In 1978 David Gilmour of Pink Floyd released his first solo album. Self-titled it was the first solo album by any then current member of the band with Rick Wright’s album Wet Dream a very close second.

The album sleeve was designed by Floyd stalwarts Hipgnosis and the UK/EMI pressing is quite disappointing in contrast to the CBS/Columbia releases which feature a gatefold sleeve and numerous photographs of Gilmour including his then wife, Ginger Gilmour.

This is the first of five solo albums to date, his latest 2024 release Luck and Strange has received many plaudits but it’s back to 1978 to see where the solo Gilmour would take flight.

I bought this album many years ago, the standout track then and now, is the instrumental Raise my Rent on side two (vinyl aficionados will appreciate the info!) It’s classic Gilmour in tone and phrasing and I think it’s a shame he doesn’t record more instrumentals.

There was a single released, There’s No Way Out of Here a cover of a track by a band called Unicorn who Gilmour had produced which fared better in the US than Europe.

Comparative artists of bands such as Pink Floyd who have released a solo album have often featured members of that band but Gilmour steered well clear. He spoke of wanting to break free of the ‘claustrophobia’ of being in the band and chose bass player Rick Wills and drummer Willie Wilson, both of whom had played with Gilmour in Jokers Wild from the early sixties before Gilmour joined Pink Floyd.

Floyd fans will doubtless already have this album on some format or other, I actually preferred it to post The Wall Pink Floyd albums. It’s a fairly solid album, not remarkable but a worthy addition to the Floyd collection. I do feel somewhat cheated by Hipgnosis though!!