Brian May
Back To The Light


Tracks:

1. The Dark
2. Back to the Light
3. Love Token
4. Resurrection
5. Too Much Love Will Kill You
6. Driven by You
7. Nothin' But Blue
8. I'm Scared
9. Last Horizon
10. Let Your Heart Rule Your Head
11. Just One Life
12. Rollin' Over

Line up:

Brian May - Guitar, Vocals, Backing Vocals, Keyboards
Matt Alfonzetti - Lead Vocals
Gary Tibbs - Bass
Neil Murray - Bass
John Deacon - Bass
Cozy Powell - Drums (on track 2, 3, 4, 7, 8)
Geoff Dugmore - Drums
Mike Moran - Piano, Keyboards
Don Airey - Keyboards (on track 4, 7)
Suzie O'List - Backing Vocals
Gill O'Donovan - Backing Vocals

Record Label / Year of Release:

Parlophone Records 1992

Notes:

Back to the Light is the first solo effort of Queen's guitarist Brian May and his second non-Queen album. It was recorded between 1988 and 1992 at the Allerton Hill Studios, mixed at the Metropolis Studios and then released on September 28, 1992 in the UK. The album would be released in the United States and Canada on February 2, 1993 with a different cover.

The album contains the hits "Too Much Love Will Kill You" and "Driven by You".

An alternate version of "Too Much Love Will Kill You" was also recorded by Queen and can be found on their Made in Heaven album (1995), with vocals by Freddie Mercury. Brian May also recorded an instrumental guitar version of the song.

An alternate "explicit" version of "Love Token" was recorded with lyrics which may have been deemed offensive by the record label. The lyric "shit for brains" was replaced by "meat for brains," while the lyrics "well fuck you" were replaced by "that's a shame." The original "explicit" version was never officially released except on a free CD packaged with RCD Magazine, Vol. 4.

Three more versions of "Driven by You" are known. The first was made famous in a Ford advertisement, with slightly altered lyrics. Another one is a rare instrumental remix of the song, called "Driven by You Too." The last was a rock re-mix with a new drum track from Cozy Powell for the US release of Back to the Light as a bonus track.

Re-released in 2021 in various formats and with bonus CD.

In terms of formats, there's a remastered CD edition, a 2CD edition with a bonus disc and a new vinyl version. A collector's edition deluxe box set includes both CDs and an exclusive white vinyl version of the album. The box set also includes a 32-page book, a 12" art print, a download card and an enamel badge and is presented in a lift-lid box. A signed version was limited to 1000 copies via Queen's site but has already sold out!

Brian May Gold Series launched with expanded reissue of Back To The Light. Queen guitarist Brian May is to reissue his 1992 solo album Back To The Light. The album, which has been unavailable for some time, will be rereleased on August 6 and form part of the newly announced Brian May Gold Series.

CD 2 (Out of the Light):

01. Nothin' But Blue (Guitar Version)
02. Too Much Love Will Kill You (Guitar Version)
03. Just One Life (Guitar Version)
04. Driven By You Two
05. Driven By You (Ford Ad Version)
06. Tie Your Mother Down (Live On The Tonight Show With Slash 1993)
07. Too Much Love Will Kill You (Live At The Palace Theatre, Los Angeles 1993)
08. '39 Let Your Heart Rule Your Head (Live At The Brixton Academy 1993)
09. Last Horizon (Live At The Brixton Academy 1993)
10. We Will Rock You (Live At The Brixton Academy 1993)
11. Driven By You (Cozy And Neil Version)