DAVID GILMOUR
Prog Related • United Kingdom
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David Jon Gilmour - Born 6 March 1946 (Cambridge, UK)
David GILMOUR began playing guitar at a young age, often jamming and playing with his high school friend Syd BARRETT . His first band called JOKERS WILD was formed in 1965, but they recorded just one album, of which about 100 copies were made. It wasn't until 1968 when he was asked to join PINK FLOYD that fame would find him. When the increasingly erratic behavior BARRETT displayed got him kicked out, GILMOUR became the group's sole guitar player. While he didn't write much of their material, his amazing guitar playing was huge in forging what would go on to be known as the definitive PINK FLOYD sound. He took control of PINK FLOYD in 1987 after singer/songwriter/bass player Roger WATERS quit, releasing two studio albums (1987's "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" and 1994's "The Division Bell"). His solo albums came in the form of 1978's self-titled record, recorded while WATERS was away from the band writing two concept albums which would go on to become "The Wall" and "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking", and 1984's "About Face", recorded at a time when everyone figured PINK FLOYD had broken up, and featuring songs co-written by WHO mastermind Pete TOWNSHEND. Neither gained much attention though, which played a part in his revival of PINK FLOYD.
The self-titled is a good, albiet straightforawrd blues-rock album, and "About Face" is more of a pop-rock record with an (annoyingly) 80s feel. The s/t is the better of the two, although neither are really fantastic. They won't nessecarily appeal to FLOYD fans either, as they are quite lacking the magic that makes his work with the band so great. Anyone who really admires his guitar work will enjoy them to at least an extent though.
GILMOUR's solo work is unremarkable despite it's merrits, and while fans of his guitar playing should give it a listen, don't expect to be blown away.
: : : Bryan Adair, CANADA : : :
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DAVID GILMOUR discography
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DAVID GILMOUR top albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
3.55 | 391 ratings
David Gilmour 1978 |
2.88 | 339 ratings
About Face 1984 |
3.56 | 459 ratings
On an Island 2006 |
2.82 | 117 ratings
The Orb feat. David Gilmour: Metallic Spheres 2010 |
3.44 | 265 ratings
Rattle That Lock 2015 |
2.25 | 4 ratings
The Orb And David Gilmour: Metallic Spheres In Colour 2023 |
3.50 | 2 ratings
Luck and Strange 2024 |
DAVID GILMOUR Live Albums (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
4.22 | 195 ratings
Live in Gdańsk 2008 |
3.00 | 26 ratings
London 1984 2009 |
3.84 | 64 ratings
Live at Pompeii 2017 |
DAVID GILMOUR Videos (DVD, Blu-ray, VHS etc)
3.14 | 20 ratings
Pink Floyd's David Gilmour (VHS) 1984 |
3.89 | 128 ratings
David Gilmour In Concert 2002 |
4.19 | 158 ratings
Remember That Night: Live at The Royal Albert Hall 2007 |
2.05 | 3 ratings
At Hammersmith Odeon 2008 |
4.66 | 53 ratings
Live at Pompeii 2017 |
DAVID GILMOUR Boxset & Compilations (CD, LP, MC, SACD, DVD-A, Digital Media Download)
DAVID GILMOUR Official Singles, EPs, Fan Club & Promo (CD, EP/LP, MC, Digital Media Download)
4.25 | 12 ratings
There's No Way Out of Here 1978 |
3.58 | 10 ratings
Love on the Air 1984 |
2.24 | 12 ratings
Blue Light (promo 12" single) 1984 |
1.73 | 11 ratings
All Lovers are Deranged/Blue Light 1984 |
3.29 | 30 ratings
Arnold Layne 2006 |
3.20 | 5 ratings
Island Jam 2006 |
4.14 | 21 ratings
On an Island 2006 |
4.06 | 17 ratings
Smile 2006 |
4.45 | 11 ratings
Wot's...Uh the Deal? 2008 |
2.33 | 3 ratings
The Orb & David Gilmour: Hymns to the Sun 2010 |
3.25 | 4 ratings
A Pocketful of Stones 2012 |
3.71 | 17 ratings
Rattle That Lock 2015 |
3.57 | 14 ratings
Today 2015 |
3.08 | 19 ratings
Yes, I Have Ghosts 2020 |
DAVID GILMOUR Reviews
Showing last 10 reviews only
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by
MikeEnRegalia
Special Collaborator Honorary Collaborator
Not anymore. Triggered by the upcoming release of Roger Waters' DSOTM Redux, I decided to go back to check out what David Gilmour has done in the last two decades, and the best thing I can think of is this release.
