David Jon Gilmour
CBE (born 6 March 1946) [1] is an English musician, best known as the guitarist, lead singer, and one of the songwriters in the rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a record producer for a variety of artists, and has enjoyed a successful career as a solo artist. Gilmour has been actively involved with many charity organisations over the course of his career. In 2003, he was appointed CBE for services to music and philanthropy and was awarded with Outstanding Contribution title at the 2008 Q Awards. [2]
In 2003, Gilmour was ranked 82nd in Rolling Stone
magazine list of the "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time" [3]
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DAVID GILMOUR TICKETS
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Early life
Gilmour was born in
Cambridge,
England. His father, Douglas Gilmour, was a senior lecturer in
zoology at the
University of Cambridge and his mother, Sylvia, was a teacher and film editor. In
Live at Pompeii
, David describes his family, somewhat tongue-in-cheek, as
nouveau riche
.
Gilmour attended
The Perse School on Hills Road, Cambridge, and met future Pink Floyd guitarist and vocalist
Syd Barrett, along with bassist and vocalist
Roger Waters who attended
Cambridgeshire High School for Boys, also situated on Hills Road. He studied modern languages to
A-Level, and along with Syd, spent his lunchtime learning to play the guitar. They were not yet bandmates however, and Gilmour started playing in the band
Joker's Wild in 1962. Gilmour left Joker's Wild in 1966 and
busked around
Spain and
France with some friends. However, they were not very successful, living virtually a hand-to-mouth existence. In July 1992, Gilmour stated in an interview with Nicky Horne on BBC radio that he ended up being treated for malnutrition in a hospital. In 1967, they returned to England, driving a van with fuel stolen from a building site in France.
Pink Floyd
Gilmour was approached in late December 1967 by drummer
Nick Mason, who asked if he would be interested in joining Pink Floyd, which he did in January 1968, making Pink Floyd briefly a five-piece band. He was used to fill in for Syd Barrett's guitar parts when the front man was unable to take a consistent part in Floyd's live performances. When Syd Barrett "left" the group (due to his erratic behaviour, the band chose not to pick Barrett up one night for a gig ), Gilmour by default assumed the role of the band's lead guitarist and shared lead vocal duties with bassist
Roger Waters and keyboard player
Richard Wright in Barrett's stead. However, after the back-to-back successes of
The Dark Side of the Moon
and then
Wish You Were Here
, Waters took more control over the band, writing most of
Animals
and
The Wall
by himself. Wright was fired during
The Wall
sessions and the relationship between Gilmour and Waters would further deteriorate during the making of
The Wall
film and the 1983 Pink Floyd album
The Final Cut
.
After recording "Animals", Gilmour thought that his musical influence had been underutilized, and channeled his ideas into his
self-titled first solo album (1978), which showcases his signature guitar style, as well as underscoring his songwriting skills. A tune written during the finishing stages of this album, but too late to be used, became "
Comfortably Numb" on
The Wall
.
[4]
The negative atmosphere surrounding the creation of
The Wall
album and film, compounded by
The Final Cut
's virtually being a Roger Waters solo album, led Gilmour to produce a second solo album,
About Face
(1984). The "About Face" tour suffered from weak ticket sales; a similar situation confronted Waters' tour for
The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking
.
In 1985, Waters declared that Pink Floyd was "a spent force creatively". However, in 1986, Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason issued a press release stating that Waters had quit the band and they intended to continue without him. Gilmour assumed full control of the group and produced
A Momentary Lapse of Reason
in 1987 with some contributions from Mason and Richard Wright. Wright officially rejoined the band after the release of the album for a lengthy world tour and helped create 1994's
The Division Bell
as well. Gilmour explained:
“
| I had a number of problems with the direction of the band in our recent past, before Roger left. I thought the songs were very wordy and that, because the specific meanings of those words were so important, the music became a mere vehicle for lyrics, and not a very inspiring one. .. Dark Side of the Moon
and Wish You Were Here
were so successful not just because of Roger's contributions, but also because there was a better balance between the music and the lyrics than there has been in more recent albums. That's what I'm trying to do with A Momentary Lapse of Reason
; more focus on the music, restore the balance.
| ”
|
In 1986, Gilmour purchased the
houseboat Astoria
which is moored on the
River Thames near Hampton Court, and transformed it into a recording studio. The majority of the two most recent Pink Floyd albums, as well as Gilmour's 2006 solo release
On an Island
, were recorded there.
