as the second single from their eighth studio album OU812. It was the most popular song from that album, hitting #1 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock charts and #5 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart. The song has been a live performance staple since it was released in 1988. The song was also included in the set list for the band's ill-fated 1998 tour with Gary Cherone. Eddie Van Halen has stated that this particular guitar solo is a nod to Eric Clapton. It became their 3rd and last top 10 hit.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Star Fleet (song)</span> 1983 single by Brian May

"Star Fleet" is the debut solo single by English musician Brian May, the lead guitarist of Queen. It is taken from the end theme of the cult science fiction puppet series Star Fleet.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Eddie Van Halen</span> American rock guitarist (1955–2020)

Edward Lodewijk Van Halen was an American musician. He was the guitarist and primary songwriter of the rock band Van Halen, which he founded with his brother Alex in 1972. Van Halen also provided backing vocals for both David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar, and occasionally played the keyboard.

The David Lee Roth Band was Van Halen frontman David Lee Roth's backing band, formed in Pasadena, California. Originally featuring a supergroup lineup of guitarist Steve Vai, bassist Billy Sheehan, and drummer Gregg Bissonette, the band released numerous popular songs and albums from the mid-1980s until the late 1990s. Other well-known musicians in the David Lee Roth Band have included guitarist Jason Becker, guitarist Steve Hunter, guitarist John Lowery, bassist Matt Bissonette, drummer Ray Luzier, and keyboardist Danny Wagner. The backing band's well-known songs include "Yankee Rose", "Goin' Crazy!", "Shy Boy", "Just Like Paradise", "Stand Up", "Damn Good", "A Little Ain't Enough", "She's My Machine", and "Slam Dunk!".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mammoth WVH</span> American rock band

Mammoth WVH is an American rock band formed and fronted by Wolfgang Van Halen. The band name is a reference to both Wolfgang's initials and Mammoth, an earlier band that featured his father Eddie and uncle Alex prior to forming Van Halen. Wolfgang formed Mammoth WVH initially as a solo project while he was still a part of Van Halen, but became his full-time band after their disbandment in 2020 as a result of Eddie's death. To date, the band has released two albums: Mammoth WVH (2021) and Mammoth II (2023).

