Pink Floyd Thread - New Old Releases

[Dave Tudor]

Dave Tudor hasn't posted yet! Give it another week please?

Cheers! I will try to post my review some time very soon, I promise!

[Dave Tudor]

Later rather than sooner...

ANIMALS

Harvest SHVL 815
Released 23 January 1977 (UK),

10 February 1977 (US, Columbia JC 34474)
Highest UK Chart Position: 2 (33 weeks on chart)
Highest US Chart Position: 3 (36 weeks on chart)

Produced by: Pink Floyd
Engineered by: Brian Humphries
Recorded at: Britannia Row Studios, London

Sleeve Design Roger Waters
Organised by Storm Thorgerson, Aubrey Powell
Graphics Nick Mason
Photography Aubrey Powell, Peter Christoperson, Howard Bartrop, Nic Tucker, Bob Ellis, Rob Brimson, Colin Jones

Inflatable Pig Designed by E.R.G. Amsterdam

SIDE ONE

1. PIGS ON THE WING 1 (Waters) 1.25

A tender love song, stripped down to the bare bones, Pigs On The Wing gives little indication of the venom to be spewed as the album goes on. There is a slightly different sound to Roger Waters’ voice here, slightly rougher, wearier, and altogether this brief song represents a stark opening to the album.

2. DOGS (Waters, Gilmour) 17.06

Pink Floyd’s last great epic is a mid-tempo diatribe against the vicious, self-centred predators of this world. Not as instantly likeable as other such lengthy pieces, Dogs initially bears few Floyd trademarks: David Gilmour’s slick acoustic guitar playing sounds different than before, and it’s unusual to hear him sing such hateful lyrics, especially in his soft, reticent voice. Only when Richard Wright’s Wish You Were Here-style keyboards and a familiar-sounding Gilmour solo appear do we know that this is truly Pink Floyd. Settling into a typical slow tempo, it still sounds vaguely more threatening than usual – even Nick Mason’s drumming sounds harder and heavier than before. Gilmour’s solo is a corker, though, and up there with his best, even with its unusually harsh, wailing quality. The piece flows beautifully, changing rhythms and structure seamlessly, yet still sounding somewhat jarring and uncomfortable. Initially coming across as distinctly Gilmour-driven, control shortly changes hands, but not before the track enters a sort of musical cocoon: a bleak, drawn-out instrumental soundscape, with droning keyboards, ponderous drums and snarling dogs – somehow this sounds like a natural progression from Wish You Were Here, but also very, very different. This is a scary place to be, but eventually, the acoustic riff returns, only this time, Waters’ bile-fuelled lyrics are sung by… Roger Waters! In his voice (which itself seems to have gone through a transformation), the lyrics are much more resonant. The troubled recording of WYWH and the apparent difficulties in producing this follow-up have obviously cast a shadow as this is not an easy listening experience, although it is pretty damn good. Another brief Gilmour solo garnishes the closing minutes, before a fittingly nihilistic climax, with Waters in teeth-baring, chest-beating list mode. Dogs is a curiosity, in that one never truly knows what to make of it, or whether or not to even like it. Yet the masochist in me thoroughly loves it. Barking.

In The Flesh - Pink Floyd during the Animals tour, 1977

[Dave Tudor]

Pink Floyd, 1977

SIDE TWO

1. PIGS (THREE DIFFERENT ONES) (Waters) 11.31

Animals is an album in which it’s very difficult to divorce the words from the music, and it’s helpful (if that’s the word!) to read the Nick Mason-inked lyrics provided as you listen to the song, especially here, where Roger Waters targets those who think they know best, and who believe they can impose their opinions upon the rest of us. Suitably, this mid-tempo number, with its ominous rhythms and hypnotic organ/bass intro, and particularly spiteful vocals spat out by Waters, is perhaps the least 'enjoyable' of the three main tracks on the album. Strangely, the most captivating parts of the song are those sneering verses – in between, there lies a most unsettling, repetitive vocodered instrumental, which, like much of the track, is very difficult to actually like. I’ve never been a big fan of Pigs, despite its regular high showings in Pink Floyd all-time best lists. However, there is a certain sick pleasure to be gained from Waters’ bashing of certain folk (“Hey you Whitehouse…”), and it is that which really makes the track, although Gilmour almost saves the day single-handedly with a brilliantly dynamic solo, hinting at things to come. Porky.

2. SHEEP (Waters) 10.19

This is much better – one can be forgiven for thinking that the countryside effects at the start signal a return to the pastoral pieces of yesteryear. The tranquillity is short-lived, though, interrupted by a rumbling bassline, and some jazzy electric piano. This lengthy intro soon explodes into life, with more Waters bile, set against an upbeat tempo, ensuring that this is the album’s one out-and-out rocker. Waters’ voice is rawer than ever before and is here distorted further, seeming to transform into an electronic drone. Gilmour provides some rough-edged guitar, and Mason’s playing here is particularly heavy. The drummer even gets an opportunity for some ‘lead’ vocals, as it is his treated voice here reciting a cheeky parody of Psalm 23 ("The lord is my shepherd..."). During the instrumental section - which has more than a few echoes of One Of These Days - the band again acknowledge the Doctor Who theme (they just can’t help themselves!), but despite familiar themes, it’s still rather unsettling, and like most of the tracks on Animals, it’s over-long. But Sheep is perhaps the most ‘likeable’ and musically satisfying track on the album, exemplified by a glorious, foot-tapping, arm-waving crescendo, which can almost be described as ’uplifting’ – though not quite. A classic rocker in the grand Pink Floyd tradition, Sheep just about provides a fitting climax. Baa-my.

