Jump to content

David Gilmour

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by Daniel Newman (talk | contribs) at 21:48, 8 June 2010 (→Signature Amplifiers). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

For other people named David Gilmour, see David Gilmour (disambiguation).
David Gilmour

David Jon Gilmour CBE (born 6 March 1946)[1] is an English musician, best known as the guitarist, lead singer, and one of the main songwriters in the progressive 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 organizations over the course of his career. In 2003, he was appointed CBE for services to music and philanthropy and was awarded with the Outstanding Contribution title at the 2008 Q Awards.[2]

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 (née Wilson), was a teacher and film editor who raised her family at Grantchester Meadows, later immortalised by a Roger Waters song on Pink Floyd's Ummagumma.[3]

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.[4] In 1967, they returned to England.

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 underused, and channelled 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.[5]

Gilmour performing in Brussels in 1984, on his About Face tour

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 his second solo album About Face in 1984. He used it to express his feelings about a range of topics, from the murder of John Lennon, to his relationship with Waters. He has since admitted that he also used the album to distance himself from Pink Floyd. He toured Europe and the US along with support act The Television Personalities, who later disappeared from the line-up after revealing Syd Barrett's address on stage. Mason and Wright also played on the UK leg of the tour, which despite some cancellations eventually turned a profit.[6] When he returned from touring, Gilmour played guitar with a range of artists, and also produced The Dream Academy, who had a top ten hit with "Life in a Northern Town".[7]

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.[8] Gilmour donated all of his resulting profits to charities that reflect the goals of Live 8 saying:

Gilmour at Live 8 in July 2005

Though the main objective has been to raise consciousness and put pressure on the G8 leaders, I will not profit from the concert. This is money that should be used to save lives.[8]

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.[9]

On 3 February 2006, he announced in an interview with the Italian newspaper La Repubblica[10][11] 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 on July 7 of 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.[12]

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 it yet" and that he plans on doing "something" in the future.[citation needed] 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."[13] In May 2010 Roger Waters told the Associated Press that Gilmour "is completely disinterested in anything like [another reunion]. After Live 8, I could have probably gone for doing some more stuff, but he's not interested, so it is what it is." [14]

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, Paul McCartney, Kate Bush, Grace Jones, Tom Jones, Elton John, Eric Clapton, 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 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 U.S. release of the Ridley Scott-Tom Cruise film Legend. A music video for the latter was created, incorporating Ferry and Gilmour into footage from the film (released as a bonus on the 2002 "Ultimate Edition" DVD release). Later that year, Gilmour played with Ferry at the London Live Aid concert; his first meeting with Ferry's keyboard player Jon Carin, later to tour with Pink Floyd.

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.[15]

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.[16]

On 24 September 2004, Gilmour performed a three song set (tracks 28-30) at The Strat Pack concert at London's Wembley Arena, marking the 50th anniversary of the Fender Stratocaster guitar.

On 6 March 2006, his 60th 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.[17] The album reached the top five in Germany and Sweden, and the top six in Billboard 200.[18][19] 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 Możdżer 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[20] 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 Gdańsk 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 Gdańsk. 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.[21]

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.

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.[22]. A video was also posted on-line[23].

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. In 2005, Gilmour was rated the 82nd greatest guitarist by Rolling Stone. In January 2007, Guitar World readers voted Gilmour's 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].

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 Gold Top guitar equipped with Bigsby tremolo bar and P-90 pickups.[27][28] 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.[29]

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.[30]

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".[31] 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. 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:

Intrepid Aviation was a way for me to make my hobby pay for itself a little bit, but gradually over a few years Intrepid Aviation became a business because you have to be businesslike about it. Suddenly I found instead of it being a hobby and me enjoying myself, it was a business and so I sold it. I don't have Intrepid Aviation any more. I just have a nice old biplane that I pop up, wander around the skies in sometimes...[32]

On 22 May 2008, Gilmour won the 2008 Ivor Novello Lifetime Contribution Award [33]

Later, he was awarded for outstanding contribution for music by Q Awards. He dedicated his award to his recently departed bandmate Richard Wright.[2]

On 11 November 2009, Gilmour received an honorary doctorate from the Anglia Ruskin University.[34]

Main musical equipment

David Gilmour (2005)

