When discussing Pink Floyd’s zenith, the 1970s often come to mind, marked by iconic albums such as ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ and ‘Wish You Were Here’, both from 1975.
Yet, for David Gilmour, this pinnacle surprisingly falls around two decades later when he began crafting melodies alongside his wife, Polly Samson.
Post Roger Waters’ exit in 1985, the reins of Pink Floyd were firmly in Gilmour’s grasp. This new era saw the birth of three albums: ‘A Momentary Lapse of Reason’ (1987), ‘The Division Bell’ (1994), and the concluding ‘The Endless River’.
Even if some longtime enthusiasts of the band felt the newer offerings paled in comparison, they undeniably contributed classics to the band’s legacy.
Acknowledging this, Gilmour, in a 2006 DVD release interview for the Pulse concert, singled out “High Hopes” from ‘The Division Bell’ as standing tall amongst their most iconic tracks, remarking, “Listening to ‘High Hopes’ now, it undeniably feels like one of our timeless classics.”
In another conversation with Mojo, he generously credited his wife, Polly Samson, for her contributions, likening her to the influential Yoko Ono.
“Discussing anything post The Division Bell necessitates acknowledging Polly’s invaluable input. Yet, we can’t escape the Yoko Ono comparisons and critiques,” Gilmour mused, adding, “Indeed, in our most recent phase, we’ve crafted classics. ‘High Hopes’, co-written with Polly, certainly attests to that.”
In recent news, Gilmour has heralded a fresh launch, not of unreleased tracks per se, but a reissue of ‘Metallic Spheres in Colour’, his 2010 collaboration with the electronic ensemble, The Orb. More details on this are forthcoming.