3. PIGS ON THE WING 2 (Waters) 1.28

Intended to add an optimistic note to the end of the album, Waters once again sings poignantly, in an almost-identical reprise of the opener. However, the stark arrangement sounds lonely and isolated, and, musically, it is perhaps the clearest hint of the band’s next project…

It's difficult to put one's finger on the exact reason why, but there is no doubt about it: Animals is the least likeable and most frustrating of Pink Floyd's 'classic' 70's albums. Perhaps it's because there are moments of genius that are not sustained across the whole album, or even across whole songs; perhaps it's because those same songs, Sheep aside, are not really that good (although Dogs falls just short of brilliance), especially disappointing since there are only essentially four songs on the album; or perhaps it's because this is the album on which Roger Waters truly took control of the band, and no-one was willing or able to challenge him. With Waters' rage not kept in check, Animals - and, indeed, Pink Floyd itself - becomes a snarling, slobbering beast, and it is little wonder that the punks, the music press, and even their own fans should have turned against them at the time. Animals could have been a great album, and at times, as a group, the Floyd are at their best, but this is in many ways a Roger Waters solo album under the banner of 'Pink Floyd' - alarmingly, too, this would not be the first occasion. Bearing a few faint glimmers of previous glories as well as the seeds of things to come, Animals is best viewed as a transitional album. 6 out of 10

[Dino]

Now... BRING ON THE WALL!!!!

[Rob McCow]

Give me an hour.

[Rob McCow]

the wall

ESSENTIAL INFORMATION
Recorded at - Super Bear Studios, Miravel, France, CBS New York and Producers Workshop, Los Angeles between April and November 1979
Released November 30, 1979.
Highest UK Chart Position – No.3
Highest US Chart Position – No.1
The cover shows that the writing is on the wall.

TRACK LIST
All songs written and composed by Waters (except where noted)
SIDE A
In the Flesh? – 3:19
The Thin Ice – 2:27
Another Brick in the Wall Part 1 – 3:21
The Happiest Days of Our Lives – 1:46
Another Brick in the Wall Part 2 – 4:00
Mother – 5:36

SIDE B
Goodbye Blue Sky – 2:45
Empty Spaces – 2:10
Young Lust (Waters, Gilmour) – 3:25
One of My Turns – 3:35
Don't Leave Me Now – 4:16
Another Brick in the Wall Part 3 – 1:14
Goodbye Cruel World – 1:13

SIDE C
Hey You – 4:40
Is There Anybody Out There? - 2:44
Nobody Home – 3:26
Vera – 1:35
Bring the Boys Back Home – 1:21
Comfortably Numb (Gilmour, Waters) – 6:24

SIDE D
The Show Must Go On – 1:36
In the Flesh – 4:13
Run Like Hell (Gilmour, Waters) – 4:19
Waiting for the Worms – 4:04
Stop – 0:30
The Trial (Waters, Bob Ezrin) – 5:13
Outside the Wall – 1:41

HOT LINKS
Lyrics - http://www.pink-floyd-lyrics.com/htm...ll-lyrics.html
Wiki – http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wall
The far better Pink Floyd & Co Link - http://pinkfloyd-co.com/disco/wall/wall_album.html
This looks like a fun old film: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=djTU80l0ZE4
The start of The Wall http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SxBcdyTsAe0 (yes they really did fly a plane over the heads of the audience).
The end of the Floyd. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wtiNzci1Wc


OTHER ALBUMS OF 1979
Frank Zappa – Joe’s Garage (Pink Floyd out Pink Floyded by this triple concept album!)
The Clash – London Calling
Joy Division – Unknown Pleasures
The B52’s – The B52’s
Elvis Costello – Armed Forces
Neil Young – Rust Never Sleeps
Supertramp – Breakfast in America
Michael Jackson – Off The Wall
Prince – Prince
Blondie – Eat To The Beat
Talking Heads – Fear of Music
Madness – One Step Beyond
Steve Hackett – Spectral Mornings
… and Tony Banks – A Curious Feeling.

[Rob McCow]

In the flesh?
For the first 19 seconds, there’s an accordion playing quietly. Turn up the volume – have you got the settings right?
Then BOOM. The guitar comes crashing in at maximum volume. This is the new Pink Floyd. And they HATE YOU.
This song seems designed to terrify and frustrate the audience. Everything that you’d expect from Pink Floyd is torn up and thrown away in a fit of self-loathing.
In the flesh? is built around a great, epic, climbing riff. Somewhere down in the mix, Rick is giving it his all. In fact, he probably thought this song was going to show off his organ playing with a magnificent solo, but as it turns out you’d be hard pushed to hear it over Roger’s bass line.
This song also has THE BIGGEST ending OF all TIME!!!! As a plane HITS the LISTENER in the FACE!!!!

The Thin Ice
Starts with a baby crying. Pink / Roger is born! More BIG guitar playing from Dave here. But the whole start of the album now is marking time until track five.

Another Brick in the Wall Part 1
This isn’t track five, but it’s damn close. To anyone familiar with the single but not the album, this is a very exciting track, teasing you with the half familiar riff. It doesn’t half go on though.

The Happiest Days of Our Lives
Track five is on its way – though some of the best bits are in this song. This is more of an introduction and a rather fantastic one at that. Helicopters, screaming and that infamous quote ‘You! Yes YOU! Stand still laddie!’ spoken by a psychotic Billy Connolly in a concentration camp.

Another Brick in the Wall Part 2
Then it comes screaming in to one of Pink Floyd’s most fine, most familiar and most vicious songs.
IT'S TRACK FIVE!!! YAY!!!
The guitar playing complements the brutal vitriol of the children perfectly. If there was any doubt whether Dave was a truly first rate guitarist, the solo on this song dispels it utterly. It’s genius, not too over-complicated but blistering and exciting.
I used to think that ‘The Wall’ in this song represented society. That by going through the education system, we become mindless bricks in the invincible society. Now I realise that ‘The Wall’ only exists to stop Roger Waters being slagged off by the music press, it isn’t quite such an interesting idea.
At first it seems to be a rally against bullying teachers, but then it turns against the whole concept of education.
Perhaps this song is a little tired through overplaying. I think it’s still bloody fantastic. It’s also a song that’s perfectly suited to Roger’s voice rather than Dave’s, which is rare. In my opinion, Dave is a far superior singer and Roger’s whining generally sounds pretty awful – except on the really heavy rock tracks, where a snarling maniac is required.

