Anything you want to know?

If you have an interesting question to ask, then this is the place to ask it. We have received many questions so far and there is a great possibility that your question has already been answered below. Please check through all the questions and answers below before writing in.

If you have an interesting question that has not yet been answered, then send it to us and we will try to track down an interesting answer for you.

Please be polite and patient. We are currently receiving a large volume of mail and repeated requests for signed photographs and suggested touring venues are, naturally, stopping us from focusing on the really good stuff. Remember, the more interesting the question, the more chance of an answer.

Responses will be posted here on a regular basis, so do check back often.

Submit your question to faq@davidgilmour.com

Please be aware that we will not accept messages that contain e-mail attachments.

The most common questions:

Are there any plans for new Pink Floyd live dates?
- There are no plans for any live Pink Floyd dates.

Is David planning any live dates?
- Yes he is. Please check out the live dates section for his current dates in the UK, Continental Europe, the USA and Canada.

When are you playing my home town?
- If your home town is not listed in the live dates section, then unfortunately there are no plans for David to play there at this present time. If there are plans to perform anywhere in the world, then rest assured that full details will be posted here first.

Is David working on a new solo album?
- David has been hard at work on his third solo album throughout 2005. Further details will be announced on this site soon.

When is David’s album due to be released?
- The planned release is in March 2006, and details will be posted here when confirmed. Various creative elements are still being worked on, but full details will be available here in the future.

Which musicians feature on ‘On An Island’?
- Pink Floyd keyboardist, Richard Wright, is on there, as is Guy Pratt (who has played bass with Pink Floyd on two world tours, as well as contributing much in the studio). The amazing Jools Holland lends a hand (or two) on piano. David Crosby and Graham Nash show up on the title track and Robert Wyatt makes a contribution as well. Orchestrations are provided by the renowned Polish composer, Zbigniew Preisner. The album is produced by David Gilmour, Chris Thomas and Phil Manzanera (who have worked with David and Pink Floyd extensively since ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’) and is to be released by EMI.

Who designed the ‘On An Island’ album cover?
- A very nice chap called Steve Knee.

How did Pink Floyd get their name?
- Original front man and band founder, Syd Barrett, thought up the name when he discovered that there was another Tea Set due to play at the same venue as his Tea Set. So he merged the names of two blues musicians, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, and settled on The Pink Floyd Sound, which was later shortened to Pink Floyd. The rest, as they say, is history. Other early names include The Screaming Abdabs, The Architectural Abdabs, Sigma 6 and The Meggadeaths.

May I have a signed photo?
- Due to the many commitments involved in completing ‘On An Island’ and arranging European and American tours, requests for David to sign photographs will not be met. I’m sure you’d much prefer to have the album out and a chance to see David performing his new material for yourself!

How do I join David’s fan club?
- There is no fan club. North American fans have been misinformed that they can buy presale tickets if they join David’s fan club. This is incorrect. There is no fan club and there are no plans to start one. You must purchase tickets by contacting the relevant venue. Full details are in the live dates section.

Will there be more pictures added to the Gallery?
- Yes, you can expect to see many more in the coming weeks.

I would like to purchase tickets through the Internet presale. Can you email me the Internet presale password?
- Sorry, no can do. We did investigate the possibility of doing for American and Canadian fans what we did in the UK, which was to allow fans to express their interest in purchasing tickets before they went on general sale. However, we were not completely satisfied with the arrangements and subsequently decided not to offer Advance Bookings, contrary to unconfirmed reports which went out in North America. So I’m afraid you have to purchase your tickets the usual way.

The best questions:

Do you think oysters are international or only if there is an ‘r’ in the month? (Andy Baker)
- After some debate, it has been decided that oysters are free-spirited wanderers of all international waters, but you should only eat them when there’s an ‘r’ in the month. Mussels, too.

When you are preparing the live show for touring, is the show different in Europe than in the U.S.? Are different setlists prepared for different countries? (Craig)
- No, the setlists remain largely the same regardless of where in the world David performs. Of course, changes are made during the course of a tour if David fancies a change.

