David Gilmour
Overview
David Jon Gilmour, CBE
Order of the British Empire
The Most Excellent Order of the British Empire is an order of chivalry established on 4 June 1917 by George V of the United Kingdom. The Order comprises five classes in civil and military divisions...

, D.M.
Doctor of Music
The Doctor of Music degree , like other doctorates, is an academic degree of the highest level. The D.Mus. is intended for musicians and composers who wish to combine the highest attainments in their area of specialization with doctoral-level academic study in music...

(born 6 March 1946) is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...

 band Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...

. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of artists, and has enjoyed a successful career as a solo artist. Gilmour has been actively involved with many charities over the course of his career.

In 2003, he was appointed CBE
CBE
CBE and C.B.E. are abbreviations for "Commander of the Order of the British Empire", a grade in the Order of the British Empire.Other uses include:* Chemical and Biochemical Engineering...

 for services to music and philanthropy and was awarded with the Outstanding Contribution title at the 2008 Q Awards
Q Awards
The Q Awards are the UK's annual music awards run by the music magazine Q. Since they began in 1990, the Q Awards have become one of Britain's biggest and best publicised music awards, helped in no small part by the often boisterous behavior of the celebrities who attend the event...

.
Quotations

"Where would rock and roll be without feedback?"

Live at Pompeii (video), Dark Side of the Moon Sessions, 1972

"Jimi Hendrix|Jimi Hendrix isn't as good as me!"

Live at Pompeii (video), Dark Side of the Moon Sessions, 1972

"Obviously, they're all a gang of idiots. But, you know...live and let live"

Live at Pompeii (video), Dark Side of the Moon Sessions, 1972, about the band

"Syd Barrett|Syd's story is a sad story romanticised by people who don't know anything about it. They've made it fashionable but it's just not that way."

Musician (magazine)|Musician, December 1982

"My technique is laughable at times. I have developed a style of my own, I suppose, which creeps around [...] I don't have to have too much technique for it. I've developed the parts of my technique that are useful to me. I'll never be a very fast guitar player. I don't really know what to say about my style. There's always a melodic intent in there."

Sounds "Guitar Heroes" magazine, May 1983

"Roger doesn't have the right at present to tell me what to do with my life, although he believes that he does. And he'll not ruin my career, although lately he's been trying to."

Penthouse (magazine)|Penthouse, September 1988; regarding Roger Waters

"I've been in The Who|The Who, I've been in The Beatles|The Beatles and I've been in Pink Floyd|Pink Floyd! Top that!"

Record Collector magazine, May 2003

"Usually, in the studio, on this sort of thing ... you just go out and have a play over it, and see what comes, and it's usually — mostly — the first take that's the best one, and you find yourself repeating yourself thereafter."

from Time (magazine)|Time, quoted in Classic Albums: Pink Floyd — The Dark Side of the Moon; on the guitar solo

 
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