View source for David Gilmour (album)

{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox album
| name       = David Gilmour
| type       = studio
| artist     = [[David Gilmour]]
| cover      = David_Gilmour_self-titled.jpg
| alt        =
| released   = 26 May 1978
| recorded   = February–March 1978
| studio     = Super Bear Studios, Nice, France
| genre      = {{hlist|[[Art rock]]|[[progressive rock]]|{{nowrap|[[blues rock]]}}}}
| length     = {{Duration|m=46|s=19}} (Original LP version)<br>{{Duration|m=48|s=13}} (2006 Remastered CD version)
| label      = {{hlist|[[Harvest Records|Harvest]]|[[Columbia Records|Columbia]]}}
| producer   = David Gilmour
| prev_title =
| prev_year  =
| next_title = [[About Face (album)|About Face]]
| next_year  = 1984
| misc = {{Singles
 | name = David Gilmour
 | type = studio
 | single1     = There's No Way Out of Here
 | single1date = August 1978 <ref>{{cite book | last1 = Fielder | first1 = Hugh | title = Pink Floyd - Behind The Wall | edition = 1st | publisher = Race Point Publishing | year = 2013 | page = 218 | isbn = 978-90-8998-451-7}}</ref>
}}
}}
'''''David Gilmour''''' is the debut solo studio album by [[Pink Floyd]] guitarist and co-lead vocalist [[David Gilmour]], released on 26 May 1978.<ref name="Mabbett-2010">{{Cite book| publisher = Omnibus| isbn = 978-1-84938-370-7| last = Mabbett| first = Andy| title = Pink Floyd - The Music and the Mystery| location = London| date = 2010}}</ref> The album reached number 17 in the UK<ref name="officialcharts1">{{cite web|url=http://www.officialcharts.com/artist/_/david%20gilmour/ |title=David Gilmour &#124; Artist |publisher=Official Charts |access-date=12 July 2012}}</ref> and number 29 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' US album charts; it was [[Music recording sales certification|certified Gold]] in the US by the [[Recording Industry Association of America|RIAA]]. The album was produced by Gilmour, and consists mostly of [[blues]] and [[guitar]]-oriented rock songs, except for the piano-dominated ballad "So Far Away".

==Production and recording==
The tracks used for the album were recorded between February and March 1978 with engineer John Etchells at Super Bear Studios in France.<ref name="davidgilmour.com">{{Cite web|url=https://www.davidgilmour.com/music_david_gilmour.htm|title=David Gilmour &#124; Music &#124; David Gilmour &#124; Official Website|website=www.davidgilmour.com}}</ref> They were then mixed at the same studio by Nick Griffiths. Session musicians included bass guitarist [[Rick Wills]] and drummer [[Willie Wilson (drummer)|Willie Wilson]], both of whom used to be part of [[Jokers Wild (band)|Jokers Wild]] with Gilmour.<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> The album was recorded at the same studio where Pink Floyd bandmate [[Richard Wright (musician)|Richard Wright]] had recorded his first solo album ''[[Wet Dream (album)|Wet Dream]]'' just weeks before, though it would not be released until September 1978.

==Album's cover artwork==
{{unreferenced section|date=June 2022}}
The album cover used for the first EMI pressings of the album LP was done by [[Hipgnosis]] and Gilmour and includes Gilmour, Rick Wills and Willie Wilson in the cover photo; Gilmour was credited on the cover for contributing "Keyboards, Vocals" though he was primarily a guitarist. The CBS/Columbia pressings (outside Europe) listed Gilmour as contributing "Guitars, Keyboards, Vocals". Among those depicted on the inner sleeve is Gilmour's then-wife, [[Ginger Gilmour|Ginger]].

==Single and songs==
The album's only single was "There's No Way Out of Here." The single flopped in Europe, but became popular on [[album-oriented rock]] radio stations in the US.{{citation needed|date=November 2014}} The song was originally recorded by the band [[Unicorn (English band)|Unicorn]] (as "No Way Out of Here") for their 1976 album ''Too Many Crooks'' ([[Harvest Records]], US title ''Unicorn 2''), which Gilmour produced.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.unicornmusic.net/ |title=Unicorn official site |publisher=Unicornmusic.net |access-date=2012-05-14}}</ref><ref>{{discogs artist|Unicorn (12)|Unicorn}}</ref> It was also recorded later by New Jersey [[stoner rock]] band [[Monster Magnet]] on their ''[[Monolithic Baby!]]'' album,{{citation needed|date=June 2022}} and by [[Iron & Wine]] on his 2015 covers album [[Sing Into My Mouth]].{{citation needed|date=June 2022}}