I enjoyed ‘David Gilmour’ and ‘About Face’ and am looking forward to ‘On An Island’. Does David have any plans to play his earlier material live? (Steve)
- David will certainly play some familiar songs from his Floyd repertoire, and there could be one or two surprises thrown in for good measure. You’ll have to wait and see!

I have noticed recently that he has been using a classic Gibson (Les Paul... I believe) instead of his more well-known 1957-reissue Fender Strat. I was just wondering if there was any special reason for this or if it just happens to fit the mood/tone of the new album? (Justin Whitener)
- David has always liked to try out different guitars and has done so throughout his career. He feels that the Gretsch Duo-Jet that he used predominantly throughout his 2002 semi-acoustic shows in London and Paris better suited the songs he had chosen then, and is currently favouring the Gold top Gibson Les Paul, but that’s not to say that he’s given up on his trusty red Strat!

I hear David is learning the sax. Does he play some on the new album? (Chris Kelly)
- David was learning to play the saxophone with one of his sons a few years ago, and he has indeed shown off his skills on a track on his new album. Full details to follow in January.

Ok this is a desert island discs type of question... If David could keep only one of his guitars which would it be? Which is his favorite? (Tom Lardner)
- Well, David told Sue Lawley (who hosts BBC Radio’s Desert Island Discs programme) that if he had to choose one luxury item to take with him to a desert island, then it would have to be an acoustic Martin D35 guitar. He was keen to point out that it would not be a luxury item, however, but an absolute essential.

Is the release date for David’s new album the same for the US as the UK? (Angela Overbaugh)
- It will be out on 6th March in Europe and 7th March in the States.

What’s in David’s CD player? Is he going to post a playlist at iTunes? (Patrick Willdigg)
- David’s favourite artists include Bob Dylan, Joni Mitchell, Leonard Cohen, Neil Young, The Eagles and The Beach Boys. He has a fondness for Radiohead and Coldplay and said recently that he’s interested by what Mike Skinner is doing with The Streets. I don’t think there’s going to be a playlist at iTunes, though - certainly not until the tour’s out of the way! Interestingly, David’s wife Polly was once asked to name her favourite albums and chose ‘The Future’ by Leonard Cohen, Prokofiev’s ‘Lieutenant Kije’, ‘L’Arlesienne’ by Bizet and The Greatest Hits of The Kinks, so I’m sure any of those could be in David’s CD player.

What music do you enjoy listening to these days? (Marc Gottwerth)
- David’s musical tastes have always been varied, as you can see from the above answer. He particularly likes listening to The Beach Boys in the car.

Did David sing lead on ‘Julia Dream’ and co-sing ‘Another Brick in the Wall part 2’? (Joe Sharpe)
- David most certainly did sing lead on ‘Julia Dream’. That was the first song he sang on after joining Pink Floyd in 1968, in fact. He also sings lead with Roger Waters on ‘Another Brick in the Wall (Part Two)’.

I have researched the seating capacities of the venues you will be performing in on your European Tour and am intrigued as to why you have chosen more intimate venues with seating from 2,000 to 4,000? Is it more enjoyable and challenging to perform in a smaller venue? (David Wexler)
- After a career performing before thousands of fans in huge theatres, David felt that it was a welcome change to play in more intimate settings in 2001 and 2002. Of course, the songs performed in London and Paris were better-suited to such venues, as they were quieter and softer in tone than the Pink Floyd songs which are very much at home in vast arenas. As those shows were semi-acoustic in nature, with gospel choir and orchestra, finding the most suitable venues was of great importance to David, as it is again for the 2006 dates. David has commented that it’s much more nerve-wracking performing in smaller theatres, yet finds performing in large and small venues equally enjoyable.

How tall are you? (Dan Verbin)
- Tall enough to go on all the best rides at the fair, Dan.

