PINK FLOYD FANS?

[Guy Berger]

Woohoo -- I listened to the 90 minute The Man & The Journey suites today for the 1st time. Very cool!

Guy

Edited July 13, 2005 by Guy

[Matthew]

There was an earlier question of Echoes / 2001, here's how it's done from Pink Floyd on-line:

How to do it:

The set up is very simple: pause 2001 just before the title frame for "Jupiter & Beyond the Infinite," pause Meddle at the beginning of "Echoes," and unpause both audio and video at the same time. The beginning of the title frame should corresponds exactly with the first "ping" of "Echoes." Some verteran synchers also believe that placing this initial ping a second or two before the appearance of the JaBtI title brings slightly better results. In either case, "Echoes" and the 2001 movie as a whole should essentially end at exactly the same time. As far as I know, unlike the components of "Dark Side of the Rainbow," there are no variant versions of 2001 or "Echoes" to complicate matters here.

What to look for:

As soon as the song "Echoes" is played and the "Jupiter And Beyond The Infinite" title card pops up, a ping will sound. This pinging sound will ring once every few seconds for the first 1:20 or so. The music will slowly start to fade in after ten seconds or so. It is very eerie-sounding - as synthesizers slowly build, and eventually a mellow, slow guitar riff comes into play.

As all this psychedellic, mellow music builds up the images on the screen are of the monolith floating around in space while the outstanding special effects show the planets in the background. The sense of limitless space is evident, and the music only enhances that feeling.

LYRICS/IMAGES/INTERPRETATIONS:

The lyrics begin at 2:57. Here is a line-by-line breakdown and my own personal interpretations.

LYRICS: "Overhead the albatross hangs motionless upon the air" IMAGE: The camera pans across the vast space background. INTERPRETATION: Obviously the albatross represents the monolith - which is, as the song says, hanging motionless.

LYRICS: "And deep beneath the rolling waves/In labyrinths of coral caves/The echo of a distant time/Comes willowing across the sand" IMAGES: The monolith continues to float around in space as the camera pans towards the Discovery ship. INTERPRETATION: The references to the ocean might be a comparison of the vastness of the ocean and the even more vastness of space. "The echo of a distant time" might refer to the monolith - as we know the monoliths have been appearing to Earthlings since evolutionary times. "Willowing across the sand" seems to symbolize the tiny little spaceship slithering across the vastness of space like a worm through sand.

LYRICS: "And Everything is green and submarine" IMAGE: The Discovery. INTERPRETATION: "submarine" is obviously the spaceship Discovery - as a submarine explores the water, this machine explores space.

LYRICS: "And no one showed us to the land/And no on knows the where or whys" IMAGE: images of the monolith and Bowman's pod heading for it. INTERPRETATION: The lines might be something that the humans who discovered the monolith might say - "whoever put these monoliths here didn't tell us why, but we're figuring it out."

LYRICS: "But something stirs and something tries/And starts to climb towards the light" IMAGES: The monolith flying upward while the camera pans over to the Discovery. INTERPRETATION: Could mean two things simultaneously: 1) The monolith (not sure what it is, which is why it is referred to as "something") begins to gain momentum and moves from the bottom of the screen to top, and continues to move. The light it's moving to might be the light show that soon occurs. 2)Symbolic of how insignificant Bowman and his pod is (just "something"), and it is heading towards the monolith - as a subject might approach its savior and/or like a moth to a lightbulb.

LYRICS: "Strangers passing in the street/By chance two seperate glances meet/And I am you and what I see is me" IMAGE: Bowman's pod heading straight towards the camera. INTERPRETATION: The monolith and Bowman might be the two strangers who have just happened to run into each other. There's so many people in the world that the huge population and all the individual traits each person has might be compared with the vastness of space. "And I am you..." - I'm positive this is a reference to the later section of the film in which Bowman sees himself as an old man in the "hotel room," however, I believe that somehow this second verse was switched with the fifth verse. The "Through the window... a million bright ambassadors" lines would seem more appropriate at this time. Either way, this still is a thoughful, poetic line.

