DAVID GILMOUR on Desert Island Discs

[@bowtieguy377]

David's influence on PF was what I enjoyed the most. His soaring vocals and atmospheric guitar playing as well as his musical contributions to certain songs that turned out to be most of my favorites. Also loved his solo work and yes, his stoicism, a bit rare for a R&R guy. A tremendous talent.

[@wewanticecream]

"Life isn`t possible without a guitar", love the way it ends!

[@copstolemywife]

Dave Gilmour always seems such a nice guy. I think he would be very friendly if you met him.

[@tomgeorgearts]

yes, very decent guy. Reticent Englishman, but sensitive beneath the reserve...

[@julieshrive3198]

He was soo beautiful !

[@marylou532]

Still is.

[@TylerVanner]

Good to hear in the twilight of their lives they can love each other again. Peace be with you Dave

[@susanmatthews2134]

Thanks David for sharing.

[@Stranglerxx77]

Probably the greatest band ever and he is such a kind gentle man

[@Nautilus1972]

I love that he played Joni's 'For Free'. That's my favorite of hers too.

[@sharonrichards1627]

Time should have stopped in the 70's or 80's just to preserve this nearly perfect man.

[@tojoinbobdylan]

Everyone needs a voice like david guilmour's talking to them through difficult times in life 😅 and also, listening to him I can get a glimpse of how he managed to work along with Roggo for such a long time. He's chill personified

[@Colddeed]

Could listen to him talk all day *ASMR

[@ghike30]

perfect ASMR, i agree

[@TheGreyGardener1990]

Its a video I keep coming back to

[@Moonmaedyn]

Exquisite.

[@MoeSlislack]

It would be great if we could hear the songs too.

[@michal151994]

'life is impossible without a guitar'

[@tensago]

Martha and the Vandellas (known from 1967 to 1972 as Martha Reeves and the Vandellas) were an American vocal group who found fame in the 1960s with a string of hit singles on Motown's Gordy label. Founded in 1960 by friends Annette Beard, Rosalind Ashford and Gloria Williams, the band eventually included Martha Reeves, who moved up in ranks as lead vocalist of the group after Williams' departure in 1962.The group signed with and eventually recorded all of their singles for Motown's Gordy imprint

[@pushthetempo2]

I love that he called it a 'pop' group, such classic English modesty of that older generation. A pop group?? Its bloody pink floyd!!

[@sspbrazil]

J T lol

[@nectarinedreams7208]

Well, they were incredibly popular and sold boat loads of albums, but they were never commercial. A very unique combination. I agree they're not a pop band.

[@krollpeter]

@@nectarinedreams7208To me it's still pop but on the fringes of pop. In the 70s there were quite a number of artists who did non-commercial oriented stuff but they were commercially very successful. We were much more open to new, unusual sounds. I doubt a Pink Floyd or Kraftwerk would make it today. Pink Floyd had a couple of commercially oriented numbers. Wish You Where Here (the single), Money, that Teacher song (forgot the title). And btw. they also had a couple of concert crackers, such a Run Like Hell. Musically they had said everything with the Wish you Were Here album. What came afterwards was not anymore a development, but rather a refinement and polishing of the bands style. And usually that means the end of a group's existence. The pop area really started.

[@rosemiller7583]

Lololol right it's like he doesn't know lololol

[@claymor8241]

You’re wrong. All groups were called pop groups when Floyd started. The word ‘rock’ wasn’t applied to any band until the very end of the 60s. Cream and the Jimi Hendrix Experience were called pop groups.

[@markprior2278]

By his own admission he's not a great lyricist, but he conveys so much emotion through his guitar playing that you don't really need lyrics.

[@frankbell2640]

"Not a barrel of laughs being in Pink Floyd then?" Classic!

[@HighwayStarRevisited]

My hero!!!

[@pirateFLOYD]

Sometime the best friendships are had between such different personalities. But to agree with you, a friendship like this thrust into the stratosphere of rock stardome enters a whole new realm. One which i have no experience.

[@Kfinnerty6853]

This was David's Desert Island interview and Lawley turned it into an amateurs view of Syd B and his influence, Roger's relationship with David, etc with little real understanding of Floyd, the music, what that means in terms of David's considerable input into their success. She sounded like a former lightweight journalist interrogating a legend who was politely answering ridiculous questions that he felt uncomfortable with. A missed opportunity to record a classic DID here.

[@Chris-kr2rn]

You are so right . It is a bad interview . She is interested in getting the spicy stuff out of him , something he is politely refusing . Such a same really . Roger Water’s interview is so much better .