What charities does David support/endorse? (Chris Kelly)
- David supports numerous worthy causes and his charitable trust has donated a substantial amount to a variety of charities. He cares passionately about the homeless and gave the entire proceeds of the sale of his London town house (to Princess Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer) to Crisis. He is now their vice president, although he prefers to keep out of the public eye as much as possible. He has performed at myriad benefit gigs for Teenage Cancer Trust, Nordoff-Robbins Music Therapy, Amnesty International and PETA among others. Of course, the Pink Floyd reunion in July 2005 was driven by a desire to contribute to an important cause (Live 8) and the profits made from increased record sales were also donated to charity at David’s behest. Unlike many celebrities, you don’t hear much about David’s philanthropic ways, but that’s only because he doesn’t advertise them. Check out the links page to find out more about David’s favourite charities.

Does David still find Syd Barrett to be an inspiration when writing new music, either lyrically or musically? (Kirby Atwater)
- David is great admirer of Syd, as both a person of great inner beauty whom he feels privileged to have personally known, and as an extremely talented songwriter who could have been one of the world’s greatest musical talents had circumstances been different. Syd has certainly inspired David. As you are no doubt aware, David and Syd were friends before the days of Pink Floyd, and David taught Syd much about the guitar when they were at college together. David produced two of Syd’s solo albums and has performed several Barrett songs in his live shows as a tribute to Syd. David always comments on the way the lyrics just seemed to pour from Syd.

I was wondering if I can use the premier pass that I won for the UK royal albert hall toward the tickets for the Kodak theater in LA that go on sale later today. I never got to use the number for the UK tickets because I live in the United States. When I registered to win I thought it was for US shows too. Let me know if I can use this number for the Kodak theater! (Nick Civitano)
- I’m afraid not, no. Sorry!

Will people on the website mailing list receive early notification of how to buy tickets for David’s concerts? (Albie Jarvis)
- Unfortunately not. We will only be sending out news. We will soon start sending this to all those who have signed up for the mailing list. Please note that the mailing list is just a mailing list, not a fan club. There isn’t a fan club and there won’t be one. If you would like to receive news of what David’s been up to, please sign up at the mailing list.

Please put this to rest once and for all: Why does Nick hate pie crust? (Dan Verbin)
- Nick kicked up a fuss during the recording of ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ at Abbey Road - as was caught on camera and featured in the Live at Pompeii film - where he declared that he’d rather no apple pie than a round one. Although Nick has mellowed as the years have passed, he still feels that pie crusts are bland, boring and tasteless. Which they are.

As someone who attended that infamous Montreal show in 1977, something I’ve always wondered is this: What was the mood of the band that night? Since it was the last show of the tour, I would have thought everyone would have been happy and relieved. That didn’t seem to be the case. We all know Roger was having some “issues”. Even the usually subdued Mr. Gilmour chastized the crew during ‘Money’. And, what was the reason that David never came back for the final encore - choosing instead to finish the show at the sound board? It made for a very bleak ending - with the roadies tearing down the gear around Roger and Nick as they played. (Wray Ellis)
- Put simply, it wasn’t a good performance by Pink Floyd’s usual high standards and David was unhappy about bringing an end to a six-month tour with what he considered to be a below-par performance. Snowy White played guitar on the encore and Roger had his first visions of building a giant wall between band and audience.

Mr. Gilmour is my favorite musician hands down. He is very closely followed by George Harrison and Carlos Santana, respectively. I’m a guitar player and they are my main influences... so the question, then, is which guitar players influenced David in his early years... and who influences/interests/inspires him today? (Ryan L. Sittler)
- David’s early influences were folks and blues guitarists, such as Leadbelly and Howlin’ Wolf. He always liked Bob Dylan (and heard his first album before many others in Britain, as his parents lived in America) and, like most young people growing up in the 1950s, he liked Rock ‘N’ Roll. The first record he ever bought was ‘Rock Around The Clock’ by Bill Haley & His Comets and you can see his Rock ‘N’ Roll instincts shining through on the Paul McCartney’s Live At The Cavern DVD. Other influences include Hank Marvin (hence the red Strat) and Peter Green. He’s always liked Jeff Beck and Jimi Hendrix. He does a pretty good impersonation of Hendrix, too.

Is David sending Roger Waters a Christmas card this year? (Chris Kelly)
- Of course!

