Queen Honors Pink Floyd Guitarist Gilmour

11/08/2003 10:20 AM, AP
The Associated Press

Pink Floyd guitarist Dave Gilmour received an honor from Queen Elizabeth II , before joking that the monarch was probably not his greatest fan.

"I suspect that if she has listened to Pink Floyd it has been one of her children or grandchildren playing it and she is more likely to be the one to say `turn it off,' but I do not know her taste in music," said Gilmour, 57, after he was made a Commander of the Order of the British Empire, or CBE, in a ceremony Friday at Buckingham Palace.

Gilmour received the honor from the queen for his services to music after a 30-year career with the rock group, which recorded classic albums including "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall."

"She said Pink Floyd had been doing it for a very long time and I had to agree," he said.

Gilmour also has recently turned to charity work, donating $7.5 million to the homeless charity Crisis.

Others honored included pianist Jools Holland, 45, who was made an Officer of the Order of the British Empire, or OBE, for his services to music. The former Squeeze keyboardist rose to fame after playing gigs in pubs in London's East End.

"I would not have believed that music would bring me such a great honor and I think it is wonderful as it can encourage other musicians to see where things can lead," Holland said.

Gilmour and Holland were among several Britons named in the queen's birthday honors list in June. There are a series of ceremonies throughout the year to bestow the honors, largely selected by the government.