[@Chris-kr2rn]

And , for god’s shake , the man (SB) had a mental health issue (ok drugs didn’t particularly help). Don’t over simplify it by saying he lost it only because of drugs.

[@tensago]

this was recorded 5 years before On An Island.

[@1ranjeeves21]

David Gilmour on an island

[@mrparlanejxtra]

These talks are really good.

[@iggy9955]

Pimk Floyd is best band in whole World , and guitar and vocal David Guilmore is motor who move all World with his voice and guitars. Amen!

[@jeancataldo169]

She's brutal...David remains the class act that he is.

[@illuminatusds]

Brutal? She's a pussycat. Just be thankful Jeremy Paxman didn't do the interview

[@jpr3665]

Dave shines as always

[@richardgoss4777]

Dave needs to do audiobooks

[@TylerVanner]

Dave don't do mistakes. Been close enough to him to ask him to perform Echos in abou 93 and he said to me very politely ''Bit long isn't it'' Albert Hall

[@soarornor]

I wish they had talked a bit about Dave’s extraordinary contributions to the band after Syd. The period in particular of Saucerful of Secrets through to Obscured By Clouds. Dave’s playing and singing were stellar and really helped to bring Roger’s compositions to life. His contributions to group created pieces was also highly creative as were his own songs. The Narrow Way (off Ummagumma) is one of the greatest psychedelic pieces of music ever created and without peer. Dave’s vision for this piece as well as his lyrics and singing were excellent. This would definitely be a desert island disk for me. Fat Old Sun is another great piece by Dave and his guitar work on Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast (both from Atom Heart Mother) were the highlights of that record. And A Pillow Of Winds and Fearless (co-written with Roger from Meddle) as well as his contribution to Echoes (group written) added quite a bit to the overall quality of Meddle. Ditto for his contributions and co-writing and singing on Burning Bridges from the album Obscured By Clouds. This pre Dark Side period was an extremely interesting one and always seems to be ignored by journalists and interviewers. Dave’s contribution to Pink Floyd was way more than just Dark Side and on and it’s about time someone interview him about that. Same with Roger. This was not an insignificant period and it deserves more respect and attention than it receives from clueless journalists and interviewers.

[@Methilde]

I prefer the "pre Dark Side" as you call it, more audacious and innocent period, one specifically underate is More, I like listen to it before sleeping.

[@soarornor]

Joelle Benoit Yeah, More is great record. I’ve been listening to it lately. From the cover art on it is a masterpiece. And that they put that together in a week seems incredible. The movie is awful but that record lives on as a great piece of sonic art.

[@Methilde]

@@soarornor OK whith you for this pretentious movie

[@soarornor]

Joelle Benoit Yeah, it was super bad. I never wanted to see it because I didn’t want it to mess with the imagery in my head from that album. When the huge box set of videos and audio came out, they included that but I don’t know why. I watched it just to see and it was awful. The album survives as a great work of art but the movie is forgettable. They wasted the music that they had paid for on a really inferior product. While there are exceptions, I’m really glad that those early Floyd albums, and indeed all the great albums of that period were pre-MTV. Videos can really destroy a piece of music if they’re not done right. It’s much nicer to let your imagination flow.

[@Methilde]

@@soarornor I saw the movie for the first time very young and I got to see it later after to realize how unhealthy he was, it's obvious that the director projects his own fantasy in a "place to be" at this time. But a ridiculous movie can't nothing against this beautiful music floating whith such a grace.

[@hughmungus1767]

I wish she'd let him finish what he was saying more often.

[@Pulsonar]

Dave Gilmour is one of the coolest guys in the business, he always accommodates the interviewers failings respectfully, no matter how bad they are. Sue Lawley is a strange person, she has a very pretentious way about her, even her 'relaxed' laugh is manufactured. It is like she is acting, to compensate for issues related to her true self.

[@mickyjames7610]

I was in Menorca 2019 ,I`m sure the guy enjoying a stroll,was David,I didnt encroach on his privecy,so perhaps he was compiling his disc on the Island,I`ll never know

[@warmswarm]

Where are the songs, the bloody songs? I want to see which songs he chose. That's why they call it Desert Island Discs! We got one second of the Tom Waits song, no mention at all of the first two songs.