What instruments is Dave able to play? There are quite a lot photos all over the internet that show him on all kinds of different instruments - maybe the list of instruments he can’t play on is shorter! (Sascha)
- Well, besides guitars of all sorts, he plays the piano and keyboards. He plays bass (including fretless). He actually played bass guitar on many of the Pink Floyd tracks that one would assume Roger is playing on, and has indirectly won many a magazine bass-playing poll! He can play the harmonica and drums. He drummed on the Syd Barrett track, ‘Dominoes’. He has been learning the saxophone and he also plays a mean kazoo. Think ‘Corporal Clegg’ and his wooden leg.

Does David plan on writing his memoirs anytime soon? Or are they already out and I’m just a blind idiot? (Keith Hebert)
- You’re not a blind idiot, Keith. For the time being, David is very happy leaving the writing to his novelist wife, Polly.

After hearing of David’s new album and tour, I set about trying to find this site, and in the process, stumbled across a number of sites discussing something called the ‘Publius Enigma’. The various websites all state that it has to do with the ‘Division Bell’. I was curious as to what this is all about. (Joe Dimech)
- The Publius Enigma was something dreamt up by Pink Floyd’s record company at the time of the release of the ‘Division Bell’ album in order to puzzle people. It’s fair to say that they succeeded.

I’ve always wondered why in the lyrics to my favourite Division Bell song, ‘Take It Back’, there is a dash between the g and d in G-d. (Dan Verbin)
- Some people simply take offence at taking the Lord’s name in vain. It was publishing’s very subtle way of keeping people from complaining about the abuse of God’s good name - and perhaps also to keep people focused on trying to figure out who Publius was instead!

Will the entire album feature orchestration or is that just for a song or two? (Brian Sciaretta)
- There is an orchestra, but that’s not to say that ‘On An Island’ is purely an orchestral album. It’s very much a rock album, with some orchestra thrown in for texture. Keep checking the site for biographies of all those who have contributed to it and you’ll see who’s on there doing what.

Is David doing any signing sessions for the release of his album? (Adam Kahan)
- Unfortunately, it’s unlikely that he will be doing any such thing. Any news to the contrary will, of course, be posted on this website.

How did David come to play guitar on ‘No More Lonely Nights’? How long has he been friends with Paul McCartney? (JJ)
- David has known Sir Paul since the early Seventies. He was actually working in the studio next-door to Pink Floyd as they were recording ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ at Abbey Road. David was first invited to play on McCartney’s ‘Rockestra Theme’ from his ‘Back To The Egg’ album alongside other guitar greats, such as Pete Townshend and Hank Marvin, in 1979. ‘No More Lonely Nights’ (from the album ‘Give My Regards To Broad Street’) followed in 1984. David also played on ‘We Got Married’ from 1989’s ‘Flowers In The Dirt’ and throughout 1999’s ‘Run Devil Run’ album.

Does it hurt being that good? (Chris Kelly)
- You get used to it with time, Chris.

I’ve seen you a number of times in the audience at CSN and CN shows (even backstage this year at the Festival Hall for the Crosby-Nash show), so you must be quite a fan. What was it like to work with them and did the experience match your expectation? (Mark White)
- We asked David, and he was kind enough to answer:
I was a fan of the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield and the Hollies, and first met Graham when he was still in that band, (just), and have always loved CSN and Y, so I was thrilled when Graham and David agreed to sing on my record. I just wish I’d had a bit more of their time to do a bit more than we did, but who knows, one of these days.

How do I join the fanclub to get preference to get tickets to the upcoming show at the Paramount in Oakland? I could not find it anywhere on your site. (Noah G. Blechman, Esq.)
- There is no fan club, Noah. North American fans were wrongly told that they could purchase presale tickets if they joined David’s fan club. This is incorrect and this information did not originate from us - so no complaints, please! Full details on how you can get tickets are available in the live dates section. There is no other way to get tickets at the moment.

Does ‘On An Island’ rock out as much as his first solo album? (Chris Kelly)
- You’ll have to wait until March and judge for yourself, Chris, but there are a mixture of sounds on there and certainly something for everyone.

