David gilmour biography pink floyd

Biography of David Gilmour

David John Gilmour, an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter, is a long-time member of the legendary progressive rock band Pink Floyd. He joined the group in 1968 as a guitarist and one of the lead vocalists, replacing one of the founding members, Syd Barrett, who had been behaving erratically. Gilmour was born on March 6, 1946, in Cambridge. His parents fostered his interest in music, and David began teaching himself to play the guitar using a book and recordings by Pete Seeger. At the age of 11, Gilmour attended the Perse School, where he became friends with future Pink Floyd members, Syd Barrett and Roger Waters.

In 1962, Gilmour studied modern languages at the Cambridge Technical College. He became fluent in French but never completed his courses. That same year, David joined the blues-rock band Jokers Wild, which released only 50 copies of its one-sided album and single. In August 1965, Gilmour, Barrett, and some friends traveled to Spain and France, where they performed The Beatles repertoire, were briefly detained, and struggled financially. David even ended up in the hospital due to exhaustion. In mid-1967, during another trip to France, the musician performed with the trio Flowers, which had no commercial success and fell victim to thieves who stole the band's equipment. Gilmour returned to London, where he witnessed Pink Floyd recording the track "See Emily Play" and was shocked when he realized that Barrett (who was heavily using drugs) did not recognize him.

In late 1967, Nick Mason, Pink Floyd's drummer, offered David to become the fifth member of the band. Initially, the plan was to keep Barrett, who would not perform live and would focus solely on songwriting. By March 1968, no one wanted to continue working with Barrett. "He was our friend, but we constantly wanted to strangle him," Waters later admitted. Barrett, who had been expelled from Pink Floyd, occasionally visited the Middle Earth club, where the band played with its new lineup, and stared at Gilmour. It took David a considerable amount of time to truly feel like a part of Pink Floyd. He later shared in the international success of the group with the release of conceptual albums such as "The Dark Side of the Moon," "Wish You Were Here," "Animals," and "The Wall." By the early 1980s, Pink Floyd had become one of the most recognized and best-selling projects in the history of popular music. After Waters left the band in 1985, Gilmour became its leader.

In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, David collaborated with numerous other artists, including The Dream Academy, and pursued a solo career. He released four studio albums: "David Gilmour," "About Face," "On an Island," and "Rattle That Lock." His efforts helped British singer-songwriter Kate Bush gain public attention. As a member of Pink Floyd, Gilmour was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. In 2005, he was appointed Commander of the Order of the British Empire and received the prestigious Q Award in 2008 for his musical achievements. He was listed as one of the "greatest guitarists in the world" by the British magazine Classic Rock in 2009. In another list, Rolling Stone magazine's "100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time," Gilmour climbed to 14th place in 2011.

Gilmour's first wife was model and artist Ginger Gilmour. They married on July 7, 1975, and have four children. The marriage ended in 1990. Four years later, the musician married novelist, lyricist, and journalist Polly Samson. The designer and photographer Storm Thorgerson, who worked on Pink Floyd album covers, served as Gilmour's best man at their wedding. They have three children together, and David also raised Polly's son, Charlie, from her previous relationship with Heathcote Williams.

Gilmour is the godfather of actress Naomi Watts, whose father, Peter Watts, was Pink Floyd's tour manager in the 1970s. David and his family reside on a farm near Wisborough Green, Sussex, and also have a home in Hove. The musician frequently spends time in his recording studio on his floating house, "Astoria," near Hampton Court.

Gilmour is an experienced pilot and the founder of the "Intrepid Aviation" aviation museum, which houses a significant collection of historical aircraft. He sold the museum when he felt his hobby was turning into a business.

In an interview, David stated that he does not believe in an afterlife and considers himself an atheist. When it comes to politics, it was revealed that Gilmour aligns himself with the "left wing" and credits his parents for his convictions. In August 2014, he was one of 200 public figures who signed a letter published in The Guardian opposing Scottish independence before the September referendum.

In May 2017, David endorsed the leader of the Labour Party, Jeremy Corbyn, in the UK parliamentary elections. The musician wrote on Twitter, "I'm voting Labour because I believe in social equality."

Gilmour is involved with numerous charitable organizations. In May 2003, he sold his London home to Charles Spencer and donated around £3.6 million to the "Crisis" organization, which helps the homeless. He was appointed as the vice-president of "Crisis."

According to the Sunday Times Rich List 2016, which includes the 1000 wealthiest individuals or families residing in the United Kingdom, Gilmour's net worth is estimated at £100 million.