The Black Strat
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Artist:
Hey, I just took delivery of "The Black Strat" written by Phil Taylor, and it's absolutely incredible. This lavishly illustrated book chronicles the history of David Gilmour's signature guitar in the many versions and forms it's taken over the years. The book is satisfyingly technical with great photos and details of the modifications (and there have been a ton!) and tweaks that make this guitar nothing like it was when originally purchased at Manny's in New York way back when. It also goes a long way to explain how Gilmour has hewn such wonderful and unique tone throughout his career.Phil Taylor has been David Gilmour's guitar technician forever and a major presence in Gilmour's solo and Pink Floyd careers. Some of the receipts and order forms that are pictured in the book are really interesting, and much of Taylor's correspondence with vendors are eye-opening to say the least. There are also GREAT close-up photos of pick-up replacements, shielding and insulation, and myriad little details that are just fascinating.Which is not to say that The Black Strat is a technical manual, because it most certainly isn't! Any fan of Pink Floyd will love it because the book never gets bogged down in hardware. In fact, more than anything, The Black Strat is a picture book, with "expanded" captions!!! Gilmour's other guitars get plenty of attention, too, as Taylor's very matter of fact descriptions and reminiscences make a totally compelling history of one the most original and creative musicians ever. I ordered my copy off the Pink Floyd "Brain Damage" site in the UK, and received my book from England in about a week. Anyway, I'm loving it, and I highly recommend it.
Comments (4)
I use to fantasize about having that guitar when I was about 14 years old. It was the first time I wanted to know what "brand" a guitar was.
Yeah, back in the days when it was either Gibson or Fender!!! All through the 70's when Floyd were at their peak, one thing I knew for sure was that NOBODY else played guitar like that Pink Floyd guy. And I recall being somewhat shocked to find that Gilmour was getting all that sound out of a strat, Of course, it wasn't just a strat; there's a whole lot of tweaks and modifications. And what's really cool about this book is that EVERYTHING was changed on this guitar, and then a lot of it was changed back to the way it was! I would love to see a similar volume on what happens AFTER the guitar! There are a bunch of websites that identify components, effects and signal path, which is fun to know.... But the beauty is truly in the details, and nobody else sounds like David Gilmour.
Back in the summer i heard an interview with Storm Thorgeson
He of "Hipgnosis" fame.. I'm sure you wiould agree that ,literally EVERY music fan will at least know of his/their work. The "canvas" is so much smaller these days,of course..and,with,downloading,and purchase on-line,sort of disappearing altogether as a physical thing...and "opening up" at the same time
" The Black Strat" pictures included the desert cover shot..and the "relief-mould" black strat,formed by all the hands,like a load of farfalle pasta shapes...i guess that he is a major contributor to the book?
..the last thing that i know he definitely did was "Black Holes and Revelations" for "Muse"...
a bunch of "Sexy Beast" extras sitting at the table there in that desert...
Yeah, Storm Thorgerson has such an imaginative eye and is, without a doubt, and in some ways a "Rosetta Stone" linking our musical and visual memories. In addition to the covers of The Black Strat, he contributed two other photos. One of them is a early 70's shot of Gilmour's hunched shadow on a stack of speaker cabinets! Easily the most artsy shot in the book. Most of the photos are of a more technical nature; lots of chopped up guitar necks and bodies, pick-ups, and even different guitar cases over the years!
Speaking of Storm Thorgerson, I assume you're aware of his Mind Over Matter series. I had the 3rd edition, and was then gifted the 4th edition. I was thrilled to see that it was significant upgraded from the previous. Also, he's got a new Taken By Storm collection. All his books are difficult to put down. Lots of great stories and alternate takes/ideas on his most iconic images.