Careful With That Axe, Guy!

Guy Pratt (left) with Nick Mason and Gary Kemp in Cologne (pic taken by me)

Today I would like to put a musician in the spotlight who I have seen live most often this year: Guy Pratt! Our paths have crossed seven times.

Guy has played with not entirely unknown musicians such as Madonna, Michael Jackson, Iggy Pop, Gary Moore and The Smiths in his career. However, he became particularly well known when he became the live bassist for Pink Floyd in 1987 at the age of 25 and appeared in 198 shows as part of the A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, which lasted until 1989. On The Division Bell Tour in 1994, which was to be the last tour in the history of Pink Floyd, Pratt took to the stage 110 times with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and his future father-in-law Rick Wright. He can also be heard on The Division Bell, the album that introduced me to Pink Floyd 30.5 years ago. In other words, Guy was there from the very beginning of my journey in the Floyd cosmos.

Since Pratt also supported David Gilmour on his On an Island Tour in 2006, 33 shows, and the following Rattle That Lock Tour in 2015 and 2016, 50 shows, it is more than legitimate to call him the “6th Floyd“, who has long since earned his place in the band's history book.

This is all the more true since Pratt is a founding member of Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets, with whom he has been travelling the globe since 2018 as bassist and singer, honouring Pink Floyd's early work, i.e. the music up to The Dark Side of the Moon. I saw Guy on the following days this year:

• 27 July 2024 Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets (Cologne)

• 30 July 2024 Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets (Berlin)

• 31 July 2024 Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets (Hamburg)

• 1 August 2024 Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets (Frankfurt)

• 1 October 2024 David Gilmour (Rome)

• 2 October 2024 David Gilmour (Rome)

• 3 October 2024 David Gilmour (Rome)

Seven unforgettable performances that are among the best experiences of my life and that I will remember forever with gratitude and tears in my eyes. Guy has definitely left his mark on my Pink Floyd anniversary year. I really hope there will be a few more performances to come! Thanks to his likeable and entertaining personality, it is always a special treat to see him on stage. A Pink Floyd junkie who plays for other Pink Floyd junkies. What could be better?