Queen’s Brian May Helps Lady Gaga Kick Off the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards

Queen guitarist Brian May helped Lady Gaga deliver the only rock and roll moment of the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards right at the start of the show. He performed an extended guitar solo during a live performance of the pop singer's current single 'You and I.'

If the photo above doesn't seem to match what we just described, well, that's because Gaga was appearing as her male alter-ego Joe Calderone, a cussing, smoking, drinking fight-starter who for all his/her bravado somehow kept reminding us of Mike Newhouse from 'Dazed and Confused.'

May also appears on the studio version of Gaga's rousing piano anthem, so maybe it wasn't a total shock he was there. Still, his appearance was a rare, welcome slice of rock and roll at the VMA's, which have become almost completely dominated by pop music in recent years. (You can relive the glory days, when rock ruled the proceedings, with our list of the Top 5 MTV Video Music Awards Performances.)

Props to Gaga for bringing at least some rock, and some level of shock, to the evening.  As May popped out about halfway into Gaga's dance-heavy performance, former Nirvana drummer and current Foo Fighters leader Dave Grohl spoke for all of us when he broke out into a big ear-to-ear grin.

We'll be here throughout the night, covering any further rock and roll events that happen at the MTV Video Music Awards. (Judging from the list of expected performers, though, don't hold your breath!)

Watch Lady Gaga and Brian May Perform 'You and I' at the 2011 MTV Video Music Awards