Are there any plans on touring South America (specifically, Venezuela)? You’ve got a quite large fanbase here and if you have the time, you should consider giving a concert here. (Natalia Alvarez)
- There are no plans at the present time for David to perform anywhere outside Europe and North America. David knows of the great passion that fans in South America have for his music and is extremely flattered by your interest. However, he is very busy at the moment and his schedule will simply not allow any additional touring. Rest assured that we have taken the requests of all South American fans into consideration.

When was the last time your band played in Toronto Canada? (Julia Warren)
- Pink Floyd have played in Toronto several times. They played at Maple Leaf Gardens on 11th March 1973. The ‘Momentary Lapse of Reason’ tour saw them visit the Canadian National Exhibition Stadium four times (on 21st, 22nd and 23rd September 1987, as well as 13th May 1988). And they must have liked playing there because they returned in 1994 for a three-night run in July (5th, 6th and 7th). As for solo concerts, then he did two at Massey Hall on 14th and 15th May 1984. David is very much looking forward to returning to Toronto with his new material.

I read in one FAQ that David has no time for autographs as he is busy. Perfectly understandable. However, does he give autographs after his shows? I have tickets to see him in Oakland on April 17th and I’d love an autograph. I’d love to have him sign my Strat! (Tate)
- David does give autographs, but eBay has completely taken the pleasure out of doing so, because so many signed items are now sold at auction for ridiculous prices. David does not wish to see his fans exploited in this way and, as a consequence, rarely signs items for fans. Incidentally, the majority of signed items that are being sold on eBay are fakes, so please be wary of them.

Please Webmaster think about us when you will put others video stream.....Quicktime needed! (Salin Alberto)
- Fair point. We’ll try and do it next time. Our apologies to Mac users.

I’d like to ask for a link exchange... one fan club to another. Would this be possible? (Michael Simone)
- As we have previously stated, there is no fan club. This is David’s official website where you can find news and exclusive material that fan sites do not have access to. We do not offer a link exchange service.

I would want to know if David’s gift, ‘Island Jam’, is an improvisation or a track preview of the new album. (Michele Cavallini)
- It’s an improvised piece and it won’t be included on the album.

Does David still have the Habs (Montreal Canadiens) jersey he wore on his tours with Pink Floyd? (Richard Sieben)
- Sorry, Richard, but he doubts it.

I am writing because I have a question about David’s Interview on the Classic Albums DVD for Dark Side of the Moon. In the additional features, the part where David is giving his description of Money, David mentions the Lewis guitar that he described earlier, but that part of the interview is not included on the DVD. What was he referring to by the Lewis Guitar? (Wally Realini)
- The Lewis guitar was used on ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’ when a 21-fret Strat wasn’t enough - for example, as you rightly say, on the track ‘Money’. It has 24-frets, so is therefore capable of reaching notes that are just beyond the range of a Strat. It was custom-made by Bill Lewis, a guitar maker from Vancouver who was introduced to David in the early 1970s. He offered to make a guitar for David. David chose the wood - mahogany - and the guitar was made. This is what David was referring to.

How many guitars does David have in his collection? (Christophe Couallier)
- Over 100. However, he said in 2002 that he was planning on selling many of them.

Do you collect music? What was the first record you bought with your own money? (Blatzzdogg)
- David has a great interest in music and his musical tastes are broad, hence an impressive music collection. The first record he ever bought was Bill Haley’s ‘Rock Around The Clock’. Unfortunately, his babysitter sat on it and broke it - a big disappointment for a ten-year old boy.

Are there any bands and guitarists from the 90s/00s that you’re particularly fond of? (Anderson)
- David likes Coldplay and Radiohead. Eddie Van Halen is a guitarist that David has always appreciated.

I have one question about video clip of High Hopes. The big statue represents Syd Barrett? or Roger waters? It looks like Roger but I think it’s syd. (David Avalishvili)
- It’s Syd, the “golden boy”. Do you really think it looks like Roger? As Storm Thorgerson, who made the video, has said, ‘High Hopes’ is an amalgamation of images, so not really a story as such. David, Storm and Syd grew up together in Cambridge, where the video was filmed. The images are David’s memories of his childhood. David has often remarked that, even as a student at college, Syd had something special - hence the line in ‘Poles Apart’: “I never thought that you’d lose that light in your eyes.”

