Pink Floyd guitarist’s novel new venture with writer wife

FOR a band that officially ceased to exist five years ago, Pink Floyd have certainly been busy during lockdown. They have posted classic gigs online, and curate a playlist that is updated daily on streaming services.

Now, guitarist David Gilmour, left, is releasing his first new single in five years, in a joint venture with his novelist wife, Polly Samson.

Yes, I Have Ghosts is the musical backdrop to the audiobook edition of Samson’s new novel A Theatre For Dreamers, a bohemian tale set on the Greek island of Hydra in the

Sixties. Recorded at home — and also out as a stand-alone single today — it’s a tenderly sung acoustic number with Samson on harmony vocals and the couple’s daughter, Romany, on harp.

‘I’m surprised more musicians haven’t collaborated with authors in this way before,’ says Gilmour, who could start a new trend.

Ahead of this month’s expanded reissue of 1997’s Flaming Pie album, Paul McCartney has made three unreleased versions of single The World Tonight available.

His home demo of the song is ragged but two new Jeff Lynne mixes, including an acoustic take, add nuance to an archetypal Macca rocker.

Prior to her imminent third album, Londoner Lianne La Havas has covered Radiohead’s Weird Fishes/Arpeggi. Taking on such a peerless track, from 2007’s In Rainbows, is risky, but La Havas puts the onus on the excellence of the song and even incorporates a soulful a cappella section.

And Katie Melua’s new single adds the strings of the Georgian Philharmonic to her acoustic strumming on A Love Like That.It’s a taster for her eighth album, out on October 16.