On 2 July 2005, Gilmour played with Pink Floyd — including Roger Waters — at
Live 8. The performance caused a temporary 1343% sales increase of Pink Floyd's album
Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd
.
[5] Gilmour donated all of his resulting profits to charities that reflect the goals of Live 8 saying:
Shortly after, he called upon all artists experiencing a surge in sales from Live 8 performances to donate the extra revenue to Live 8 fund-raising. After the Live 8 concert, Pink Floyd were offered £150 million to tour the United States, but the band turned down the offer.
[6]
On 3 February 2006, he announced in an interview with the Italian newspaper
La Repubblica
[7] [8] that Pink Floyd would most likely never tour or write material together again. He said:
“
| I think enough is enough. I am 60 years old. I don't have the will to work as much anymore. Pink Floyd was an important part in my life, I have had a wonderful time, but it's over. For me it's much less complicated to work alone.
| ”
|
He said that by agreeing to Live 8, he had ensured the story of Floyd would not end on a sour note.
“
| There was more than one reason, firstly to support the cause. The second one is the energy consuming an uncomfortable relationship between Roger and me that I was carrying along in my heart. That is why we wanted to perform and to leave the trash behind. Thirdly, I might have regretted it if I declined.
| ”
|
On 20 February 2006, Gilmour commented again on Pink Floyd's future when he was interviewed by Billboard.com, stating, "Who knows? I have no plans at all to do that. My plans are to do my concerts and put my
solo record out."
In December 2006, Gilmour released a tribute to Syd Barrett, who had died in July that year, in the form of his own version of Pink Floyd's first single "Arnold Layne". Recorded live at London's Royal Albert Hall, the CD single featured versions of the song performed by Pink Floyd's keyboard player (and Gilmour's band member) Richard Wright and special guest artist
David Bowie. The single entered the UK Top 75 charts at number nineteen and remained steady for three weeks.
[9]
Since their Live 8 appearance in 2005, Gilmour has repeatedly said that there will be no Pink Floyd reunion. However, in a 2007 interview with Phil Manzanera, he stated that he's "not done with yet" and that he plans on doing "something" in the future. With the death of Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright in September 2008, another reunion of the core group members became impossible. Gilmour said of Wright: "In the welter of arguments about who or what was Pink Floyd, Rick's enormous input was frequently forgotten. He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognised Pink Floyd sound. Like Rick, I don't find it easy to express my feelings in words, but I loved him and will miss him enormously. I have never played with anyone quite like him."
[10]
Other projects
Taking time off from Pink Floyd's schedule, Gilmour also took up various roles as a producer, sideman and even concert sound engineer for a wide variety of acts which included former bandmate
Syd Barrett,
Kate Bush,
Grace Jones,
Tom Jones,
Elton John,
B. B. King,
Seal,
Sam Brown,
Jools Holland,
Bob Dylan,
Pete Townshend,
The Who,
Supertramp,
Levon Helm,
Robbie Robertson,
Alan Parsons, and various charity groups among others.
In 1984, Gilmour provided the distinctive guitar solo for "
No More Lonely Nights", the hit single from
Paul McCartney's
Give My Regards to Broad Street
album and film. In a radio interview prior to 1990's Knebworth concerts, Gilmour told Jim Ladd that 'No More Lonely Nights' was the last thing McCartney recorded for the film, and that he told Paul to give his session fee to a charity of his choice.
In 1985, Gilmour was member of
Bryan Ferry's band. He played on Ferry's album
Boys and Girls
, as well as the song "Is Your Love Strong Enough" for the
Ridley Scott-
Tom Cruise film
Legend
(but only on the U.S. release with the
Tangerine Dream soundtrack). A music video for "Is Your Love Strong Enough" was created, incorporating Ferry and Gilmour into footage from the film (released as a bonus on the 2002 "Ultimate Edition" DVD release of the film). Later that year, Gilmour played with Ferry at the London
Live Aid concert.
In 1991, Gilmour played on the tracks
Are You Lonely
and
Wishing the Hours Away
on
All About Eve's 1991 album
Touched by Jesus
.
David Gilmour also took part in a comedy skit titled "The Easy Guitar Book Sketch" with comedian
Rowland Rivron and fellow British musicians
Mark Knopfler,
Lemmy from Motorhead,
Mark King from Level 42, and
Gary Moore. Guitar tech Phil Taylor explained in an interview that Knopfler used Gilmour's guitar rig and managed to sound like himself when performing in the skit.