Mother
It starts with a sigh. If the album wasn’t dark enough already, this is where things get really frightening. Pink / Roger’s mother is a terrifying monster, acting out of love and suffocating the young man. Nasty.
It’s a good thing that the whole of Pink Floyd is making an effort on this track, because in terms of composition it’s the dullest thing since ‘Pigs On The Wing’ from Animals.

Goodbye Blue Sky
A pleasant acoustic number, with birds singing and a young child spotting a plane. Of course, being on The Wall it’s also bloody terrifying. The acoustic guitar is joined by big, bassy synth noises, giving the whole thing a sense of foreboding. Like the previous track, this song recalls ‘If’ from Atom Heart Mother. In fact, ‘If’ would have fitted right in here between the two tracks, although it’s a lot better than either of them.

Empty Spaces
This is a scary track. Playing it backwards is twice as scary and not recommended under any circumstances.
After the previous two acoustic numbers, things are being ramped up for the heavier electric sounds. The looming horror that runs through ‘Mother’ and ‘Goodbye Blue Sky’ finally arrives in this industrial nightmare, filled with slamming doors and screaming guitar.

Young Lust (Waters, Gilmour)
This is almost a joke. It’s a pastiche of a rock song. One of the interesting things about The Wall is that a lot of the songs couldn’t exist outside of the context of the album, this being a key example. On it’s own, this would be crass and ridiculous. ‘Ooo! I need a dirty woman!’ Who do Pink Floyd think they are - Meatloaf? But coming immediately after Empty Spaces, it’s clear that they’re singing it outside of themselves, projecting it onto a twisted teenager on heat.
Which is really nasty.

One of My Turns
Fascinating track, this one. It’s not even trying to be a song at first; it’s a scene from a movie. When the weird synth noises come together into a proper song, it’s an absorbing moment. We are taken into Roger’s insular world, you can imagine him humming this tune to himself as the dippy girl plonks about the room. Then when it bursts out into a proper tune at 2:00 it becomes properly compelling. And as he smashes the room up, it becomes frightening but also cathartic, a great release of violent energy.
But as with any release of violent energy, what are the consequences? Why are you running away?

Don't Leave Me Now
“Don’t leave me now! There’s a whole another couple of discs to get through!” So anyway, after the orgy of violence we get a calmer, more depressing track. Whining and moaning are the order of the day here. The ending doesn’t quite make up for it either. This is the most disgustingly self-pitying song on the first half.

Another Brick in the Wall Part 3
In case you’d forgotten how good track five from Side A was, then here’s a reminder! This is more of a bit of narrative linking, a summation of the story so far than an actual song in itself.

Goodbye Cruel World
A little coda to Side B, or Side 1 of the CD. Not much worthy of note, but frankly they could have ended the whole thing here to make an interesting little album on its own. The Roger / Pink character appears to commit suicide. And for some reason it feels like it's a good move for him.

[Rob McCow]

PART 2

Hey You
Why would you want to go on after the first half? What could possibly make you want to put the second CD on? Fortunately ‘Hey You’ is the answer to that question. It’s a fabulous moody track that wouldn’t have seemed out of place on Dark Side of The Moon. Blistering guitar solo and lyrics that are non-specific enough to form a connection with the listener.
Dave has to take over the lead vocals, as Roger has apparently topped himself at the end of part one, although he’s resurrected for the final verse. If you want a clear example of who the better singer was, here it is on ‘Hey You’.

Is There Anybody Out There?
Things continue in the ‘Brilliant’ vein with this song. Another mood piece, although this one isn’t as alienating as some of the others on the album.
The sinister opening is topped by Dave Gilmour’s acoustic piece at the end, which appears to be James Bond inspired. In my opinion, it’s one of the loveliest little guitar pieces ever to appear in pop music. I’ve been playing this on the guitar almost daily for over a year now, (since I got the tab for it) and I still love it to bits.

Nobody Home
What’s more, there’s ANOTHER classic track on this album! This is magnificent and adds weight to the argument that Pink Floyd wrote all their best songs about Syd Barrett (rather than Roger Waters). We’ve got gorgeous strings and delightful lyrics, full of wistful despair. This is far too charming and beautiful to fit neatly into Roger’s Wall.

Vera
Just when it was all going so well. Suddenly, we’ve got mad witterings about Vera Lynn. Why? Who cares? The only interesting thing about this track is the line ‘Does anybody else in here feel the way I do’ which sounds exactly like a similar line in Wonderwall by Oasis. It’s true!
Other than that, this is utterly dire. One to skip – and if you can’t skip it, put your fingers in your ears. And if it’s too loud then dash your brains out on the nearest hard surface to avoid hearing what’s coming next…

Bring the Boys Back Home
Opera? Piss off.

Comfortably Numb (Gilmour, Waters)
The only reason ‘Bring The Boys Back Home’ would ever get heard is because it has half the intro to this song. Perhaps the schoolmaster was listening to ‘Bring The Boys Back Home’ which is why he’s screeching ‘WRONG! Do it again!’ Fortunately, they get it right this time.
There are few songs as enveloping and as glacially welcoming as Comfortably Numb. The combination of Roger’s spiteful lyrics and Dave’s slide guitar makes the hairs stand up on the back of my neck. And we even get some synth playing in the foreground! The two guitar solos are immense. It’s quite possibly the best work of Gilmour’s career. Quite frankly, there’s more emotion and excitement in the guitar playing on this track than in any of Roger’s lyrics or compositions. Such a shame that it fades out, they could have kept that going throughout the whole of Side D.
This is such a beautiful and dark song. Quite right that it’s the longest track on the album. It’s like a shot in the arm to keep the listener going for the rest of the album!

