Some guitars played by legendary rock stars become just as iconic as the musicians themselves (not looking at you, Slash’s Les Paul). However, Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour owns one of the most famous guitar straps on Earth; a cross-patterned piece originally used by one of Earth’s most iconic guitarists, Jimi Hendrix.
But when David Gilmour was playing the epic Floyd hit “Comfortably Numb” on tour in Rome this year, the strap broke just before the guitar solo was about to kick off, and a sensational moment ensued in a 230k-times-viewed video, which sings testament to what a true pro Gilmour is.
David was strumming the song’s chords whilst singing, before the lower end of his strap suddenly snaps away. The guitar drops, and 78-year-old David tries to fix it back in place, all while keeping up the lyrics and putting on a spectacular performance. But the strap is busted, the hole torn through, leaving him standing on stage simply holding the guitar he should be playing.
Most instrument-playing Music Man readers would be in a panic at this point, as the iconic “Comfortably Numb” solo rapidly approaches, but David Gilmour remains as calm as anything, carrying on the tune while beckoning his guitar tech to roll out on stage to save the moment.
Online fans have crazed over how casual David’s guitar tech, Phil Taylor, is. Where most technicians would run out on stage like they’re caught on fire to save the show, Phil simply strolls up to David, singing along to the hit while handing the frontman an identical black Fender Strat in one of the smoothest live palavas Music Man readers will have ever witnessed.
David keeps playing frontman throughout, singing the tune regardless of the disaster before taking a few lines out of the song to fiddle with his new guitar’s settings, jumping straight into the epic solo just in the nick of time. The moment is unexpectedly flawless for what could be a literally show-stopping ordeal; not a hint of worry shrouds David’s face as he masters the solo he composed over 40 years ago.
While David’s ultra-calm, “the show must go on” mentality cements him as one of rock’s greatest frontmen and guitarists, musical viewers have also pointed out what a pro David is, noticing how the new guitar isn’t perfectly in tune, yet David bends his notes to make the iconic solo pitch-perfect. Only a frontman with decades of experience such as David could pull off this moment so finely, keeping the show running as if nothing had transpired in the slightest.
David acquired Jimi Hendrix’s legendary guitar strap back in 2006, gifted to him by his wife Polly Samson decades after Hendrix originally used it. Hopefully this timeless piece of music history can be fixed up, as we doubt, after David leaves it to the next legendary guitarist, they’ll be able to handle a disaster like this with even a fragment of the ease this Pink Floyd legend did.
If you would like to hear more from this talented guitarist, you can subscribe to his YouTube Channel for more incredible music. Stay connected with David Gilmour on Facebook and Instagram, or visit his website for the latest updates and information.