The Endless River, Pink Floyd’s 2014 album, marked the band’s final chapter, but the story behind its release holds insights into the challenges of bringing such an album to life. In a candid interview with the Los Angeles Times, David Gilmour shared his thoughts on The Endless River, revealing his mixed feelings about the project and the pressure he felt from the record label.
How The Endless River Came Together from Unreleased Pink Floyd Material
David Gilmour on The Endless River sheds light on the album’s origins, which date back to sessions from The Division Bell era in 1994. The band’s engineer, Andy Jackson, had compiled unreleased pieces and jams into a collection known as “The Big Spliff.” These instrumental tracks had circulated among fans and appeared in bootleg form, leading to a strong demand for an official release. “A lot of fans wanted this stuff that we’d done in that time, and we thought we’d give it to them,” Gilmour recalled. The album was largely instrumental, except for “Louder Than Words,” which became the only song with lead vocals.
While The Endless River provided fans with a nostalgic look into the band’s work, it wasn’t intended to be a “new” Pink Floyd album. According to David Gilmour on The Endless River, the project was meant to be a tribute to the band’s history, not a full-fledged follow-up to The Division Bell. Despite its unique background, the album received mixed reviews, as some listeners were unsure how to interpret it within Pink Floyd’s catalog.
Record Label Pressure and Gilmour’s Regrets About The Endless River
David Gilmour’s comments on The Endless River reveal his regrets about how the album was marketed. “My mistake, I suppose, was in being bullied by the record company to have it out as a properly paid-for Pink Floyd record,” he admitted. Gilmour felt that the label’s approach set expectations that were hard to meet and misunderstood the album’s purpose as a collection rather than a traditional Pink Floyd release. In hindsight, Gilmour believes that clearer communication about the album’s intent might have spared it some criticism.
David Gilmour on the Sale of Pink Floyd’s Catalog
In the same interview, David Gilmour reflected on Pink Floyd’s catalog sale, marking another turning point in the band’s legacy. Sony recently acquired Pink Floyd’s music rights and likeness for an estimated $400 million, a move Gilmour views as a relief. After decades of navigating the complexities of the music industry and business disputes, he expressed a sense of closure. “I’m an old person… and I’ve given that fight up now,” Gilmour shared, referring to his long-standing efforts to manage the band’s assets.
Gilmour revealed that the large sale wasn’t entirely new income; rather, it functioned as an advance on what he would have earned over the next few years. Despite this, he’s pleased to close this chapter, especially with the internal conflicts and disagreements that accompanied Pink Floyd’s business operations.