[@anthonydavies9558]

i enjoyed that, thanki sai

[@debauraslumpy]

The lemonheads, Rudy with the flashlight

[@shirlegirling6830]

Pink Floyd 👍 My late husband loved “Comfortably Numb “ from The Wall

[@Bladestrummer]

David, fantastic and patient. Sue Lawley has long gone from the programme. These days Kirsty Young is much, much better at interviewing, less challenging and more revealing. (imho).

[@Rushscored4]

Agreed

[@TylerVanner]

Lovley to hear about the charity work

[@jamesappleton7390]

It must be great to give away the 4 million pounds proceeds from selling your house to a homeless charity. It reminded me a bit of Sting's auditor who found that Sting had 7 million stolen from his bank account and didn't even notice until the auditor found out it was missing.

[@tensago]

Have you listen to it all?

[@wayneriley7367]

The main problem with the interviewer is her rushing the interview, she seems to want to impress him with her ideas rather than lead him to impress us about his artistry. Result; a bad interviewer

[@ShAwTy010210]

Thank You So the part were it ask him out of all 8 to pick one what are the other 7 ones?? did it sayy?.

[@guitarlad89]

i dont know either of them personally, but to me Gilmour seems much more friendly and simple than Waters. I can definitely see how there could have been a rift between them

[@kevanbodsworth9868]

This woman has not the faintest understanding of Pink Floyd s music,

[@scottweisskopf]

What an appalling interviewer Sue Lawley is - just let the man talk! I love how patient Gilmour manages to remain.

[@seansrecords]

shes terrible ... has ideas about everything before he gives his actual experience

[@John-ic6zo]

Not a fan is she?...and I am not a fan of hers....

[@paulroberts3547]

Iv got this picture signed by David through my friend robin birley

[@TylerVanner]

And that album it'll be called ... On an Island

[@cotswoldcuckoo775]

Tyler Vanner Owning an Island, more like.

[@debauraslumpy]

If I were Dave all my top discs would be my own, if you see what i mean.

[@ShAwTy010210]

What album does he pick at the very last part ( 26:48 Time ) I Cant understand it?

[@jamesappleton7390]

It's not an album they pick but a single record. He chose Dancing In The Street by Martha and the Vandella's

[@Harrisonianne]

Udy with the flashlight by the lemonheads

[@ShAwTy010210]

Did it say A reason why he would pick that onee??

[@deansusky]

Great moment in history

[@justmadeit2]

One of Englands best guitar players, surely. Interesting interview. Anyway, if you are reading this, id love you to check out the Poem that just wrote about Rock Stars ( perilous lifestyle). It's my latest upload, or alternatively, simply just type in the following title.....Poem Rock Stars

[@michaelayliffe7238]

If you where to look through the great musicians record collections their is a Cohen record somewhere. That's not chance...

[@xtraspecialmango]

"Fact me till I Fart" Sue!

[@guyperry4010]

This is called "The Golden Tape" and it exists.

[@LennyJohnson5]

I worked in the media for years, and the tape does indeed exist! It's not the only sexual tale about Miss Lawley either......

[@tensago]

For the Dancing.

[@pippipster6767]

Good bloke Fantastic guitar player Is more Pink Floyd than any of the others as far as I’m concerned

[@andreaprodan4432]

She is a resentful woman.

[@petertelford5338]

aww --- she tried. she tried his patience but she tried.

[@mrparlanejxtra]

He got Kate Bush up and running.

[@southerner4566]

He did, I saw an interesting vid about her, Fair play to him for that.

[@mikearchibald744]

@@southerner4566 True that, and she's thanked him, but Kate Bush would have been running up that hill regardless of influences. She's also thanked Peter Gabriel who has said 'come on, Kate Bush owes nobody anything" which I'd tend to agree with and its interesting that Kate churned out just as progressive music as many of those bands without all the theatrics and animosity that many other bands bring along.

[@castelodeossos3947]

Extraordinary how Mdm Lawley focuses on everything except the music that made Pink Floyd.

[@N1H1L9]

EIGHT CHILDREN???

[@keithphilbin3054]

I'm sure they are all well catered for 🙂

[@mikegoldstone6832]

What an amazing and unlikely choice of songs.

[@johnnydtractive]

Almost half of David's musical choices are Canadian artists.

[@JoeRivermanSongwriter]

Never understood how someone who speaks so eloquently can have no confidence in their lyrics.

[@chrisb8075]

For the same reason that whilst we can walk we can't all dance.

[@kennedyknew8701]

She is hard work.... Don't tell him what his music is.......let him tell you..... Pink Floyd is not all depression and alienated undertones... Its a social conditions created by society re verbed and driven back so as to create a large tapestry is sounds,emotions,feelings and shades. Pink Floyd were at their best as close to salvidore dali, Newton, Einstein without knowing...or did they one wonders....

