David Gilmour had heard all about Pink Floyd’s popularity; I mean, how could he not? He was a childhood friend of the band’s frontman, Syd Barrett, as the pair had known one another since they were barely teenagers. Also, in all fairness, the early British psychedelia scene wasn’t large enough for Pink Floyd to stay under the radar.
Gilmour was also aware of Syd’s talent for songwriting, even getting jealous of his mate every now and then. So, when Roger Waters decided to invite Gilmour into the band as a second guitarist and part-time vocalist, he readily took on the offer, as he had always been good at adapting to new projects. So, in a few weeks, he excelled in playing all the tracks on the band’s setlist.
It was then that it became evident to the then-five-piece Pink Floyd that there was no need for Syd since the musician was already struggling with his mental health and had started failing to fulfill his duties. Thus, they cut their ties with the frontman. However, their record label wasn’t as enthusiastic to carry on without Barrett and decided to retain him.
So, we might surely argue that things hadn’t been easy for the band, as they struggled to prove themselves to their audience, new record label, and critics that they would make it without Syd. Well, they were in luck as we all know that they became one of the most commercially successful bands in music history; however, even at their success’s peak, the band somehow almost went bankrupt.
Yet, with all these difficulties, to Gilmour, it wasn’t Syd’s departure or the band’s bankruptcy that created a major struggle. You see, he managed to go through all of these periods with no or minor damage, but when Roger Waters, the band’s primary lyricist, and then-creative leader, decided to depart the band, it would lead to one of the most significant challenges Dave would ever face.
The former frontman chatted with the Sun in 2022, recalling old memories with the band and how they got into the place they are today. Then, the conversation drifted to his complicated relationship and feud with Waters, and Gilmour decided to disclose how challenging it was for him to deal with Roger’s departure.
“It’s been an alarming time,” said the guitarist as he noted how much Roger’s presence had meant for the band. “It was a big deal to carry on Pink Floyd with Roger gone. He was a big, big part of it. Big talent and was our primary lyricist, so it was difficult. I would describe myself more as a melodic guy, and Roger is more of an aggressive wordsmith. Different sides of us came together to create what we have become.”
Thus, even with the pair’s long-time feud and rivalry, the singer embraced Waters’ talent to put a few words together and create a hit out of them. For Gilmour, the two completed one another as he had a knack for melodies, while Roger had a genius for creating memorable lyrics.