LYRICS: "And do I take you by the hand/And lead you through the land/And help me understand the best I can" IMAGE: The monolith disappears. INTERPRETATION: "Take you by the hand" - what the monolith might be saying to Bowman - to take him on a tour of the monolith's home land. "And help me understand...." what both the monolith and Bowman might say to each other - to learn more about each other. As Bowman was sent to study the monolith, the monolith is a tool to study Earth and its people.

LYRICS: "And no one calls us to move on/And no one forces down our eyes/And no one speaks and no one tries/And no one flies around the sun" IMAGE: The camera pans up and the light show begins just as the last word of the last line is sung. INTERPRETATION: "no one calls us to move on... forces down our eyes" - sounds like something two children might say who are so excitied about something and can't stop doing what they're doing (as Bowman and the monolith are about to embark on a fantastic journey). "no one tries.... no one flies around the sun" - open to interpretation, could mean just about anything.

Singing ends for the time being as the music becomes more mellow as the light show continues. The sound of the music seems to perfectly match the mood the lightshow induces - exactly like any other movie uses a pop song during any kind of montage.

At the 7 minute point the music changes and becomes driven by organs and drums, just as the light show becomes a series of starry images - the swirling galaxies, the images that look like embryos, the dancing diamonds. The music continues to match the images and mood on-screen until....

At the 10:30 point the music fades out and an extremely eerie, freaky sequence of sound effects is faded in. This transition occurrs as the transitition on the screen is made from the starry images to the ultraviolet images of the alien planet. The sound is no longer rock, but strictly psychedellic, much like the "eeeee"- choir-sung sound on the film's actual soundtrack. Some of the background sounds on the CD seem to synch with the images on screen such as wind, waves crashing, and seagulls as we are shown what looks like the alien planet's ocean.

The eerie sonic sequence lasts until 14:20 when Bowman finds himself in the bizarre "hotel room." The music starts to fade out as synthesizers slowly start to build in the background. It is at this time that Bowman begins to slowly walk around and try to figure out where he is. The sound and music continues to build and the eerie sequence fades out. The pinging noise also occurs. The music comes to a climax around 17:06 when Bowman sees himself in the other room as an old man eating.

At 18:00 Bowman gets out of the chair and looks around. At 18:14 the guitars kick back in as he turns around and returns to the table.

At 19:11 the lyrics come back.

LYRICS: "Cloudless everyday you fall upon my waking eyes/Inviting and inciting me to rise" IMAGE: Bowman walks from the door to the table. INTERPRETATION: This might be something Bowman, as an old man, might be thinking. Perhaps he has been stuck in that room for decades as the aliens' guinea pig?

LYRICS: "And through the window in the wall/Come streaming in on sunlight wings/A million bright ambassadors of morning" IMAGE: Bowman sits down at the table. INTERPRETATION: I believe all three lines refer to the rays of light which brough Bowman from our reality to the reality he is in now. It is possible this entire verse was switched with the second verse.

LYRICS: "And no one sings me lullabies/And no one makes me close my eyes/And so I throw the windows wide/And call to you across the sky" IMAGE: Bowman eats his meal. INTERPRETATION: "lullabies" and "close my eyes" might be something Bowman would say since it seems he has been alone for years in just a few seconds. The latter two lines might refer to the monolith - calling to it to do something.

Music continues much like it did during the light show sequence. At 21:18 the music quickly fades out just as the old, dying Bowman points to the monolith in front of him. The music at this point is keyboard-driven, very mellow - as if someone was trying to put somene to sleep (i.e. Bowman dying).

At 22:10 a strange sound, like a jet engine in the distant, starts to fade in, along with the pinging sound again. The image on screen is of the embryonic Bowman. Eventually the music fades out to just the eerie sound effects as the "Star Child" looks at the camera.

