David Gilmour may have reinvented himself musically over the years through his solo career, but he will always be deeply connected to Pink Floyd.
Despite the strained relationships with his former bandmates, Gilmour takes immense pride in the music they created together.
Being part of Pink Floyd came with its challenges. The band didn’t achieve legendary status without significant effort and sacrifice.
The painstaking hours they spent in the studio meticulously crafting each song contributed to their legacy as one of rock’s defining forces.
Pink Floyd wasn’t about chasing hit singles; they focused on creating albums where each song contributed to a larger, cohesive body of work.
One prime example of Pink Floyd’s dedication to pushing boundaries is the 23-minute epic “Echoes” from their 1971 album Meddle.
The track showcases the band’s most exceptional qualities and marked the beginning of the sonic direction they would explore throughout the decade.
For Gilmour, “Echoes” holds a special place, particularly because of the connection he shared with keyboardist Richard Wright.
The interplay between Gilmour’s guitar and Wright’s keys forms the emotional core of the piece, elevating it to something beyond just another track.
Gilmour deeply misses Wright, and their bond is what makes “Echoes” so unique to him.
In 2021, during his online Von Trapped video series, Gilmour named “Echoes” as his favorite Pink Floyd song. “‘Echoes’, I would think,” he said.
“It was terrific fun to play, especially on my last solo tour with Rick Wright, a duet thing between him and me. Couldn’t and shouldn’t be played again now he’s dead.”
Gilmour has stayed true to this sentiment, choosing to leave “Echoes” off his setlists. He feels that no one could replace the magic he and Wright created together.
While Gilmour still performs other Pink Floyd classics, “Echoes” remains untouchable in his solo shows.
The song not only holds personal significance but also represents a crucial moment in the band’s evolution.
In a 1993 interview with Guitar World, Gilmour described “Echoes” as the masterwork of Meddle, saying, “It’s where we were all discovering what Pink Floyd is about.”
He added, “I always loved it. It’s seminal. A lot shorter, in any case – better for radio play. Meddle is really the album where all four of us were finding our feet – much more than on Ummagumma or Atom Heart Mother.”
Gilmour also reflected on the journey that led Pink Floyd to The Dark Side of the Moon in 1973, noting how earlier tracks like “A Saucerful of Secrets” and “Atom Heart Mother” helped shape the band’s identity before “Echoes” brought everything into focus.
Ultimately, “Echoes” not only paved the way for Pink Floyd’s later success, but it also serves as a touching reminder of Gilmour’s irreplaceable bond with Wright.
