The days of massive global treks for rock legends Queen appear to be over. Anita Dobson, wife of guitarist Brian May, has confirmed that the band intends to retire from large-scale touring, citing the advancing age of the members and recent health scares.
Speaking to the U.K.’s Mirror, Dobson clarified that while the band isn’t dissolving entirely, the era of the grueling world tour has passed.
“They will do little bits and bobs, but they won’t do those big tours,” Dobson stated. “We are all getting old.”
The decision follows a challenging period for May, now 78. Last year, the guitarist suffered a minor stroke that temporarily resulted in the loss of control over his left arm—a terrifying prospect for one of rock’s most celebrated musicians. Fortunately, he regained enough movement to return to playing, but the incident has evidently shifted the band’s priorities regarding life on the road.
May‘s health history has been tumultuous in recent years. Four years prior to the stroke, he survived a “small” heart attack that led to the discovery of three congested arteries, requiring the insertion of stents. That episode coincided with a severe gardening accident where he tore his gluteal muscles, leading to debilitating sciatica and complications from medication. He has also undergone eye surgery for cataracts.
Despite these physical setbacks, the band has been hesitant to put a definitive “The End” stamp on their career. Drummer Roger Taylor recently told Rolling Stone that Queen—fronted by Adam Lambert—has no intention of staging a marketed “farewell tour,” viewing the concept as a cliché they wish to avoid.
“I don’t think we’re done,” Taylor said. “And I don’t think we’re going to say a final farewell tour. Because it never is, is it?”
However, when asked if the band would eventually be “resting forever,” Taylor conceded the inevitability of time: “At one point we will be.”
May has frequently credited Dobson with aiding his recovery during his darkest health battles, particularly following his heart attack in 2020.
“She was incredible,” May told the Daily Express at the time. “I couldn’t do anything and she just kind of nursed me, so I will forever be in her debt; she did an incredible job on me.”
While fans may not see Queen undertaking massive stadium runs across multiple continents in the future, Dobson‘s mention of “little bits and bobs” suggests that one-off performances or short residencies remain a possibility for the rock icons.