The Show Must Go On
Some pleasant harmonies and piano on this filler piece. It’s listenable and quirky in a way that recalls the shorter songs from Atom Heart Mother.

In the Flesh
Did somebody say filler? Here’s the opening track again. The lyrics are a bit less self-pitying than the rest of The Wall, so it comes as a bit of a relief. The sinister fascist screeching of the ‘substitute’ band is frightening and exciting in an odd way.

Run Like Hell (Gilmour, Waters)
OK, I keep forgetting this one. But it’s absolutely fantastic. A thoroughly exciting dark pop track, huge enough to fill any stadium with it’s thumping, driving pace. I love the echoey guitar and the breathless shouting ‘Run! Run! Run! Run!’ The way the lyrics are sung alternately by Dave and Roger, with each line bleeding into the last is a stroke of genius.
A last chance to thump your fist in the air and enjoy the music.
It’s downhill all the way from here.

Waiting for the Worms
Right, back to the main theme of the Rock Opera. By this point it’s getting hard to care about him banging on about his wretched wall. The march that comes in halfway through is impressive, thumping and evil.

Stop
‘I have to know, have I been guilty all this time?’ Oh please. Poor, poor Roger. Sniff!

The Trial (Waters, Bob Ezrin)
Dreadful. This is the precise moment where Roger goes too far. In fact he goes so far that nobody can have any sympathy or interest in what he’s doing.
This is the worst load of stinky old socks ever to have graced a pop album. When people want to know of the monstrous crimes committed in the name of progressive rock, well here’s the only example anyone needs. ‘Let’s do a Kafka-esque trial set to pompous cod-opera music where I screech out my own self-pity!’ That must have been a jolly day in the studio.
What’s worse is that the whole rest of the band is ejected at this point. This is a Roger solo effort, so what’s it doing on a Pink Floyd album?

Outside the Wall
What an absolutely gigantic let-down. Every time I listen to the wall this seems like nothing more than an afterthought, a thoroughly limp and pathetic ending given the scale of what’s gone on before. I know it’s supposed to be charming and sweet, but to me it comes across as rubbish. There should be some reward for the listener wading through all that crap that came out of Roger’s head, but no.
Pink Floyd HATE YOU.

THE WALL

So what does that leave us with? Some of Pink Floyd’s best songs and ALL of their worst songs. The first CD is utterly dominated by ‘Another Brick in The Wall’ and the second goes up and down from Brilliant to Awful like a yo-yo.

It’s so overblown and ridiculous, designed to work as a live act but a lot less satisfying on record. Strange to think that punk had already come and gone by the time this was released.

[Dino]

Wonderful review there Rob!
You seem to hate the stuff I like and like stuff I hate, as we shall see...
Tch! "Pink Floyd The Wall" eh?

[Dino]

"Is 'The Wall' the last brick in Pink Floyd's own towering edifice? Having constructed their own wall around themselves, this double album finds them rather shocked by the realisation of this fact- that rock and roll is not the autonomous wonderland they had assumed it to be.
It's a seemingly fatalistic piece of work, a monument too of self-centred pessimism. It's "point" is everywhere and nowhere. Roger Waters' lyrics set in stark relief against their targets, sink into dogged depths of self-expression and social concern-
"Hey teacher, leave those kids alone".
The Wall is the rock musician's equivalent of the tired executive's toy, a gleaming, frivolous gadget that serves to occupy mid-space. It's misplaced boredom with graphics by Gerald Scarfe."

NME, November 1979

Oh I liked it myself...

SIDE ONE

IN THE FLESH?

Bah! You kids! With your "No Future's" and "No More Heroes" with your noise! Pink Floyd aren't a plodding rock band as proved by the first track... Oh! It's a tinny clarinet solo followed by plodding pomp rock that would have been called an overture as late as 1975 by lesser bands? The music sounds like an instrumental theme tune to a James Bond film if that would have seen Sean Connery's James Bond as part of a motorcycle gang in the late 1950's? Oh look out, Roger's singing. Bit more humbled in his voice than the last record and a fantastic build up to start off their first double album since...*gasp!* Ummagumma?

THE THIN ICE

This is my favourite track off the album. It's everything Pink Floyd should have been for sometime, Gilmour and Waters shared signing and being able to tell them apart, Rick's piano (I know he was having problems with the band but is it 100% Rick played all the keyboard parts on the album?) and a crushing musical finish?

This should have gone onto Echoes as it's as good an example of the Waters/Gilmour genius as Comfortably Numb (yes, we'll get there hang on...) despite only being written by Waters? This song is good enough to start the album if they didn't have In The Flesh?

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL p1.

The Pink Floyd pulse from Meddle's One Of These Days (if not Arnold Layne) returns for a trot along a short moody synth bed washing against our first glimpse of The Wall. There's hardly anything there and heretic as I am for saying this, but I find all three parts of Another Brick In The Wall slow the album down even though the are the most important part of the narrative? I'm aware of the significance of the lyric to Roger Waters, but feel he could have added another few lines that said a bit more about it? Wonder how many people thought a helicopter really was flying over their house?

THE HAPPIEST DAYS OF OUR LIVES

Moody echoed bass as the Pink Floyd pulse steps up a notch as Nick Mason (or the bozo session drummer from Toto?) returns on percussion. Good vocal acting from Waters on the laughter, but really this needs another verse and at least? I know why it was included on Echoes, to give "context" to Another Brick In The Wall p2? But I would have preferred The Thin Ice? Another build up with Roger's feeling of resentment on "cane" solo.

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL p2.

