Following the recent announcement that a deluxe reissue of Brian May's 1992 debut solo effort, Back to the Light, will be released on August 6, the Queen guitarist has now made available a remastered version of the album's first single, "Driven by You," via digital formats.
"Driven by You" was first released in November 1991, and peaked at #6 on the U.K. singles chart.
May originally wrote the tune for a U.K. Ford car commercial, and he later turned it into a full-length song. Brian says he played the tune for Freddie Mercury near the end of the late Queen frontman's life, and recalls that the singer was very encouraging about the song.
"[Freddie] said, 'It's beautiful, it's great, it's very complete in its own way, you should [sing] it,'" May notes. "And he said…'You know we're all thinking and wondering what's going to happen to me, and you don't have to feel embarrassed about it. You know you should be thinking about your solo career at this time and if this is the beginning of your solo career then it's a very worthy beginning."
In conjunction with the release of the remastered "Driven by You," a 30th anniversary edit of the song's music video has premiered at May's official YouTube channel. The clip includes footage of Brian performing the tune live for the first time at the 1991 Guitar Legends concert in Seville, Spain, with a backing band that featured drummer Cozy Powell, ex-Whitesnake bassist Neil Murray, guitar whiz Steve Vai and Yes keyboardist Rick Wakeman.
As previously reported, the Back to the Light reissue will be available in multiple formats, including a box set and two-CD edition that features a bonus disc boasting alternate studio tracks, live performances and more.
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