Roger Waters joined by David Gilmour & Nick Mason at London's O2 Arena

http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/
13.05.2011
May 12th http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/2011-wall-tour/may-12th-o2-arena-greenwich-london-england.html), Roger played his trusty trumpet, David a mandolin, and Nick a tamborine! The morning following the show, the BBC's Breakfast TV programme covered the event, and many of you will be able to view Colin Paterson's Wall feature on the BBC website (http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13389333) on demand.

New Orb Album To Feature Pink Floyd's David Gilmour

From http://www.guardian.co.uk/music/2010/aug/19/orb-pink-floyd-david-gilmour written by Sean Michaels

Ambient house duo use prog-rock guitarist's jam sessions as basis for forthcoming album Metallic Spheres
After leaving Roger Waters to tour Pink Floyd songs on his own, David Gilmour has entered into an altogether different collaboration – with the Orb. The ambient house act have completed their tenth studio album, and it's chock full of Gilmour's guitar.

Metallic Spheres, due on 4 October, is credited to the Orb "featuring David Gilmour". The 10 songs began with Gilmour alone in the studio, jamming with producer Youth. The Orb's Alex Paterson took these unfinished tracks and manipulated them. Youth's bass and keyboards appear alongside Gilmour's lap steel and electric guitar, described in a press release as, er, "discernible".

The Orb's most recent album, last year's Baghdad Batteries, sank with nary a trace. According to David Gilmour's blog, the Pink Floyd frontman did not work "with" the Orb – he was just mucking about with Youth, the former bassist in Killing Joke, and Paterson decided to cut and paste this work into an entire LP. Royalties from the album will reportedly go to the legal campaign of Gary McKinnon, a Glasgow-born hacker who is fighting extradition to the US. Gilmour has previously supported the Free Gary campaign with a cover of Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young's song Chicago, an ambient version of which may appear on Metallic Spheres.

In addition to CD, LP and download releases, Metallic Spheres will also be pressed in a "3D60 mix". This is a new "three-dimensional" audio format developed by Youth and two other engineers, and apparently doesn't require special equipment. More information, and samples, can be found here. For those who wish to experience the Orb in real, actual 3D, Paterson will appear next month at the Out of the Ordinary festival in Sussex.

As for Pink Floyd, although there seems little chance of a tour, Gilmour and Waters reunited for a one-off charity gig last month. Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson, recorded the concert, which you can view here.

'An Introduction To Syd Barrett' Coming From EMI/Harvest In October

On October 4th, 2010, 'An Introduction to Syd Barrett' is released in the UK and Europe by EMI/Harvest Records. It is a brand new collection that will bring together for the first time the tracks of Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett on one compilation.

UPDATE: It's been revealed that this release will include the previously-unreleased 20-minute instrumental 'Rhamadan'. Produced by former Pink Floyd and Syd co-manager Peter Jenner, the list of musicians is lost in the mists of time, though it's rumoured to include congas by Steve Peregrine Took of Tyrannosaurus Rex. It is to be offered as an extra downloadable track with the CD (via an auxiliary Website), and also the iTunes version of the album.

David Gilmour, who originally worked with Syd Barrett on the solo albums by co-producing 'The Madcap Laughs' and as producer of 'Barrett' has taken the role of executive producer for the album and has, along with Damon Iddins and Andy Jackson at Astoria Studios, remixed five tracks including Octopus, She Took A Long Cold Look, Dominoes and Here I Go on which David Gilmour has added and played bass guitar. Pink Floyd's Matilda Mother also receives a fresh 2010 mix. Brand new artwork has been provided by Storm Thorgerson and his estimable studio.

Here's the track listing of this album:

1. Arnold Layne (2010 Digital Remaster)
2. See Emily Play (2010 Digital Remaster)
3. Apples And Oranges (2010 Digital Remaster)
4. Matilda Mother (Alternative Version) (2010 Mix)
5. Chapter 24 (2010 Digital Remaster)
6. Bike (2010 Digital Remaster)
7. Terrapin (2010 Digital Remaster)
8. Love You (2010 Digital Remaster)
9. Dark Globe (2010 Digital Remaster)
10. Here I Go (2010 Remix)
11. Octopus (2010 Mix)
12. She Took A Long Cold Look (2010 Mix)
13. If It's In You (2010 Digital Remaster)
14. Baby Lemonade (2010 Digital Remaster)
15. Dominoes (2010 Mix)
16. Gigolo Aunt (2010 Digital Remaster)
17. Effervescing Elephant (2010 Digital Remaster)
18. Bob Dylan Blues (2010 Digital Remaster)
Extra download. Rhamadam (available on purchase of CD or iTunes download)

We're intrigued as to how the new mixes and remasters sound; in terms of tracks selected, it is a nice mix of band stuff and solo material, and will indeed prove an interesting introduction to Barrett and his music for the newcomer. Many fans will be buying this, of course, for the additional download available of the 20-minute Rhamadam...