[11]
He has also recorded four solo albums, all four of which charted in the U.S. Top 40 (2006's
On an Island
peaked at #6 in 2006, 2008's
Live in Gdansk
peaked at #26, his 1978 self-titled solo debut peaked at #29 in 1978 and 1984's About Face peaked at #32 in 1984) thus making him the only member of Pink Floyd to have a commercially successful solo career.
In 1994, Gilmour played guitar for the video game
Tuneland
, along with the additional saxophonist for Pink Floyd,
Scott Page.
In 2001 and 2002, he held a small number of acoustic solo concerts in
London and
Paris, along with a small band and choir, which was documented on the
In Concert
release. In 2003,
Rolling Stone
included Gilmour in the list of hundred greatest guitarists of all time.
[12]
On 6 March 2006, his 60
th birthday, he released his third solo album,
On an Island
, and a day later it was released in the US; it debuted at #1 in the UK charts.
[13] The album reached the top five in Germany and Sweden, and the top six in
Billboard 200.
[14] [15] Produced by Gilmour along with
Phil Manzanera and
Chris Thomas, the album features orchestrations by renowned Polish composer
Zbigniew Preisner. The album features
David Crosby and
Graham Nash on harmonies on the title track,
Robert Wyatt on cornet and percussion and Richard Wright on
Hammond organ and vocals. Other contributors include
Jools Holland, Phil Manzanera,
Georgie Fame,
Andy Newmark,
B. J. Cole,
Chris Stainton, Willie Wilson,
Rado ‘Bob’ Klose on guitar and
Leszek Mozdzer on piano. The album also features Gilmour's debut with the saxophone.
Gilmour toured Europe, US and Canada from 10 March to 31 May to promote
On an Island
. There were 10 shows in the US and Canadian leg of the tour. Pink Floyd alumnus Richard Wright, and frequent Floyd collaborators
Dick Parry,
Guy Pratt and
Jon Carin also accompanied him on the tour. More shows were held in Europe during from July through August in 2006.
In a press release to promote the tour, David Gilmour stated:
“
| "I'm rather hoping that with this tour announcement, people will believe me when I say, honestly, this is the only band I plan to tour with!".
| ”
|
On an Island
peaked the UK charts by reaching number one. On 10 April 2006, the album was certified
platinum in Canada, with sales of over 100,000 copies. The album also gave Gilmour his first US Top 10 album as a solo artist.
A video recording of a show from Gilmour's solo tour, entitled
Remember That Night - Live At The Royal Albert Hall
[16] was released on 17 September 2007. The double DVD, directed by
David Mallet, contains over five hours of footage, including an on-the-road documentary and guest appearances by David Bowie and
Robert Wyatt. The two and a half hour concert features band members Richard Wright of Pink Floyd, Phil Manzanera of
Roxy Music,
Steve DiStanislao on drums, and various Pink Floyd regulars such as Dick Parry, Guy Pratt and Jon Carin. The 20-page booklet accompanying the DVD, features over 80 photos selected from studio recording and touring. The album is now available on Hi-Definition
Blu-ray Disc with
Dolby TrueHD surround sound. As TrueHD is not a mandatory format for Blu-ray players, and the disc carries no other surround channel, some players will only play it in stereo.
The final show of David Gilmour's On an Island tour was held at the
Gdansk Shipyard on 26 August 2006. The concert was held before a huge crowd of 50,000, and marked the twenty-sixth anniversary of
Poland's 1980 revolution. The concert was notable for the inclusion of "A Great Day For Freedom" as part of the encore.
The show was recorded resulting in a live album and DVD release;
Live in Gdansk
. The concert was the only occasion on which Gilmour performed the tour material with an orchestra, using the 40-strong string section of the Polish
Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by
Zbigniew Preisner, who was responsible for
On An Island
s orchestral arrangements.
On 25 May 2009, he participated in a concert held at
Union Chapel in Islington, London. The concert was of part of the 'Hidden Gigs' campaign against hidden homelessness that is organized by the Crisis, a UK-based national charity for people homelessness. There he appeared in a collaboration with the
Malian musicians
Amadou and Mariam.
[17]
On 4 July 2009, he joined his friend Jeff Beck onstage at the Royal Albert Hall. David and Jeff traded solos on
Jerusalem
and closed the show with
Hi Ho Silver Lining
. The evening was a one-off, with no plans for it to be repeated, but it will live on in the memories of those lucky to witness it.
