Australian Pink Floyd Show on February 16 at Zénith Sud: “We're touring more than the original group ever toured!”

Le jeune guitariste français Luc Ledy-Lepine partage les solos de David Gilmour, avec l'Australien David Domminney Fowler. TAPFS – TAPFS

In operation for more than thirty-five years, the Australian Pink Floyd Show is THE reference for Floyd cover bands, groups covering the repertoire of the legendary group of Roger Waters and David Gilmour. A year and a half ago, a young Frenchman  Luc Ledy-Lepine, originally from Lyon, joined them. Before their date at the Zénith Sud in Montpellier on February 16, he testifies to this… incredible adventure!

How did a young Lyonnais like you end up in THE Australian cover band for Pink Floyd ?

I saw them for the first time in concert in 2013 in Marseille, for the forty anniversary of the album Dark Side of the Moon. I must have been fifteen. I was hallucinating. It was my first live Floyd experience in my life. The next day, I found one of the guitarists, David Domminney Fowler, on Facebook. I sent him a message with a short video in which I played Comfortably numb, which he had played the day before, to ask him for advice. Already, against all expectations, he answered me. He told me that, for my age, I was doing pretty well and that, in a few years, I might have his job! (laughs) It didn’t fall on deaf ears! We kept in touch,   he invited me to concerts, he made me try his guitar at the soundcheck…

You hit it off, in short!

Yes, that's it. He even helped me on a musical project when I was 16/17. We really became friends. Each time the group came to France, I called them to get places, and it was always a pleasure to see each other again. Until about a year and a half ago, when Steve Mac, the band's founding guitarist more than 35 years ago, decided to retire. Dave then called me and asked me to join them. I went for it, of course!

However, it is not so easy to join a project of this kind…

It's not obligatory, it's true, but since Dave told me that one day I might have his job, it's #39;was my life goal. Yes, join this group specifically! Beyond being a group that I find really great, which covers Pink Floyd to perfection (I still sometimes find it difficult to tell myself that I'm a fan of Pink Floyd). really part of it), they are incredible people. There were only positive things about joining them.

You play in a group you like, with people you like, but any repertoire. Isn't that a little creepy ?

It's scary because it's still a big responsibility to play Pink Floyd. Their songs are legendary. It's not for nothing that people still want to hear them today, and call on tribute bands, since the originals no longer tour, at least together. We better live up to the expectations of the fans! Our objective is to play to the note, even if every evening there is inevitably something that will escape us (it's a concert, that's normal) but we also and above all tries to reproduce the unique emotion of Pink Floyd because the magic of this group does not only reside in its scores!

How do you share the legendary guitar parts of David Gilmour, Dave and you ?

It's 50/50. We are both rhythm guitarists and soloists. For Comfortably Numb, for example, I take the first solo, Dave the finale (which he's been doing for over twelve years, he's mastered it!) . Dave also does the first solo of Another brick in the wall, I have the introduction to Shine on you crazy diamond (thanks so much for the pressure!). I also do High hopes (from the album The division bell), the one I prefer to play, on slide on lapsteel guitar, as well as Time, Money, the one on talkbox on Pigs. On this tour, we're bringing in a piece that I'm really looking forward to playing, it's almost a solo from start to finish ;other: Marooned (also on The division bell). In short, let's thank Pink Floyd for having recorded lots of great and very different solos! (laughs)

Isn't there something frustrating for a guitarist in never giving in to the inspiration of the moment ?

That’s not what Australian Pink Floyd is about. His formula has worked for over thirty-five years, I'm only twenty-six so I'm not going to start making a fuss! (laughs) Honestly, there's no frustration: how could anyone be frustrated playing Floyd ? It's just pleasure, and an honor without a name! And when it comes to creating and letting go, I'm lucky enough to not have much to do, so to speak, in my days before concerts. So I have my computer and my guitar, and I'm having fun there. Little by little, like this, I am maturing my personal project: I would like to succeed in making a nice song or two, and why not, also music for a film or series.

But you have a lot of work with Australian Pink Floyd.

During the year, we tour for six or seven months. This year, that’s 131 concerts. Yes, it's pretty crazy when you think about it! (laughs) Australian Pink Flod tours more than the original band ever toured! The members of Pink Floyd had already told the band this long before I arrived. Yes, it plays well and it takes us on a journey! (laughs)

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