Luck and Strange? : Studio/Live

This intimate photo chronicle by Polly Samson documents both the recording of David Gilmour's No. 1 album Luck and Strange and the acclaimed tour which saw the Pink Floyd legend playing sellout shows in Rome, London, LA and New York.

Samson, who is Gilmour's partner and creative collaborator, as well as an acclaimed novelist / photographer in her own right, captures the process as the album takes shape: from conception and recording, off-duty and studio immersion, to release and live performance; from candid behind-the-scenes shots, to theatrical stage moments. We see an artist at work, the collaborative process, the moments of light relief – and the focus as the work takes flight.

The book features the unmistakable hand lettering of Anton Corbijn on the cover and throughout, plus an interview by rock photographer Jill Furmanovsky with Polly Samson that sheds light on a photographer's craft, as well as providing insights into Samson's relationship with Gilmour. The foreword is written by the late Alan Yentob.

183 illustrations, 56 in color

Polly Samson has been documenting David Gilmour, in the studio and live, since the making of the album On an Island in 2005. She also collaborates with David Gilmour on songwriting. She was the main lyricist of Pink Floyd's The Division Bell, which was released in 1994, and The Endless River and also of David Gilmour's On an Island, Rattle That Lock and, most recently, Luck and Strange. She is the author of the short story collections Lying in Bed and Perfect Lives, and the novels Out of the Picture, The Kindness and A Theatre for Dreamers. Her work has been translated into many languages and in 2015 she was appointed a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature.

Alan Yentob was a British television executive and presenter. He held senior roles at the BBC, including head of music and arts, controller of BBC1 and BBC2, and was the corporation's creative director from 2004 until 2015.