The Pink Floyd Thread

[Stadler]

There is a fair amount of bonus material on the various Gilmour live releases (Gdansk, Pompeii, and the Royal Albert Hall show) and there are a couple where it's the band and whatnot sitting around a table and basically listening to Rick and Dave tell stories.  It SEEMS very cordial and collegial, but who knows?   

I think it's like anything else; you have these alpha males and whether they are liked or not depends as much on whether you get in their cross hairs or not as anything else.   It's hard to argue with either guy; they both sell out stadia as solo artists, so it's not like either one has a lot of impetus to put tail between legs and beg forgiveness.

[KevShmev]

As usual, Gilmour takes the high road, and it sounds like another solo album from him is coming in the next year or two!! 

https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/polly-samson-david-gilmour-theater-for-dreamers-interview-1177233/?fbclid=IwAR3ruEyu191K53Cd-7WwOHgkORZUF0mtUZnbiUc0YpY4p_AXVUvXC8GtNWQ

[Cool Chris]

That was an interesting bit about Syd. Maybe common knowledge for Floydians, but I really know nothing about his personal history.

Following David's lead, from now on when discussing Roger, we are to describe him as being "a bit shirty."

[KevShmev]

Given that this interview was obviously done before Roger's public nonsense last week, I think it's clear that someone in-the-know tipped Roger off about the interview, which is likely why he came out with what he did last week, to get ahead of it and to get his version out there first.  Roger is credited as the sole writer on four of the five Animals tracks (and a co-writer on the 5th, Dogs), and it's obvious to anyone who is paying attention that he was the creative driving force of the album conceptually, but that still isn't enough for him.  He needs liner notes that basically scream "ROGER DID IT ALL!!!"  Amazing that a guy his age is still worried that much about his former bandmates getting a tiny bit more credit than he feels they deserve. Even if they do, who freaking cares?  I mean, Roger obviously does, but it's baffling as to why.

[jammindude]

I have heard David say (quite a long time ago) that he wrote the music for Dogs (with Roger just contributing some of the lyrics) and since Dogs is practically half the album…etc etc

[KevShmev]

David should publicly say that again tomorrow.

Can you imagine the epic tantrum Roger would throw?

[Dedalus]

I have heard David say (quite a long time ago) that he wrote the music for Dogs (with Roger just contributing some of the lyrics) and since Dogs is practically half the album…etc etc

There are some sources out there that say the two wrote the song.
Dogs was originally called You've Got to Be Crazy and had its lyrics modified to fit Animals. The new lyric, I imagine, is totally Waters.
But I'm not really sure.

Well, apparently some linear notes wouldn't be a bad idea.   

[HOF]

So Comfortably Numb deservedly gets acclaim as one of Gilmour's finest moments, but how does everyone feel about On The Turning Away? Could see maybe calling it a bit of a re-write of CN, but in some ways I might prefer it as a song and the solo is also excellent.

[KevShmev]

So Comfortably Numb deservedly gets acclaim as one of Gilmour's finest moments, but how does everyone feel about On The Turning Away? Could see maybe calling it a bit of a re-write of CN, but in some ways I might prefer it as a song and the solo is also excellent.

Aside from being ending with awesome guitar solos, I don't see the songs as being that similar, but that's neither here nor there.  On the Turning Away is definitely a great tune. 

[Cool Chris]

On the Turning Away is a fabulous song, one of those I consider a bridge between 70s Floyd and David's post-1994 solo career. Come to think of it, a little surprising maybe he never played it live solo. At least it isn't on any of his releases. That ending solo slays.

[KevShmev]

I didn't think he had played it solo either, but I looked it up and it appears as if he did play it at least once on the On an Island tour.  Still, it is great enough to where it feels like it should have been played more, but he always plays tons of new songs and a lot of tried and true Floyd classics, and that doesn't always leave a lot of room left for much else, so a few songs getting in there from Momentary and The Division Bell is probably a blessing.  Hell, he plays nothing from his own first two solo albums.

[Zydar]

Speaking of solos, my favourite of them all might be Time. It's even more awesome than Comfortably Numb to me.

That's also my favourite PF song ever.

[KevShmev]

Speaking of solos, my favourite of them all might be Time. It's even more awesome than Comfortably Numb to me.

That's also my favourite PF song ever.

Hey now, I have been saying that for 30 years!

Time was my favorite Floyd song for probably a longer time than any other, but Mother overtook it again recently.  They are my 1a and 1b. Comfortably Numb is not far behind.

[HOF]

Speaking of solos, my favourite of them all might be Time. It's even more awesome than Comfortably Numb to me.

