David Gilmour

Emotion. Sustain. Abstract.

These are words that you may think of when you hear the name David Gilmour. At least, they are words that I think of when I do. He is one of the guitar community's favourite guitarists, but also a popular favourite too. With overdriven, biting guitar riffs, or melodic, 'abstract' lines, he has entertained the masses for decades. But what makes these riffs and melodies attractive?

The best place to start is with the best of what the British guitarist has to offer. Comfortably Numb, the magnum opus of 1979's The Wall, has two examples of how to impact a song, let alone Gilmour's signature style.

The first solo, the most iconic, is played breifly over the major chords of the chorus before it. The solo itself feels melancholic, it yearns for more, yet it does not give, possibly outlining the frustration The Wall's protagonist feels in his story.

"With the right mood, it can pumps up your adrenaline and make you feel lost in a bitter sweet existential place."

- Pandula Weerasooriya (2022)

Later in the song we get the second solo, contrasting when compared to the first as it is played over the minor chords of the verses prior, giving us a dark twist to what we have been listening to. The solo gives us a different aspect of Gilmour's playing, a side filled with long, held bends, possibly used in this context to play into the sedated, anesthetic theme of the song.

But what of the song I'm covering in the project, 1975's Wish You Were Here? We chose this song for two reasons. One: Gilmour's playing has already been an influence of mine, and my peers are aware of his work. Two: the song has been chosen to cover the theme of depression. A subject that covers themes such as alienation, deterioration and sadness. Wish You Were Here is song about alienation, and Syd Barrret, Pink Floyd's orignal guitarist.

Barret was forced out of the band in 1968 due to his crippling LSD addiction. From then until his demise in 1975 he deteriorated both mentally and physically, as he refused to engage with reality and was consumed by his addiction. "Do you think you can tell?, "Blue skies from pain?", and "We're just two lost souls swimming in a fish bowl", are lyrics that strongly tie into the themes of a story that has deep roots within depression. Syd Barret's story.

References:

Pink Floyd. (2016). Wish You Were Here. [Online Video]. 12 January 2016. Available from: https://youtu.be/x-xTttimcNk. [Accessed: 18 April 2022].

Pink Floyd. (2016). Wish You Were Here. [Online Video]. 12 January 2016. Available from: https://youtu.be/hjpF8ukSrvk.. [Accessed: 18 April 2022].