David Gilmour shared his thoughts on Jimi Hendrix, recalling, “Jimi Hendrix was incredible. I went to a club in South Kensington in 1966 where this young man joined Brian Auger and the Trinity. He played guitar upside down, and the whole audience, including me, was left in awe.”
Gilmour continued, “The next day, I visited record stores asking for anything by Jimi Hendrix, but they only had a ‘James Hendrix.’ At that time, he hadn’t released anything yet, so I became a devoted fan, eagerly awaiting his debut. There’s one of his beautiful ballads that I particularly love.”
Although Gilmour’s own music differs from Hendrix’s style, he explained in a 2009 interview with French Guitarist and Bass magazine that musicians can draw inspiration from various genres. “Hendrix is a significant influence on my playing. However, it’s difficult to determine how admired artists impact your songwriting. The music I envision in my head has roots in Leadbelly, then the Beatles, Eric Clapton, and Hendrix. What unfolded afterward is a different narrative.”
In a 2017 interview with Guitar Tricks Insider, Gilmour mentioned that one of his favorite Hendrix albums is “Electric Ladyland,” released in 1968, two years before Hendrix’s passing. The album is famous for tracks like “Crosstown Traffic,” “Voodoo Chile,” “Voodoo Child (Slight Return),” and “All Along the Watchtower.” Upon its release, it topped the U.S. charts for two weeks, marking Hendrix’s most successful album and his only number one.
