When American musicians first introduced rock and roll to the globe, David Gilmour was still a small child, having been born in the middle of the 1940s. In 1954, he purchased his first single, the timeless tune “Rock Around the Clock” by Bill Haley. His excitement continued to grow when he discovered musicians like The Everly Brothers and Elvis Presley. Later, at the age of 19, he received an invitation to join Pink Floyd, and it didn’t take him long to contribute to the band’s sound transformation and creation of some of the all-time best-selling albums. Throughout his career, Gilmour was always cognizant of the state of music, even though his primary concentration was Progressive Rock. He frequently mentioned and praised musicians that his followers could never have imagined he enjoyed listening to. He even mentioned an unanticipated 1980s guitarist that he liked.
The guitarist that David Gilmour said was great in the 80s
Following Syd Barrett’s dismissal as lead guitarist and singer of Pink Floyd in the late 1960s, bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour took over as the band’s official lead guitarist and singer. He was a key component of the band’s sound, and many Pink Floyd classic songs feature his guitar solos as their high point. From the late 1960s to the 1980s, Pink Floyd performed with its iconic lineup. Roger Waters departed the band permanently in 1985, while Richard Wright was sacked from the group in 1981. In 1987, Wright rejoined the group and collaborated with Nick Mason and David Gilmour on two more albums.
However, during that decade, particularly in the US, there were a number of new bands and a significant shift in the music landscape. Every time he spoke about other musicians, Gilmour gave credit to those he loved. Among them was Steve Lukather, the session guitarist and member of Toto, whom Gilmour claimed to be inspired by. In a 1988 interview with Guitar World magazine, the musician expressed admiration for Lukather. “I love Steve Lukather. I adore the way he plays. I adore a lot of musicians, but I think some of the older guys are very good, you know? People like Eric, Jeff Beck, and so on. They suit me better, David Gilmour remarked.
Lukather is also a huge David Gilmour fan
Pink Floyd had just released “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” (1987), their first album without Roger Waters, when Gilmour spoke with Guitar World. Toto had already achieved fame at that point and had released eight albums. Even though the band was already successful, Lukather frequently remained a session guitarist. He recorded in the 1980s with a wide range of musicians and bands, including Michael Jackson, Elton John, Kenny Loggins, Lionel Richie, Alice Cooper, Joe Cocker, America, Chicago, Peter Criss, Cher, Aretha Franklin, and many more. Oddly enough, he appeared on Roger Waters’ 1992 solo album “Amused to Death.”
The guitarist for Toto is also a major admirer of David Gilmour’s guitar work and even got the opportunity to honor the group. He performed on two tracks from the 2014 tribute album “Everlasting Songs.” Together with Tommy Shaw, he recorded “Hey You” and “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” and in 2022, he paid tribute to the British musician in a talk with guitarist Joe Bonamassa. “I had the opportunity to witness Roger Waters perform in front of 80,000 fans in the Coliseum in Los Angeles, which was the largest performance of ‘The Wall’ ever produced. Working with Roger on “Amused to Death (1992)” was an honor.
He continued:
Additionally, I know a good number of the same staff members. Since I am friends with the renowned David Gilmour, who is among my all-time favorite musicians. We remained friends after I met him through Jeff Porcaro. He remains one of my all-time favorite guitarists. And everyone is like, “Wow!” when it suddenly appears.
“I’m in the greatest position possible, sitting at the sound desk. I brought my daughter and her now-husband boyfriend. We watched this show while we were seated. When I looked back and tripped the sound mixer, he appears, and it’s simply incredible. Steve Lukather remarked, “I look up and there’s eighty thousand people watching this through their fucking phone.”