In August 2009, he released an online single, Chicago - Change the World
, on which he sang and played guitar, bass and keyboards, to promote awareness of the plight of Gary McKinnon. A re-titled cover of the Graham Nash song Chicago
, it featured Chrissie Hynde and Bob Geldof, plus McKinnon himself. It was produced by long-time Pink Floyd collaborator Chris Thomas. [18]. A video was also posted on-line [19].
Musical style
Gilmour is best known for his
lead guitar work. Gilmour's solo style is often characterised by blues-influenced phrasing, expressive note bends and sustain.
Although mainly known for his guitar work, Gilmour is also a proficient multi-instrumentalist. He also plays
bass guitar (which he did on some Pink Floyd tracks),
keyboards,
banjo,
harmonica,
drums (as heard on the
Syd Barrett solo track "Dominoes", and other songs where he opted to play all the instruments) and lately, the
saxophone.
[20]
In his early career with Pink Floyd, Gilmour played a multitude of
Fender Stratocasters. One of his popular guitar solos ("
Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2") was played on a
Gibson Les Paul guitar.
[21] [22] In 1996, Gilmour was inducted into the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pink Floyd. Gilmour's solo on "
Comfortably Numb" was voted as one of the greatest guitar solos of all time in several polls by listeners and critics.
[23]
In 2005, Gilmour was rated the 82nd greatest guitarist by Rolling Stone. In January 2007,
Guitar World readers voted Gilmours solos, "
Comfortably Numb", "
Time" and "
Money" into the top 100 Greatest Guitar Solos (Comfortably Numb was voted the 4th greatest solo of all time
[24], Time was voted the 21st greatest solo of all time
[25] and Money was voted the 62nd greatest solo of all time
[26].
Personal life
Gilmour's first marriage was to American-born Virginia "Ginger" Hasenbein and he had four children from this union, Alice (born 1976), Clare (born 1979), Sara (born 1983), and Matthew (born 1986). The children originally attended a
Waldorf School, but Gilmour called their education there "horrific".
[27] In 1994, he married
Polly Samson, and the couple have four children, Charlie (Samson's son with
Heathcote Williams), whom Gilmour adopted, Joe, Gabriel and Romany. The family house is situated in the picturesque village of Shiplake just outside Henley-on-Thames. Charlie's voice can be heard on the telephone to Steve O'Rourke, at the end of "High Hopes" (
The Division Bell
).
Gilmour has been associated with various charity organisations. In May 2003, Gilmour sold his house in
Little Venice to the
ninth Earl Spencer and donated the proceeds worth £3.6 million to Crisis to help fund a housing project for the homeless. Apart from Crisis, other Charities to which Gilmour has lent support include Oxfam, the European Union Mental Health and Illness Association,
Greenpeace,
Amnesty International, The Lung Foundation, and
Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy. He also donated £25,000 to the
Save the Rhino foundation in exchange for
Douglas Adams name suggestion for the album that became
The Division Bell.
Apart from music, Gilmour is also an experienced pilot and
aviation enthusiast. Under the aegis of his company,
Intrepid Aviation, he had amassed a collection of historical aircraft. He later decided to sell the company, as his venture, which had started as a hobby was becoming too commercial for him to handle. In an interview to BBC, he stated:
On 22 May 2008, Gilmour won the 2008
Ivor Novello Lifetime Contribution Award
[29]
Later, he was awarded for outstanding contribution for music by Q Awards. He dedicated his award to his recently departed bandmate
Richard Wright.
[
]
Main musical equipment
{{#ifexist:Category:Articles needing additional references from June 2009
The following is a list of equipment Gilmour either has used on his solo or Pink Floyd recordings, as well as on current or previous tours.
Guitars
- Fender
- *Stratocaster
- **His main guitar, much modified over the years, is a (1969) 3-color Sunburst Fender Stratocaster painted over with black as well with a black pickguard and white-coloured pickup covers and knobs, currently with a vintage 1957 reissue "V shape" maple neck. This neck came from his guitar that he used on the "About Face" tour. It also includes a small toggle switch that combines the neck and bridge pickups (Note this guitar was for brief time fitted with a Kahler locking tremolo system, the system was subsequently un-installed and the removed wood filled with a replacement piece of timber and repainted to match as can be noted by close examination of the guitar behind its reinstalled Fender tremolo). This guitar has a Seymour Duncan ssl-1 bridge pickup, and currently has a strap which once belonged to Jimi Hendrix. [30][not in citation given]
- **His main guitar for the post-Roger Waters era Pink Floyd tours in support of A Momentary Lapse of Reason
, Delicate Sound of Thunder
(dubbed "Another Lapse") and The Division Bell
was a Candy Apple Red '57 reissue (made in 1984) fitted with a set of EMG SA active pickups with the two standard tone controls replaced with an EMG SPC mid boost control, and an EXG treble/bass expander (which cuts the mids while boosting bass and treble). On the On an Island
tour it was used every night of the tour on "Shine On You Crazy Diamond".
