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Home , Arnold Layne, Box set, David Gilmour, Have a Cigar, More (soundtrack), Nick Mason

JULY/AUGUST 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM JULY/AUGUST 2011 ISSUE MMUSICMAG.COM

he lights go down in ’s Hyde Park, and the speakers begin coursing with perhaps the world’s Why indeed? It’s a fair question, one whose answers date back to most familiar heartbeat: Ba-bump, ba-bump, ba-bump … the mid-, when Waters, Wright and Mason met as architecture Of all the superstars who entertained worldwide students at the Polytechnic in London. By 1965 they crowds during the of July 2005— had joined with Waters’ childhood friend Roger “Syd” Barrett to organized to bring pressure on the world’s governments form , a moniker combining the names of bluesmen Pink to help eradicate world poverty—precisely one act Anderson and Floyd Council. Two years later the released received no introduction. None was needed. The familiar its debut single, “,” which showcased frontman and heartbeat sound effect that once famously opened the classic principal Barrett’s sense of wonder and whimsy. “Syd 1973 rock The Dark Side of the Moon let the 200,000 fans wrote great English pop songs,” says , who produced that present and millions watching on TV know that a musical tune and its B-side, “Candy and a Currant Bun.” “His songs were miracle was about to occur: the return of Pink Floyd’s classic very tuneful, very lyrically witty and compact.” (and famously fractious) lineup of singer and guitarist David But Barrett was as mentally fragile as he was creative and Gilmour, Rick Wright, drummer and charismatic. Within months of the of the Floyd’s full-length long-disaffected singer and bass player . One of debut, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, he had spiraled into a rock’s most vicious and long-running feuds had come to an end. psychosis exacerbated by a steady diet of LSD. “I don’t think he “We’d stopped sending bombs through the post to each other,” could deal with the vision of success and all the things that went with jokes Mason now of the four men’s shockingly warm relations, it,” fi gured Barrett’s college friend , who by December 24 years after their previous appearance as a unit. “I think that 1967 was brought in to complement the group’s occasionally was pretty advanced, really.” catatonic leader on stage. A month later the group gave up on During its Live 8 set swept gracefully through songs including Barrett in live performances, and by April he had offi cially from its three most exited. Few held any popular : Dark hope for the group Side’s “/ whose reputation Breathe” and “Money,” had been built on the haunted title cut his songs. from 1975’s Wish You The Floyd spent Were Here, and the the next several years soaring “Comfortably experimenting with Numb” from 1979’s a variety of styles . Those three and techniques in albums alone have the studio while sold a combined 44 adding to its already million copies in the sterling reputation U.S., and they’re as an innovative and only the most widely adventurous live act. The band and its fans alike get a new perspective known products of a This period would partnership that has— fi nd them dabbling in a shifting series of in movie scoring on odyssey of iterations—sold more (More), symphonic than 200 million David Gilmour, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright music (Atom Heart albums worldwide Mother) and oddball Pink Floyd since 1967. Now a items like the double forthcoming set of album elaborate reissues (half live music, half By Chris Neal and archival releases studio solo pieces promises a fresh listen by individual band to one of popular members). The music’s most treasured Barrett-less Floyd catalogs—although Mason, the group’s only constant member since its fi nally found its feet with 1971’s and its epic 23-minute formation, scoffs at such puffery. “That stuff generally tends to make me “Echoes,” the song Gilmour later described as “the point at which want to wander off and make a cup of tea,” he says with a chuckle. “Of we found our focus.” Still, Wright said in 1988, “I think every album course it’s fl attering and gratifying when people tell me how important was a step toward Dark Side of the Moon.” the music was to them. But it’d just be to be remembered with affection.” ON THE RUN The upcoming series of reissues, set to begin in late September The group premiered its new album-length concept piece at London’s and continue rolling out through at least February, focuses on on Feb. 17, 1972, several months before a note expanded versions of Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were had been recorded. What the audience heard that night was a song Here and The Wall. There will also be newly remastered versions cycle that held together as a unifi ed whole while playing to each of all the Floyd albums, available separately or as a , and a member’s now solidifi ed strengths: Waters the chief lyricist, Gilmour new one-CD compilation, A Foot in the Door. The campaign as a the dominant singer and musical voice, Wright adding lyrical touches whole is provocatively dubbed Why Pink Floyd …? and Mason keeping it all nailed down. After honing the new songs 29