This was the first song I'd ever heard of Pink Floyd as I remember my brother buying it when it came out. So I always associate it with red kola cubes sweets.. I prefer the single version with the introduction. It HAS got a good beat and we could argue ourselves into an early grave wondering if educated Roger Waters should have come up with this song when at the time attacks on teachers were increasing? Let's look at the positives! This is a "novelty" rock song. Despite their early singles, all they had to do was push for the novelty one hit wonder market? It's the "My Ding-a-Ling" of their career and would be an eternal embarrassment to Pink Floyd fans, that for all their mighty albums more people know them only for this, if it wasn't for the redeeming factor of David Gilmour's guitar solo. Which is by far the greatest guitar solo to ever get to number 1 including instrumentals and even Hendrix!

It ends on looped impressions that aren't as funny as they thought they were but makes an excellent link into the next song which closes the first "segment" of the album.

MOTHER

The Pink Floyd pulse has disappeared and a telephone rings but there's nobody home..

I heard the film version of Mother before the album version, so will always prefer the heatbeats, xylophone and orchestral sweeps of that to this calmer acoustic duet. Gilmour sings as if he's embarrassed to be cast as Roger's mum and at times sounds like he's looking on in horror at Roger sitting in the production booth with his eyes closed? Luckily his guitar solo wakes the listener up. What I find hilarious about this song, is it sounds like a Republican anthem but as if it's being sung by people who think the IRA are murdering bastards?

SIDE TWO

GOODBYE BLUE SKY

Although this is a better song than Mother and is the highlight of The Wall movie I can't really see how this fits into the story that well? How do you go from remembering the fear of the blitz to isolated rockstar? In spite of this I can play the first three notes on my bass (or I used to be able to?) and the singing is one of the better vocal performances of the album. I can see a direct link between this track and "Welcome To The Machine" instrumentationly.

EMPTY SPACES

On the subject of Wish You Were Here this sounds the closest thing on the album to 1975 as the Pink Floyd pulse basically gets raped by Gilmour's guitar. But it's in the shadow of the Wall so nobody hears and nobody comes... Roger really shouldn't have sung this song, Never mind the narritive, here's some vocals bollocks! A shame only the film has "What Shall We Do Now?" even though the lyrics are on the sleeve and despite it still not explaining how we got to rock and roll lifestyle in the story?

YOUNG LUST

First openly collaborative song of the album, this sees Gilmour rocking out and pissed off! But this time no less sincere? It still ain't no "The Nile Song" but it's better than "Pigs (Three Different Ones)" and "Have A Cigar" at least. And just as Gilmour looks about to score... his mate Waters pops over his shoulder and goes "Ooooooh! I need a dirty woman!" ...smooth move Waters... You any idea how easy she was as well given she'd fallen for the "take this rock 'n' roll refugee" line? But to make sure no right wing Christian lobby could burn copies of this album, another telephone call to the wife to reinforce family values ends the track.

ONE OF MY TURNS

I would be happy with a single album full of short songs that have dialogue and action at the start of it. The second Pink Floyd I ever heard as it was the b-side to their number one smash. It's one of the most atmospheric tracks Pink Floyd have ever made. You can just picture her walking around the hotel room as the lone rocker doodles on a small private keyboard. And this is the best lyric of the album for me. In fact this should have gone onto Echoes! "Why are you running awaaayyyy?" "Because you smell!" my older brother said... how I didn't laugh...

DON'T LEAVE ME NOW

A basic hypnotic electrical backdrop to the calm after the storm. Somehow I can't picture Gilmour singing the lyric with as much pain. So Waters works with waterworks! This piece has to be heard in context with the last track as it loses power isolated from the album. Another crashing climax and the effect of a television and the effect of a television and the effect of a television set being smashed smashed smashed is really effective.

ANOTHER BRICK IN THE WALL p3

The Pink Floyd pulse has lost all feeling and rhythm and has become an even duller pulse marching as Waters just makes a list. This track contains some good instrument effects, but as a linking piece seems too slight?

GOODBYE CRUEL WORLD

And the first half ends with the most minimalist Pink Floyd ever recorded. Is it a throwback to the acoustic guitar coda of "Jugband Blues" after all this time? Waters does wounded well? And I like the production effect that takes the echo and shine off his voice when he quickly says "Goodbye."

So to recap, we've gone to a gig to see a band who warned us not to go on the ice and then someone's Dad died and they didn't have a good time at school and their powerful Mother figure was around during the Blitz and then the band picked up some skirt and trashed a hotel room and scared her away causing the singer to think about what he's done and rather than say "Sorry! Been a bit of an arse!" he's retreated into himself?

That's the plot right?

Nevermind, it'll all be explained on the next record...

[Rob McCow]

Yes, like that one in Berlin it divided opinions terribly.

But I'm sure we'd all agree that there's some absolute stinking guff on The Wall, even if we can't agree which particular songs stink the worst.

[Dino]

SIDE THREE

HEY YOU

This was removed from the film (as it slowed the story down) so this was a song that took me a while to hear in context. It's the last in the trilogy of acoustic rock ballads for this album. (Mother, Goodbye Blue Sky and this one) which sees the band trying to communicate with people behind the wall. (What, like the "bus stop ratbag" from Animals, Roger? Probably why he doesn't sing it first?) There is a slight jazz rock feel to this piece thanks to Gilmour playing the fretless bass. Good use of sound effects for the drilling. Another Brick In The Wall p2 pops up again as the theme tune of The Wall?

IS THERE ANYBODY OUT THERE?

After an experiemental introduction of fists being pounded against the bricks and the pain caused to the bones and fingers, the acoustic guitar bows out of the album as a lead instrument with a haunting acoustic piece embellished by Bob Ezrin's orchestral arrangements. I'd like to take this time to acknowledge how important Bob Ezrin has been to this album. He has caught spirited performances from the band and has kept a good balance and drive to the album and it would be nowhere near as good an album without him after hearing the band demos?