- **Gilmour is the owner of Strat #0001. However, this is not the first Stratocaster ever made, but the first to be given a serial number. It was last seen at the Strat Pack Concert in Wembley Arena in 2004.
- **Cream coloured '57 reissue. Used at 1984 solo tour and at the early parts of the 1987-1990 tour. In the 1994 tour it was used as spare guitar. Tim Renwick played it with David and the rest of Pink Floyd at their Live 8 set. This Strat was fitted with the same EMG set of pickups and tone circuits as the aforementioned Candy Apple Red '57 reissue and after it's use at Live 8, the cream finished guitar's neck was transferred to David's main Black Strat.
- **'57 Lake Placid Blue. (Serial number #0040). Used at The Wall sessions.
- **Double-neck Stratocaster. Used live (1970-72).
- **Sunburst Stratocaster. '63 rosewood neck with '59 body. This guitar was given to David by Steve Marriott of Humble Pie and the Small Faces, and though David didn't like the guitar enough to use it very long, he preferred the neck to the original one on his black Strat and switched the two. The sunburst Strat was used as his spare and slide guitar in subsequent years (sporting the maple cap neck with a large heastock from the black Strat), and the rosewood neck remained on the black Strat until 1978.
- **White with white pickguard. Used in the late 1960s. Received as a gift from the rest of the band. [31] Stolen in equipment heist in 1970.
- **Gilmour also used a Doug Wilkes 'Answer' sliding pickup system type strat on the 'Momentary Lapse in Reason' recording.
- **Doug Wilkes also built Dave Gilmour a Precision style single pick up bass, which was used on the same recording sessions.
- *Telecaster
- **Blonde body with white pickguard. Used on the On an Island tour.
- **'52 Butterscotch Reissues with black pickguard. Used between 1987 and 1995. The first guitar was tuned in Drop D than a standard tuning and used for "Run Like Hell". The second served as a backup instrument and had a regular guitar tuning. Gilmour used this guitar for Astronomy Domine.
- **'59 Custom Telecaster with sunburst ash body, white binding on the body, rosewood fingerboard, and a white pickguard. There was a Gibson Humbucker placed in the Neck position at a brief point but was removed before it was used on the Animals' recording sessions. Last seen on rehearsals during the On an Island tour.
- **'61 Telecaster used during The Wall recording sessions. Also used live in post-Waters era for "Run Like Hell". Last seen on the Syd Barrett memory concert in 2007.
- **1960s brown-faded body. Used in the late 1960s.
- **1960s blonde ash body with white pickguard. His main guitar during his first year with Pink Floyd, which was lost by an airline company in 1968, and prompted Gilmour to buy the brown-faded Telecaster. [32]
- *Esquire
- **'55 Sunburst body aka "The workmate Tele". Neck pickup added. Used at the recording sessions for his first solo album, The Wall recording session and the following tour. Also seen when performing with Paul McCartney in the late 1990s.
- *Lap Steel guitars
- **1950's Fender Stringmaster twin neck pedal steel. Used in the early 1970s, purchased from a pawn shop while Gilmour was in Seattle in 1968. [33] Used during recording of The Dark Side of the Moon
.
- **Fender Deluxe lap steel. First time seen during The Division Bell tour in 1994.
[ ]
- *Fender Bass VI. Used during The Wall recording sessions.
- *Fender Precision bass guitar
- *Fender Jazz Bass. Used during The Wall recording sessions.
- Gibson
- *A Gibson Les Paul Goldtop (P-90 pick-ups, Bigsby vibrato bridge)
- *Gibson: EH150 Lap Steel guitar, "Chet Atkins" classical guitar, & J-200 Celebrity acoustic guitars. [34]
- Gretsch Duo-Jet
- Bill Lewis 24-fret Guitar. Used at Meddle and Dark Side of the Moon recording sessions.
- Ovation.
- *Ovation Legend 1619-4 steel string & high string guitars. Used during The Wall recording sessions.