In High Hopes, it mentions “magnets and miracles”. I have always interpreted “magnets” as referring how, as a child, the world around you seems much more enchanted and magical. So, prior to knowing the actual physics behind magnets, it appears to be magic to a child. Is this an accurate surmise? (Fred Albertini)
- As with the above answer, the promotional video is merely a collection of images, snapshot memories of David’s about growing up in Cambridge and reflecting upon how a child perceives the world through innocent, and somewhat ignorant, eyes. Hence the long scarves and tall men. As you say, everything appears magical when you are a child and everything certainly seems bigger when you are small. You can just as easily refer it to straight physics. You could even assume that the song is about renowned astrophysicist, Stephen Hawking...

I recently came across an excellent recording of ‘The Man and The Journey’ concert in Amsterdam, Oct 17th 1969. I’ve long been intrigued and interested in this ‘suite’ though very little seems to have been published about it. Is it true that there were plans to record it, either live or in the studio, and release it as an album around the time of ‘Ummagumma’? I’m aware that some of the material does feature on said album. Can you shed any further light on the suite please? (Kevan Porter)
- Not so much around the time of ‘Ummagumma’, Kevan, more around the time of the ‘More’ album. For those who don’t know, ‘The Man and The Journey’ was an early concept-show, first performed in April 1969 at London’s Royal Festival Hall. Billed ‘The Massed Gadgets Of Auximenes: More Furious Madness From Pink Floyd’, the show consisted of two suites; one entitled ‘The Man’ and the other, funnily enough, ‘The Journey’. Both contained improvisations around different Pink Floyd songs and many are closely related to the ‘More’ soundtrack which, of course, was written at this time (‘Doing It’, ‘Sleeping’ and ‘Nightmare’ were working titles for, and ultimately became, ‘Up The Khyber’, ‘Quicksilver’ and ‘Cymbaline’ respectively). As well as the music, the band indulged in some acting, with the sawing of wood on stage and the band sitting down to tea (during ‘Afternoon’). There was talk of releasing a recording of the show, but this idea was scrapped as most of the material had already been released elsewhere. ‘Daybreak’ is a version of ‘Grantchester Meadows’; ‘Work’ is an early version of ‘Biding My Time’; ‘The Beginning’ is better known these days as ‘Green Is The Colour’; ‘Beset The Creatures Of The Deep’ is more or less another ‘Careful With That Axe, Eugene’ (as is ‘Come in Number 51, Your Time Is Up’ from the film, ‘Zabriskie Point’); ‘The Pink Jungle’ is a tarted-up ‘Pow R. Toc H.’; ‘The Labyrinth Of Auximenes’ is basically the mid-section from ‘Interstellar Overdrive’ and lastly, ‘The End Of The Beginning’ is the final/Celestial Voices section of ‘A Saucerful Of Secrets’.

Does David remember almost running me over with his car backstage during the warm ups for the GREAT Knebworth concert back in 1990? (James Vlahakis)
- He doesn’t, but he sends you his most sincere apologies. He doesn’t make a habit of running his fans over, honest.

Why did Roy Harper do the vocals on ‘Have a cigar’ instead of David or Roger? (Richard Sieben)
- Roger couldn’t sing it the way he imagined it (he had apparently strained his voice whilst singing ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’) and David felt that the lyrics were too much a whinge, and felt uncomfortable singing them. Long time friend Roy Harper just so happened to be in the next studio and was listening in on the Floyd’s session. He offered to sing it in exchange for a lifetime season ticket to Lords, the home of English cricket. He never got his lifetime pass into Lords, but David returned the favour by contributing to several of Harper’s albums: ‘HQ’ (1975), ‘The Unknown Soldier’ (1980), ‘Whatever Happened To Jugula?’ (1985), ‘In Between Every Line’ (1986), ‘Once’ (1990) and ‘Burn The World’ (1990).

