David Gilmour on nepo babies, deluded baby boomers and giving up the fight over Pink Floyd

As a lifelong fan and admirer of David Gilmour, it’s fascinating to see his perspective on the current political climate and the stances taken by some of his contemporaries. Unlike them, Gilmour remains grounded, showing a deep concern for the division and polarization that plagues our world today. He stands as a beacon of reason amidst the chaos, advocating for understanding and empathy rather than resorting to extreme views.

As evening falls within an unoccupied Hollywood Bowl, David Gilmour stands on stage, looking out, singing “Dark and Velvet Nights” to no specific audience. This psych-blues groove, filled with images of “great cities that crumbled and sank,” is a standout track from Gilmour’s impressive new solo album, “Luck and Strange.” In a few hours, his fans will politely bob their heads to it amidst the cherished old tunes like “Wish You Were Here” and “Comfortably Numb.

At 78 years old, Gilmour has played for so long that he knows well what his audience prefers – mostly songs from Pink Floyd’s ’70s catalog, which he performs willingly. However, his focus isn’t on the audience’s preferences: “When I work,” he says after rehearsal at the Bowl before one of three shows there last week, “I don’t take into account an audience member’s opinions because that’s the end of art, in my opinion.” He apologizes if it seems arrogant to refer to his work as art, but he stands by the term. For him, performing his music is its own fulfillment – one reason he sings with nearly full strength, his voice strong yet agile, as his live band practices a few songs behind him.

Gilmour’s tour following the release of his album “Luck and Strange,” his first studio album in nearly a decade and his initial road show, has a compact schedule with performances only in four cities. However, in each city, he is performing multiple-night shows: Following visits to Rome, London, and Los Angeles (where he also played the recently opened Intuit Dome), he began a five-night series at New York’s Madison Square Garden on Monday night.

Despite reaching an unprecedented low point in his relationship with Roger Waters from Pink Floyd, David Gilmour’s fan base remains strong as ever, evidenced by the high number of bookings. Last year, after Polly Samson, Gilmour’s wife and collaborator, accused Waters of being a Putin apologist, a liar, a tax evader, a lip-syncher, misogynist, and power-hungry megalomaniac on Twitter, Gilmour confirmed these claims in his own post. The tension between the former bandmates almost jeopardized a lucrative deal to sell Pink Floyd’s catalog, but it eventually went ahead this year when the band sold their recorded work to Sony Music for an estimated $400 million. Notably, Pink Floyd’s most recent studio album, “The Endless River,” was released in 2014, three decades after Waters left the band and six years after the death of keyboardist Richard Wright.

As I lounged comfortably backstage at the Bowl, clad in my black pants and T-shirt, I shared that I have minimal desire to engage with the drama surrounding Waters. Instead, my mind is preoccupied by “Luck and Strange,” a project where I brought on board producer Charlie Andrew, who isn’t particularly fond of Pink Floyd’s classic repertoire. I found this collaboration refreshing, especially given Andrew’s renown for his work with the British indie-rock band Alt-J. Apart from my wife, who penned the album’s lyrics, I also roped in my 22-year-old daughter, Romany, to lend her voice and harp skills on the LP. There’s even a track centered around an old recording of Wright from 2007. (Pink Floyd’s remaining founding member is Nick Mason.) The album exudes elegance, introspection, and strength, and after our conversation, I performed most of it live at the Bowl while scattering a few familiar tunes to keep the packed crowd satisfied.

Which song from your repertoire do you find the most challenging to perform vocally? For me, it’s probably “Coming Back to Life” because it starts almost a cappella, requiring precise timing and pitch. I also struggle with “Time” due to its high notes. Additionally, “A Great Day for Freedom” is quite exposed, meaning there’s not much room for error since there are fewer backing vocals or harmonies involved, and we don’t resort to lip syncing.

Do you employ a teleprompter?
Indeed, I didn’t use one until my last tour in 2015 and 2016. Prior to that, I never felt the need for it. However, once I started using it… Have you noticed during sound checks? The guy hadn’t set it up from the start of the song, and I suddenly couldn’t remember anything. In older times, you’d be strumming a chord, everyone would be playing something, and I’d just walk up to the mic and it would all flow out effortlessly. It always did for me. There was a line in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” that used to give me trouble — I had those lines written on a piece of paper on stage in front of me. Eventually, Polly suggested, “Just get one [a teleprompter] — it’ll provide you with some security.” I could probably manage without it, but it would take quite a while to prepare for that.

To break free from reliance on that safety net. Frankly, it’s not something I’m inclined towards. Therefore, I’ll find a way to cope with this specific aspect of the situation instead.

You’ve mentioned that your daughter Romany is part of your band and has appeared on “Luck and Strange.” I was curious if you were aware of the term “nepotism baby,” which refers to individuals who gain opportunities due to their family connections. However, in this case, it wasn’t nepotism; Romany earned her place. She initially declined singing a song by the Montgolfier Brothers, “Between Two Points,” because she had an essay to write. But after some persuasion, she tried it out and ended up contributing significantly to the final version you hear. This wasn’t a case of nepotism; it was about talent and hard work.