Pink Floyd's Gilmour To Join Waters On Lone 'Wall' Date

After having performed together last weekend for just the second time since a bitter split in the early 1980s, Pink Floyd principals Roger Waters and David Gilmour are planning to collaborate again on stage at least once more.

The recent reunion and the upcoming appearance stem from the 2009 edition of the Hoping Foundation Benefit, which raises funds for young Palestinian refugees. According to a post on Waters' Facebook page, Gilmour was at last year's event only "as a supporter" but "was moved to perform an impromptu rendition" of George Gershwin's "Summertime."

Afterward, Waters says Gilmour emailed him with a tongue-in-cheek offer for them to collaborate at the 2010 benefit on the Teddy Bears' "To Know Him Is To Love Him," in a nod to the pair's famously rough-and-tumble relationship. Waters says he "loved" the idea, and the duo agreed to also round out their set with the Pink Floyd classics "Wish You Were Here" and "Comfortably Numb."

The only trouble: Gilmour began sending Waters "a number of very musical and eloquent demos of how we could do the song in two-part harmony." Waters then got cold feet and told Gilmour performing the song in that fashion was "way outside my vocal comfort zone," to his "eternal shame."

According to Waters, Gilmour then made him a better offer. If Waters would agree to perform "To Know Him Is To Love Him" at the Hoping Foundation Benefit, Gilmour would guest on "Comfortably Numb" at a to-be-determined show on Waters' upcoming tour featuring Pink Floyd's "The Wall" being performed in its entirety.

"You could have knocked me down with a feather," Waters says. "How f*cking cool! I was blown away. How could I refuse such an offer. I couldn't, there was no way. Generosity trumped fear. And so explaining that I would probably be sh*te, but if he didn't mind I didn't, I agreed and the rest is history. We did it, and it was f*cking great. End of story. Or possibly beginning."

The plan is for Gilmour's appearance to be a surprise, adds Waters, whose The Wall tour begins Sept. 15 in Toronto and has been one of the top sellers in a disastrous summer for the U.S. concert business.

Waters and Gilmour, along with original Pink Floyd colleagues Nick Mason and Rick Wright, first reunited for the first time in more than 24 years at the Live 8 concert in London on July 2, 2005.

