In a new interview with Guitar World, "rock guitar gun for hire" Snowy White, now retired from touring, and in-between sessions for his next record, recounts his long journey from a Strat-wilding kid from Barnstaple to sharing the stage with Pink Floyd, Thin Lizzy, and beyond. An excerpt follows...
Guitar World: The interrelations within Floyd in the late '70s are said to have been quite interesting. What were your observations between Roger (Waters) and David (Gilmour) during your time with them?
Snowy White: “Interesting… that's one way to describe it. I think it's a lot like living in China – it all depends on where you are – but it was an interesting time. Things would be going on all the time, but I am the sort of guy who lets things go in one ear and out the other. I was learning my songs, playing my parts, and doing my best, so I had my hands full. But there was stuff going on, and it wasn't very good. I could hear the arguments between Roger and Dave occasionally, but I did my best to drown that out and focus on doing my thing. It wasn't any concern of mine. But I could tell things weren't going smoothly, and they weren't getting on well.”
Guitar World: Considering you toured with Roger later, would you say you ultimately became closer to Roger than the rest of the band?
White: “Well, yeah, I worked with Roger a lot more. We did 13 years of touring, which went on almost every year for months. So yeah, I guess so. Then again, I didn't ever really get close too close with any of them. And I think that was because I felt that I didn't need to do that. Instead, I did my thing, did my best, and enjoyed it. For me, it was fine, but I didn't get involved on a social level with Roger, particularly. We'd email and occasionally talk, but we're not on the same wavelength overall. We had musical chemistry rather than a personal one, I think.”
Guitar World: How did you become involved with Thin Lizzy?
White: “Well, that was another thing that I drifted into. I was rehearsing in London with Cliff Richard, and I bumped into Scott Gorham. He said, 'I saw you playing with Pink Floyd at Madison Square Garden; what a great concert. We're actually trying out guitar players next door, do you want to come and have a go?' And I said, 'Well, I can't; I'm working with Cliff Richard right now, sorry.'
“But a few days later, Scott found me and said, 'We still haven't found anybody. Do you want to come along and have a go?' So, I did, and we played a bit, and then Phil [Lynott] said to the band, 'Shall we let Snowy into the band?' And they said, 'Yeah, let's have him.' But looking back, I don't think I was the right person for that band. I did add some things, but it never felt right.”
Read the complete interview at GuitarWorld.com.