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In our past performance at the Bowl back in 2016, it was David Crosby who joined us for a few songs. Can you tell me about the early beginnings that sparked your long-standing friendship with him? Well, it was actually Graham Nash who I knew a bit in London while he was still with the Hollies. We even played backgammon together in the lobby of one studio! I used to watch their shows and say hello, and over time, I grew quite friendly with David. He would visit our house, and we even took a boating trip together in the Mediterranean. David was someone I really cared for.

Did his passing last year come as a shock?
His dying, I would call it.

I dislike the term “passing” – it’s often used for “passing away.” Why can’t we use straightforward terms instead?

How would one describe the experience of being the charming figure in Pink Floyd? That’s a curious question, perhaps Roger could provide the answer – of course, referring to myself in this case. [Laughs]

I’m wondering why you appeared so intense, but it never seemed like Pink Floyd was promoting sexuality in their music.

What set us apart from many bands during that period was the predominantly male demographic of our audience, although I wouldn’t say we fit neatly into the progressive rock category – I dislike that term. Nonetheless, there may have been some commonalities among the listeners.

What continues to inspire me about the guitar is finding new melodies within it. The act of playing and creating tunes is more like a transfer of ideas from my mind to the strings. I yearn for an instrument that sparks the beginning of a song, and occasionally feeling a bit uncomfortable aids that process. Although I’m quite terrible at the piano, I’ve managed to write some decent songs on it.

Did being less than perfect benefit you somehow?
Struggling with limitations sometimes opens up new possibilities. For instance, when you receive a guitar that’s out of tune, you discover alternative chords. Being overly comfortable within your comfort zone can also be a trap.

Does modern recording technology ease the challenges in producing music? However, it doesn’t mimic the bond and familiarity that comes from a band that has been together for decades, where they can communicate without words or even have disagreements that are quickly forgotten. In other words, the camaraderie and mutual respect that such long-standing bands share is hard to replicate, which is why supergroups exist. Finding that same level of equality is challenging.

As a world-famous rock star, you mean.
Yeah.

Have you ever noticed that your audience seems overly appreciative or respectful towards you? It’s sometimes hard for me to gauge. However, throughout one’s life and career, there are moments onstage when the performance feels lackluster in your eyes, only to have people approach afterwards saying, “That was fantastic!” You might think, “What do you know?

The title track of the latest album reflects on the optimism of the postwar generation who believed they were ushering in a golden age, an idealistic notion that, as a Gen X-er, I find myself questioning. It’s disheartening to observe how this optimism has morphed into a form of misguided self-importance among some boomers. To be fair, there were many beautiful aspects and it was indeed an innocent time, but there were also numerous issues that needed addressing – political beliefs, racism, sexism, and more. While I admire the efforts of those trying to progress, unfortunately, not everyone succeeded in doing so without causing harm.

Lately, a significant number of well-known baby boomers have expressed conservative viewpoints. This includes your bandmate Roger, as well as Eric Clapton and Van Morrison. However, unlike them, I don’t align with such perspectives. I find the current state of division and polarization in our world deeply concerning. It’s more dangerous than even the Bay of Pigs incident. There seems to be no moderate ground left; everyone is far from the center, hurling insults at each other.

From my perspective, I find myself smack dab in the middle, leaning slightly towards the progressive side. However, I’ve come to realize that the divide between left and right is a complex and confusing one these days. The left has moved so far along this spectrum that it seems to intersect with extreme conservatism at some point. Frankly, I’m baffled by individuals who casually use potentially harmful words without first understanding their true meaning.

Here’s one way of paraphrasing: At present, I won’t provide an illustration for you. Regrettably, I’m a popular musician, so I don’t feel compelled to delve deeply into these subjects in this particular instance.

Thanks for your time.
Hope you like this album better than “The Endless River.”

After revisiting my critique on that album, I realized it came off a bit snarky. You see, when we were working on “The Division Bell,” our engineer, Andy Jackson, had compiled something he called “The Big Spliff” – a mix of leftover jams from the sessions. These tracks were circulating as bootlegs and fans wanted more. However, under pressure from the record company, we released it as an official Pink Floyd album. In hindsight, I guess I was fooled into thinking it should be our next album. But, as they say, past is prologue – one can always fall into similar traps again.

As for that concern, I’m not anxious that the sale of Pink Floyd’s discography could result in their music being displayed in ways that aren’t pleasing to me.

Why persist?
It’s history, it’s all in the past. This matter is for future generations. I’m an elderly individual who has spent over 40 years battling against laziness and greed to make the best of what we have. Now, I’ve decided to step down from that fight. I’ve received my due — not fresh funds but an advance on what I would have earned in the coming years anyway. But I’m glad to leave behind the endless debates, squabbles, and foolishness that have taken place between these four distinct groups of people over the past 40 years. And I haven’t sold the publishing rights yet.

As a film critic, I find myself often pondering about the intricacies of the movie industry, and in this case, I’m referring to the persistent use of old songs in modern productions. Now, let me clarify, the ownership of these recordings lies with Sony, giving them the right to utilize them as they see fit. However, their appearance in advertisements doesn’t particularly stir my enthusiasm. To be frank, I find many aspects of this practice equally distasteful.

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2024-11-05 19:02