Lost David Gilmour Produced Unicorn Albums To Be Reissued

11/3/2009 - Philadelphia, PA - Pink Floyd fanatics rejoice with the first time release of two rare David Gilmour produced albums by UK country rock band Unicorn! The CDs 'Blue Pine Trees' and 'Too Many Crooks' will be released by premier reissue label Renaissance Records in conjunction with ItsAboutMusic.com on November 10th. When you think of 'country rock' band's like Firefall, Pure Praire League, Poco, Flying Burrito Bros probably come to mind first, but one band that could well be called the godfathers of the genre actually came from England. The meeting between Unicorn and Pink Floyd's renown guitarist is a curious one.
Early in 1973 Unicorn played at the wedding reception for Transatlantic publicist Ricky Hopper. One of the guests was David Gilmour of Pink Floyd, who at the end of the evening got up and jammed with Unicorn on Neil Young's "Heart of Gold". Afterwards Gilmour told the band that he really liked Country Rock. A week later the Pink Floyd guitarist phoned the band to say that he had just installed a studio at his country retreat and asked if they wanted to demo some songs there. The band immediately accepted. A few days later they travelled up to Essex to Gilmour's estate. He showed them into the studio and said there was no need to bring any of their gear in from the van. Hanging on the walls was his collection of vintage Fender, Gibson, Rickenbacker and Martin guitars and underneath them Fender amplifiers and a Premier drum kit. They recorded three songs and Dave added some Fender Pedal Steel Guitar which he had just brought on his last American tour and was learning to play. They were invited back on several occasions to record.
"Unicorn were playing at the wedding reception of an old friend of mine, Rick Hopper," related David Gilmour, "when I first saw them and while I was impressed by their vocal harmonies, their tightness and the fact that it was the drummer that sang the lead vocals, it was the songs themselves that I liked the best. Ken Baker's songs, while firmly seated in the American country rock genre had a very original and unusual wry English feel in the stories he told. The one that really made me notice was 'Sleep Song', about a trip to the dentist. Not a common subject for the popular song. Largely on the strength of this I invited them to my tiny home studio in Essex to record some demos. This was the start of an association that was to cover two and a half albums over the next couple of years."
Things started to happen from then on when Gilmour offered to put up the money to record an album of Unicorn songs. Unicorn soon signed with Pink Floyds manager Steve O'Rourke's EMKA organization, and Ricky Hopper who had introduced them to Dave became their tour manager. Ricky would later discover Kate Bush, then called Kathy Bush. Pete and Pat from Unicorn played on her first demo recordings at Gilmour's studio. Unicorn's first album was recorded in Olympic Studios in Barnes in London. David Gilmour was producing, by his own admission, for the first time. The performances would wind up as the album 'Blue Pine Trees' and parts of the second album 'Too Many Crooks'. The album was mixed at George Martin's Air Studios in London. The engineer was John Middleton and the tape operators were the sons of Spike Milligan and Peter Sellers. Steve O'Rourke took about a week to secure a deal with Charisma Records in the UK, with Capitol Records in the US and EMI International for the rest of the world.
In November 1974 Unicorn set off on their first US tour. At the time Capitol records tour manager, Alan Fry, told them that 'Blue Pine Trees' was number one in the FM action charts (a chart based on the frequency of FM airplay). The first night Unicorn performed at the Whiskey a Go Go on Sunset Strip, where they played in front of what seemed to be the entire Capitol Records staff. Unicorn was the headline band that night and was supported by, a then little known, Patti Smith. On that first tour the band supported bands like Fleetwood Mac, Manfred Mann's Earth Band, Climax Blues Band, Billy Joel, Linda Ronstadt and the Doobie Brothers. At the end of their first US tour Unicorn flew home via New York to return to play at the Marquee club in London with the Sutherland Brothers and Quiver with David Gilmour sitting in. The following year, 1975, was mainly spent recording the second album 'Too Many Crooks' (Released in America as 'Unicorn 2'). It was recorded in Air Studios at Oxford Circus with some additional tracks at Olympic at Barnes. This album included some of Unicorn's best studio performances. The most notable song was "No Way Out of Here" which was later recorded by Dave Gilmour for his first solo album. His version was the most played album track in the US for several weeks. "Listening to the best of their output from before, during and after my own involvement with the band," says Gilmour, "has reminded me of the many great songs and great moments in the studio that we shared all those years ago. It's been a long time coming, but it has been worth the wait."Unicorn - 'Blue Pine Trees', 'Too Many Crooks' (prod. by David Gilmour), will be available from Amazon, iTunes and your local retailer on November 10th.
Other titles scheduled for release by Renaissance Records include Graham Parker &The Rumour 'Live In San Francisco 1979', Network - s/t and 'Nightwork', Duke Jupiter 'White Knuckle Ride', Fran King 'My Sweet Elixir', City Boy 'It's Personal', Phoenix - s/t and 'In Full View' (ex-Argent), Nick Gravenites 'Bluestar', and Roxy Music 'Manifesto Alive' (live 1979).
For more information: www.itsaboutmusic.com

Iron Maiden, David Gilmour Involved in Featured Artists Coalition

According to a posting on the Brain Damage web site, IRON MAIDEN and PINK FLOYD's David Gilmour are among the artists who have signed up for the Featured Artists Coalition. FAC campaigns for the protection of performers' and musicians' rights. They want all artists to have more control of their music and a much fairer share of the profits it generates in the digital age. Their aim is to speak with one voice to help artists strike a new bargain with record companies, digital distributors and others, and are campaigning for specific changes.