- *Ovation Legend 1613-4 nylon string guitar. Used during The Wall recording sessions. [35]
- *Ovation Magnum bass guitar. Used during The Wall recording sessions.
[ ]
- Takamine acoustic guitar.
- Martin acoustic guitars.
- *Martin D-35.
[ ]
- *Martin D12-28 12-string acoustic guitar.
[ ]
- *Martin D-18 acoustic.
[ ]
- Taylor acoustics
- Guild F-512 "antique burst" 12-string guitar.
- Jose Vilaplana nylon string guitar
- Steinberger GL. His main guitar during A Momentary Lapse of Reason recording sessions.
- Charvel Fretless Fender Precision style bass guitar. Used during The Wall recording sessions.
- Music Man Fretless Stingray bass guitar. Used by Gilmour while running the house band at the 1991 Amnesty International concert, during Spinal Tap's performance on "Big Bottom". (All guitarists played bass on this song, and Gilmour played a solo.)
- Jedson lap steel guitars. One red (1977-tuned D-G-D-G-B-E for Shine On You Crazy Diamond Parts 6-9, 1987-2006: Tuned E-B-E-G-B-E) and one blonde.
- ZB pedal steel guitar.
Amplifiers
- Hiwatt (main) DR 103 heads into WEM Super Starfinder 200 4x12 cabinets loaded with Fane Crescendo speakers
- Fender '56 Tweed Twin amp (used for smaller concerts)
- Fender Twin Reverb combos
- Fender Twin Reverb II 1983 105 W heads
- Mesa Boogie Mark II C+
- Alembic F2-B bass preamp
- Custom-built 'Doppola' rotating speakers (driven by the Hiwatt heads)
- Gallien/Krueger 250 ML combo amp
- Selmer Stereomaster 100 W
- Maestro Rover rotating speaker
- Leslie speaker 147 cabinet
- Marshall 1960 100 W head
- Yamaha RA-200 revolving speaker cabinet
- Magnatone 280-A 50 W combo
- Alessandro Bluetick Coonhound High-End, 20 W Tube Amp
- Hiwatt SA212 combo
Effects
- Electro-Harmonix/Sovtek Big Muff
- Vintage Electro-Harmonix Big Muff (early 70's "Triangle" and "Ram's Head" versions)
- Electro-Harmonix Electric Mistress & Small Stone phaser
- MXR Dyna-Comp (pre-Dunlop 'Script' logo)
- MXR Phase 90 (Used for the "four note" Syd riff on Shine On Pts. I-V)
- MXR Phase 100 (Used live, early during the 1977 In The Flesh tour)
- MXR Noise Gate/Line Driver, Digital Delay System II
- Colorsound Power Boost
- Demeter Compulator
- AnalogMan Sun Face
- Chandler Tube Driver
- BK Butler Tube Driver
- Boss CS-2 Compression Sustainer & GE-6 EQ Pedal, GE-7 EQ Pedal
- Boss MZ-2 Digital Metalizer & HM-2 Heavy Metal Distortion, SD-1 Overdrive, DD-2 Digital Delay, CE-2 Chorus
- TC Electronics Booster+ (Line Driver/Distortion), Electronic Sustain and Parametric Equalizer, TC-2290 Dynamic Digital Delay
- Pro Co RAT Distortion, RAT 2
|
- Heil Talk box
- Dallas Arbiter Fuzz Face (first with NKT-275 transistors and then with BC-108 transistors)
- Ibanez CP9 Compression Sustainer, Ibanez Tube Screamer, TS10 Tubescreamer
- Uni-Vox Univibe
- Vox Wah-Wah pedal
- Dunlop Cry Baby Wah-wah pedal
- Binson Echorec II, Echorec PE
- Digitech Whammy
- Ernie Ball Volume Pedal
- Pete Cornish all tube Pedal Boards and Custom effects
- Pete Cornish Soft Sustain, Soft Sustain 2, P-1, P-2, G-2, ST-2, Line Driver, Linear Boost
- Pete Cornish Tape Echo Simulator (T.E.S), Custom Tube 6 Band EQ
- EBow
- Lexicon PCM70 Digital Effects Processor
- Yamaha SPX-90 II Digital Effects Processors
- Zoom multi effect
- DigiTech IPS-33B Super Harmony pitch shifter
- Dynacord CLS-222 Leslie simulator
- Roland SDE 3000 digital delay
|
Miscellaneous
- EMS Hi-Fli Prototype, Synthi-AKS, VCS3
- GHS Boomer strings in a custom set 10-12-16-28-38-48
- Herco Flex 75 plectrums (picks)
- Cross-stitched leather guitar strap used by Jimi Hendrix and bought for David by Polly Samson as a 60th birthday present
