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.

[GrandMoM]

Thanks!

[OOPisforLiberals]

Absolutely. He's a paradox of the first order. Can't sing, not too much of a bass player. But DAMN does he make great music. He has a true genius for composition. Its not classical music, but all the great Floyd and Waters albums are -flowing- pieces. Even though his voice is probably considered "terrible" by real musicians, there's just something about it that is unignorable. The "Waters Scream" is one of the most identifiable sounds in all of music :)

On socialism : He's extreme left, but he -does- walk the walk. Years ago he bought a whole highrise apartment building with his own money and made it into 100% free housing for the homeless. Mostly what bothers me about him is his just-below-the-surface burning anti-Americanism.

Ah well - I give him a pass because his music is so darn good. Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking is pure brilliance and conveniently avoids the politics for the most part.

[Yardstick]

Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking is pure brilliance

That was with Jeff Beck on guitar wasn't it? Or was it Clapton? It seems like they both did an album with Waters.

[billbears]

LOL, never would have taken you for a Floyd fan. I think it's a good thing Gilmour is doing this, really stepping up using his own money unlike some of the liberals out there

[poindexter]

"Gilmore is taking the "compassionate conservative" approach."

I agree. At least he's giving away his own money (some of which I gave him)....

[2Jedismom]

What a coincidence...

[wardaddy]

I profess to be ignorant of Gov't Mule. But while I'm off to Tower soon to get that Gilmour solo accoustic mentioned earlier maybe I'll look for some Mule.

I'm friends with Bett's guitarist. They do all their t-shirt printing at my warehouse complex here in Nashville.

Betts is almost 60 and tours like Willie Nelson...non stop basically and usually for 40-50K for a 2=3 hour gig....not bad. He's bringing home the bacon and is decent with his people. He set my friend up in a new house in Bradenton.

My wife and I may go to the Southern Rock at the amphitheater here this summer...it's a bit of a different crowd than I am used to but I'd like to see what's left of Lynyrd Skynyrd while I can.

I've gotten spoiled...I really like to see bands up close in clubs....I don't go much anymore but I saw Lucinda Williams, The Cult, Cheap Trick, and Hole in a very small venue envornment in the past 2 years...very nice. (I know Love is a skank and killed Kurt but...)

I would go to a Stadium to see the whole Floyd.

Actually the last thing I saw was about 6 weeks ago when Daryll Whorley did "Have You Forgotten?" at our pro-war rally here. I also saw Steve Winwood from across the river at the River Stages festival here 2 Sundays ago....he sounded great but I couldn't see him. His estate borders my modest home here in Nashville where his homegirl wife and he live when school is out for their kids in England. He's on the hilltop and I'm down in the valley(hollow) with the peasants..lol

[nunya bidness]

Slacker. Tone? You think you've got tone?

Gilmore squeezes more out of passive single coils than your host of humbuckers.

Hands down the best solo he ever did was "On the Turning Away". It's up there with Clapton's "In the Presence of the Lord." And certainly on par with Moore's Les Paul chops.

Anyone who can take advantage of the Strat's fast attack but low sustain while allowing the sound to resonate is a confident player.

Me. I'll stick to outboard gear and pray for the day I can afford a PRS. A man's got to know his limitations.

[Yardstick]

Hey, I see that you mentioned being in Nashville, and I've got a band recommendation for you. When I was a student at MTSU a few years back, I became a fan of a band called The Nationals. Maybe you've heard of them. They play every week (it was every Wednesday at the time, and it was a packed house every time) at a Murfreesboro bar called The Boro, and they are tremendous, a true powerhouse. They're basically a straight-up blues band -- with guitar, harmonica, B-3, bass, and drums -- but they've got so much energy that they sound like a rock band sometimes. They totally bring the house down, every time. Each show is like an explosion.

Their guitarist's name is Jack Pearson. He's filled in for Dicky Betts on several occasions, sometimes for months at a time, when Betts was unable to tour for one reason or another. Jack's playing is every bit as good as Warren Haynes. He's got technical chops out the wazoo, but that aspect of his playing is completely enfolded within his authentic, down-home blues sensibilities. His playing is always tasty, always musical. He does these harmonized duets with the harmonica (played by another outstanding player -- I can't think of his name -- he's a black guy and he plays his harmonica right, which is through a green bullet mic and a Fender guitar amp -- it's great old-school harmonica tone) and with the B-3 (another great player). I don't know, you'd just have to see for yourself. He's one of these guys that does the impossible and makes it look effortless.

