Shining on
The credibility of the Live 8 gig next month has shot up immeasurably in my mind with the news that Pink Floyd are reforming for the show.
I am though annoyed that so many people on the radio are saying that ‘the original Pink Floyd’ are reforming. Unless Syd Barrett has come back from the 3 year acid trip he took in the late 60’s it isn’t the original line up at all. Syd was the creative force behind the formation of the band and all their early recordings. Like many a genius his light shone brightly but only briefly.
Roger Waters then became the driving force of the band until 1981 when he decided that, as a band, they were a spent force. There followed years of legal wrangling over ownership of the name Pink Floyd which finally went to Dave Gilmour. By the mid 80’s Waters had a new band which released the mediocre Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking and the (in my opinion) superb Radio KAOS. A reconstituted Floyd released some formulaic rubbish which sounded like Pink Floyd but it didn’t have any soul. Both bands embarked on tours and in 1987(ish, maybe '88) I saw Waters at Wembley Arena then Floyd at Wembley Stadium within a few months of each other. Waters put on by far the better show. The sound and effects were superb. He wove old and new songs into a tight thematic show about the world being saved from a nuclear holocaust by a Welsh lad in a wheelchair. Pink Floyd live suffered from the same problem as their albums in that it certainly sounded like Pink Floyd, but something was lacking. It ticked all the boxes, there were the huge puppets, flying pigs, collapsing walls but no heart.
Come Live 8 day I doubt Pink Floyd will get the chance to do more than 3 songs (I assume Money will be one of them) but if they really have put their differences aside a full tour must be on the cards. What about the opening gig of the new Wembley Stadium next year? I’d certainly be there.
I am though annoyed that so many people on the radio are saying that ‘the original Pink Floyd’ are reforming. Unless Syd Barrett has come back from the 3 year acid trip he took in the late 60’s it isn’t the original line up at all. Syd was the creative force behind the formation of the band and all their early recordings. Like many a genius his light shone brightly but only briefly.
Roger Waters then became the driving force of the band until 1981 when he decided that, as a band, they were a spent force. There followed years of legal wrangling over ownership of the name Pink Floyd which finally went to Dave Gilmour. By the mid 80’s Waters had a new band which released the mediocre Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking and the (in my opinion) superb Radio KAOS. A reconstituted Floyd released some formulaic rubbish which sounded like Pink Floyd but it didn’t have any soul. Both bands embarked on tours and in 1987(ish, maybe '88) I saw Waters at Wembley Arena then Floyd at Wembley Stadium within a few months of each other. Waters put on by far the better show. The sound and effects were superb. He wove old and new songs into a tight thematic show about the world being saved from a nuclear holocaust by a Welsh lad in a wheelchair. Pink Floyd live suffered from the same problem as their albums in that it certainly sounded like Pink Floyd, but something was lacking. It ticked all the boxes, there were the huge puppets, flying pigs, collapsing walls but no heart.
Come Live 8 day I doubt Pink Floyd will get the chance to do more than 3 songs (I assume Money will be one of them) but if they really have put their differences aside a full tour must be on the cards. What about the opening gig of the new Wembley Stadium next year? I’d certainly be there.
posted by phylos @ 11:01
5 Comments:
So are you reading Robert Anton Wilson's Schrodinger's Cat? That is a fabulous book- I reccomend reading the Illuminatus Trilogy (excuse the spelling) by Wilson and Shea if you have not already.. As for Floyd -Syd..I saw them in 95 on the division bell tour here in the states. It was perhaps the best show I have ever been too. I agree with you about the whole "original" public naivity, but I understand how that happens-Please update us on the show itself. I wish I could see them again. Thanks for still visiting my blog:)
Division Bell - that's the album i couldn't remember - I was quite impressed with that one. I was mainly disappointed live because i expected so much. Floyd are absolute heroes of mine and when they were less than god-like in their majesty it left me a bit "is that it?"
I've got In search of Schrodinger's Cat and Schrodinger's Kittens both by John Gribbin - they are a sort of beginner and intermediate introduction to Quantum. I think a friend of mine has the Wilson book so will borrow. Illuminatus is another on the list!!
I am a gigantic fan of Floyd myself and I totally understand your disapointment. They were a big deal to me, especially between 7th and 12th grade when albums like echos, wish you here, learning to fly and the wall were pretty much neccessary if I were to survive the high school institution. Of course, one of my all time favorite numbers which I think Syd actually sung on is called "See Emily Play", I can not recall what album it is on though.
Is it on Relics? All my vinyl is boxed up at the mo as i only have a CD player, it's either Relics or Meddle.
Incidently, if you have a good record store nearby - try and get Syd Barrett's BBC Radio 1 Peel Session. It's on Strange Fruit records SFPSCD043. Recorded 24/02/70 with Dave G and Jerry Shirley - only 5 tracks but they're superb. Or if you have a decent connection i'll email it to you (John Peel wouldn't mind) - it's about 17Mb. My email addy is on my profile.
Post a Comment
<< Home