“It’s like guitar heaven”: Brian May turned down the chance to play with Steve Cropper and Billy Gibbons – but when his rejection email was used to write a new song, he had no choice but to take part

Steve Cropper has debuted his new group – Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour – with a single that features a high-profile guest electric guitar star.

Earlier this year, the Stax soul legend revealed his then-unnamed album – now confirmed to be titled Friendlytown – would feature the likes of Billy Gibbons and Brian May.

It’s the Queen icon’s contributions that have been shared first, with Cropper dropping Friendlytown's lead single, Too Much Stress.

May himself addressed his Cropper cameo in the latest issue of Guitar World, in which he discussed how Too Much Stress got its name from – of all things – an email exchange.

As May explained, he was approached by producer Jon Tiven, who tried to encourage him to work on the Cropper record. The Red Special creator, though, didn’t think he could fit it into his schedule, and replied with an email that said as much.

He recalled, “I went, ‘I’d love to. Steve Cropper’s a hero of mine, but I’m incredibly busy. I’m not feeling very energetic, and I’m too stressed. Too much stress. Apologies, but I don’t think I can do it right now.’ That was my email to Jon.”

That email, though, was used to May’s disadvantage, and soon he was roped into featuring on the album after it became the lyrical and thematic backbone of the song.

“Jon emailed me back and said, ‘Okay, I’ve used your email to write the song, and it’s called Too Much Stress. So now, you have to play on this,’” May went on. “I just smiled and went, ‘Okay.’”

The tactic clearly worked. The lyrics were written from that email, and May himself helps bring them to life by supplying secondary vocals. He also lends his guitar chops to the track, and squares off against Billy Gibbons – a fully fledged member of the new band – for a quick-fire solo off that features amidst a flurry of improvised licks littered throughout.

The result is a track that paves the way for the new record, which Cropper is evidently very proud of.

“If your booty is not shaking in the first two bars of this album you’re already dead in a chair,” he observes.

“I feel so good about this batch of songs. They’re packed with radio hooks, and we have Billy Gibbons, Brian May, and Tim Montana playing on the album – it’s like guitar heaven.”

Gibbons completes the Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour lineup with lead vocalist Roger C. Reale and drummer Nioshi Jackson.

Friendlytown's tracklist can be found below.

1. Friendlytown
2. Too Much Stress (feat. Brian May)
3. Hurry Up Sundown
4. Let's Get Started
5. Talkin’ Bout Politics
6. I'll Take Tomorrow
7. Lay It On Down
8. You Can't Refuse (feat. Tim Montana)
9. Rain On My Parade
10. There's Always A Catch
11. In God We Trust
12. Reality Check
13. I Leave You In Peace

• Friendlytown is available to preorder now ahead of its release on August 23.