NOBODY HOME

As someone who has several little red books with my poems in, I couldn't not like this song. It stands up as an individual piece and follows up the standard established by the last two songs. Not sure again if Wright played all the piano parts or got cheated out of a songwriting credit as Waters had already written the chords to the piece? The orchestration coming in is prefectly level and the television clips will have you wondering until even now wether they just flicked through the channels or used specific bits?

I know Roger wanted this album to tell the story of "Pink" and "It would make more sense if there was just one voice for Pink?" but shouldn't Rick Wright have sung this? It did fit his mental state at the time?

VERA

National treasure exactly and very much a product of a time which has more or less faded away or been changed beyond recognition, as well as being forever identified by a collection of timeless songs?...Now Pink Floyd have a go at Vera Lynn? (See what I did there? Ha Haaaa!)

This is the weakest part of the album for me as it's nowhere near a sequel or adequate answer to Goodbye Blue Sky from the previous side. Although I do like the imitation of a steam train pulling up as done by either feedback or the string arrangement? Suppose should be thankful it's short enough?

BRING THE BOYS BACK HOME

The last thing you'd expect on this album is this choral takeover for a message of great social import. It still feels "bolted on"? The lyric doesn't make that much sense in the cold light of day and seems at odds with the progression of Pink on the last side of the album? That said, the choir put in a sterling effort.

COMFORTABLY NUMB

The highest point of the album. Possibly the greatest Pink Floyd track of all time? Waters is singing "in character" so has a break from the spite even though he is outsung by Gilmour in the chorus. This too works as a stand alone piece and I'm suprised it wasn't released as the follow up single to Another Brick In The Wall part 2? Nobody thought it at the time, but this is the ultimate swansong to the Waters/Gilmour partnership. And contains two of the finest guitar solos ever by the the band that fit the mood of the piece.

I've met Pink Floyd fans who are blasé about this being their best ever song... but it's got a good case hasn't it? And the superb effect of being both key to the album's story as well as having the illness concept that everybody on the planet can relate to regardless of if they hear the album in full or not?


SIDE FOUR

THE SHOW MUST GO ON

Turns out they tried to get The Beach Boys in to do the backing for this one... and sadly could only get Bruce Johnson? Bit of a throwaway linking piece of no real significance to these ears...

IN THE FLESH

See? It's not a prog album after all as they would have called this a reprise? Like the feeling that this is just another number performed at just another venue on just another tour? And then Roger Waters goes seriously off-topic! Racist, homphobic AND anti-semitic but actually, I'm sorry, but I can see the funny side... The sound of someone losing it but the band play on! I find more uncomfortable the idea that there are some fans (not necessarily from the "Deep South") who don't fully get the joke of this and think it's perfectly acceptable the opinions expressed in the lyrics? Sadly, the technology doesn't exist to have "SATIRE" flash out of the speakers in blue lettering...

RUN LIKE HELL

The final Gimour songwriting credit of the album. The guitar from Sheep returns in what sounds like some sort of government promotional film it's that flag waving! This is crossed by the world's most paranoid disco with the relentless barking of Waters tracking down the dancefloor from either side of the speakers. It's a pity we didn't get a Gilmour solo for this but we at least get a car chase? And then there's that scream that so many want to hear when they see Roger Waters live only to find it a shadow of itself? If it didn't have such a fascist lyric this would be fantastic radio listening on a busy afternoon?

WAITING FOR THE WORMS

Seems to be an answer piece to The Show Must Go On at first and is the album's final Gilmour and Waters joint-singing. It's certainly Waters on the megaphone solo where he becomes the well-spoken cousin to Iggy Pop? A short marvel at the construction of the wall then the marching agenda bleeds in time as a bootstomp anti-gospel.

If Gilmour sings the verse about Britannia, then you can hear in the tone of his voice going "Why?...Roger... why do you make me sing these words?" but Waters isn't listening and is Hitlering to his hearts content in a section that sounded like it was more fun to make than he could ever let on... and again it builds to another crescendo.

STOP

The second most minimal piece of Pink Floyd given that Goodbye Cruel World was more or less two notes? I like it because it shows behind all the masterful production and melodic arrangements there is nothing more than a whiny little shit?

THE TRIAL

The only Waters/Ezrin song in existence and more should have been done to nuture this writing partnership for a whole album's worth of similar material? Waters brings the conculsion, Ezrin provides the cabaret and Gilmour goes "So I'll just sit out here, shall I?"

Why Waters didn't get an academy award for his playing seven characters! (The lawyer, the caller, the teacher, the lone voice of Pink in the chorus, the wife, the mother and the judge.) Gilmour bows out of the album with the final run of Another Brick In The Wall... but this time as if it's turned on Pink and Waters and came along to the trail to view and shout from the gallery? And Gilmour, Mason and Wright (to my knowledge) never admitted to "only obeying orders"? This trail maybe one sided and rigged and is the easiest target for the NME review in the last post. What goes up... it must come down...

OUTSIDE THE WALL

The film again has the better sound effects of mini-Jehrico.And we are back to where we started instrumentally only this time Waters lazily lounge lizard croons over an child's choir. Is Pink dead? I personally don't understand the point of the "We came in/Isn't this were?" studio talkback edited at the end and start of the album as this is a story that certainly doesn't start over again? Pink undergoes megalomania and has a mental breakdown every night? It doesn't bring the listener back to where they were before it started though? ..It just tells the fat lie that it's possible for the listener to return to where they were before it started? Actually, it isn't possible?...

[Dino]

THE VERDICT

Casual Pink Floyd fans I met (who happened to be pot dealers?) usually just went "Floyd...sound! Dark Side of the Moon! ...The Wall!" or "The Wall! ...Dark Side of the Moon!...Sound!"

