Club Q Update #47 - On The Turning Away

David Gilmour has been a huge influence on me. He is the definition of tone and taste as a guitar player, as a singer, I believe he is one of the most genuine and believable storytellers, and as a writer he is the architect of a whole genre, that took the blues and ran with it - and did it in an unapologetically British way.

This morning I had this song running around my head. It’s from the ‘A Momentary Lapse Of Reason’ record, which i’ve heard some describe as ‘A Momentary Lapse In Talent’. I do think it fell prey to the over-the-top production habits of the 80’s, but i’ve always loved how this song, underneath it all, sounded like an old lilting Irish ballad. Like a song that’s always been there. And those lyrics... heart wrenching, eloquent and so damn apt for the times we are living in.

Lyrics like this will always be apt, whatever time we live in. That’s what a great lyricist does.

Side note - I don’t subscribe to the whole Waters/Gilmour ‘brains vs. brawn’ debate. I love them both in Pink Floyd and solo. I love Waters Floyd and post-Waters Floyd. Just like I love Peter Gabriel, Phil Collins and Genesis - both with and without, solo or otherwise!