Sir Brian May, 76, has hinted at the slight trepidation he’s facing as Queen gear themselves up to tour Japan.
The musician took to Instagram to share a new video confirming he and his bandmates will be heading to Asia after going through numerous checks to ensure they can pull it off successfully.
Roger Taylor and Adam Lambert will join May in Japan for the latest leg of their Rhapsody tour which kicks off in Aichi on February 4.
They will then perform in Osaka and Hokkaido before closing the tour with two gigs in Tokyo on February 13 and 14.
“Looks like we’re doing this then,” May said in a video to his 3.3 million Instagram followers before he rolled out a phrase in Japanese.
In the accompanying caption, May did his best to assure fans he was “fit and ready” to perform to thousands.
Brian May health: The Queen rocker hopes he’s ‘fit and ready’ for the Japan leg of the tour
INSTAGRAM/BRIAN MAY
“Well, I think my Japanese is a little rusty – but this is my attempt to say ‘Japanese friends – Hello !!’ – because suddenly the much anticipated Japanese tour is upon us,” he penned.
Reeling off the final preparations, he continued: “Final checks, packing, last fitness and finger-end hardening playing commitments – some people might call that practising!!!”
Touching upon his health, he defiantly said: “And – I hope I am fit and ready!!! We’ll soon be on that big bird in the sky. Yeeeow!”
While May might only be “hoping” he’s fit and ready, he was soon inundated with fans who were adamant the iconic rocker would be able to pull off the latest leg of the tour.
Queen Japan tour: Brian May and Adam Lambert are heading for the final leg of the tour
GETTY
Taking to the comments of the post, one person penned: “Have a safe trip and a wonderful tour, Sir Bri!! I can’t wait to see your posts from the tour!! You look fit and fabulous!!! Take care and lots of love to you!!”
A second similarly praised: “I love your new touring logo… I’m sure you’re totally fit and ready for this new adventure. Good luck with that fingertip hardening which I’m sure you’ve got in check as well.
“Enjoy your wonderful tour in Japan. They will be in for such a delightful treat… Stay safe and keep happy while you are away and we’ll be staying tuned to hear all about it.”
Another also complimented the Queen star: “You look absolutely wonderful and fit for your new tour. Have a wonderful time and say hello to all the guys.”
While a fourth added: “Good to see you! Judging by the recent US tour, you are fit as a fiddle and I’m sure that hasn’t changed much!
“I wish everyone involved a wonderful, rewarding time at the concerts and beautiful impressions of Japan!” (sic)
May has been open and honest about his health battles in the past, including one incident in which a “stomach explosion nearly killed me”.
Speaking on ITV’s Good Morning Britain in 2020, May recalled how the medication he was on after suffering a “mild heart attack” led to the near-death moment.
“That was the point where I nearly lost my life, not the heart attack, strangely enough,” he said referring to his stomach. “You have to be so careful with the medication that they give you because it’s great for the stents, it’s great for the heart, but it’s not very good for the rest of your body and you can really go down. It’s a tightrope.”
However, he’s recovered enough to close out the Rhapsody tour in Japan after several years on the road.
