Queen's Sir Brian May reveals the band hated their first music video because 'it didn't feel rock and roll' and 'looked like something on ITV'

Sir Brian May has revealed that the band hated their first music video because 'it didn't feel like rock and roll' and ordered it to be re-shot. 

The Queen guitarist, 77, made the surprising admission on their YouTube series, Queen The Greatest Special: Behind The Promo Videos. 

The music legend was speaking alongside drummer Roger Taylor, 75, about their single Keep Yourself Alive from 1973.

The duo revealed that the band didn't like their first music promo video for the hit song and explained they thought the lighting was off and the whole thing looked 'clinical'.

Brian explained that they had wanted a video of themselves playing on a sound stage to send off to TV shows and to spread the word about their upcoming album so they asked some production staff at their record label.

But after taking to the stage and playing their latest release, they realised some major changes needed to be made.

Brian said: 'We engaged them [production assistants] to make us a video of us playing on a soundstage.

'Somebody took care of the lighting, Michael Mansfield directed and we did our best and when we saw the end result we hated it.

'Because somehow the whole thing had become very well lit and looked clinical, it had no atmosphere. 

'It looked like we were dummies onstage - it didn't feel like rock and roll at all.'

Roger added: 'That nasty video, very ITV, it didn't look good. It was early days'.

And after some discussion the band took on creative control and re-shot the video with a black stage and coloured lighting, and the rest is history. 

The confession comes as Brian and Roger also revealed their very first TV appearance didn't even feature the band. 

Brian recalled how, in 1973, as the band were preparing to release their debut album Queen, they were trying to get themselves featured on TV shows including The Old Grey Whistle Test and Top of the Pops. 

But without a video they were struggling to make headway until they were told they would be featuring on the BBC show.

The pair revealed they were shocked when they switched on the programme to discover a quirky animation had been made to accompany their single.

Brian explained: 'We had heard from someone that The Old Grey Whistle Test wanted to play Keep Yourself Alive and I remember going back to my parents and it was going to be on the TV.

'So we were glued to the TV and suddenly there's this little train coming along an we were mesmerised and someone had put together a really nice video. 

'They didn't have any footage of us so they couldn't put together a performance video.' 

Roger added: 'That was our first TV appearance we weren't in it!'.

Brian's appearance on the documentary comes after his wife Anita Dobson gave a health update on her husband, after he suffered a stroke in September and was left unable to use his arm.

The Queen star revealed he had been rushed to hospital following the medical emergency in a video shared to his personal website.

But his wife Anita, 75, has reassured fans that the legendary guitarist's condition has 'stabilised' and he's back to playing piano and guitar.

Speaking to The Mirror at the TRIC Christmas Lunch last week, the EastEnders actress said: 'He’s much better now, he’s stabilised now, which is brilliant.

'I just hope we don’t have any more reoccurrences. He’s got the use of that arm, which was a bit of a challenge, back now.

'So, yeah, he’s good to go now. He’s playing the piano quite a lot in the house. He likes a lot of Beethoven. I love it - the piano in the house is really, just very relaxing.'