Recently, Brian May, Queen’s famous lead guitarist, gave an interview on the U.S. radio show “Fresh Air,” in which he discusses some techniques of Queen soundscapes, his recent book of nineteenth century stereoscopic photographs, and his recently-completed doctorate in astrophysics.

As I listened to May’s delightful ruminating on all three topics, I was put in mind of the considered and considerable complexities of his mutual inhabiting of science and music, of astrophysics and rock. Here is a man who has both rock and physics at hand, and has each informing the other (listen to his discussion of the “stomp, stomp, clap” of “We Will Rock You”), while allowing both a relative autonomy in his practice (he writes books! he invents solos!).

The learned rock artist, or the rockish theologian, often shares a similar panoply of possibilities for their work: experienced in both domains, productively pollinating across these domains, one allows each to come forward from its respective tradition in a relative autonomy.

In these ways, Brian May helps us figure what can happen when cohabiting rock and theology. Who are other rock artists that inspire you who hold down a second (or third) specialization in religion or art? What do they tell us about the rockish or theological life itself?

Tom Beaudoin

Hastings-on-Hudson, New York, United States