As rock legends go, David Gilmour probably has one of the lesser recognizable faces as far as the general public is concerned.
Pink Floyd's iconic album covers never included images of the band members, their live shows emphasized lights and sound over stage theatrics and Gilmour in his daily life hasn't been dogged by paparazzi, like some of his contemporaries have.
Nevertheless, one place you would expect Gilmour to be recognized and on the guest list would be at a Steve Wilson concert in London. Wilson and his former band Porcupine Tree have never shied away from Pink Floyd comparisons. And Gilmour of course is a god among men when it comes to progressive rock — particularly of the British variety.
But Wilson's former drummer Marco Minnemann confirmed that Gilmour, in fact, was once turned away by security when he tried to get backstage to say hello to the band. In a recent conversation with Ultimate Guitar, Minnemann recalled being dispatched to convince security that Gilmour was, in fact, welcome backstage.
"[The security guard] didn't know really who he was, or he did not care, he was just a security guard," Minnemann recalled. "[Gilmour] was like, 'They're expecting me; I'm David Gilmour,' and I was like, 'He's OK, he's alright, let him in!'"
Performing for Gilmour was another challenge, Minnemann added.
"Obviously, everyone's nervous when there's a living legend sitting in your audience..." he said. "...[It's] hard to keep your mind off that. So yeah, it feels weird.
"That's why usually we like the shows that are a little more reclusive — like in some kind of hick town where you have fun, you can drink, and have a crowd that's just as enthusiastic. Those are usually some of the best shows ever!"
Minnemann was Wilson's drummer from 2011 - 2016. His latest project is McStine & Minnemann, which has a self-titled album due July 3.
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