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on the road, Pink Floyd settled into title cut, “Wish You Were Here.” was tightly controlled by Waters. “We were all fi ghting like cats and middle years, for many reasons, he lost his way for a while,” Gilmour EMI’s studio on June 1 Waters has often said the album dogs,” he said in 1987. “We were fi nally realizing—or accepting, if you later refl ected of Wright. “But in the early ’90s, with The Division to begin recording Dark Side of the could have been called Wish We like—that there was no band.” Unsurprisingly, Wright’s absence didn’t Bell, his vitality, spark and humor returned.” Moon. Waters’ addressed the Were Here, considering the band’s ease tensions between the two principals. “David’s very easygoing stresses of modern life, often with fragmented state at the time. “The until he’s pushed—and then he’s very stubborn and won’t give way,” ABSOLUTELY CURTAINS? on-the-nose titles like “Money” and album is about none of us really says engineer Andy Jackson, who worked on the Final Cut sessions. Relations between the two now well-ensconced camps slowly but surely “Time.” Songs were linked by spoken- being there,” Waters said upon its “Roger is very intensely bright and mercurial, but also very clear-cut thawed over the next decade. Waters spotted Mason while on vacation word interludes and sound effects, release, “or about us being there and at times quite abrasive.” and said on a lark, rekindling their friendship. By the time organizer with the group using electronics in only marginally.” Waters fi nally announced his own departure from the group asked the Floyd to reunite for Live 8 in 2005, all four daring new ways. Whatever the sour feelings that in 1985, certain men were swayed Released on March 1, 1973, inspired Wish You Were Here, the that would mean with very little Dark Side would go on to sell dozens result was a work of grand beauty the end of Pink arm-twisting. That of millions of copies and remain on that has sold more than 13 million Floyd—only to be memorable one- Billboard magazine’s album charts Rick Wright worldwide. For the follow-up the shocked when off performance for a record 15 years. In fact, the still-spent group reached back to Gilmour and gained a new and record came to overshadow much of a pair of lengthy, as-yet unrecorded Mason began tragic poignance the group’s other output. “At least it songs it had performed on its 1974 assembling a new on Sept. 15, 2008, Jill Furmanovsky/rockarchive.com was well into our working life,” Mason tour: “You’ve Gotta Be Crazy” and album under the when Rick Wright says. “It’s much tougher if you’re a “Raving and Drooling,” powerful Floyd banner. A succumbed to band like and you’ve live recordings that are included on Momentary Lapse cancer at age got an enormous single like ‘A Whiter both expanded versions of Wish of Reason was the 65. Grudges Shade of Pale’ [1967] that at the You Were Here. Reworked to suit source of much forgotten, Waters end of the day actually seemed to the album that would feature them, debate about its now eulogized his be a bit of a millstone for the band. I 1977’s Animals, the two songs legitimacy upon In the studio, early old friend with both don’t think Dark Side has ever been became, respectively, “Dogs” its 1987 release, grace and regret: “I that for us.” and “Sheep.” Inspired by an ugly Waters calling it “a fair forgery” of the Floyd sound. Fans embraced am very grateful for the opportunity that Live 8 afforded me to engage The album made the Floyd audience encounter on the band’s both the album—which sold quadruple-platinum—and the subsequent with him and David and Nick that one last time. I wish there had been wealthy international rock stars at Roger Waters ensuing ’77 tour, Waters began to tour, which shattered box-offi ce records and found Wright back in more.” (Original leader , a virtual recluse for more than last, but it also represented perhaps daydream about performing behind the fold. By 1994’s , the Waters- three decades, had died in 2006 from pancreatic cancer.) the fi nal moment the quartet felt a true an enormous wall that would less Floyd was sounding much more like its old self— Since Wright’s death there have been occasional sense of unity. Adrift and exhausted, symbolize his growing detachment especially as Wright had settled in as a full member semi-reunions: Waters joined Gilmour for a low-key the members embarked on a from the audience. By the time he again, co-writing fi ve songs and singing charity performance in 2010, and in doomed project called Household was fi nished he had written a double lead on “Wearing the Inside return Gilmour played on Objects, which entailed an attempt album’s worth of songs that took in Out.” “In our “Comfortably to make music using just what the not only that idea but the bottomless title suggests rather than traditional sense of loss Waters felt as a result instruments. “We spent months of his father’s death in World War Il. working on something that was a Waters’ dominance over complete waste of time,” Mason what became The Wall frustrated says with a laugh. “We were looking Gilmour, who felt his bandmate’s for something entirely new that also lyrical obsessions were would be good. Unfortunately we Nick Mason unproductively pushing the group’s found something entirely new, but musicality to the background. it was a bit short on ‘good.’” The Relations between the two became Why Pink Floyd …? progressively frostier, and by the The new Pink Floyd reissue program will encompass a wide NOV. 7 project fi nds the fi rst- time recording began in 1978 variety of confi gurations, all presented in packaging designed • A Foot in the Door: The Best of Pink Floyd one-disc ever release of two producer was brought by album-art visionary . Full descriptions compilation with 16 tracks selected by the band members Household Objects in as referee. “The war that existed can be found at whypinkfl oyd.com, but here is a summary of • Wish You Were Here two-CD “Experience” version, featuring tracks, “Wine Glasses” between those two guys,” Ezrin what fans can look forward to. and “The Hard Way.” later recalled, “was unbelievable.” six previously unreleased live and studio tracks SEPT. 26 Out of the confl ict came not just • Wish You Were Here fi ve-disc “Immersion” version, • Discovery, a box set containing new remasters of all 14 EMPTY SPACES another classic album but perhaps featuring the above plus audio-visual materials and surround Floyd albums (each available separately the same day) With Household Objects scrapped, the band found itself the group’s most unlikely success of all: its only U.S. No. 1 hit, the mixes on DVD and Blu-ray again at loose ends. “We weren’t panicking, but we were a bit ground shockingly -tinged “Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2).” The Wall • The Dark Side of the Moon two-CD FEB. 27 down,” Mason remembers. “It was frustrating, because everyone eventually encompassed a , elaborate stage show and “Experience” version, featuring a 1974 live • The Wall three-CD “Experience” version, was telling us how creative we were but there was nothing coming 1982 fi lm of the same name. rendition of the full album out.” The answer at last presented itself when Waters heard Gilmour featuring a selection of Roger Waters’ demos • The Dark Side six-disc “Immersion” version, featuring play a mournful, wistful four-note guitar pattern that for him stirred up ECLIPSE • The Wall seven-disc “Immersion” version, featuring two CDs of the above plus a third CD of previously unreleased tracks and memories of Barrett’s sad decline. Waters told his fallen friend’s story Waters and Gilmour weren’t the only ones feuding: Fractures had demos; a newly remastered edition of 2000’s Is There Anybody mixes as well as audio-visual materials and surround mixes on through a nine-part masterwork called “Shine on You ,” also grown during the Wall recordings between the group, Waters in Out There? The Wall Live 1980-81 album; and a DVD of audio- DVD and Blu-ray and expounded on the theme of the music business’ steep price on particular, and an increasingly distant and depressed Wright. By 1983’s visual materials tracks like “,” “” and the eventual The Final Cut Wright was gone, leaving Pink Floyd a trio whose output 30 32