References

  1. Bentley, Mark (2015). "Living On Their Own: The Solo Work of Freddie Mercury, Brian May, John Deacon, and Roger Taylor—and Larry Lurex!" (PDF). Uncut. p. 118.
  2. "'Brian May and Friends: Star Fleet Project' with Eddie Van Halen". Van Halen News Desk. 31 October 2013. Archived from the original on 3 November 2013. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  3. Lemieux, Patrick; Unger, Adam (2018). The Queen Chronology: The Recording and Release History Of The Band (2nd ed.). Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Across The Board Books. pp. 60–61. ISBN   978-1-926462-10-3.
  4. 1 2 3 May, Brian (1 June 2023). "Announcing release: Star Fleet Sessions". Brian May. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  5. 1 2 3 4 5 "Star Fleet Project". Queen Vault. Archived from the original on 17 March 2013. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  6. "Brian May targets summer 2023 for box set re-release of the Star Fleet Project EP he recorded with Eddie Van Halen". Loudersound. 29 November 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  7. Peacock, Tim (1 June 2023). "Brian May Announces Expanded Boxset Edition Of 'Star Fleet Project'". UDiscoverMusic. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  8. 1 2 3 "Brian May interview 1983". YouTube. 4 February 2008. Archived from the original on 28 February 2023. Retrieved 28 February 2023.
  9. 1 2 Bird, Chris (18 December 2020). "Brian May pays tribute to his friend Eddie Van Halen: 'I miss his presence in the world'". Guitar World. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  10. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works. London: Titan Books. p. 271. ISBN   9780857685513.
  11. Lewry, Fraser (1 June 2023). "Brian May and Eddie Van Halen's Star Fleet Project to be reissued as massively expanded box set". LouderSound. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  12. Nugent, Baz (22 March 2019). "Songs In The Key of Geek: Star Fleet (1983)". Geekireland.com. Archived from the original on 6 August 2020. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  13. 1 2 Bird, Chris (9 July 2020). "Brian May: "I will never claim to be a great guitarist in the sense of a virtuoso. I just try to play from my heart"". Guitar World. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  14. 1 2 Dodds, Kevin (2011). Edward Van Halen: A Definitive Biography. Bloomington, Indiana: iUniverse. p. 104. ISBN   978-1-4620-5481-7.
  15. 1 2 3 Doherty, Andy (3 September 2009). "Brian May – Star Fleet Project (1983)". Rock Album Reviews. Archived from the original on 28 November 2011. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  16. 1 2 3 Bahadur, Raj (17–22 November 1983). "Records". Scene. p. 11. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  17. Kielty, Martin (21 December 2020). "Brian May's 'Moment of Great Joy' in Studio With Eddie Van Halen". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  18. 1 2 3 4 Lawson, Micheal (19 November 1983). "Records". The Star-Phoenix. pp. F12. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  19. 1 2 Collins, Arian (1 March 1984). "Album Review: Brian May Mini-LP Is More, Not Less". Vista. p. 9. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  20. Kietly, Martin (21 December 2020). "Brian May's 'Moment of Great Joy' in Studio With Eddie Van Halen". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  21. 1 2 Wardlaw, Matt (6 August 2021). "Brian May Shares Memories About GNR And Eddie Van Halen: Interview". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  22. Starks, Brad (Fall 1996). "The Making of Star Fleet Project". The Inside Magazine. No. 6. p. 25. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  23. Jas, Obrecht (1983). "Playback: The Making of an Album, Brian May's 'Star Fleet Project' with Eddie Van Halen". Guitar Player. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  24. 1 2 Chapman, Phil (2017). The Dead Straight Guide to Queen. This Day in Music Books. ISBN   9781787590502.
  25. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works (2nd ed.). London: Titan Books. p. 214. ISBN   9780857685513.
  26. Brian May Montreux Jazz Festival, Switzerland Saturday 07/07/2001 , retrieved 7 November 2021
  27. Ladano, Mike (21 September 2013). "Review: Brian May & Friends – Star Fleet Project (1983)". mikeladano. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  28. Lemieux, Patrick; Unger, Adam (2018). The Queen Chronology: The Recording and Release History Of The Band. Toronto, Ontario, Canada: Across The Board Books. p. 61. ISBN   978-1-926462-10-3.
  29. "Albums: Star Fleet". Queen Music Hall. Archived from the original on 7 November 2021. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  30. Kielty, Martin (31 October 2021). "When Eric Clapton Felt 'Insulted' by Eddie Van Halen, Brian May". Ultimate Classic Rock. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  31. McGrath, Robert (August 1987). "Queen Solo Releases". Record Collector. p. 37. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  32. "Brian May Interview 1986 (RTE)". YouTube. 30 November 2017. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  33. Guitar World Presents Van Halen. Milwaukee, Wisconsin: Backbeat Books. 2010. p. 114. ISBN   978-0-87930-969-5.
  34. 1 2 3 "Queen Diary". Metal Attack. 1992. Archived from the original on 25 May 2022. Retrieved 2 November 2021.
  35. 1 2 "Queen Solo". Record Collector. August 1991. p. 5. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  36. Crampton, Luke; Rees, Dafydd (1999). VH1 Rock Stars Encyclopedia. DK. p. 809. ISBN   9780789446138.
  37. "Brian May: Back To Where He Once Belonged". Faces. 1984. Archived from the original on 21 July 2017. Retrieved 6 November 2021.
  38. Kirk, Kraetzer; Todd, VerBeek (5 December 1984). "Recommended Records". The Anchor. Vol. 97, no. 11. Holland, Michigan. p. 7. Retrieved 7 November 2021.
  39. "Queen – rare interview 1984: Brian May & Roger Taylor". YouTube. 3 March 2016. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  40. Purvis, Georg (2011). Queen: Complete Works. London: Titan Books. pp. 271–272. ISBN   9780857685513.
  41. Queen - Live in Stockholm (June 7th, 1986) , retrieved 29 November 2021
  42. Queen – One Vision & Tie Your Mother Down – Live at Wembley 1986/07/12 [50fps] , retrieved 29 November 2021
  43. Kleon, Joe (4–10 February 1993). "Recordings". Scene. p. 17. Retrieved 22 June 2022.
  44. Grow, Kory (3 January 2019). "Hear Queen Guitarist Brian May's New Anthem to Space Travel". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  45. Prince, Patrick (9 November 2019). "Brian May goes "Back to the Light"". Gold Mine Mag. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  46. Sinclair, Paul (26 February 2022). "Brian May / Another World reissue". Super Deluxe Edition. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  47. May, Brian (25 November 2022). "Brian May: Feels great to be back in the studio 24/11/2022". YouTube. Archived from the original on 22 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  48. Amorosi, A.D. (16 November 2022). "Brian May on Revealing Queen's Creative Process With 'The Miracle' Box Set, Paying Tribute to Taylor Hawkins and Potential 2023 Tour". Variety. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  49. Maxwell, Jackson (21 November 2022). "Brian May Says a 'Star Fleet Project' Reissue, Featuring Previously Unreleased Outtakes, is Coming in 2023". Guitar Player. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  50. Kielty, Martin (18 November 2022). "Brian May Preps Expanded 'Star Fleet' Box With Eddie Van Halen". Ultimate Classic Rock. Archived from the original on 27 November 2022. Retrieved 22 April 2023.
  51. May, Brian (1 June 2023). "Star Fleet promo - 1 June 2023 - Brian May + Friends". YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  52. May, Brian (31 May 2023). "Star Fleet". YouTube. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  53. freddieseyeliner (3 November 2018). "ah,, yes Queen my favourite band featuring". Tumblr. Archived from the original on 21 April 2023. Retrieved 21 April 2023.
  54. "Queen Store Online". 1 June 2023. Retrieved 2 June 2023.
  55. "Queen Solo". Record Collector. August 1991. p. 6. Retrieved 4 June 2022.
  56. "Man of Many Hats". Eagle. 15 July 2021. Retrieved 19 May 2022.
  57. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  58. "Brian May Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved October 19, 2023.
  59. "Offiziellecharts.de – Brian May – Star Fleet Sessions" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  60. "Oricon Top 50 Albums: 2023-07-24/p/3" (in Japanese). Oricon. Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  61. "Billboard Japan Hot Albums – Week of July 19, 2023". Billboard Japan (in Japanese). Retrieved 19 July 2023.
  62. "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 22 July 2023.
  63. "Swisscharts.com – Brian May – Star Fleet Sessions". Hung Medien. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  64. "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 21 July 2023.
  65. "Brian May Chart History (Top Album Sales)". Billboard. Retrieved 29 July 2023.