Guitar Tricks Insider February/March Digital Edition | Page 25

COVER STORY

“Performing live, you try to
get it rough and also try to
be brave – it doesn’t matter
if you drop a clunker. I’m an
enormous fan of Jeff Beck
because he is not afraid to
screw up. People who are
afraid tend to get boring.”

INFLUENCES

David Gilmour has long exemplified a “less is
more” approach to guitar, using a few well–
chosen notes to tell the fretboard’s story. After
joining Pink Floyd in the late ‘60s, Gilmour
merged the psychedelic vamping of the Syd
Barrett era with the British blues of Eric Clapton
and Peter Green, and created the dramatic,
soulful lead style he’s renowned for. To this day,
David’s playing on “Time,” “Shine On You Crazy
Diamond,” and “Comfortably Numb” remains
among the most beloved pieces of guitar work
in rock history. Let’s explore his roots and get a
sense of how the man’s remarkable axemanship
evolved.

“When I was starting out, I was trying to learn
12-string acoustic guitar like Lead Belly. At the
same time I was trying to learn lead guitar like
Hank Marvin and later, Clapton. All of those
different things had their moments and filtered
through my learning process. These days I don’t
listen to other people with the objective of trying
to steal their licks, although I’ve no objections to
stealing them if that seems like a good idea. I’m
sure I was influenced by Mark Knopfler and Eddie
Van Halen, as well. I was also a blues fan. For
me it was Lead Belly through B.B. King, and later
Clapton, Roy Buchanan, Jeff Beck, Van Halen,
and anyone you care to mention. Mark Knopfler

Like most English guitarists, Gilmour owes one of
his most important influences to Hank Marvin, a
guitar giant that’s unfortunately not more wellknown outside the UK. In his ‘60s work with
singer Cliff Richard, Marvin and his band, the
Shadows, became the European equivalent of
the Ventures – an “intro” act that didn’t have a
vocalist and put simple electric guitar melodies
first. Surely, this emphasis on 6-string simplicity
has influenced David Gilmour’s playing and
songwriting ever since.

David Gilmour – Rattle That Lock

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