“Une Pause Dans Le Temps”
A lot of people here may not realise that Dave was a scientist, trained in electronic engineering, and he used to invent things. They were usually ahead of their time. Nowadays you can buy a small box of tricks that can simulate various guitar amps and sounds: plug it in and you're a Jack Bruce one minute and a Dave Gilmour the next. Rejecting this advanced technology (simulation was for wimps) Dave used the real thing by taking a Mesa Boogie amp and a Fender Bassman and putting them in the same cabinet. He also once made a midi bass guitar. One night I was round his place and he made the sound of a whole orchestra jump out of the speakers while playing this bass. I asked him if he could make a midi banjo. He said yes, but he doubted there would be much demand for it!
He was also an early adopter of wireless technology, once making a remote control for his amp so that he could set his sound up at the back of the hall - again, taking full responsibility for his own sound. Not satisfied with standard music notation, he even invented a new way of writing it down, including a software program that could drive it! If only he'd patented these things, but once the joy of inventiveness was past it was always "job done" for him.
Dave did his last gig in The Plough, Stony Stratford this year with my band 40 Watt. He knew at the time that his illness was terminal but I didn't. He never really talked about it to me. Even then I was hoping it was going to be a come-back gig. He played well that night. His attitude as always was just to get on with it. The word is courageous, I think.
I also want to thank Pat, Peter, Richard and Delia - your love, courage and compassion are something I aspire to. I am sure it made Dave's journey a lot easier.
Dave was not a religious man but I know there are many gods competing to have him play bass harp in their celestial band at the moment. For me that means there is a little less music being played here today so I do feel that we all here have the additional responsibility of making sure that the music goes on. We are going to do that in The Cock Hotel later.
I am going to miss him. We are going to miss him.
If you gig with me, at some time in the evening I like to introduce you one by one so that the audience can show their appreciation for the individual talents that make up the bands. I'd like to do the same now for one last time for Dave so, please join me in this musical tradition - stand, clap and cheer as I say:
"Ladies and Gentlemen - on bass guitar ... Mr Dave Gillbe."
(audience claps)