BRIAN MAY of QUEEN underwent a knee replacement operation earlier today that should take away the pain that he has been suffering for some time.

There is no estimate of how long he will be down for recovery. His new album with West End and Broadway star Kerry Ellis, Acoustic by Candlelight, is out in the U.S. today.

May revealed the operation on his webpage on September 27, saying that the knee was continuing to deteriorate. Yesterday, he added "I need a new one, and my lovely surgeon is going to oblige, tomorrow morning. So here's a last look."

The comment was accompanied by a photo of his right knee.

Around 6 PM ET,May tweeted that he was through surgery "with a shiny new knee. This no walk in the park (!) but for 1st time in months I feel optimistic and free of that OLD pain."