David Gilmour’s Producer Didn’t Know Who Rick Wright Was

David Gilmour said Charlie Andrew was chosen to produce the Pink Floyd ex’s upcoming solo album because he showed no “pious false respect” for the musician’s legacy.

Luck and Strange – his first LP in nine years – arrives on Sept. 6 after he and his wife Polly Samson struggled to find the right producer for the project.

In a new interview with Uncut, Gilmour said the couple had staged “try-outs with different people, and nothing quite felt like the right fit.” They resorted to asking friends including Mark Knopfler for advice, then Samson made a list of names and they listened to examples of each potential candidate’s work.

“Charlie seemed like one of us,” Gilmour said. “Younger, but on the same wavelength. He had worked at Abbey Road when he was young – and that’s always a tick in my box.”

He added: “There was no pious false respect or anything like that. He shouts his mouth off about things in a very direct way, and it’s great. One of the first things he said was, ‘Why do all the songs have to fade out?’ In that moment, you realise that’s it’s just a habit you’ve fallen into. Or the other one: ‘Why do you have to have a guitar solo in everything?’ It’s refreshing to be with a person that is not overawed.”

What Did David Gilmour Enjoy About Working with Charlie Andrew?

Andrew recalled that, when he first heard the demos, he had more questions for lyricist Samson than for Gilmour himself, explaining: “Because, for me, lyrical content is important for understanding where the song should be going.”

Referring to the title track – which features a 2007 recording of late Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright – Andrew said: “Understandably, David kept mentioning Rick when he was talking about ‘Luck and Strange’ and I was like, ‘I’m sorry, David, I’ve got to stop you there – who’s Rick?’

“But I think that’s been part of the enjoyment for David. I’m not trying to regurgitate another Pink Floyd album, or one of his solo albums.”