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-colour 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 "C 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.[35][failed verification]
      • 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. It was finally brought out of retirement by David in 2005 and fitted with a new Charvel neck for the Pink Floyd reunion at the Live 8 concert. David subsequently used it again for his "On An Island" tour in 2006.
      • 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 its 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 (body was custom made by guitar builder Dick Knight, but the necks were Fender Strat necks. 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 headstock 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.[36] Stolen in equipment heist in 1970.
      • Gilmour also used a Strat equipped with the Doug Wilkes 'Answer' sliding pickup system on the 'Momentary Lapse of Reason' recording.
      • Doug Wilkes also built Gilmour a Precision-style single pickup bass, which was also used on the 'Momentary Lapse of Reason' 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 Dropped D rather than a standard tuning and was 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.[37]
    • 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 1000 twin neck pedal steel. Used in the early 1970s, purchased from a pawn shop while Gilmour was in Seattle in 1970. Used during recording of "One of These Days" from "Meddle" and "Breathe" and "Great Gig in the Sky" from The Dark Side of the Moon.[38]
      • Fender Deluxe lap steel. First time seen during The Division Bell tour in 1994.[38]
    • 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). Used for the guitar solo on 'Another Brick in the Wall, Part 2.
    • Gibson: EH150 Lap Steel guitar, "Chet Atkins" classical guitar, & J-200 Celebrity acoustic guitars.[39]
  • Gretsch Duo-Jet
  • Gretsch White Falcon
  • 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.[39]
    • Ovation Legend 1613-4 nylon string guitar. Used during The Wall recording sessions.[40]
    • Ovation Magnum bass guitar. Used during The Wall recording sessions.[40]
  • Takamine acoustic guitar.
  • Martin acoustic guitars.
    • Martin D-35.[39][40]
    • Martin D12-28 12-string acoustic guitar.[39]
    • Martin D-18 acoustic.[39]
  • 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 for High Hopes) and one blonde.[38]
  • ZB pedal steel guitar.[40]

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
  • Fender Bluesmaster
  • Fender Blues Jr.
  • 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

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

Signature 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.[41] 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[42] 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.[43] 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

Signature Amplifiers

  • DG-103: Dave Gilmour's earliest amp setup with Pink Floyd consisted of a Selmer 50-watt head with a 4x12 speaker cabinet. By 1970, he found his signature sound with a stack made of Hiwatt 100-watt heads with WEM 4x12 cabinets. The Hiwatt/WEM combination can be heard conspiuously on Meddle and Dark Side of the Moon.

This amp is designed to the same spec as the one originally used by Pink Floyds very own Dave Gilmour. it is based on the Hiwatt Custom 100 head but with special mods as originally commissioned by Dave Gilmour. A normal input, a brill input and also a special linked input where the gain of each channel can be dailled in to suit. Bass, Treble, Presence and Master volume controls. 4xEL34's, 4xECC83's. Original Partridge design transformers. 100W output.

  • DG-504: Based on the Custom 50 head, but with special modifications as commissioned by Dave Gilmour of Pink Floyd himself, the DG-504 adds a bit of modern sophistication to the classic performance amplifier. In addition to the Bass, Treble, Presence and Master Volume controls, the DG-504 uses a specially linked input system, where the gain of each channel can be altered to suit different musical styles. Built using Partridge transformers, 4 x ECC-83 tubes in the preamp section, 2 x EL-34 tubes in the power stage, and is rated at 50 watts output, with switchable 4, 8 & 16 ohms impedance.

A look inside the amplifier will reveal point-to-point hand wiring, turret tag boards (no printed circuits), and hand laced wiring harnesses. The power and output transformers are manufactured by Partridge, the original 1970's supplier to the original design sheets. The components and wires are the modern available equivalents of the vintage components, 1-watt carbon resistors, and wound polyester capacitors being used throughout.

  • DG-212: Available with the same features as the HIWATT Custom 50, but with internal linked-input system as specified by Dave himself. Dual 12" Fane speakers, two EL-34 tubes in the power stage, 4 x ECC-83 tubes in the preamp. Adjustable 4, 8 & 16 ohm output impedance.

Discography

Pink Floyd

For the full discography, see Pink Floyd discography.