Both the song and the movie then end AT THE EXACT SAME TIME.

[Guest]

the new Gilmour solo cd is entitled 'on an island'. one song has vocals by crosby/gilmour/nash-- that should be fantastic. another song has rick wright. other songs are arranged with strings. it is out mar. 6th and there is a european tour for sure, and they say there's a US leg also--but ill believe that when i see it!

[Guy Berger]

I've just been listening to this superb recording of "The Man" and "The Journey" suites. Essential stuff for any fan of Floyd's '68-'72 period, but you're not going to find it on any official release. Bits of the suite showed up on various albums.

The music is mostly composed, but there's some avant-garde improvisation on a few of the tracks. Definitely not your standard rock group "jamming".

Is Rick Wright the one playing trumpet on "Afternoon"? (ed: It's trombone, and yes.)

Who is the second drummer on "Doing It"?

Guy

Concertgebouw, Amsterdam

9-17-69

Part 1 - The Man

01. Introduction 1:00

02. Daybreak 8:11

03. Work 3:53

04. Tea Time 3:34

05. Afternoon 5:13

06. Doing It 4:03

07. Sleep 4:37

08. Nightmare 9:14

09. Daybreak (Part 2) 1:21

Total Time: 41:06

Part 2 - The Journey

01. The Beginning 4:55

02. Beset By The Creatures Of The Deep 6:26

03. The Narrow Way 5:12

04. The Pink Jungle 4:47

05. The Labyrinths Of Auximenes 6:38

06. Behold The Temple Of Light 5:31

07. The End Of The Beginning 6:54

Total Time: 40:23

Comment The most famous of The Man and The Journey performances.

There's a pre-FM of this that sounds great.

Edited October 5, 2006 by Guy

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

goin 2 see rog next week: i have MAJOR problems w/ the setlist. only reason im going is to hear SHEEP.

[Guy Berger]

Fillmore West

4-29-70

1. Grantchester Meadows >

2. Astronomy Domine

3. Cymbaline

4. Atom Heart Mother

5. Embryo

Disc 2

1. Green is the Colour

2. Careful With That Axe, Eugene

3. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun

4. A Saucerful of Secrets (1st Encore)

5. Interstellar Overdrive (2nd Encore)

Exceptionally good sounding board. A DVD is out there as well. I gave mine away as since there's no volcano to watch it's dreadfully dull viewing. The CDs (which I obviously held on to) without the visuals are terrific though.

I've been going through my meager Floyd ROIO collection. This is indeed a good one. I'm not crazy about (but also not offended by) the brass-free Atom Heart Mother, but the last three songs are really the pinnacle of '69-'71 Floyd. I can only wonder what kind of music these guys would have made had they been more technically assured and imaginative as improvisers.

I'd love to get recommendations for more '70-'71 Floyd recordings -- ones that have good sound and great performances.

Guy

Edited October 20, 2006 by Guy

[Guy Berger]

I saw Pink Floyd Live in Pompeii last night -- fantastic!!! "Saucerful of Secrets" was especially amazing.

Guy

[sal]

I saw Pink Floyd Live in Pompeii last night -- fantastic!!! "Saucerful of Secrets" was especially amazing.

Guy

That's one of my favorite concert videos. Great one!

[Guy Berger]

I love the part in the film were David Gilmour insists Floyd is NOT a drug-oriented band.

Guy

[Scott Dolan]

Gotta love David!!

[dave9199]

I've always felt Nick Mason was a boring drummer, but his performance on Pompeii's Saucerful is really great. I especially like this version of Echoes.

[Scott Dolan]

I've always felt Nick Mason was a boring drummer, but his performance on Pompeii's Saucerful is really great. I especially like this version of Echoes.

I've always felt David Gilmour was the only strong musician in the band.

Though I was hoping something would come of that reunion they had last year. I'd love to hear what they would come up with as a group again, especially with all the technology they now have at their fingertips.

