Queen‘s Brian May has shared his thoughts on Eric Clapton and his anti-vaxxer stance in a new interview.

Clapton, who has been very vocal about his opposition to lockdown restrictions and vaccinations as of late, said earlier this month that he will not perform at gigs where a proof of coronavirus vaccination is required.

Speaking to The Independent, May was asked about his thoughts on the veteran rocker’s viewpoint and anti-vaxxers as a whole, including Ian Brown.

“I love Eric Clapton, he’s my hero, but he has very different views from me in many ways,” the guitarist said. “He’s a person who thinks it’s OK to shoot animals for fun, so we have our disagreements, but I would never stop respecting the man.”

He continued: “Anti-vax people, I’m sorry, I think they’re fruitcakes. There’s plenty of evidence to show that vaccination helps. On the whole they’ve been very safe. There’s always going to be some side effect in any drug you take, but to go around saying vaccines are a plot to kill you, I’m sorry, that goes in the fruitcake jar for me.”

Last month, the UK government declared that it will be making proof of vaccination a legal requirement at venues from the end of September.

Following the announcement, Clapton shared a statement on anti-vaxxer Robin Monotti Graziadei’s Telegram account.

“Following the PM’s announcement on Monday the 19th of July 2021, I feel honour bound to make an announcement of my own: I wish to say that I will not perform on any stage where there is a discriminated audience present. Unless there is provision made for all people to attend, I reserve the right to cancel the show.”

In December, he teamed up with fellow sceptic Van Morrison for the track ‘Stand and Deliver’, one of many anti-lockdown songs Morrison recorded and which were met with significant backlash.

Meanwhile, May has said he’s thinking about leaving London after torrential rain in the capital recently caused his basement to flood, destroying a number of his and his wife’s most personal possessions.