One unused tune that was written and demoed at the time would later evolve, with lyrics by [[Roger Waters]], into Pink Floyd's "[[Comfortably Numb]]" on ''[[The Wall]]''.<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> However, a song included on this album, the piano ballad "So Far Away", uses a chorus progression not unlike the chorus to "Comfortably Numb", albeit in a different key.<ref name=BobWall>{{cite book|last=Carruthers|first=Bob|title=Pink Floyd – Uncensored on the Record|year=2011|publisher=Cooda Books Ltd|isbn=978-1-908538-27-7|chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=qrwU8wouZX4C&pg=PT116|edition=E-book|access-date=11 October 2012|chapter=The Wall}}</ref>

Likewise, the song "Short and Sweet" can be seen as a musical precursor to "[[Run Like Hell]]" (also from ''The Wall''), with its shifting chords over a D [[pedal point]], using a [[flanging|flanged]] guitar in [[Drop D tuning]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.pinkfloydfan.net/t1477-david-gilmour-careful-axe-musician.html|title=Careful With That Axe David Gilmour Interview|author=Matt Resnicoff|publisher=Musician|date=August 1992|access-date=16 August 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110102140948/http://www.pinkfloydfan.net/t1477-david-gilmour-careful-axe-musician.html|archive-date=2 January 2011|url-status=usurped}}</ref> "Short and Sweet" was written in collaboration with [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]], who recorded a version, on which Gilmour played, for his 1980 album ''[[The Unknown Soldier (album)|The Unknown Soldier]]''.<ref name="Mabbett-2010" />

==Promotion==
A five-song promotional film was made to promote the album.<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> The band comprised Gilmour on guitars and vocals, the two musicians on the album (bass player Rick Wills and drummer Willie Wilson) plus David Gilmour's brother Mark on rhythm guitar and [[Ian McLagan]] on keyboards. They performed "Mihalis", "There's No Way Out of Here", "So Far Away", "No Way", and "I Can't Breathe Anymore".<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> There were three female backing singers on "There's No Way Out of Here" and "So Far Away": Debbie Doss, Shirley Roden, and Carlena Williams. The promo was recorded live at [[The Roxy (Covent Garden)|The Roxy]], London.<ref name="BBC">{{cite web|title = David Gilmour: Wider Horizons| publisher = [[BBC]]| url = http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b06pyrbs| access-date = July 14, 2020}}</ref>

Also, Gilmour promoted the album with his first ever{{citation needed|date=June 2025}} interviews with North American media and FM rock radio stations. The album peaked at number 29 on the ''[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]'' album charts, which - until 2006's ''[[On an Island]] - ''was Gilmour's highest charting solo album in the US, eventually going [[Music recording sales certification|Gold]].

==Release and reception==
{{Album reviews
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
|rev1score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|last=Raggett |first=Ned |url={{AllMusic|class=album |id=r8273 |pure_url=yes}} |title=Allmusic review |publisher=Allmusic.com |access-date=14 May 2012}}</ref>
| rev2 = ''[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]''
| rev2score = {{rating|3.5|5}}<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.loudersound.com/reviews/david-gilmour-david-gilmour|title="As a guitarist he has few peers but as a songwriter he's no Roger Waters": David Gilmour soars on beautifully crafted if ultimately unchallenging debut solo album|website=[[Classic Rock (magazine)|Classic Rock]]|last=Magazine|first=Classic Rock|date=27 January 2025|access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref>
| rev3 = ''[[Sputnikmusic]]''
| rev3score = 3.5/5<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.sputnikmusic.com/review/40889/David-Gilmour-David-Gilmour/|title=David Gilmour - David Gilmour|website=[[Sputnikmusic]]|last=EMERITUS|first=Irving|date=26 December 2010|access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref>
| rev4 = ''[[Tom Hull (critic)|Tom Hull]]''
| rev4score = B<ref>{{cite web|url=https://tomhull.com/ocston/nm/get_gl.php?n=David+Gilmour|title=Grade List: David Gilmour|website=[[Tom Hull (critic)|Tom Hull – on the Web]]|last=Hull|first=Tom|access-date=12 April 2025}}</ref>
}}
The album was released in the UK on 26 May 1978,<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> and in June 1978 in the US, on [[Harvest Records|Harvest]] and [[Columbia Records|Columbia]] respectively.

In an interview with ''[[Circus (magazine)|Circus]]'' in 1978, Gilmour said: "This album [''David Gilmour''] was important to me in terms of self-respect. At first I didn't think my name was big enough to carry it. Being in a group for so long can be a bit claustrophobic, and I needed to step out from behind Pink Floyd's shadow."

==Track listing==
All music composed by David Gilmour except "There's No Way Out of Here" written by Ken Baker.<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> All lyrics by Gilmour, except where noted.