Animals was just such a strong album, it'd be great if they could recapture that type of approach.

[Guy Berger]

I've always felt Nick Mason was a boring drummer, but his performance on Pompeii's Saucerful is really great. I especially like this version of Echoes.

I've always felt David Gilmour was the only strong musician in the band.

I disagree -- Wright was definitely a strong musician. It's hard to imagine the classic Pink Floyd sound ('67-'75) without him.

Animals was just such a strong album, it'd be great if they could recapture that type of approach.

Eh. Animals is pretty good, but it has too much of Waters's whining and not enough of Wright's contributions. Their previous four or five albums (w/exception of Obscured by Clouds) were all better.

Dave, I agree about Nick Mason sounding much better on the earlier Floyd stuff. The guy was never a technical wizard but he wasn't boring, at least in the beginning.

Guy

Edited March 10, 2007 by Guy

[Scott Dolan]

I disagree -- Wright was definitely a strong musician. It's hard to imagine the classic Pink Floyd sound ('67-'75) without him.

Well, I'm no pianist (or "penist" as they like to call them), But I never heard anything from him that really made me think he was great. Although, to be completely fair, something that is simple but brilliantly played and completely complimentary to the overall piece should have it's own merit.

So, point taken.

Eh. Animals is pretty good, but it has too much of Waters's whining and not enough of Wright's contributions. Their previous four or five albums (w/exception of Obscured by Clouds) were all better.

I'm not sure I agree with you here. My favorite Floyd album is Wish You Were Here. I think that is one of the most brilliant albums, beginning to end, ever put together. By anyone. I think what Animals showed was that PF could rock with the best of them. It's fairly stripped down, and Dogs and Sheep are two of the better tunes in their canon. It was also the last time they really wrote anything as a group. And it was awesome from beginning to end. Not something you can say about some of their other albums.

Opinions vary, of course.

But, I think Animals really showed off everything that made this band great. Psychadelic moments teamed with almost garage band type jamming (Sheep).

Dave, I agree about Nick Mason sounding much better on the earlier Floyd stuff. The guy was never a technical wizard but he wasn't boring, at least in the beginning.

Nick Mason was not a "great" drummer. I don't think even he would argue that. I have always found myself comparing him with Charlie Watts. Watts is definitely the stronger drummer, but the comparison came about because I think they both played exactly what they needed to without any flash.

End of rant.

So, what do you guys think about The Final Cut? I think it's THE most underrated and underappreciated Floyd album ever.

[Guy Berger]

I disagree -- Wright was definitely a strong musician. It's hard to imagine the classic Pink Floyd sound ('67-'75) without him.

Well, I'm no pianist (or "penist" as they like to call them), But I never heard anything from him that really made me think he was great. Although, to be completely fair, something that is simple but brilliantly played and completely complimentary to the overall piece should have it's own merit.

What about the synthesizer playing on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"? Not flashy by any means, but the song wouldn't be the same without it. Also, check out some live recordings of "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" -- he usually had some cool soundscapes in the middle section.

Eh. Animals is pretty good, but it has too much of Waters's whining and not enough of Wright's contributions. Their previous four or five albums (w/exception of Obscured by Clouds) were all better.

I'm not sure I agree with you here. My favorite Floyd album is Wish You Were Here. I think that is one of the most brilliant albums, beginning to end, ever put together. By anyone.

Yes.

I think what Animals showed was that PF could rock with the best of them. It's fairly stripped down, and Dogs and Sheep are two of the better tunes in their canon. It was also the last time they really wrote anything as a group. And it was awesome from beginning to end. Not something you can say about some of their other albums.

Yeah, that's probably true. (Not sure about awesome from beginning to end -- "Pigs" is somewhat annoying, though it gets some props as the Floyd song most heavily featuring the cowbell.) But the music is a bit pedestrian compared to some of their earlier albums, without that experimental edge or "cosmic feeling" that made them so great in the first place.

