David Gilmour
This month Phil Short dives into the iconic, melodic, feel-filled, but deceptively tricky style of Pink Floyd’s legendary David Gilmour.
Phil Short
David Gilmour with his equally legendary black Stratocaster
David Gilmour is one of the world’s most revered guitarists. In 1967 he joined Nick Mason, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Syd Barrett in Pink Floyd when Barrett, the main singer, songwriter and guitarist’s mental state was making it hard for him to continue. Singles See Emily Play and Arnold Layne had already charted, gaining the band a loyal following. But these Barrett compositions sound very different to the Pink Floyd we’d recognise today, with a clear Beatles influence combined with trippy lyrics and psychedelic instrumentation, including Barrett’s heavily echoed Fender Telecaster, often played using slide technique.