Well, in short: It's bad. I'm giving it a sub-par rating because it has a few nice moments, but also some horrible blunders and is, for the most part, boring and unfocused. Too bad, since I'm a huge fan of what Gilmour did with Pink Floyd in the 70s. On this release he is "talking" a lot with his guitar, but not saying much. Less is more, an important concept in music which he built a reputation for with Pink Floyd.
If you disagree with me and think this is really good, please compare it to releases by Shpongle and Ozric Tentacles, who do similar experiments with much more musical cohesion.
Track Comments:
1. Metallic Side (2 stars): This starts out ok, the first part is actually kind of nice.
All starts to break down a Gilmour-like voice (who I recently learned is actually Graham Nash) sings "If you believe in justice, if you believe in freedom, stand up for human rights ..." in a flat, whiny thin head voice. That's about 10 minutes into the track, the section is called "Hymns to the Sun". It's a laid back section with sparse typical Gilmour backing guitars, the "Another Brick" heavy delay chops type.
Next up is "Black Graham" which starts with horrible acoustic guitar. As it turns out, this is not David's fault, since it is Marcia Mello playing. This is the lowest point of this longtrack.
Finally, the last four minutes are kind of decent electronic semi-ambient music. In the last two minutes we even finally get to hear a well-fitting contribution by David Gilmour.
2. Spheres Side (2.5 stars): Starts out quite well! The first section ("Es Vedra") is a nice two-chord vamp. Unfortunately it gets boring soon, and Gilmour's slide playing gets quite repetitive. It's also whiny and insecure - one wonders where his confidence went. What is he afraid of?
Then of course the horrible vocals from the first track appear again (Hymn of the Sun "Reprise"). I wonder who can listen to them and not cringe with embarrassment.
The next part is introduced by a goofy jaw harp - because reasons. Apart from that it's actually quite nice - as far as ambient electronic goes, one of the highlights. The last two parts are also kind of nice. Too late to salvage the album though.
Originally published at awesomeprog.com/reviews/98336
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by gbjones
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by
Matti
Prog Reviewer
In 1984 Gilmour released his second solo album About Face which I concider terribly lacklustre in its straight, progless pop-rock. Naturally this Hammersmith gig from 30th April 1984 concentrates heavily on the then-new album. But that's not the only reason for the overall weakness. The visual quality is rather poor and the camera work uninspired. Obviously the filming equipment wasn't of very high quality. The cheap nature of this DVD is evident the very minute you start viewing it. The irritating and criminally too long publisher's insert (Crime Crow; the cartoon figure snapping its fingers to blues music) is directly followed, in a clumsy VHS manner, by the beginning of the first track of the live set, 'Until We Sleep'. Both that song and the next one, 'All Lovers Are Deranged', totally failed to interest me much. Two songs from the debut David Gilmour (1978) improve things a bit. It's nice to see Roy Harper joining David on their collaboratively written 'Short and Sweet', even though the song itself is pretty boring. The audio quality is OK and the musicians do their jobs just fine, but as I said, don't expect any prog finesse. The sax and keys are very much of the time. Even the lead instrument, Gilmour's guitar, is not as impressive as on later DVD's.
'Run Like Hell' understandably receives enthusiastic applause from the audience; The Wall had only a little earlier been a mega success for Pink Floyd. The song certainly brings some needed spark here. Three more songs from About Face, and the main body of the set is over. The encore 'Comfortably Numb' is musically the ultimate highlight, and Nick Mason enters behind the drum kit.
