Editing Gordon Giltrap (section)

=== 1980s ===
Giltrap's next album, ''Airwaves'', released in 1981, evolved from the lineup of the band with whom Giltrap was performing. This was a different album to any previously produced as Giltrap did not compose every piece. Initially planned as music for TV, radio, film or other non-commercial use<ref name="auto3">''Perilous Journey''. 2018, First edition, Steve Pilkington, p.118</ref> the recordings gradually morphed into an album which was eventually released. It didn't sell as well as previous Giltrap recordings and Giltrap himself felt somewhat detached from it<ref name="auto3"/> as he was going through a difficult time in his life. There were to be no more Giltrap albums released for five years.

Performing gigs, however, did not stop as income still needed to be earned and Giltrap was pleased that he had learnt his craft as a solo performer thus not requiring the backing of a large band. During this time, he honed his skills of engaging with an audience.<ref>''Perilous Journey''. 2018, First edition, Steve Pilkington, p.121</ref>

Giltrap's life during this time went through a turbulent stage with the loss of his father at age 66, the fact he had two children to bring up and meeting Hilary, who was to become his second wife. He gradually began to get his life back to some sort of order. He was also gigging through this entire time and had joined up with [[Ric Sanders]], the violinist of [[Fairport Convention]]. Sanders had already appeared as a guest on Giltrap's' album ''Peacock Party''.

The title track, the longest on the album, was based upon a poem written by Elizabeth Barker, Giltrap's mother-in-law. Giltrap found the poem emotionally moving. On this track, the sound effects generated by the electric guitar are much in evidence.

"Sallie's Song" was inspired by a commission Giltrap received for the TV series ''[[Hold the Back Page]]'' starring [[David Warner (actor)|David Warner]] and directed by [[Adrian Shergold]]. Shergold later commissioned Giltrap to write music for several further productions. These compositions were never released on album because Giltrap felt they were too intrinsically linked to the plot of the films to work as stand-alone pieces.<ref>''Perilous Journey''. 2018, First edition, Steve Pilkington, p.135</ref>

Later in 1987, Giltrap released ''A Midnight Clear'', featuring instrumental renditions of well-known and lesser-known Christmas carols. Giltrap enlisted the support of Ric Sanders and his old friend Bimbo Acock.

The following year, Giltrap began to performs at gigs with Sanders and the two men began working on an album together. Entitled ''One to One'', it was released in 1989. Both artists felt differently about it but both accept there was an instrumental imbalance which could be substantially improved with a remix.<ref>''Perilous Journey''. 2018, First edition, Steve Pilkington, p.140</ref>