Solo

Albums

Soundtracks

Singles

Filmography

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 on 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" on The Unknown Soldier, credited to Harper/Gilmour.
1982 Kate Bush Vocals on "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 "Hope" on Whatever Happened to Jugula?, 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 Guitar on "This Feeling" and "I'll Be In Love" in Stop!
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
Hale and Pace Lead guitar on "The Stonk"
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)"
2006 Chris Jagger "It's Amazing (What People Throw Away)" and "Junkman", in Act of Faith

References

  1. ^ "David Gilmour Official Biography". Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  2. ^ a b Q Awards 2008 Outstanding Contribution
  3. ^ Mike Watkinson, Pete Anderson, Crazy diamond: Syd Barrett & the dawn of Pink Floyd, pg. 18, Omnibus Press (2001) ISBN 0711988358
  4. ^ http://www.megapinkfloyd.com/band_members_david_gilmour.asp
  5. ^ pp221-222 of A Saucerful Of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey.
  6. ^ Blake 2008, pp. 302–309
  7. ^ Blake 2008, pp. 311–313
  8. ^ a b "Pink Floyd gives back". Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  9. ^ "Pink Floyd offered millions to tour". Retrieved 2007-12-02.
  10. ^ Il requiem di David Gilmour "I Pink Floyd? Sono finiti"
  11. ^ No More Pink Floyd Ever
  12. ^ "Arnold Layne chart position". Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  13. ^ afp.google.com, Pink Floyd's Gilmour mourns bandmate Wright
  14. ^ "Roger Waters' New 'Wall' Tour". Retrieved 2010-05-09.
  15. ^ "David Gilmour - DVD Draw" - The Phil Taylor Interview
  16. ^ Rolling Stone "100 Greatest guitarist of all time". Retrieved 2007-12-04. {{cite web}}: Check |url= value (help)
  17. ^ "David Gilmour Biography". Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  18. ^ "On an Island music charts". Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  19. ^ "Billboard 200". Retrieved 2007-12-04.
  20. ^ David Gilmour (Pink Floyd) remembers that night on a 2DVD set
  21. ^ Brain Damage - Pink Floyd news resource
  22. ^ "Chicago". Retrieved 2009-08-04.
  23. ^ "McKinnon Campaign". Retrieved 2009-08-04.
  24. ^ http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_4_quotcomfortably_numbquot_david_gilmour
  25. ^ http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_21_quottime_david_gilmour
  26. ^ http://www.guitarworld.com/article/100_greatest_guitar_solos_51100?page=0%2C1
  27. ^ "FAQs | Ask Phil | Official Site". David Gilmour. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  28. ^ "Gilmour: Guitars & Gear". Sparebricks.fika.org. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  29. ^ David Gilmour's Guitar Solo is Number 1 (Musicjot)/
  30. ^ "David Gilmour". David Gilmour. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  31. ^ "Daily Telegraph Article: "We Don't Need No Steiner Education"". Waldorfcritics.org. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  32. ^ "Intrepid Aviation". Retrieved 2007-12-05.
  33. ^ 2008 Ivor Novello Award Winners
  34. ^ http://www.cambridge-news.co.uk/cn_news_home/DisplayArticle.asp?ID=455580
  35. ^ "The Black Stratocaster". Gilmourish. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  36. ^ The White Stratocaster. "The White Stratocaster". Gilmourish. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  37. ^ Telecasters. "Telecasters". Gilmourish. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  38. ^ a b c Slide Guitars. "Slide Guitars". Gilmourish. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  39. ^ a b c d e Fitch, Vernon: The Pink Floyd Encyclopedia (3rd Edition) 2005
  40. ^ a b c d Fitch, Vernon and Mahon, Richard: Comfortably Numb. A history of The Wall. Pink Floyd 1978-1981 2006, p. 268
  41. ^ "The Voice and Guitar of Pink Floyd | Official Site". David Gilmour. Retrieved 2009-01-19.
  42. ^ "David Gilmour Relic Stratocaster". Zuitar.com. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  43. ^ "David Gilmour NOS Stratocaster". Zuitar.com. Retrieved 2008-08-16.
  44. ^ "The Colours of Infinity: The Beauty and Power of Fractals". Powells.com. Retrieved 2009-04-20.
Bibliography
Wikiquote has quotations related to David Gilmour.
Wikimedia Commons has media related to David Gilmour.

Template:Persondata

Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=David_Gilmour&oldid=366878623"