Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour is one of the most recognisable guitar heroes in music, someone who has been feted by generations of musicians. Very much a servant of the song, his solos on the likes of Pink Floyd classic ‘Comfortably Numb’ – to pick just one example – are etched into rock history.
Yet he remains very honest about his abilities. Refusing to buy into the hype, David Gilmour once called his own guitar technique “laughable” and regularly places other musicians above his own stature.
Back in 1983, David Gilmour took part in an interview with Guitar Heroes, and largely dismissed his own technical knowledge. “My technique is laughable at times. I have developed a style of my own, which creeps around. I don’t have to have too much technique for it. I’ve developed the parts of my technique that are useful to me. I’ll never be a very fast guitar player. I don’t know what to say about my style. There’s always a melodic intent in there.”
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Indeed, a more recent interview with Guitar World in 2015 saw David Gilmour salute Jeff Beck’s work, calling his English peer “a tightrope walker”.
David Gilmour’s answers gives some insight into his own opinion on the role his guitar playing takes in Pink Floyd’s oeuvre. “I like to cover all my bases and make myself secure with a great band, with the music all rehearsed. I just walk out there, and if I didn’t even play anything it would still sound great.”
A true group player, working in service of the song. There’s more to come, too – David Gilmour was recently spotted in the studio with Roger Eno, and frequent collaborator Guy Pratt. Could a new album be in the works? Let’s hope so.
Re-visit David Gilmour’s famed performance on Pink Floyd classic ‘Money’ below.
Related: So You’ve Decided To Get Into Pink Floyd – A Beginner’s Guide