It cast a huge shadow for the rest of the bands career so we may as well nip in the bud all "Not as good as The Wall" comments reserved for their future albums? Even without the defining film of the same name this album is pretty much a black hole of Floyd and only Dark Side of the Moon escapes by being strong enough to pull out of The Wall's orbit?

And The Wall seems like it has more of a desire to embrace the listener as opposed to the insular Wish You Were Here? Dark Side Of The Moon is the better album for me as it was a group effort and The Wall is too much of a single vision and could have made sense as some sort of solo album that Dark Side of the Moon couldn't?

Pete Townshend's "Lifehouse" project got pulled and the best songs were reused mainly for their classic "Who's Next". You could do a hatchet job here and have:

The Thin Ice, Another Brick In The World part2, Goodbye Blue Sky, Young Lust, One Of my Turns, Goodbye Cruel World, Is There Anybody Out There?, Nobody Home, Comfortably Numb, In The Flesh, Run Like Hell and The Trial.

We didn't get that of course, instead we've got a double album of musical theatre that works as a listening experience. Of course Wright was forced out of the band around recording over a dispute over production credits.

Holding the tapes as ransom (can anyone provide further details please?) Waters is said to have forced Wright out of the band although he agreed to Wright performing in the live shows? Despite the keyboard excellence in this record there are one or two empty spaces that would have benefited from a classic Wright chord change arrangment? This should have been the last time Waters played the dictator? But he got so wound up in arguing with Gerald Scarfe over how the movie should look this album done broke Waters and stunted the direction of the band. Killed their hunger once and for all. And it has a similar effect to the listeners who don't know about the studio politics? And finally, The Wall does not deserve to be used to knock Prog. In my view the peak of Prog was 69-75? The Wall belongs to another equally short lived peroid of music as it's closer to stadiums and musicals than the regulars of The Rainbow Theatre?



5 out 5

[Rob McCow]

If Gilmour sings the verse about Britannia, then you can hear in the tone of his voice going "Why?...Roger... why do you make me sing these words?"

Excellent stuff Dino - So, big fan of The Wall then. Even though, everyone has their list of songs that they'd delete off it!

I was interested to hear the references to the film, which I only saw once but decided that it was too nasty to bother with again. It seems to me that the album is the poor relation of the group, when you consider the live performance and the film.

[Dino]

But I'm sure we'd all agree that there's some absolute stinking guff on The Wall, even if we can't agree which particular songs stink the worst.

Well we agree on "Vera" so that's something to build on...

[Rob McCow]

The truly astonishing thing is that there were (by all accounts) a whole bunch of great songs that didn't make it into The Wall - yet Vera did. The only conclusion is that Roger Waters hates everyone.

[SiHart]

Rare Pink Floyd footage found!

Rare footage of Syd Barrett singing with Pink Floyd on the BBC One music show Top Of The Pops has been discovered after more than 40 years.

The damaged footage of the band playing See Emily Play has been restored and will now be screened for the first time since its initial 1967 broadcast.

Barrett, who died in 2006, left the group a year after it was recorded.

The British Film Institute will show the footage at its Missing Believed Wiped annual event on 9 January.

The Pink Floyd performance, on a one-inch, reel-to-reel tape, was discovered in a private collection.

It features two editions of TOTP from 6 and 27 July 1967, hosted by the late DJ Alan Freeman.

Steve Bryant, senior curator at the BFI, said: "This is an enormously significant discovery that will generate huge interest amongst music fans all over the world, even though the surviving material is in poor condition.

"Footage of Pink Floyd from this era is extremely rare."

BFI staff were "thrilled to have been given the opportunity to restore this recording, as much as has been possible, so that people can get a sense of this legendary appearance", he added.

TV recordings were often dumped or wiped in the 1960s and 1970s due to tape storage issues.

Si xx

[Dino]

THE WALL... it killed off the Pink Floyd... it even killed off the Planet Skaro Time Team and now... from next monday, it turns out Roger Waters will announce details of a tour where he plays... THE WALL!!!!
I know I can't afford the tickets just yet, and I really hope he doesn't play Liverpool Echo Arena (although that's more down to scally Floyd fans than anything else!) but would anyone else be tempted?... If you won free tickets would you be tempted?... If Karen Gillan said she'd half heard the album once would you be tempted?...

[Dave Tudor]

If Karen Gillan said she'd half heard the album once would you be tempted?...

Yes.

Actually, on a kind of related note, Matt Smith picked 'The Great Gig In The Sky' when he was a guest on Radio 1 last week, so The Doctor at least is a Floyd fan!

As for Rog playing 'The Wall', well I saw him do 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' in its entirety a couple of years back, and that was pretty amazing, so I reckon this would be pretty special too, even if it's not the most 'user-friendly' of albums!

Speaking of which, I've been listening to all of Pink Floyd's albums again, up to where I left off last time, and so hopefully, hopefully I will be bringing you my thoughts on 'The Wall' in the not-too-distant future.

[SiHart]

Speaking of which, I've been listening to all of Pink Floyd's albums again, up to where I left off last time, and so hopefully, hopefully I will be bringing you my thoughts on 'The Wall' in the not-too-distant future.

If you do, I might do too.

Si xx

[Dino]

Did you notice any weird time and space anomolies over last weekend?
Maybe that's because at the "Hoping" charity event for Palestinian children both Waters AND Gilmour played a short set!

'To Know Him Is To Love Him'

'Comfortably Numb'

'Wish You Were Here'

And then after someone at the event pledged silly money to the charity, 'Another Brick In The Wall Part 2' got played!

It's all true! http://www.rollingstone.com/music/news/17386/180387

Over the weekend, Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Roger Waters reunited to perform four songs at an English benefit that raised money for young Palestinian refugees, marking the first time the two played in public since 2005's Live 8 concert. Gilmour and Waters have had an acrimonious relationship since they first split up in the '80s, but the co-organizer of the benefit, Bella Freud, tells Rolling Stone that the two were in high spirits at the show, which suggests the two might have finally buried the hatchet. "David arrived first and then Roger came on and I saw Roger give David a hug," she says. "It was really lovely."