I can't seriously recommend this DVD to anyone except for a completionist and a diehard Gilmour fan who greatly enjoys even his weakest solo output. What's best here, ie. the two concert favourites from The Wall, are present on most other Floyd/Gilmour DVD's. As for the About Face stuff, well, you either have the studio album or you don't care of it enough to own it, and in both cases this live set is not that necessary to get.
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by sgtpepper
There are only three instrumentals but all worth repeated listening. "Mihalis" reminds me slightly of Camel; just that guitar playing is more dominant here. "Raise my rent" has a Floydian guitar and playfulness. Absolutely tasty playing and smoking solos. "It's deafinitely" is the most prog-sounding composition but at the same time, compositionally rather weak. It's dynamic pace sets guitar/synths/drums at the same winning position.
The sung tracks are melodic, allow more space for keyboards and even harmonica. My favourite is "So far away" especially when the guitar and female vocal reach the climax. It has the typical laid-back PF feeling.
Despite quite a convincing output, I think this is not an essential piece of prog.
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by
Matti
Prog Reviewer
Agreeably 'Shine On... (Parts 1-5)' doesn't function very well as a ripped down acoustic version (all the time I expected David soon to switch to an electric guitar), but on the other hand it's interesting to have this different version. Dick Parry joins on saxophone during the piece. The live line-up at its fullest features also Michael Kamen on piano, beautiful Caroline Dale on cello, Nic France on percussion, Neill MacColl on acoustic guitar (dual guitars are obviously much needed especially on 'Wish You Were Here') and a gospel choir led by Sam Brown. The choir is another key factor to bring heartfelt sincerity to the performances. Songs such as 'High Hopes' and 'A Great Day for Freedom' have enjoyable, more intimate versions here.
In addition to a few other songs of Pink Floyd and Gilmour's solo output such as 'Smile' which some years later was included in the album On an Island (2006), the set contains some interesting surprises. 'Je crois entendre encore' is a melancholic opera aria from Georges Bizet's Les Pecheurs de Perles and suits pretty well for this line-up. 'Dimming of the Day' is a serene Richard Thompson penned song originally sung by his wife Linda Thompson, and 'Terrapin' and 'Dominoes' are Syd Barrett's songs. As nice as it is to see Robert Wyatt guesting on 'Comfortably Numb', his vocals in it are only so-and-so. In the end -- taken from another live date -- the same song is guested by Bob Geldof (the main actor in Pink Floyd The Wall movie), who does a more convincing participation. And of course Rick Wright (r.i.p. 2008) coming to sing and play 'Breakthrough' from his 1996 album Broken China is a memorable moment.
The bonus materials are diverse and well edited. On 'Shakespeare's Sonnet 18' Gilmour only sings to Kamen's piano. I like that. 'Home Movie' shows David in his home studio rehearsing the Bizet aria with the gospel choir, and so on. Pretty down-to-earth stuff, further widening the contrast to the mentioned Pink Floyd DVD's. This DVD is an excellent and unique addition for anyone wanting to have a good selection of Floyd and related.
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by
octopus-4
Special Collaborator RIO/Avant/Zeuhl,Neo & Post/Math Teams
There's one funny photo of her and his father on the web, and before this single this was the only clue that I had of her existence.
Well, other than guitar, as probably obvious, she plays harp. This is her instrument in the single. She has a very nice voice and harmonizes perfectly wit dad's baritonal singing.
Not a bad song, also. Surely not a masterpiece but it could easily feature in any David Gilmour's album as it's quite in line with the mood of his last one. A song like this would have been really better than the rubbish remix used to fill the last album.
So it's a 3-stars song and hopefully the beginning of a great career for Romany.
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by Heart of the Matter
"Love On The Air" is a rather simple, but expertly put together and delivered song. Nevertheless, this little gem has space for all kind of delights: tasty & melodic fretless bass lines, solid keyboards work setting pace & dynamics, simple but delicious lyrics, and, of course, perfect vocal delivery.
