David Gilmour, who has just completed dates in the US and Europe on a sold-out solo tour in support of his Number 1 album ‘On An Island’, has confirmed that ‘Smile’ will be released as a single on 5 June 2006.
Taken from David Gilmour’s internationally critically acclaimed third solo album, ‘Smile’ is a stunning intimate track that was one of the first tasters of new material when it was revealed at shows at the Royal Festival Hall in 2002.
‘Smile’ was produced by David Gilmour with Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera and Chris Thomas and was co-written by David Gilmour and Polly Samson. The single release will also contain the first ever commercial release of ‘Island Jam’ a track that briefly appeared as a teaser stream during the launch of David Gilmour’s website prior to the album release.
‘Smile’ will be released following the 5-date UK solo tour of the UK which takes place in Manchester, Glasgow and London from May 26. All dates sold-out in just a few hours a led to an additional date being added at the Royal Albert Hall making three consecutive nights on 29, 30 and 31 May.
Plans have also been confirmed to film two of the London shows for release, later in 2006, on DVD. The shows have been receiving rave reviews for both its dynamic sound and the innovative light show created by Lighting Director Marc Brickman, a long-time tour associate of David’s and famed for his spectacular presentations for Pink Floyd amongst others.
Director of the live DVD footage will be David Mallet, another long-tem associate of David Gilmour’s and renowned for his masterful command of multi-camera shoots, including Queen, Pink Floyd’s ‘Pulse’, The Three Tenors, Cirque du Soleil, U2 ‘Popmart’, AC/DC Live at Donington, and many more.
David Gilmour is best known as lead vocalist and guitarist with Pink Floyd, and his live band line-up features many Pink Floyd musicians, including Richard Wright and Jon Carin (keyboards / vocals), Dick Parry (saxophone) and Guy Pratt (bass guitar / vocals). For the first time David has been joined onstage by Roxy Music guitarist Phil Manzanera, while the band is completed by Crosby & Nash drummer Steve DiStanislao.
‘On An Island’ was an immediate international success, charting at Number 1 in the UK, Number 1 in the Billboard European album chart, and Top 10 around the world including the US, Canada, New Zealand, Argentina and more than 10 countries in Continental Europe.
Some special guests including Sam Brown, David Crosby and Graham Nash have dropped in to perform songs with David in the course of the tour, and it is possible that some guests may be added to the bill at the Royal Albert Hall, though nothing has been confirmed yet.
The style of the tour has heralded a return to the custom of classic bands with the first half showcasing the entire ‘On An Island’ album, whilst the second half includes a changeable menu of material from all aspects of Pink Floyd’s 40-something year career.
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