- Shaffer-Vega wireless system for The Wall
concerts 1980-81 and his 1984 About Face
tour
- Pete Cornish wireless system for the 1987-96 live Gilmour appearances
- Evidence Audio Cables
Tribute guitars
In November 2006, Fender Custom Shop announced two reproductions of Gilmour's "Black" Strat for release on 22 September 2008. Gilmour's website states the release date was chosen to coincide with the release of his Live in Gdansk
album. [36] Both guitars are based on extensive measurements of the original instrument, each featuring varying degrees of wear. The most expensive will be the David Gilmour Relic Stratocaster [37] which features the closest copy of wear on the original guitar. A pristine copy of the guitar will also be made, called the David Gilmour NOS Stratocaster. [38] Both guitars feature:
- Vintage Style Frets
- Black Dot Position Inlays (Narrow Spacing)
- American Vintage Synchronized Tremolo with Custom Beveled Tremolo Block
- White Tremolo Back Cover
- Shortened Tremolo Arm
- Fender/Gotoh Vintage Style Tuning Machines
- Nickel/Chrome Hardware
- 1 Ply Beveled Black Acrylic Pickguard (11 Hole)
- Aged White Plastic Parts & Knobs
- One Master Volume Knob
- Two Tone Knobs (one for neck and the other for the bridge pickup instead of standard neck and middle controls.)
- custom "neck on" switch to allow for turning on the neck and bridge pickups in combination
- Five Position Pickup Selector Switch
- Fender Custom Shop Fat '50 Neck Pickup & '69 Middle Pickup
- Seymour Duncan SSL-5 (or SSL-1 for more Vintage Style) Pickup
Discography
Pink Floyd
- A Saucerful of Secrets
- 29 June 1968.
- More
- 27 July 1969.
- ''Ummagumma - 25 October 1969.
- Atom Heart Mother
- 10 October 1970.
- Meddle
- 30 October 1971.
- ''Obscured by Clouds - 3 June 1972.
- The Dark Side of the Moon
- 17 March 1973.
- Wish You Were Here
- 15 September 1975.
- Animals
- 23 January 1977.
- The Wall
- 30 November 1979.
- The Final Cut
- 21 March 1983.
- A Momentary Lapse of Reason
- 8 September 1987.
- Delicate Sound of Thunder
- 22 November 1988.
- The Division Bell
- 30 March 1994.
- P•U•L•S•E
- 29 May 1995.
:''For the full discography, see Pink Floyd discography.
Solo
Albums
- David Gilmour
- 25 May 1978
- About Face
- 27 March 1984
- On an Island
- 6 March 2006
- Live in Gdansk
- 22 September 2008
Soundtracks
- Fractals: The Colors of Infinity
, Documentary - 1994 [39]
Singles
- "There's No Way Out of Here/Deafinitely", 1978
- "Blue Light", March, 1984
- "Love on the Air", May, 1984
- "On an Island", 6 March 2006
- "Smile/Island Jam", 13 June 2006
- "Arnold Layne/Dark Globe" (Live) 26 December 2006
Filmography
- David Gilmour Live 1984
(VHS) - September 1984
- David Gilmour in Concert
(DVD) - October 2002
- Remember That Night
(DVD/BD) - September 2007
- Live in Gdansk
(DVD) - September 2008
Collaborations and work for other artists
Year
| Artist
| Album / Work
|
1970
| Syd Barrett
| The Madcap Laughs
|
Syd Barrett
| Barrett
|
Ron Geesin and Roger Waters
| "Give Birth to a Smile" on Music from The Body
|
1974
| Unicorn
| Blue Pine Trees
|
1975
| Roy Harper
| "The Game" from HQ
|
1978
| Kate Bush
| Executive producer for two tracks in The Kick Inside
|
1979
| Wings
| Back to the Egg
|
1980
| Roy Harper
| "Playing Games", "You (The Game Part II)", "Old Faces", "Short and Sweet" and "True Story" credited to Harper/Gilmour from the album "The Unknown Soldier". Gilmour is credited as a musician on the album.
|
1982
| Kate Bush
| "Pull Out The Pin" in The Dreaming
?
