Floydian Slip

David Gilmour, one of my all-time favourite guitar players, turned 60 last Tuesday. Few guitarists have such an instantly recognizable sound. When I was younger my pals and I would sit around the bar and argue who was the best guitar player. Inevitably the top offers were the ones with the quickest fingers – Eddie Van Halen, Alex Lifeson, Robert Fripp – or those with a signature sound – Tony Iommi, Ronnie Montrose. Without fail whenever I would cast a vote for David Gilmour I was castigated for championing a "slow" player.

By his own admission David Gilmour isn't a "shredder". What sets him apart is his tone, the fluidity of his solo lines, the way he bends a note up a tone, holds it, and then bends it up another tone-and-a-half. His playing is melodious, it always serves the song, it's not blowing for the sake of blowing.

I saw David Gilmour last Summer at Toronto's Massey Hall, which seats about 3,000. He had a solid band, a tasteful light show, his voice was as good as it was 30 years ago, his playing incomparable. In addition to songs from his latest solo album "On A Beach" he dug into the Pink Floyd songbook for favourites such as "Shine On Your Crazy Diamond" and "Echoes". In contrast I saw Roger Waters several months later at Toronto's ACC (an 18,000 seat NHL arena, for those unfamiliar). While technically flawless the show was bombastic, the band was ridiculously large (3 guitar players to boot), Roger seemed keen on playing "rock star" – the entire thing was bloated and garish. When they pulled out the Floyd the songs were meticulously executed note-for-note. Thrilling? No, kind of boring actually. At one point it struck me that I was watching the world's most expensive Pink Floyd cover band.

David Gilmour has succeeded on subtlety and understatement whereas Roger Waters thrives on excess. It's little wonder they don't get along.

Incidentally David Gilmour released his first, eponymous solo album in 1978. Search it out, it's a gem.