[@snoessurfer2266]

They were sharing deep philosophical ideas/truth about the realities in life : birth, death, isolation, loss, self-identity, mental health, love. etc, etc....it's heavy stuff but, rarely depressing...it's life....man! :0)

[@robbiecox]

Sue Lawley or "Thrush"......

[@booklover3959]

I thought she was kind of a kill joy interviewer. She kept finishing his thoughts for him and whats worse telling him what he felt. Even if your right that is the worst in my opinion. Why not just let him make up his own mind and express it. It is almost like she is a school teacher lecturing him. Eeek! I liked David's musical choices for the most part.

[@Methilde]

If it was a man the interviewer you surely pay more attention to the answers of David, he stays quite smart and polite.

[@mikearchibald744]

I thought it pretty good interviewing, for what it is.

[@ghike30]

she just doesnt "get it", kept goin on about the melancholy aspect of thier music, as though it was "doom and gloom", what a friggin ignoramous

[@geraldmellon740]

Thank god the BBC replaced her. Snooty beyond belief. Dave Gilmour comfortable in himself.

[@RossBayCult]

He saved Pink Floyd after Syd Barrett’s mental breakdown in late 1967.

[@manjay49]

Dave: solid gold. But terrible interviewer. Young Sue lived right through the peak of the 60s and early 70s, yet hasn't got a clue. She was immune to it all. So glad Sue's not doing it any more.

[@thisNewFoundLand]

...agreed. Smugness, and some measure of condescension, keeps infringing on Gilmour's thoughts.

[@smurfmummy3106]

She sounded so disinterested and not a bit bothered.

[@manjay49]

Yes. And why would she do that? She is supposed to "represent" the audience. Dave and Floyd fans can't be there. So Sue has to at least *try* to walk a mile in our shoes. At least she could pretend to be informed or interested even if she is not. Tax payer money etc.

[@cbjgdicad1]

By the way,which ones pink?

[@howwwwwyyyyy]

Just a pop group!!?

[@tinmachine693]

You get the impression that Sue Lawley doesn't really get it

[@garylynch9206]

Aside from Elvis, the best looking rock star

[@EwolDJ]

Lots of negative comments about the interviewer here. I don't know who she is and I don't live in England but I think she does a pretty good job. She's informed, obviously admires Gilmour's work, asks astute and perceptive questions about the Floyd's history, and is pushing no particular agenda. The atmosphere is relaxed. There is no sense of rising above irritation from Gilmour because there isn't any. And if Rod Stewart is not an ageing rocker, who is? Interesting that Gilmour's music selection focuses on singer/songwriters, not one of his own strongest suits, as he acknowledges here.

[@Colddeed]

I do find it a little annoying the way she interrupted him a few times. But other then that, I think it's a pretty enjoyable interview.

[@illuminatusds]

FOR INFORMATION TO THOSE OUTSIDE THE UK. Another thing to consider here is the context of the show itself. Desert Island Discs has been broadcast now for over 70 years on BBC Radio4, the country's main speech station. At the time this was broadcast, it's highly likely that a significant proportion of the audience may not even have known who Gilmour really is, or may only have had a hazy knowledge. This show was first broadcast in April 2003. The week before was the author, Margaret Atwood, and the following week was Kristin Scott Thomas.(see www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b006qnmr/broadcasts/2003/04). And at the time, podcasting wasn't really a major thing, so this would probably only have been heard twice, on the times listed in the schedule, and probably only in the UK (though it may also have gone to the World Service for a broadcast) For that reason, the discussion has to be fairly broad, and may need exposition and detailing from Lawley, who has been a BBC Newsreader and current affairs presenter of some standing. This interview, though more relaxed, should be seen in that context. And actually, it's a decent interview. when you consider that you have to tease something more personal from guests who may or may not have experience of talking in broadcast media (and they sometimes don't) So the comment above is pretty much bang on the mark, actually.

[@booklover3959]

She seemed to finish his thoughts for him and tell him what he felt. How could she know what he felt? You can recount history but I find it hard that you can tell someone what they are feeling in the way she did it. Oh well each to their own opinion and that is just mine.

[@chrisb8075]

Are blind? Deaf? Both? Did you listen to the same interview as we did? That you conclude what you do speaks only to an inability to read nuances of speech and tone. You are 100% wrong in your summation of what the feelings and responses mean or from whence they came.

