David Gilmour recently shared the story behind the iconic arpeggio in Pink Floyd’s Shine On You Crazy Diamond, a guitar part that producer and educator Rick Beato has called “the most famous chord in rock history.” While many songs could contend for such a title, it’s hard to argue with Beato’s choice, especially when it comes to the legendary track from Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here album.
As is well-known, Shine On You Crazy Diamond serves as a tribute to Syd Barrett, the band’s co-founder and guitarist, who was struggling with severe mental health issues at the time of its creation. In a recent interview with Beato, Gilmour revealed the moment of inspiration that led to the famous guitar part.
In a clip shared on Beato’s YouTube Shorts, Gilmour explained, “Technically speaking, it’s an arpeggio, but yeah, I’ll take it. I was in a rehearsal room doing all sorts of little things, and that one came out.” He continued, “Something in your brain goes, ‘There’s something to that.’ And you do it again, and after a while, other people in the room stop. You can see this moment on people’s faces, this awakening. They’re thinking, ‘There’s a possibility here, something here.’ And basically, the whole of Shine On grew out of that moment.”
Gilmour’s comments come after the announcement that Pink Floyd had sold its entire catalog to Sony for a staggering $400 million. Reflecting on this decision, Gilmour spoke candidly with the LA Times, saying, “I’m an old person. I’ve spent the last 40-odd years fighting the good fight against indolence and greed to do the best with our stuff. And I’ve given that fight up now.”
He went on to express relief at the end of long-running disputes within the band, saying, “The arguments and fighting over the last 40 years between these four disparate groups of people and their managers and whatever — it’s lovely to say goodbye to.”
In the same interview, Gilmour addressed the release of Pink Floyd’s final album, The Endless River, admitting he was pressured by the record label to present the album as a proper Pink Floyd release. “My mistake, I suppose, was being bullied by the record company to have it out as a fully paid-for Pink Floyd record. It should have been clear what it was—it was never meant to be the follow-up to The Division Bell. But, you know, it’s never too late to get caught in one of these traps again.”
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