"Let's Get Metaphysical" brings David and his guitar to the solo spotlight. A beautiful instrumental melody, exquisitely framed by the National Philharmonic Orchestra.
This could be an excellent addition to a singles collection.
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by
VianaProghead
Prog Reviewer
David Gilmour is, as many of we know, the lead guitarist, one of the lead singers and one of the main songwriters of the legendary prog rock band, Pink Floyd. And as many we know too, he wasn't an original member of the band. But in 1967, Nick Mason, the drummer of the group, asked him if he would be interested in joining to Pink Floyd. He accepted and joined the band in 1968, making them a group of five members. It was brief because soon the founder guitarist Syd Barrett left the group because his erratic conduct on the band, and David Gilmour assumed the role of lead guitarist.
"David Gilmour" is their self titled debut solo studio album and was released in 1978. As he explained when the album was released, this debut solo studio album was very important to him, in terms of self respect, because he needed to step out from behind the Pink Floyd's shadow. All songs on the album were written by David Gilmour except "There's No Way Out Of Here" written by Ken Baker, "Cry From The Street" written by David Gilmour and Electra Stuart and "Short And Sweet" written by David Gilmour and Roy Harper.
Loose and collaborative, with some interesting instrumentals, "David Gilmour" is recommended because it's neither withering in the shadow of Roger Waters, nor like Gilmour's led albums in the band's third-act, trying too hard to sound like Pink Floyd. Instead, everything feels familiar and comfortable. Credit goes, in part, to Gilmour's backing band.
The line up on the album is David Gilmour (lead vocals, electric and acoustic guitars, keyboards, lap steel guitar, piano and harmonica), Rick Wills (backing vocals and bass guitar), Willie Wilson (drums and percussion), Mick Weaver (piano), Carlena Williams, Debbie Doss and Shirley Roden (backing vocals).
The album has nine tracks. The first track "Mihalis" is a Greek name and was the name of a yacht that David Gilmour owned at that time. It's an instrumental song, very light and mellow with some nice guitar melodies performed in David Gilmour's classic guitar style. This represents a good way to open the album. The second track "There's No Way Out Of Here" is a great song and one of the best tracks on the album. It's a song with the typical Pink Floyd's sound, and what is more interesting about that, is that is apparently the only song of the album that wasn't composed by David Gilmour. The third track "Cry From The Street" is a very good and enjoyable song and is a song more based in the blues style. It's a song a little bit repetitive but with excellent arrangements and where we can hear the typical David Gilmour's guitar sound. The end of the song reminds me strongly the sound of the Pink Floyd's album, "Animals". The fourth track "So Far Away" is a pleasant piano based ballad with meaningful lyrics, beautiful piano work and a nice guitar sound with a laid back guitar solo. The vocal performance on the song is also very impressive and is also one of the best I've ever heard from him. The fifth track "Short And Sweet" is a rock oriented song more in the vein of Pink Floyd's songs. It features a much harder guitar sound than the rest of the album and has also a good bass line and a fantastic vocal line. This song represents one of the best moments on the album and one of my favourite songs too. The sixth track "Raise My Rent" is another instrumental track. What makes this song most interesting is the slow, simple and repetitive guitar fills and the stunning guitar solo with the typical trademark sound by David Gilmour. This is another highlight of the album and one of my favourite moments too. The seventh track "No Way" is another song based in the blues style. It's a very nice song, very slow, with a main melody that brings to us the David Gilmour's nice voice and a nice guitar work too. Who likes David Gilmour' typical sound, likes this song too. The eighth track "It's Deafinitely" is another great instrumental song that explores the keyboard and the guitar works. It's a song with some good and interesting guitar moments with the repeating keyboard theme on the back, what makes a find and interesting musical moment on the album. The ninth and last track "I Can't Breathe Anymore" is a simple and nice song that finishes this first solo David Gilmour's studio musical experience. We can say that it's a slow song with a noise guitar sound. It's a short and good song that concludes the album with simple guitar fills. It's an enough good song to closes the album.
