Dominic Miller erinnert sich an Rick Wright’s Trauerfeier

Der Gitarrist Dominic Miller wurde bekannt durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit Sting. 1996 spielte er auf Rick Wrights Album Broken China. Im Frühjahr 2010 ist er auf Tour mit der „Dominic-Miller-Band“, in welcher auch Guy Pratt mitspielt!

Als ich Millers Homepage genauer durchstöberte, entdeckte ich in seinem Blog einen Eintrag über eine private Gedenkfeier, die anlässlich von Wright’s Tod stattgefunden hatte! Es war Wright’s ausdrücklicher Wunsch, dass es eine ordentliche Feier geben soll! Er stellte dafür testamentarisch 20.000 Pfund zur Verfügung.

Miller wurde von Wrights Tochter Gala und Guy Pratt gebeten bei einer privaten Gedenkfeier zu spielen! Als Miller fragte, ob noch jemand auftreten wird, antwortete ihm Guy Pratt: “Ja, Jeff Beck und Pink Floyd!”

Dominic Miller

20/3/2009 – Boys & Girls!

Sorry for the delay. I haven’t abandoned you. Been really busy. A lot to talk about since my last one. In no particular order, let me start with a moving experience I had at Rick Wright’s memorial service (recently deceased keyboard player from Pink Floyd). I was asked to play at this private event by his daughter Gala and her husband Guy Pratt. The connection was made in the 90’s when I played on Rick’s solo album “Broken China”. Apparently he liked my playing and listened to my album “Shapes”. I would like to point out that Rick was an incredible musician and without him Pink Floyd wouldn’t have been nearly as successful. He wasn’t in the spotlight like Roger and Dave (when you get as far as I am in the industry you call rock stars by their first names… Elton, Bruce, Billy etc.) but every bit as important. His family asked me so obviously I jumped at the opportunity.

I arrived at the small venue in the trendy Westbourne Grove area of London (near Notting Hill) and noticed there was some gear set up onstage already. I enquired as to whom I would be sharing the “bill” with and Guy said, “Oh, it’s you, Jeff (as in Beck), and the Floyd (as in Pink). I suddenly felt nauseous. Had to go outside for two Marlboros. Then “Jeff” arrives, says Hi, and Gilmore does the same. Two of my of all time heroes. I do my sound-check and they are the audience. I then went outside and smoked three Marlboros. I think this was perhaps the smallest gig the Floyd ever played. I was in the privileged position being looked after by the band’s crew and more importantly of sharing the guitar rack (place for putting guitars) with Jeff and Dave. The sight was like Photoshopping yourself onto Mount Rushmore… Jeff’s famous white Strat, Gilmour’s legendary black maple neck Fender, and Dominic Miller’s (yes, THE Dominic Miller) Yairi electro-acoustic nylon string. Let’s play “spot the impostor”. Didn’t quite look right.

The Event

After some really moving speeches from friends of the family, wives, ex-wives etc, Jeff takes to the stage and plays. I hate him. Most guitarists do. More speeches. I am then called to the stage and somehow do my bit without totally fucking it up. More speeches, and then the Floyd do a small set. Unbelievable. I then go outside and total the remainder of the pack of reds. I come back in more relaxed (yeah right…) and start taking in the whole experience without the stress of having to play. Jeff comes up and says “nice one”, Gilmour says something similar.

I feet better. But the thing that really struck me though, and the whole point of this, is seeing how these people behaved. We’re talking the aristocracy of Rock here. Not just the band, but all the people from the movement: roadies, managers, tour managers, designers, friends, girlfriends, wives, producers, retired drug dealers (put that next to lawyers), even the guy who did the sax solo on “Darkside” (the band call “Darkside” “Darkside”… they miss out “of the Moon”… now I call it “Darkside”). How do they behave? With absolute class and dignity. They weren’t caught up in the celebrity world in those days. They didn’t need any of that shit. That came in the 80s when everyone thought they were more important. The record speaks for itself really. The 70s created some of the classiest albums of all time and The Floyd were the best of the lot, and so were all the people around them. Interesting seeing the wives and girlfriends. They were the babes of the time, comparable to Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansen etc. They still look great and are still classy.

Thanks Guy and Gala.

Quelle: Dominic Miller Blog zwischenzeitlich gelöscht

Zur Person Dominic Miller:
Geboren 1960, ist ein Gitarrist, der insbesondere durch seine Zusammenarbeit mit Sting bekannt ist. Er hat aber auch mit Annie Lennox, Tina Turner, Phil Collins und vielen anderen gearbeitet. 1996 spielte er auf Rick Wrights Album “Broken China” Gitarre. 2010 veröffentlichte er sein Soloalbum “November”. Auf seiner Solotour wird er von Guy Pratt am Bass begleitet. www.dominicmiller.com

Dominic Miller Quartet incl. Guy Pratt:
10.05.2010 Paris – Sunside
11.05.2010 Paris – Sunside
13.05.2010 Dortmund – Domicil
15.05.2010 Riga – Great Guild Hall
17.05.2010 Vilnius – St.Catherine Church