What was the motivation for ‘Astronomy Domine’ being included in the set for some of the Division Bell’ Tour dates? Good call in my opinion. (Matthew Knight)
- David has always been quick to pay homage to Syd and, although he felt slightly uncomfortable with the lyrics and found it quite a difficult song to sing live, it was a popular choice to open many of the 1994 shows with. As the ‘Momentary Lapse of Reason’ tour had been a long one, incorporating many Pink Floyd songs, it was felt that there wasn’t much left to chose from and the band wanted to try something they hadn’t done before.

Does David play Taylor acoustic guitars exclusively? Are they simply the standard by which others are measured, is it simply personal preference. (Marc-André F.)
- No, he plays several. Remember that his luxury item on ‘Desert Island Discs’ was a Martin acoustic. That would be the one item that, were he to be left stranded on a desert island, he said he would simply have to have with him. So he must have a special fondness for Martin acoustics.

I’ve seen you a number of times in the audience at CSN and CN shows (even backstage this year at the Festival Hall for the Crosby-Nash show), so you must be quite a fan. What was it like to work with them and did the experience match your expectation? (Mark White)
- David thoroughly enjoyed working with Graham Nash and David Crosby. His only regret was that they couldn’t do more together. Judging by the track they’ve made, let’s hope that there will be more opportunities for collaboration in the future.

Does Mr. Gilmour mind if I call him Dave? (Jon Harmon)
- Yes, he does!

I’d like to know what is the meaning of the line “There was a reggae band that followed our footsteps” in ‘High Hopes’ from ‘The Division Bell’. (Francisco Jos Roldn Duque)
- I’m afraid you are mistaken. It’s not ‘reggae band’, it’s ‘ragged band’ - suggesting shabby, tired and disorganised.

Does David have a favorite artist that he enjoys listening to? (Patrick Willdigg)
- David wouldn’t be able to choose just one, but most days he would probably go for Bob Dylan.

In the last couple of years David performed a set that was shown on Channel 4. He sang a beautiful song in French and I am desperate to find out if this song is available to buy. Please help. (Rachal)
- This beautiful song was ‘Je Crois Entendre Encore’ from Bizet’s opera ‘The Pearl Fishers’. The concert was shown on Channel 4 the evening before it was officially released in the UK on DVD. Have a look at the discography section and you’ll see a DVD called ‘David Gilmour In Concert’ - at London’s Royal Festival Hall in June 2001, in fact. This is what you saw on TV. If you go to that page, you’ll see that there are several clips from the concert for your viewing pleasure.

David appeared on the united states television comedy show saturday night live in 1987. And played a song with g.e.smith and the snl band. what was the title of the song? And who wrote it? (Jason Oros)
- It was a piece called ‘Song For My Sara’ written by David. For the record, David appeared on Saturday Night Live on 12 December 1987.

Most fans know Mr. Mason collects cars. What does Mr. Gilmour collect? (David Wexler)
- At the moment, questions from fans! But he used to collect cars and planes, before deciding that he didn’t need them, and got rid of them.

Whatever happened to Harvest Records? (Richard Sieben)
- Harvest is an EMI imprint, which means that EMI can choose to use, or not use, Harvest as and when they feel like it (as is the case with Regal Zonophone, Top Rank, HMV, Liberty and a few others). At the moment, EMI are not using the Harvest label for any new releases, but they could if they wanted to.

I was listening to ‘Wish You Were Here’ (‘Echoes’ album) on my new iPod and thought I discovered something which had escaped my attention before. During the first 20-30 seconds of the song, while the guitar is playing in the background and just before David’s guitar commences, you can suddenly hear some coughing and clearing of the throat. I presume it is David preparing for his singing... I don’t know if it is just the iPod which somehow makes the sound more distinguishable and clearer, but I was wondering if anyone in your team has noticed this? I thought it was a curious thing. Anyway, it’s a small hiccup in an otherwise superb album! (Armend Bekaj)
- You presume correctly, Armend. In the 43rd second, you hear David coughing. In the 48th second, you hear him sniffing. There are reports that hearing this was what convinced David to give up smoking during the recording of the album, but that’s not true.