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Wright, Mason, Waters, Gilmour, 1970

Numb” at Waters’ solo in London just a few months ago. it, let’s try and release it,’” Mason says. “For many years we’ve Later during the same show Mason joined Waters and Gilmour always maintained that we’d put out what we thought was best for “Outside the Wall,” accompanying Gilmour’s mandolin and and left it at that. But now there is an appreciation that people Waters’ vocals on tambourine. “That was terrifi c,” Mason says. actually do want to hear some of the outtakes.” The new reissue “There was a really great atmosphere.” Still, Wright’s absence program is set to roll out in stages through February, although gives Mason pause about ever working together using the Floyd future additions are being discussed. name again. “There isn’t an appetite for touring or doing anything Whether the group ever makes more new music or unearths else at the moment,” he says, “and if there is later then that’s the more unheard treasures, the fi nal word on Pink Floyd will belong to time we’ll worry about it.” its fans. There will always be new eager to surrender to But the recorded legacy remains—now in the form of the the emotional pull of the music, the thoughtfulness of the lyrics, the Why Pink Floyd …? program, which has been in the works for innate humanity and empathy in a body of work that will likely never the last two years or so. The collection was assembled with the stop being discovered and rediscovered. “I’m not that hung up on aid of longtime engineers James Guthrie and Andy Jackson, legacies,” Mason says. “I think one just hopes to feel that it did mean who trawled through unreleased material that even the band something, that it was important in people’s lives.” The band may members had forgotten existed. “The attitude was, ‘If we’ve got never play again, but the heartbeat will continue. M EYE TO EYE Floyd engineer Andy Jackson speaks

Andy Jackson has been an indispensable What about the surround mixes? Why has this music endured? part of the Pink Floyd team since The quad mixes were done at the time or a little The obvious thing is the juxtaposition engineering the movie version of after the fact, without the band. Almost nobody of talents: You have two very strong The Wall in 1982, working on every knew about them at the time because they were personalities with Roger and David in the subsequent project as well as solo issued on quad vinyl, which few people had band. David brings the beauty and Roger albums by David Gilmour and Roger the facilities to play. The 5.1 surround mixes brings the cutting edge. Waters. We spoke with Jackson at his are recent: James Guthrie mixed Dark Side a had that same thing with Lennon and London home about assembling Why few years ago and that was out on SACD in McCartney—two people pulling in different Pink Floyd …? with fellow veteran Floyd engineer James Guthrie—and what made 2003. Wish You Were Here hasn’t been out at directions, then fi nding a third way that the group so special. all before, and James’ mixes are really good. For would satisfy both. people who’ve got surround-sound equipment, What were some of the challenges? that’s a fantastic thing to have on there. How about Nick and Rick? I was fi rst called to go and mix a Wembley Nick’s strongest thing is that he’s a very funny, Arena show from ’74. We’d looked at the tapes amusing guy. It’s always fun to have him a while ago, but decided we couldn’t use them around. Rick was very private and guarded, because of technical problems. But technology so I didn’t know him very well despite all has caught up with us, and we were able to those years working with him. I think what rebuild bits that were missing. For example, the makes the band as a whole quite unique is kick drum mic was messed up, so we had to their combined IQs. They’re not typical rock replace the whole show’s worth of kick drums ’n’ rollers, they’re a bunch of middle-class with a sample pasted in by hand. It was a lot intellectuals. Maybe that’s one of the things of donkey work, but we couldn’t have done that makes the music so special: the degree that 10 years ago—the technology didn’t exist. of intelligence.

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