While the reunion was unannounced, there were plenty of preparations going into the event. Gilmour and Waters geared up for their short set by sound checking "To Know Him Is to Love Him," "Comfortably Numb" and "Wish You Were Here." "There were about 30 people milling about," Freud says. "Everyone was just stunned." Freud also says she tried to get Gilmour and Waters to perform together at a Hoping benefit show last year, but scheduling conflicts prevented it from taking place. "There was the possibility of something happening," she says. "David said he would do something and I asked Roger and he said, 'I would definitely be up for it,' but he was away."

Gilmour and Waters were originally planning to play three songs. But one attendee, British financier Arpad Busson, was so taken with the performance, he donated £50,000 to get them to play "Another Brick in the Wall, Pt. 2." "Some other people were also saying they'd give £200,000 for them to play one more song," Freud adds. "People were crying — really! I know it sounds corny, but it was magic. David and Roger — they looked so happy up there and they made something so beautiful happen."

As Rolling Stone previously reported, Waters has said he asked Gilmour to join 30th anniversary tour for The Wall, but Gilmour was "uninterested" in the offer.

And also scroll down to the "Hoping" reel for actual photographs from the event!
http://www.pollysamson.com/photography.htm

I know we won't see another reunion like this ever again... but it is beautiful to finally have a happy ending for the Pink Floyd story, rather than reports of members dying?

[Rob McCow]

More Wall:

Due to overwhelming demand, we can reveal that the incomparable Roger Waters has added even more dates to his The Wall Live tour! An extra show has been added at London’s 02 Arena on Wednesday 18th May and two more shows on 28th and 29th June at Manchester’s Evening News Arena. Tickets go on presale 9am Thursday.

Ummmm.... Perhaps Gilmour will be joining him by then? They seem to be patching up their differences.

[Dino]

And now... ANOTHER SET of Pink Floyd reissues. But this time, with bonus discs!
All over Amazon as pre-orders but I'm more interested to find out more about "A Foot In The Door" a best of that hopefully will contain some of the bonus stuff on the other discs. (Rather than buying them all over again)
Live stuff! From the 1970's! More details to be confirmed and here's my source http://www.pinkfloydz.com/ No idea what the difference is between "Immersion" and "Discovery". Unless that's the name of the credits cards you will probably need to get all this?
And here's the menu. It's still a bit late for all this seeing as they could have done it a few years ago but... 7 DISCS OF THE WALL! 7!!! Coming in 2012. Will we get medals for listening to all 7 discs in one sitting?
I think the dates are for UK/ Worldwide.

Pink Floyd Back Catalog The complete back catalog of Pink Floyd's work is set for release in the coming months, and in addition a number of other releases are on their way. Many of the new releases contain bonus material, box sets, Blu Ray and all sorts of goodies!

Release date 27 Sept 2011
•The Dark Side Of The Moon - Immersion Box Set (6 disc set)
•The Dark Side Of The Moon - Experience Version (3 disc set)
•The Dark Side Of The Moon - Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Discovery 14 Studio Catalogue Box Set (14 disc set)
•The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - Discovery Version (single disc)
•Meddle - Discovery Version(single disc)
•A Saucerful of Secrets - Discovery Version(single disc)
•The Division Bell - Discovery Version(single disc)
•Wish You Were Here - Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Wall - Discovery Version (2 disc set)
•Animals - Discovery Version(single disc)
•More - Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Final Cut - Discovery Version (Not listed)
•Ummagumma - Discovery Version (2 disc set)
•Obscured By Clouds - Discovery Version(single disc)
•Atom Heart Mother - Discovery Version (single disc)
•A Momentary Lapse Of Reason - Discovery Version (single disc)


Release date 26 Sept 2011
•The Dark Side Of The Moon - Immersion Box Set (6 disc set)
•The Dark Side Of The Moon -Experience Version (3 disc set)
•The Dark Side Of The Moon - Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Discovery 14 Studio Album Catalogue Box Set (14 disc set)
•The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - Discovery Version (single disc)
•Meddle - Discovery Version (single disc)
•A Saucerful of Secrets - Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Division Bell - Discovery Version(single disc)
•Wish You Were Here - Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Wall - Discovery Version (2 disc set)
•Animals - Discovery Version (single disc)
•More- Discovery Version (single disc)
•The Final Cut - Discovery Version (single disc)
•Ummagumma - Discovery Version (2 disc set)
•Obscured By Clouds - Discovery Version (single disc)
•Atom Heart Mother - Discovery Version (single disc)
•A Momentary Lapse Of Reason - Discovery Version (single disc)

Release date 8 November 2011
•Wish You Were Here - Immersion Box Set (5 disc set)
•Wish You Were Here - Experience Version (2 disc set)

•A Foot in the Door - The Best of Pink Floyd (single disc)


Release date 7 November 2011
•Wish You Were Here - Immersion Box Set (5 disc set)
• Wish You Were Here - Experience Version (2 disc set)

•A Foot In The Door - The Best of Pink Floyd(single disc)

Release date 28 February 2012
•The Wall - Immersion Box Set (7 disc set)
•The Wall - Experience Version (3 disc set)

Release date 27 February 2012
•The Wall - Immersion Box Set (7 disc set)
•The Wall - Experience Version (3 disc set)

[Philipnet]

Check this out:
Pink Floyd together again to perform Outside The Wall
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-13389333

[SiHart]

How much immersion in The Wall does anyone actually need? That'd be far more than I'd ever want to hear...

Some of the others might be worth a go though- a remastered Atom Heart Mother would go down very well here I think and maybe the not quite so insane Wish You Were Here too at some point when they drop their price a bit.