Is Mr. Screen (or a smaller brother/sister) going to be at the shows? (Roozbeh)
- You’ll just have to wait and see, but please remember that this is a David Gilmour concert, not a Pink Floyd concert. For those who don’t already know, Mr Screen is the name given to the various circular screens that have been a feature of Pink Floyd concerts since the 1970s. By the way, legendary stage designer, Marc Brickman, will be involved in the live shows. Feel free to make of that what you will.

Does David Gilmour listen to Tom Waits or Warren Zevon? (Lea)
- David made a guest appearance on Warren Zevon’s 1989 album,‘Transverse City’, playing guitar on ‘Run Straight Down’. And ‘I’m Still Here’ by Tom Waits was actually one of David’s Desert Island Discs. So you can safely assume that David likes both artists very much.

What are his fave songs taken from solo albums of his band mates? Could you tell us some? (Alessandro Rovacchi)
- Well, he liked ‘The Tide is Turning (After Live Aid)’ from Roger’s ‘Radio KAOS’. And he always said that he wished that Richard’s ‘Breakthrough’ could have been ready a little earlier to have made it onto Pink Floyd’s 1994 album, ‘The Division Bell’. He sang on the 1985 Mason and Fenn track, ‘Lie for a Lie’, so obviously he liked that one enough to join in. As for Syd, then David has always spoken highly of all his songs and could not possibly single out a favourite, yet obviously he has a soft spot for ‘Terrapin’.

Is ‘On An Island’ a concept album? The title is very interesting. It can both represent something romantic but also isolation and loneliness. (Gunnar Radberg)
- David doesn’t really like the term ‘concept album’, Gunnar, but there is indeed a theme or two running though the album. You’ll have to wait for the record to come out, then you can decide for yourself just what these themes may be.

Okay, you have listed David’s favourite musicians; who are his favourite actors and what movies does he enjoy? (Richard Sieben)
- He doesn’t have a favourite actor, but ‘It’s A Wonderful Life’ is one of his all-time favourite films. He prefers the European film industry to Hollywood, arguing, as so many others do these days, that Hollywood has lost its integrity. Roberto Benigni’s ‘Life Is Beautiful’ is another of his more recent favourites. David is certainly a film fan and often attends movie premieres with Polly and their children.

Ask Phil!

If you have a technical question, then David’s equipment technician and expert, Phil Taylor, is the man to answer it for you. Although obviously very busy, Phil has been kind enough to answer some of your questions, which are shown below. Please still check through the above questions and answers before writing in, as we may have already answered your question there. Please also appreciate that Phil has much to do, so please don’t expect an instant response from him.

Which guitars will David be using on his new album?
- He has used a Les Paul on several tracks on the new album, as well as various Fender Strats, a Gretsch Duo Jet, several acoustic and lap steel guitars.

Is the 1959 Les Paul that David’s been using on the album the same from The Wall recording sessions and tour?
- No. ‘The Wall’ Les Paul on which he played, amongst other things, the solo in ‘Another Brick In The Wall (Part Two)’ was an all gold ’55 - not a ’59, which he still has and uses. He has been using a ’56 Les Paul Gold Top with a Bigsby tremolo on it for this project as well - very similar, but with the addition of a tremolo arm.

I first saw Floyd in Chicago in 1977 and have wondered off and on over the years why David chose not to use the vocoder - or whatever it’s called - when playing ‘Pigs’ live to emulate the guitar/pig sounds present on the song from the album? (I recognize he used the device to great effect for ‘Keep Talking’ on the Division Bell tour.)
- ‘Pigs’ was only played live on the ’77 tour. I cannot now remember why it was not used live - I remember David recording the part in the studio. But you are correct; it is the same effect as used on ‘Keep Talking’. The effect is not a vocoder but a ‘Voice Box’ - where the guitar signal is routed from the amp output into a small compression driver (speaker) and then out through a plastic tube which is attached to the mic stand and is placed alongside the vocal mic. The tube is placed in the mouth and manipulated to produce changes in the sound - which are then picked up by the vocal mic.