|
1983
| Atomic Rooster
| Headline news
|
1984
| Paul McCartney
| No More Lonely Nights in Give My Regards to Broad Street
|
1985
| Supertramp
| Brother Where You Bound
|
Bryan Ferry
| "Is Your Love Strong Enough?" in Legend
|
Bryan Ferry
| Boys and Girls
|
Bryan Ferry
| Live Aid
(Played with Bryan Ferry's band)
|
Nick Mason and Rick Fenn
| "Lie for a Lie" (vocals) in Profiles
|
Pete Townshend
| "Give Blood" and "White City Fighting" in White City: A Novel "White City Fighting" credited to Townshend/Gilmour. Also performed live as Deep End.
|
Arcadia
| So Red the Rose
|
The Dream Academy
| Co-produced The Dream Academy
?
|
Roy Harper and Jimmy Page
| Whatever Happened to Jugula?
,"Hope" credited to Harper/Gilmour.
|
1986
| Berlin
| Count Three & Pray
|
Pete Townshend
| lead guitar in Pete Townshend's Deep End Live!
|
1987
| Dalbello
| "Immaculate Eyes" in she
|
1988
| Peter Cetera
| "You Never Listen To Me" in One More Story
|
Sam Brown
| Stop! Guitar on "This Feeling" and "I'll Be In Love"
|
1989
| Kate Bush
| "Love and Anger" and "Rocket's Tail" in The Sensual World
|
Paul McCartney
| "We Got Married" in Flowers in the Dirt
|
Rock Aid Armenia
| Smoke on the Water in The Earthquake Album
|
Warren Zevon
| Transverse City
|
1990
| Roy Harper
| "Once" in Once
(w/Kate Bush on backing vocals)
|
Propaganda
| "Only one word" in 1234
|
Sam Brown
| April Moon, vocals on "Troubled Soul"
|
1991
| All About Eve
| "Are You Lonely" and "Wishing the Hours Away" in Touched by Jesus
|
1992
| Elton John
| "Understanding Women", in The One
|
Mica Paris
| I Put a Spell on You on Later With Jools Holland''
|
1993
| Paul Rodgers
| "Standing Around Crying" in Muddy Water Blues: A Tribute to Muddy Waters
|
1996
| The Who
| Quadrophenia
(1996 Hyde Park concert)
|
1997
| B. B. King
| "Cryin' Won't Help You Babe" in Deuces Wild
|
1999
| Paul McCartney
| Run Devil Run
|
2001
| The Triumph of Love
soundtrack
| Plays guitar over several chamber orchestra pieces
|
2003
| Ringo Starr
| Ringo Rama
|
2004
| Alan Parsons
| "Return to Tunguska" in A Valid Path
|
2005
| Various artists
| "Ever Fallen in Love (With Someone You Shouldn't've)"
|
References
- David Gilmour Official Biography
- Q Awards 2008 Outstanding Contribution
- Title Unavailable
- pp221-222 of A Saucerful Of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey.
- Pink Floyd gives back
- Pink Floyd offered millions to tour
- Il requiem di David Gilmour "I Pink Floyd? Sono finiti"
- No More Pink Floyd Ever
- Arnold Layne chart position
- afp.google.com, Pink Floyd's Gilmour mourns bandmate Wright
- "David Gilmour - DVD Draw" - The ''Phil Taylor Interview''
- 100 Greatest guitarist of all time
- David Gilmour Biography
- On an Island music charts
- Billboard 200
- David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) remembers that night on a 2DVD set
- Brain Damage - Pink Floyd news resource
- Chicago
- McKinnon Campaign
- David Gilmour
- FAQs
- Gilmour: Guitars & Gear
- David Gilmour's Guitar Solo is Number 1 (Musicjot)/
- http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_4_quotcomfortably_numbquot_david_gilmou
- http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_21_quottime_david_gilmour
- http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_51100?page=0%2C1
- Daily Telegraph Article: "We Don't Need No Steiner Education"
- Intrepid Aviation
- 2008 Ivor Novello Award Winners
- The Black Stratocaster
- The White Stratocaster
- Telecasters
- Slide Guitars
- Fitch, Vernon: ''The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd Edition)'' 2005
- Fitch, Vernon and Mahon, Richard: ''Comfortably Numb. A history of The Wall. Pink Floyd 1978-1981'' 2006, p. 268
- The Voice and Guitar of Pink Floyd
- David Gilmour Relic Stratocaster
- David Gilmour NOS Stratocaster
- The Colours of Infinity: The Beauty and Power of Fractals