Pink Floyd's Gilmour Gives Walls to the Homeless

Reuters (via Yahoo) ^ | 05/20/03

[Drew68]

Pink Floyd's Gilmour Gives Walls to the Homeless

LONDON (Reuters) - Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour (news) donated $5.88 million to charity on Tuesday to house hundreds of homeless people and low-wage workers in central London.

The 59-year-old rock star said he was inspired by a similar community project developed in New York.

"I've seen what has been achieved in New York and am passionately behind this London project," he said in a statement.

The "urban village," administered by the Crisis charity, aims to house 400 residents, including the homeless and public service workers like nurses and teachers who have been priced out of the soaring London housing market.

Crisis said a site for the scheme has yet to be chosen.

Gilmour's searing guitar work featured on Pink Floyd's biggest albums, including "The Wall" and "Wish You Were Here."

His personal fortune from a hugely successful career in music has been estimated at $122 million.

[wardaddy]

Yeah.

My wife and I watched him on a tech-tv interview last month from a barn on his country estate that he had made into a loft.

He was so at ease and articulate and comfortable. Still pretty dapper looking...or so my wife thought.

My idea of an English Country Squire with a twinkle in his eye. He was quite frank about the heavy Sidney use they all went through and lamented the profound negative effect it had on vulnerable Syd...to the point he became a bit emotional about it and had to stop speaking for a moment.

I know it sounds goofy but I think his genuine warmth in his perosnality comes out in his flowing riffs...not to mention his voice.

A good man...I'm glad i saw them a few times at their peak.

[stainlessbanner]

"If you don't eat your meat, you can't have any pudding. How can
you have any pudding if you don't eat your meat?"

[GodBlessRonaldReagan]

Syd Barrett bump, for all the gigolo aunts...

[Yardstick]

He is quite the English squire, isn't he. I've always been impressed with him in the interviews I've seen.

[kjam22]

He probably has the best sense of melody of all the big rock guitarists, and a great sense of phrasing. His leads are brimming over with these memorable little melodic hooks.

I agree. And among the best guitar tones of all time.

[frosty snowman]

I always thought Gilmour is a classy yet modest (for a rock star) gentleman. Waters always seemed the more partisan politically of the two, especially in 'The Final Cut' and his solo works. Both are great talents though.

Although if I could only choose one to have a beer and play some guitar chops with it would be Gilmour.

[weegee]

And Roger felt that the band ended after Dark Side of the Moon. Certainly the Wall was a personal work and the Final Cut was a solo album with the rest of the band providing studio work.

Roger even doesn't look as kindly on the 1960s Pink Floyd jams (he admits that they couldn't play as well then and that long jams were an easy way to fill).

[jimt]

Arguably the best guitarist in rock history to get the most sound from the least chops.

Not to disparage Mr. Gilmour, but have you ever heard of Jimi Hendrix?

[jimt]

Undoubtedly a heretical comment to post on a Pink Floyd thread !

[Yardstick]

Definitely. Probably the biggest sounding strat in the biz. And speaking of tone, another thing to love about Pink Floyd is the quality of their recordings. I think they released Dark Side of the Moon in 1971, but you'd never guess it. It's thoroughly modern sounding -- punchy and crisp, and beautifully mixed.

[kjam22]

71? I was thinking about 74 or 75. Still great for the era... or really for any era.

[MikeD]

Did you know that Gilmour was a male model before he joined Floyd? I've got a book somewhere with a French ad featuring DG.

As far as Waters being more partisan -- have you ever seen the Pompeii concert? Waters keeps going on about the great economic collapse during the "candid" scenes.

Then again, we're talking about the guy who's still fussing about Margaret Thatcher and World War II.

MD

[kjam22]

Internet says march of 73. Man.... 30 years ago? I can't believe that when I think about it.

[kjam22]

US us us us us

and

Them them them them them

[wardaddy]

LOL...I'm 45.

I clarified the "most sound from the least chops"...maybe I should have said "most elegant sound".

Hendrix is in his own league and of course more blues based than Gilmour.

Axis Bold as Love was one of the biggest Sidney albums from my wasted youth. I also loved the Pali Gap instrumental on Rainbow Bridge. I could go on and on....we were all Hendrix worshippers when i was a boy.

I saw an incredible fairly unknown guitarist a couple of years ago who died of a heroin overdose two weeks after I saw him here at the Exit/Inn in Nashville. He was Eddie Shaver, son of Texas outlaw great Billy Joe Shaver. Most music folks I know always thought he was an incredibly underrated fellow....very sharp and lightning fast doing everything from Honky Tonky on meth to Rock to ballads. I liked watching him. He apparently overloaded his syringe on black tar in Waco after a gig 2 weeks later. Of well.

I like Clapton but as a kid I was disappointed when I found out the tastiest licks on Layla were really Duanne Allman.

I hate to admit it, but I thought Limp Bixkit's original axeman was quite good.

It's all so damned varied....I like Son House on an acoustic with a mic in front of his guitar recorded on old old early recording devices.

One can sort of recognize guitar genuis when you hear it regardless of the specific genre.

[MikeD]

Which licks on "Layla" were Allman? I know he played slide guitar, but I thought a good number of the electric parts were Clapton. Maybe that's why live versions of "Layla" never compare to the original...

MD

[wardaddy]

Waters was more "art" creative no doubt but Gilmour literally lent sanity to the band...especially how he sort of just jumped in to take up Syd's slack.

Poor Syd...Poor Peter Green.

Listen kids...don't let anybody tell you that LSD is harmless...it is irreversibly life altering for some...and in a bad way, but of course it was much much stronger back then. Still, if I had to do over knowing what I know now...I'd pass. I bet Gilmour would too.

[stainlessbanner]

the tastiest licks on Layla were really Duanne Allman.

Tell us more...

[frosty snowman]

Didn't know that about Gilmour. I didn't like how Waters attacked Thatcher in 'The Final Cut', and made most of it into a political album. His partisan sniping was of a different tack than the more general anti-authoritarian themes in The Wall. Luckily the band never toured in support of TFC. I don't think those songs were ever played live, except maybe by Waters solo (?). I've heard cuts from Pompeii but haven't seen the whole video yet.

[Drew68]

Not to disparage Mr. Gilmour, but have you ever heard of Jimi Hendrix?

Hendrix was groundbreaking in that he was able to coax sounds out of a guitar that had not been thought of before, but he was not very technically proficient.

The "Hendrix Sound" can be emulated by many beginner guitarists simply by using feedback, tremelo bar, wah pedals and high volume.

Sadly, Hendrix died before he truly mastered his instrument.