People kept telling me that I had to see these guys, and I was like, yeah right, it's Murfreesboro for crying out loud...what kind of talent would you find playing there on a regular basis. I still can't figure out what they're doing there -- a couple of them must be sort of established there with their jobs or something -- but I must say that some of the best musical moments I've ever witnessed have come courtesy of The Nationals playing The Boro. They get my highest rating. They are total blues gratification, and well worth checking out.

[Aquinasfan]

Gilmour's solo efforts have been very good though. Unfortunately, I cannot say the same for Waters'.

"Amused to Death" is a great album. Give it a chance. It's a lot like "The Final Cut." Plus, there's better production and Jeff Beck.

[Aquinasfan]

Gilmour sems like a middle aged English gentleman in interviews and quite composed and articulate and kind. Arguably the best guitarist in rock history to get the most sound from the least chops. Haunting. I still love his work. He still gets sort of choked up when talking about Syd's cliffdive from sanity.

We must have seen the same interview. Well said. Waters is equally articulate, but seems to be more troubled.

[Aquinasfan]

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

But is there any better guitar work than Clapton's on "Crossroads" from his Cream days?

I also like the guitar work (Jeff "Skunk" Baxter?) on Steely Dan's "Bhodisattva," but that's another thing.

And Hendrix was a breakthrough type genius, but I find most of his music hard to listen too, except for "Hey Joe" and "All Along the Watchtower."

[RogueIsland]

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

Some of his guitar work is practically symphonic in its depth and richness. A magnificent talent.

[ConstitutionalConservative]

"His dad was killed in WWII was he not? "


Yes, his dad was killed in WWII. I think he was actually listed as missing. If ya notice a lot of his lyrics deals with not having a father around. He seems very bitter about it. It is mentioned several times in "The Wall" and "The Final Cut". Also in the song "When the Tigers Broke Free" That song is about a WWII battle, the last line says "thats how they took me daddy from me"
I have heard that the line in "Wish You Were Here" thatt says "did you exchange your walk on part in a war for a lead role in a cage" is about his dad too. The theme seems to be a major topic for his lyrics.


P.S.
On the "Final Cut" the song "Fletcher Memorial Home" is named for his dad Eric Fletcher Waters 1918-1944

[stainlessbanner]

Haynes rocks - just saw him with the Allman Bros last year. I get the feeling he is the driving force in the ABB, now. He was playing Gov't Mule, ABB, and another band all at once.

I agree, Warren is probably the most underrated player out there - one of the hardest working, too!

[MikeD]

I'm fairly certain Duane played all the slide as well.

I didn't know about that recording convention -- most of the bands I listen to only have one guitar player multitracked (Floyd, Zeppelin, Queen). The main exception is the Beatles, but they had no recording rules aside from the ones they wrote...

As for the draw -- both guitarists played well, but it's worth noting that there wasn't a second Dominos album without Duane Allman.

MD

[MikeD]

I'm currently looking into the history of "Layla" on the net and will gladly let you know what I find.

Thanks -- I'd appreciate that. "Layla" is somewhere in my top 20 favorite albums.

MD

[MikeD]

Echoes is my favorite too, despite the fact that Andrew Lloyd Webber stole it. Ever hear any live versions?

MD

[montag813]

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

Haha. I live in New York, and have also seen what this has "achieved", which is to say nothing. There is a law requiring "homeless" be given housing, and what housing it is. Middle class folks would love to have such housing. It has "achieved" so much that young people, many students, are streaming in from other states, posing as homeless in order to get the freebies.

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Pros and Cons had Clapton playing guitar - he also toured with Waters to support it. Internet rumor is that Clapton's involvmenet stemmed from a hard night of drinking with Roger in London, which ended with him promising his support. He followed through with the promise, despite it bein a less-than-stellar career move.

Have to agree with those who say Waters was the heart & soul of PF, despite his politics (which I loathe). Gilmour may be a great guy, but he was abolutely wrong to keep recording and touring as PF after Roger left. The music on those albums is largely inferior to the earlier work, IMHO.

Solo albums - loved Pros & Cons and Amused to Death (which despite its liberal bent, has some good insights on the celebrity-worship culture which has permeated) and was so-so on KAOS. Saw Waters on tour for both KAOS and Amused - two best shows I have ever seen.

Also agree on Animals, my personal favorite PF (despite a completely anti-capitalist message).