That's also my favourite PF song ever.

It is a really great solo (and song).

Listening through DSOTM again now, and I think Us and Them is still my favorite song off of it.

[KevShmev]

Us and Them is also a top 5 Floyd tune for me.  That is one of those songs I never get tired of, and if it comes on via shuffle, I never skip over it.  Love it.

To place my favorite Floyd tunes into top tiers, I will go this way:

Top tier
Mother
Time
Comfortably Numb
Us and Them
Dogs
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (VI-IX)
Shine On You Crazy Diamond (I-V)

Second tier
Sheep
Poles Apart
Brain Damage/Eclipse
Sorrow (live version from Delicate Sound of Thunder)
Echoes
One of These Days (live version from Delicate Sound of Thunder)
High Hopes
Keep Talking
Wish You Were Here

Tons more good ones as well.

[Cool Chris]

I never liked Us and Them much. In fact DSotM is wildly uneven for me. Time and Money are great, if ruined for me by classic rock radio. Any Colour You Like is a fine tune. Brain Damage and Eclipse is a masterful way to end the album. Everything else is just... eh. I also don't rank Wish You Were Here highly, which always makes me feel like I need to turn in my PF Fan Card.

Top tier
Echoes
Time
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Dogs
Mother
Comfortably Numb
High Hopes

Second tier
Pigs (3 Different Ones)
Sheep
Hey You

Like Kev, I'd rank a couple other songs here based on the DSoT versions. Sorrow, On the Turning Away, definitely Run Like Hell.

[HOF]

I never liked Us and Them much. In fact DSotM is wildly uneven for me. Time and Money are great, if ruined for me by classic rock radio. Any Colour You Like is a fine tune. Brain Damage and Eclipse is a masterful way to end the album. Everything else is just... eh. I also don't rank Wish You Were Here highly, which always makes me feel like I need to turn in my PF Fan Card.

Top tier
Echoes
Time
Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Dogs
Mother
Comfortably Numb
High Hopes

Second tier
Pigs (3 Different Ones)
Sheep
Hey You

Like Kev, I'd rank a couple other songs here based on the DSoT versions. Sorrow, On the Turning Away, definitely Run Like Hell.

I find Wish You Were Here to be pretty boring. Those songs have definitely been overplayed by radio, and while I feel like I should like Shine On You Crazy Diamond, I just don’t really get much out of it. I liked the Transatlantic cover better.

[jammindude]

Sometimes I wonder if I should make a separate Syd Barrett appreciation thread. But it probably wouldn’t last very long.

[Stadler]

"One Of These Days" is one of those songs that I just wonder "how did that warrant the exposure it's gotten over the years?"   You know what I mean?  Those songs that aren't "hits" per se, but the band clearly likes and/or values above the others.  It's not even the SECOND best song on the record (that's Fearless).   Is it because of the one lyric? 

[jammindude]

"One Of These Days" is one of those songs that I just wonder "how did that warrant the exposure it's gotten over the years?"   You know what I mean?  Those songs that aren't "hits" per se, but the band clearly likes and/or values above the others.  It's not even the SECOND best song on the record (that's Fearless).   Is it because of the one lyric?

I think there are a great many PF fans who treasure that lap/slide solo.

[Orbert]

"One of These Days" is all about the mood.  I love it.  It's a great album opener, and IMO a great song in it's own right.  No, there's not a lot going on, it's not making any kind of grand statement.  I just love the build up, and when it finally lets loose, that solo.

It's the first track on the first album which is my personal Pink Floyd Main Sequence, and I always look forward to it.  Also, it segues beautifully into "A Pillow of Winds" which is its polar opposite.  I love Meddle overall.  The last great album before Roger Water decided that everything was all about him and his concepts and his music and his lyrics and his vision and his ego and his shitty music and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego and his ego.

[Zydar]

Are you trying to say something, Orbert? 

[Orbert]

I like the concept of concept albums.  That run from Dark Side of the Moon through Animals was great.  It's only three albums, but they solidified Pink Floyd in the collective consciousness, and the combination of Waters' vision and the rest of the band's music was magic.  And The Wall isn't bad, either.  I know, a lot of people consider it their masterpiece.  Masturbationpiece, more like.  Some great songs on The Wall, but whenever I try to listen to it nowadays, all I hear is Roger and his whining.  He had a shitty childhood, he had a shitty mom, he had a shitty wife, he had a shitty life, yeah okay, I get it, you can stop now.  Stop. Please fucking stop!  Nope, we have an entire second disc to get through.

Roger Waters' ego was what helped make Pink Floyd great, and also what destroyed it.

