Stuart Shea - Pink Floyd FAQ: Everything Left to Know... and More!

I met David Gilmour in Ann Arbor, Michigan in October 1971.

Every year the University of Michigan held a four-day rock and roll festival, and Pink Floyd was one of the headline acts. My partner Roger Pothus and I had three boutiques in Ann Arbor and were regularly given backstage passes. It happened that one of my closest friends, Morpheus, had just returned from England during which time he had befriended Chris Adamson, one of the Floyds roadies. He had tickets and encouraged us to come with him to experience their music. It turned out that evening was to open the doorway to some of my dreams.

As I stood speaking to one of my customers backstage, David approached and said, Hi. I am David. I looked at him but before I could respond both my boyfriend and Morpheus joined us. Being a shy person in these circumstances at the time, I introduced myself and everyone else and then left them chatting. The next three days were spent taking the band and roadies to various events until they had to leave Ann Arbor to continue their American tour. Our time togetherthat is, Davids and minehas become a mythological story of romance ... a story that may, one day, be told.

Our last moments were spent having lunch in my favourite Chinese restaurant before he was to leave. Davids departing words were that if I ever chose to leave my relationship, then to please call him.

Over the previous years I had wanted to leave my relationship and move to New York, but hadnt. This experience put me into a deep review. Two days later, I decided to go into my future, to follow my dream, whether it was to be with David or not. I called him; we met at the airport and from thenceforth we didnt leave each others side, except when he was on stage.

At the time I had no idea of what led me from one moment to the next except to trust a feeling deep within. Now at sixty years of age, on reflection of my life, it seems that a guiding force has always placed me within environments and experiences of beauty and creativity.

It was so when I met David and continues to be so now. At that time, not only was I involved with fashion and modeling but I was also about to embark on a career as an actress in an Easy Rider -style movie as the lead female.

In my decision to go to New York, I left that all behind me as I stepped onto the plane and entered the world of Pink Floyd. For me, the beauty they created became my safety net within the storm as well as an inspiration. In addition, the love that David and I shared was a dream come true, the depth of which is something we all, as human beings, have in common, once our power to dream is activated.

During the course of the bands last few weeks in America, David asked if I would like to come to England. As a teenager cruising on the weekends at Arbys, I used to put on what I thought was an English accent. I dreamed of Merseyside and the Beatles. I have often wondered if this was a premonition ... or did I manifest David into my life with the wish?

I cannot say, but this was a very special moment of changeto live in England and be with my Prince Charmingthough a rock-and-roll life was not what I had expected. Fortunately, the Floyd had a philosophy that valued what was private, special, and human.

Our life at home was normal, i.e., caring for each other, our friends, and our family, as well as being creative. Davids family became my family away from home, and over time I grew very close with the other wives, especially Juliette Wright. Everything was a big learning curve; this was my first time in a different culture, different bacteria, a different sense of humourreally a different languagebut what an exciting adventure! My only real hardship, as I can recall, was the size of the fridges; they were the size of an American dishwasher. There never seemed to be enough room for all the groceries.

Four years passed. Then, on July 7, 1975, we married. It was a rather spontaneous affair with a few friends as witnesses in the Epping registry office. Equally, our reception was short and sweet at our local pub, for David had to be at Abbey Road Studios; the Floyd were working on Wish You Were Here.

The whole day was magical. We had each other and our marriage was a symbolic gesture of our commitment and celebration of heart. This quality between two individuals is what continues to matter to me more than what any of us might have or might do.

Upon entering the studio, Roger approached David silently and asked him to look at the person sitting on the couch in front of the mixing desk. It was Syd, pear-shaped and hairless. Apparently, the drugs he was on within the clinic induce this type of behaviour, that is, to shave all facial and body hair, including the eyebrows, head, arms, etc. It was this that inspired some of the imagery for the The Wall

As I look back upon this phase of my life I most remember magical concerts, and moments of the sound of Davids guitar drifting through the air, rather than their albums. Having said that, I most often still listen to Meddle (especially Echoes), Wish You Were Here, and Comfortably Numb.

One of the groups most memorable concerts was in Cincinnati. As the sun set into a swirl of pink, lavender, and deep blue, from far behind the stage and above the large Marlboro and Winston billboards, our tour airplane, with lights flashing, came toward us!

The sound of the low-flying plane over an unsuspecting audience created such a burst of emotion of release that we were all taken within a bubble of great stillness and calm. As the soft notes of Sheep began, individual puffs of smoke filled the air, deepening the colours of the approaching night. As the mist drifted across the air, large parachute shapes of sheep descended, floating into the audience.