[@fusionhar]

'I have more than i need'..pity he cannot play like Holdsworth

[@carygson]

I’m interested to hear his choices but my goodness Sue Lawley makes it unbearable.

[@andygray]

Horrible interviewer. I much prefer the woman who interviewed Roger Waters.

[@LibyanSoup]

Sue Lawley is insufferable in this interview.With such thinly veiled distain for her guest, it is almost unlistenable were it not for the grace of the ever serene David Gilmour.

[@cliffordadams8353]

God Sue Lawley is totally ill suited to this

[@deconcoder]

The old Syd did too many drugs tale again. Time to go read the real story: a cat did him in. Toxoplasmosis...

[@ceejay1794]

Rob Williams 🧐😂

[@claymor8241]

He doesn’t play nearly enough notes per minute. I feel short changed. The beginning of Shine On could do with some right hand tapping and sweep picking .

[@richardcarr7557]

I'm sure he will listen to you😂

[@ThorD4602]

yes, and whammy bar theatrics as well.

[@stephensharp3033]

Polly his wife doesn't like flying.

[@ernestmoon9355]

Sue Lawley is horrible

[@markdarnell614]

1st off - this Interviewer was AWFUL! That photo of Gilmore...Christ All Mighty! Dude was the definition of Handsome! - classic Gaul/Roman features...like Young Marlon Brando. Yup...I'm Envious.

[@OldManStan]

I never listened to DID very much. I liked Kirsty and Parky but was surprised at Lawley's insincerity in this episode, with her smug little fake laugh. Was she always like that?

[@johnrowland3105]

Where on earth did she get such uninspiring questions ? I mean here you have he chance to interview on of the most iconic writer/performers of his generation and all she mentions are 'flying pigs'. A wasted opportunity.

[@mikearchibald744]

These are all general interviews, its a radio program where all kinds of people come on and listen to, so they will be general questions.

[@LennyJohnson5]

Sue Lawley was absolutely awful in this interview...... talking over Dave Gilmour and a patronising attitude. Dreadful.

[@jacobdrummond3013]

"A Man needs a Maid, which is *deeply* politically incorrect, *of course* ". Yeah, yeah - whatever, love. Have a day off.

[@warvandal3443]

Talking over him - annoying

[@mick-tl5ui]

She is so pompous

[@FerociousArbiter]

She is so irritating. Waters got the good interviewer - Gilmour got stuck with a witch.

[@tensago]

I prefer the Horrible one.

[@alexchurchill8602]

My god she was/is so insensitive. She's clueless....

[@avalondreaming1433]

Now here he is in his long enjoyable downhill run! Wtf??

[@hpoonis2010]

8 Children! That is unethical in the planetary scheme of things. Regardless of his talent that lowers his stock in my eyes.

[@southerner4566]

I didn't expect him to sound so posh.

[@FionaUpton-m8y]

Sue Lawley asks excellent questions but sounds as if she thinks she's the star.

[@petewoodroffemusic]

Terrible interview. "Rod Stewart"??? "Ageing rock star"!!! Rude and ignorant. She obviously hasn't heard his music and should sack the researcher. Soo radio 4. Why don't they get an interviewer whose interested, interesting and passionate about music. Oxbridge no doubt...

[@guyperry4010]

well said!

[@petewoodroffemusic]

Thx mate

[@MatthewMcVeagh]

Well because it's the same presenter every week... that's her job, or was.

[@Monochr0meMan]

"She was lucky enough to gain entrance into grammar school (that terrible evil scheme that said more about the kids' parenting skills and social background rather than ability)." What a fucking stupid thing to say. Grammar schools gave academically gifted kids from poor backgrounds access to an excellent education and facilitated social mobility. Such children these days are condemned to attend comprehensive schools which in many cases are worse than the secondary moderns, whilst only the wealthy can afford to pay for a decent education for their children.

[@Monochr0meMan]

The grammar school system wasn't perfect in that it didn't allow for 'late bloomers' to transfer to the academically selective schools later on; I also believe that selection should be based on overall school performance so far rather than on the Eleven Plus exam. Further, the secondary modern schools should've been improved and more technicals schools built. However, rather than address these issues the government decided to dispense with the only part of the system that worked i.e. the grammar schools, thus depriving children from poor backgrounds their only chance of an academically rigorous education. I get the impression though that given your own experiences it will be difficult for you to look at this issue objectively.

[@richdemetrops4200]

interviewer is beyond irritating

[@McGrogansSchool]

Great man. Poor interviewer. Pity.