So, what do you guys think about The Final Cut? I think it's THE most underrated and underappreciated Floyd album ever.

I find it more listenable than The Wall, which has a stupid story/concept and too much filler. And it's much much better than what I've heard of Waters's AWFUL solo work. The Final Cut has its moments, like "The Fletcher Memorial Home", "The Final Cut" and "Two Suns in the Sunset". ("Not Now John" really sucks, though.) I always thought it was ironic that fans of this album lambast the post-Waters Floyd.

Most underrated/underappreciated -- probably Atom Heart Mother, maybe A Saucerful of Secrets if the cow has become too trendy.

Guy

[Scott Dolan]

What about the synthesizer playing on "Shine on You Crazy Diamond"?

Now you're just playing dirty.

No further comment.

Yes.

No question.

"Pigs" is somewhat annoying, though it gets some props as the Floyd song most heavily featuring the cowbell.

"I think we need more cowbell!"

But the music is a bit pedestrian compared to some of their earlier albums, without that experimental edge or "cosmic feeling" that made them so great in the first place.

Pedestrian? In what way? Surely you can't tell me the "pscychadelic breakdown" halfway through Dogs and the "outro" of Sheep wasn't some of the most amazing stuff they ever came up with! I'd put them up against the middle section of Echoes. Acoustic/electronic music. Nobody did, or has done, it any better than these guys.

I find it more listenable than The Wall, which has a stupid story/concept and too much filler.

I agree, and disagree. The Final Cut is lightyears beyond The Wall conceptually. But, The Wall was pretty damn good all by itself. Filler? I'm assuming you consider Bring The Boys Back Home filler? I disagree....

And it's much much better than what I've heard of Waters's AWFUL solo work.

Even Amused To Death? I thought that was a pretty strong effort.

The Final Cut has its moments, like "The Fletcher Memorial Home", "The Final Cut" and "Two Suns in the Sunset". ("Not Now John" really sucks, though.)

Man, we are totally at odds here. Not that I disagree with the selections you've listed. But, Your Possible Pasts/One Of The Few/The Hero's Return/The Gunners Dream is one of the greatest sequences ever recorded, IMO.

I agree with you about Not Now John, even though that was the only track with Gilmour on lead vocals (and I always liked his vocals much more than Waters).

I always thought it was ironic that fans of this album lambast the post-Waters Floyd.

Agreed 100%!

Most underrated/underappreciated -- probably Atom Heart Mother

Good call! I don't care much for the title track, but everything after that stomps some serious ass! Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast is out of this world!!

[sal]

With regards to Nick Mason, I always thought of him in a similar vein as Ringo Starr....not the best technical drummer, but perfect for the situation in which he was placed.

I always liked "Ummagumma", but to be honest, the last time I heard it was about 10 years ago, which were days clouded by a drug haze.

[Guy Berger]

But the music is a bit pedestrian compared to some of their earlier albums, without that experimental edge or "cosmic feeling" that made them so great in the first place.

Pedestrian? In what way? Surely you can't tell me the "pscychadelic breakdown" halfway through Dogs

I guess you and I have different definitions of "psychedelic". Anyway, I think that section is so-so.

and the "outro" of Sheep wasn't some of the most amazing stuff they ever came up with!

A loud guitar riff repeated over and over.

I find it more listenable than The Wall, which has a stupid story/concept and too much filler.

I agree, and disagree. The Final Cut is lightyears beyond The Wall conceptually. But, The Wall was pretty damn good all by itself. Filler? I'm assuming you consider Bring The Boys Back Home filler? I disagree....

"Young Lust", awful. "One of My Turns", awful. "Waiting for the Worms", awful. "Don't Leave Me Now", REALLY awful. "The Trial", worst piece of music ever recorded?

And it's much much better than what I've heard of Waters's AWFUL solo work.

Even Amused To Death? I thought that was a pretty strong effort.