[Mladen]

That shitty life did lend itself to a damn good story for a concept album, though. He turned it into something fictional throughout the entire disc two as well.

[KevShmev]

Pink Floyd without Roger Waters made One of These Days a much better song.  I don't think it's that great on Meddle, but it freaking slayed on both of the Waters-less tours.  It seems like Guy Pratt used a warmer bass tone, which makes the first half better, and Gilmour's playing had too much distortion on the original.  His tone was so awesome on those later live versions that you could literally hear every nuance as he moved that slide up and down the lap steel.

[Cool Chris]

Guy talks about One Of These Days on his channel. Crazy how easy he makes it sound. Post-Roger Floyd shows and David solo shows just made everything sound so... massive. I do not know how to describe it.  Whether that makes it better, is a matter of opinion I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKFJsxEMHMQ

[Ben_Jamin]

I love the live performance on "Live in Pompeii". What makes this song on this version is Nick Mason's drumming. Also, he ends up making a mistake and his face shows it by him closing his eyes haha.

[ShadowWalker]

Guy talks about One Of These Days on his channel. Crazy how easy he makes it sound. Post-Roger Floyd shows and David solo shows just made everything sound so... massive. I do not know how to describe it.  Whether that makes it better, is a matter of opinion I guess.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gKFJsxEMHMQ

Interesting you say that and something I agree with. I think the version of Echoes on Live in Gdansk is the definitive version of the song. Given that, I would love to see Dave take a stab at Atom Heart Mother in his solo setting and take that next-level epic feel he brought to Echoes to that song.

[Stadler]

Let me just say that ALL the recent Gilmour live albums sound fan-friggin'-tastic.   The guy knows how to present music, if that makes any sense.

[emtee]

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/roger-waters-slams-mark-zuckerberg-rejecting-facebooks-offer-pink-floyd-song

Haha. Waters tells the Zuck, F U. No you can't use a PF song even if I get paid large.

[KevShmev]

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/roger-waters-slams-mark-zuckerberg-rejecting-facebooks-offer-pink-floyd-song

Haha. Waters tells the Zuck, F U. No you can't use a PF song even if I get paid large.

And yet Roger still uses FB (I believe) to promote himself, his music and his tours, and bitches that he cannot use Pink Floyd's official page to do so there as well.  This is rich.

[jammindude]

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/roger-waters-slams-mark-zuckerberg-rejecting-facebooks-offer-pink-floyd-song

Haha. Waters tells the Zuck, F U. No you can't use a PF song even if I get paid large.

And yet Roger still uses FB (I believe) to promote himself, his music and his tours, and bitches that he cannot use Pink Floyd's official page to do so there as well.  This is rich.

This is bit of a false equivalence.

I occasionally shop at Walmart (I hate that place with a passion, and I try to avoid it, but sometimes it’s just cheap and necessary).

If they wanted to buy one of my throw away melodies for a jingle, I’d probably reluctantly cash the check. But if they said, “hey we want to pay you millions of dollars to use that song you wrote about the struggle of loving your bipolar wife, and how much she means to you” ….I would immediately tell them to go pound sand. Seriously, not only no, but hell no. How about this throw away melody instead?

[KevShmev]

https://www.foxbusiness.com/lifestyle/roger-waters-slams-mark-zuckerberg-rejecting-facebooks-offer-pink-floyd-song

Haha. Waters tells the Zuck, F U. No you can't use a PF song even if I get paid large.

And yet Roger still uses FB (I believe) to promote himself, his music and his tours, and bitches that he cannot use Pink Floyd's official page to do so there as well.  This is rich.

This is bit of a false equivalence.

I occasionally shop at Walmart (I hate that place with a passion, and I try to avoid it, but sometimes it’s just cheap and necessary).

If they wanted to buy one of my throw away melodies for a jingle, I’d probably reluctantly cash the check. But if they said, “hey we want to pay you millions of dollars to use that song you wrote about the struggle of loving your bipolar wife, and how much she means to you” ….I would immediately tell them to go pound sand. Seriously, not only no, but hell no. How about this throw away melody instead?

I get all of that, and if Roger had respectfully declined the request, I wouldn't have said what I said, but since he went balls deep on Zuckerberg while still using his platform to promote himself, he comes off as a bit of hypocrite.  If FB and Zuckerberg are so awful (a sentiment I can mostly get on board with), he should want to distance himself from it as much as possible, no?

[jammindude]

With the caveat that hating on Facebook is like hating on the phone company at this point. You can hate on them all you want, but there’s nothing you can do about it because you’re still going to use the telephone

[KevShmev]

For a landline??