Conclusion: Despite I only purchased the album few years ago, I know it since it was released and I always considered it a great musical work. Although it isn't very progressive and be an album very influenced by the blues, it's a very well balanced and a very cohesive work. "David Gilmour" is, in my humble opinion, an album that despite remaining in the area of Pink Floyd's music, explores also another musical areas but only if they were very close to that area. So, "David Gilmour" is a very good album and if you like, as I like, of the inimitable guitar sound of David Gilmour, especially on the Pink Floyd's album "Animals", the resemblance is obvious, you mustn't miss this album, for any kind of reason. It should please the late Pink Floyd's fans. It boasts strong songs, great guitar work and Gilmour's ever-charming vocals.
Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by Psychedelic Paul
David Gilmour is in stonking good form with the instrumental opening number "Mihalis" (the Greek name for Michael). It features the kind of long-drawn-out soaring Floydian guitar riffs we've come to know and love from Pink Floyd. Although there are no lyrics, the music has a joyous and jubilant feel-good vibe to it, which makes it a perfect album opener. "There's No Way Out of Here" for Song No. 2, and it's a good thing too, because we're not going anywhere. We're sticking around to listen to this uplifting song and album in its entirety. "There's No Way Out of Here" might be a moody bluesy number, but it definitely won't leave you feeling moody or blue. The sound of David Gilmour's captivating guitar riffs is enough to brighten up the dullest of days and there's some lovely vocal harmonising too from the three female backing singers. We're getting all down and dirty now for some hard drivin' blues now in Song No. 3: "Cry from the Street". It begins as a slow bluesy number, but don't let that put you off, because the song quickly gathers in pace and concludes with some magnificent guitar flourishes from Mr Gilmour to leave you on an emotional and spiritual high. We're not "So Far Away" from being halfway through the album now. This song probably most resembles classic Pink Floyd than any of the songs on the album so far. It's similar in style to "Us and Them" and wouldn't seem out of place at all on the "Dark Side of the Moon" album. Even the vocal harmonising from the three female singers is very reminiscent of the Pink Floyd sound, which has to be a good thing.
Side Two opens with "Short and Sweet", which is not particularly short, but it's a little bit bittersweet. It's five and a half minutes of inspirational and uplifting music, given the masterly Gilmour touch of magic with some euphoric-sounding vocals and magnificent guitar work, in true Floyd-esque fashion. It's one of the highlights of the album in an album that's packed solid with great songs. Song No. 6 is "Raise My Rent", an instrumental number, featuring those oh-so-beautiful, trademark Gilmour glissandos. If you weren't on Cloud 9 already from listening to this superb album, then you may be after hearing this stunning virtuoso performance. You may not reach seventh heaven, but this uplifting piece of music will show you the way there. Song No. 7 is another song rooted in the blues, but there's "No Way" you'll be feeling blue after listening to the sound of David Gilmour's intoxicating guitar solo midway through the song. Onto Song No. 8 now and "Deafinitely" (no, that's not a spelling mistake or typo error). It's another instrumental piece giving David Gilmour a chance to really shine and do what he does best with some sublime soloing. Somewhat unusually, this uptempo and exuberant piece of music also features the sonorous sound of a synth with some weird electronic effects thrown in for good measure. We now reach the concluding song on the album with "I Can't Breathe Anymore", which could have been a Pink Floyd classic for sure, if it wasn't included on this solo album. It's classy and sophisticated Progressive Rock in true "Floyd-esquian" tradition.
This invigorating and uplifting album is absolutely essential for fans of Pink Floyd, although I expect most Floyd fans will already have this album nestling in their treasured LP record and CD collections. It has all the hallmarks of the classic Pink Floyd sound we've come to know and love over the years from guitar maestro David Gilmour. I "Wish You Were Here" with me to hear this album because it's sensational!
David Gilmour Prog Related
Review by mariorockprog