David Gilmour Says thanks, Gdansk On New Live CD

http://www.boston.com/ae/music/articles/2008/09/09/david_gilmour_says_thanks_gdansk_on_new_live_cd/?page=1

By Jill Lawless
Associated Press Writer / September 9, 2008

LONDON—David Gilmour is sorry to disappoint, but there will be no Pink Floyd reunion. He's having too much fun on his own.
The British rock icon raised fans' hopes when the band performed at the Live 8 charity concert in London in 2005. It was the first time in almost a quarter of a century that Gilmour and estranged bandmate Roger Waters had appeared onstage together, and the atmosphere was electric.
But once was enough, Gilmour says.
The gig itself was "excellent, really enjoyable," said the 62-year-old guitarist and singer.
"The rehearsals were less enjoyable. The rehearsals convinced me it wasn't something I wanted to be doing a lot of," Gilmour said, speaking from the Astoria, his houseboat-cum-recording studio on the River Thames.
He has a famously testy relationship with bassist and singer Waters, who walked away from Pink Floyd in 1985.
"There have been all sorts of farewell moments in people's lives and careers which they have then rescinded, but I think I can fairly categorically say that there won't be a tour or an album again that I take part in," said Gilmour.
"It isn't to do with animosity or anything like that. It's just that I've done that. I've been there, I've done it."
Gilmour's latest project is a solo album and tour, captured on "David Gilmour Live in Gdansk," a double concert album and DVD to be released Sept. 23 on Columbia Records.
Recorded during the final date of Gilmour's 2006 "On An Island" tour, it's as meaty a package as you'd expect from a prog-rock colossus.
There's the concert's monumental backdrop of the Polish shipyards where the trade union Solidarity was founded in 1980. There's a crackerjack band that includes Pink Floyd keyboard player Richard Wright and Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera. And there's a 40-piece string section from the Baltic Philharmonic Symphony to enhance Gilmour's blend of classic rock, jazz and blues influences.
The discs include a fan-friendly mix of solo material, much of it from the "On An Island" album, and venerable Floyd songs: "High Hopes," "Comfortably Numb," "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" and the 25-minute "Echoes," which Gilmour said was "the highlight of the show."
"It's wonderful to have that huge catalog of songs to pick and choose through. We were doing songs I've never done. There are several that haven't been played for 30-odd years. And some real old favorites."
Gilmour says he's happy these days to play the old Floyd songs.
"I don't like the idea of going out without a new album, without some new music to play," he said. "But people have come long distances and paid a lot of money to see a show. I want to give them a bit of what they expect and will enjoy."

Gilmour didn't originally intend the album to be a record of a single show. He had recorded every night of the tour, but found "a lot of the tracks that seemed to be the best ones were coming from this show in Gdansk."
The concert was organized to mark the 26th birthday of Solidarity, the union that rose from the docks of Gdansk to topple Poland's Communist regime, and drew 50,000 fans.
"It had a special resonance to it. The place, this sort of rather derelict shipyard, was really exciting. It was the last show of our whole tour," Gilmour said. "And there were also about 10 times as many people as we'd played to on any of the other dates on the tour."
The album -- like most of Gilmour's work for the last two decades -- was mixed and assembled aboard the Astoria, moored along a tranquil stretch of the River Thames near London.
The boat was built a century ago, at the then-enormous cost of 20,000 pounds, for Fred Karno, a music-hall impresario whose proteges included the young Charlie Chaplin. Gilmour bought it in 1986, seduced by the Edwardian elegance of its mahogany-paneled cabins, marble bathrooms and mother-of-pearl light switches.
"I hadn't really thought about using it as a studio," he said, looking around the tiny musicians' room, crammed with drum kit and guitars. "It was just too beautiful to miss out on."
He soon began to use it as a music-making base. The post-Waters Pink Floyd albums "The Division Bell" and "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" were recorded here, as were Gilmour's solo albums, including "On An Island."
The vessel's cramped cabins are packed with high-end recording equipment and assorted instruments, including the black Fender Stratocaster that has been Gilmour's stalwart guitar since 1970.
Fender has just produced a signature guitar in his honor, the David Gilmour Black Strat. It's one of those things -- like a floating recording studio -- that you get when you're a rock legend.
Gilmour notes drily that there are two versions of the guitar. One has all the same knicks and bashes as Gilmour's own -- "the distressed jeans model." Then there's a pristine instrument buyers will have to bash up themselves.
"Which will cost less," Gilmour said. "Because it's more work distressing it."
Casual in jeans, black T-shirt and jacket, the gray-haired Gilmour is a low-key rock star, who seems to relish his role as family man -- he has eight children from his two marriages.
He says he plans to make a new album, but for now he's content to take it easy.
"I think if you are going to get on in this career or any other career you've got to be fairly ruthless while you're climbing up to the to the point in the career you want to get to," he said. "That moment is long past for me. I don't have to scramble over the bodies to reach the top anymore."
He says music is "one of the important things in my life, but it's not the only thing. My family are more important. If I had to give one up, I wouldn't be giving my family up."