David Gilmour Is My Hero

May 23, 2009 by Bill.

So it’s late May of 2009 and I’m sitting here watching the HD channel Palladia. The show is called “David Gilmour Live in Gdansk,” a concert filmed in HD in the Polish shipyards in 2006. Let me tell you something: This concert is phenomenal. Gilmour’s playing the usual Pink Floyd stuff like “Comfortably Numb” along with some of his own material. There’s like a million-piece symphony orchestra accompanying him, along with a raft of incredibly great musicians: a bassist, couple of keyboards, the luckiest drummer in the world, and a couple of rhythm guitar players. I think one of the keyboardists is Richard Wright, but I’m not sure.

OK, just checked the Richard Wright thing and, sure enough, it was him. Turns out that Wright died of cancer just two years later (2008), God rest his soul.

While I write this, I have to glance up occasionally just to look at this amazing man Gilmour: the poise, the expressions on his face, the dedication to his craft. I love the way he dresses - so comfortable. I love his seriousness on stage. I love to watch this man manage these incredibly ornate, psychologically satisfying guitar solos-taking us into depths only Floyd can adequately express. Watching a Pink Floyd concert allows me to scratch a psychological itch I have, one that periodically needs to be re-scratched, and then scratched anew.

My God, when Gilmour and the rest of Pink Floyd recorded “Pulse” back in 1994, he looked slightly aged then, but now he looks a little the worse for wear. There are some bowls under his eyes, and he has age spots on his face and arms where he did not have them before. He was born in ‘46, so that makes him, what, 63 today? When he’s simply concentrating on playing and not giving the other musicians alongside him that great smile of his, he looks a little older. But when he smiles, or when he scrunches his face up in that great Gilmour “I’m going to smack you over the head with this guitar solo” look, he looks wonderful.

His age doesn’t detract from the fact that he’s one of the greatest rock guitarists that has ever lived, a far better singer now than Eric Clapton or Robert Plant is today and possessing much more self-control, finesse and character than Mick Jagger. The only person I can think of who comes close to Gilmour in terms of someone people could aspire to be like might be Pete Townsend of the Who, or perhaps Alex Leifson of Rush, although it appears Leifson has had a run-in or two with the law.

You should see the young Polish kids worshiping this man as he plays. They get it. They know the power of this man, as do I.

Of all my rock idols, I most respect David Gilmour. It’s clear he could be pretty angry if he wanted to be. Or seriously somber, maybe? What I’m getting at is there is a hint of anger in his poise, though just a hint. And I’ve read about the problems Floyd has had as a band in the 90’s and beyond. I think I remember reading something about Gilmour commenting on what an arrogant ass Roger Waters is–which is why Floyd doesn’t tour anymore.

Here’s the thing: When I was a youngster in the era in which Pink Floyd was getting its start, I had friends that raved about them, but I just never got into their music. I was completely into Jimi Hendrix, the Beatles and Led Zeppelin. I didn’t have time for small-time groups like Pink Floyd. Now I wish I’d paid more attention. Pink Floyd had something important to say. And of course, there was that amazing psychological element to their music.

But what I’d really like to do some day is sit down across from David Gilmour and have a long conversation with him about his experiences in Pink Floyd and beyond. Preferably with a pint of good dark beer and some fish and chips. I’d ask Gilmour about where he lives: I suspect he has a farm and that really loves to be there. I have these ideas about what his farm looks like. Maybe he lives in a loft in London for all I know? I wonder what his wife looks like: she must be a good woman. I think Gilmour has the kind of character it takes to pick a really great woman for himself, not some floozy who wants to get in on the action a rock star can bring.

I guess that’s the thing I like most about Gilmour, he’s a rock star that doesn’t act like one. He comes across as just another ordinary guy who happens to be pretty good at guitar playing and singing.

I remember on the Pulse video how Gilmour would occasionally play his steel guitar like a lead guitar. You know, the kind of guitar the country and western bands have, where the guy sits at the guitar and uses a tube to move up and down the twin fretboards? Gilmour used the steel guitar like a very, very cool lead guitar. and he still uses his Heil Talk-Box. The Heil thing is a tube you put in your mouth, allowing you to modify the sound output of your instrument. I’ve noticed camera persons are quite genteel when it comes to not showing a musician putting the tube into his/her mouth, as some people would probably be put off by the whole prospect. But the Heil Talk Box was definitely a very cool invention in 1973, and I’m glad to see it’s still in use (along with the wah-wah pedal).

So listen David: If you’re reading this, we’re going to be in London June 9th for a day or two. Please email me and let’s get together chat. I’d love to learn more about you. You are definitely one of my heros.

Posted in Music | No Comments »