{{Track listing
| headline = Side one
| title1 = Mihalis
| length1 = 5:46
| lyrics1 = [instrumental]
| title2 = There's No Way Out of Here
| length2 = 5:08
| lyrics2 = Ken Baker
| title3 = Cry from the Street
| length3 = 5:13
| lyrics3 = Gilmour, Electra Stuart
| title4 = So Far Away
| length4 = 5:50
| total_length = 21:57
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Side two
| title5 = Short and Sweet
| length5 = 5:30
| lyrics5 = Gilmour, [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]]<ref name="Mabbett-2010" />
| title6 = Raise My Rent
| length6 = 5:33
| lyrics6 = [instrumental]
| title7 = No Way
| length7 = 5:32
| title8 = Deafinitely
| length8 = 4:27
| lyrics8 = [instrumental]
| title9 = I Can't Breathe Anymore
| length9 = 3:04
| total_length = 24:06
}}

===2006 Remastered Edition===

''David Gilmour'' was re-released by EMI Records in Europe as a digitally remastered CD on 14 August 2006.<ref name="Mabbett-2010" /> Legacy Recordings/Columbia Records released the remastered CD in the US and Canada on 12 September 2006. It features slightly extended versions of some of the tracks. 
{{Track listing
| title1 = Mihalis
| length1 = 5:55
| lyrics1 = [instrumental]
| title2 = There's No Way Out of Here
| length2 = 5:20
| lyrics2 = Ken Baker
| title3 = Cry from the Street
| length3 = 5:13
| lyrics3 = Gilmour, Electra Stuart
| title4 = So Far Away
| length4 = 6:06
| title5 = Short and Sweet
| length5 = 5:30
| lyrics5 = Gilmour, [[Roy Harper (singer)|Roy Harper]]
| title6 = Raise My Rent
| length6 = 5:47
| lyrics6 = [instrumental]
| title7 = No Way
| length7 = 6:12
| title8 = Deafinitely
| length8 = 4:27
| lyrics8 = [instrumental]
| title9 = I Can't Breathe Anymore
| length9 = 3:43
| total_length = 48:13
}}

==Personnel==
*[[David Gilmour]]&nbsp;– [[Singing|lead and backing vocals]], [[electric guitar|electric]] and [[acoustic guitar]]s, [[lap steel guitar]], [[keyboard instrument|keyboards]], [[piano]] on "So Far Away", [[harmonica]] on "There's No Way Out of Here", [[Record producer|production]], cover design
*[[Rick Wills]]&nbsp;– [[bass guitar]], [[Backing vocalist|backing vocals]]
*[[Willie Wilson (drummer)|Willie Wilson]]&nbsp;– [[Drum kit|drums]], [[percussion]]
;Additional personnel
*[[Mick Weaver]]&nbsp;– additional piano on "So Far Away"
*[[Carlena Williams]]&nbsp;– backing vocals on "There's No Way Out of Here" and "So Far Away"
*[[Debi Doss]]&nbsp;– backing vocals on "There's No Way Out of Here" and "So Far Away"
*Shirley Roden&nbsp;– backing vocals on "There's No Way Out of Here" and "So Far Away"<ref name="davidgilmour.com"/>
;Production team
*[[Hipgnosis]]&nbsp;– cover design; photography

==Charts==
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center;"
|-
!Chart
!Peak<br />Position
|-
|align="left"|[[New Zealand Albums Chart]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Hung |first=Steffen |url=https://charts.nz/showitem.asp?interpret=David+Gilmour&titel=David+Gilmour&cat=a |title=David Gilmour - David Gilmour |publisher=charts.nz |access-date=1 November 2013}}</ref>
|22
|-
|align="left"|[[Swedish Albums Chart]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Hung |first=Steffen |url=http://swedishcharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=David+Gilmour&titel=David+Gilmour&cat=a |title=David Gilmour - David Gilmour |publisher=swedishcharts.com |access-date=1 November 2013}}</ref>
|20
|-
|align="left"|[[UK Albums Chart]]<ref name="officialcharts1"/>
|17
|-
|align="left"|US [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' Top LPs & Tape]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/david-gilmour-mw0000190145/awards |title=David Gilmour - David Gilmour &#124; Awards |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=1 November 2013}}</ref>
|29
|}

==References==
{{Reflist|colwidth=30em}}

==External links==
*{{Discogs master|type=album|49918|name=David Gilmour}}

{{David Gilmour}}

{{Authority control}}

[[Category:David Gilmour albums]]
[[Category:1978 debut albums]]
[[Category:Albums with cover art by Hipgnosis]]
[[Category:Harvest Records albums]]
[[Category:EMI Records albums]]
[[Category:Columbia Records albums]]
[[Category:Albums produced by David Gilmour]]
[[Category:Blues rock albums by English artists]]