Have you heard Pros and Cons of Hitch hiking? One of the worst albums I've ever heard, up there with Genesis's Calling All Stations.

Guy

[Guy Berger]

I found the video for "High Hopes" on google-video. I remember thinking the video was awesome when I was 16, but now it seems a bit silly. Good song, though.

Is that large bust being carried around near the end supposed to by Syd?

Guy

Edited March 12, 2007 by Guy

[Guest donald petersen]

atom heart mother the song is awesome. fat old sun is also a good song and i think wright maybe penned it?

pink floyd definitely got boring quickly. i have to respect "dark side..." as a very well done rock album, but it is what it is and it definitely was a disappointing (though not unexpected as i guess the band was maturing and becoming more "serious" and trying to shed their early "psychedelic 60s roots") turn and something more to be appreciated than to be listened to repeatedly. i am huge fan of the early stuff up to "dark side..." but don't need to hear that album or anything that came after it more than once a decade if at all.

some of the live stuff from that 72 time period is cool when they split their live shows between older songs and the new at the time "dark side" material. i don't really like the barrett-era either, but the early gilmour 1969-1972 years have some great live and studio material. mostly the live stuff. pompeii is great, of course.

and i agree, guy. rick wright was a big part of the sound. definitely underrated.

i tried to download his "wet dreams" album from a share blog the other day but was unsuccesful.

[Scott Dolan]

atom heart mother the song is awesome. fat old sun is also a good song and i think wright maybe penned it?

Agreed on the first point. That and Alan's Pscychedelic Breakfast were perfect bookends for that album!

Fat Old Sun was Gilmour through and through.

Summer Of '68 was the Wright composition on that album, and likely the very best tune from that album, IMO. I can hardly understand his lyrics, but the tune just moves right along.

i tried to download his "wet dreams" album from a share blog the other day but was unsuccesful.

Never heard that one, but I think Broken China is a very good album. And one hell of an album cover, without question!

Perhaps even Guy and myself would agree on that one.

[Scott Dolan]

You know, Atom Heart Mother seems like it was a precursor to Wish You Were Here. Both had "epic" style tunes as bookends with three short, interesting tunes between.

[Rooster_Ties]

Speaking as a fan, of course...

I think this is rather damn amazing, for what it is...

Here it is, the first time on YouTube: The Amsterdam Rock Circus 1972 by Pink Floyd from 1972-05-22 - Olympisch Stadion, Amsterdam, Holland.

This is the original info:

-----SNIP----------

This is a very unique piece of video that was filmed on a high grade, hand-held camera in a very obscure and long out of date format. The group that discovered and restored this footage had the equipment refurbished just to save the footage. This is the longest piece of live film of the 70's Pink Floyd, and it truly has as ambience of a live concert that no other existing film does (the Whitehead films from '72 for example).

It features the last ever live performance of "Atom Heart Mother", in its entirety, as well as

full length versions of "Careful With That Axe, Eugene" and "A Saucerful Of Secrets".

-----SNAP----------

As it seems it isn't really complete because they played five songs that evening. The others are available in audio only. This might be known as "The Complete Amsterdam Rock Circus '72", too.

Songs:

1. Atom Heart Mother [14:48]

2. Careful With That Axe, Eugene [11:28]

3. A Saucerful Of Secrets [10:50]

Youtube links:

part 1: first ten minutes

part 2: second ten minutes

part 3: third ten minutes

part 4: last 7 minutes or so

Edited March 15, 2007 by Rooster_Ties

[sal]

Has anyone ever heard the Pink Floyd material on the soundtrack to "Zabriske Point"? Some fine Floyd on there, plus some solo Jerry Garcia!!

[dave9199]

I agree with Scott Dolan on the Final cut: Possible Pasts/One Of The Few/ The Gunner's Dream.

My favorite solo piece from Ummagumma is Nick Mason's. And yes, his drumming was more interesting in the beginning, but once Syd got tossed out, it had it's moments. The drums on Scream Thy Last scream are great.