Another Brick in the Filter
July 11, 2007 1:54 AM Subscribe
◆ Insert Syd Barrett reference here.
posted by psmealey at 3:36 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by psmealey at 3:36 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
◆ Insert Syd Barrett reference here.
Is this something you need crushed up mandies on your head to enjoy?
posted by Devils Slide at 3:56 AM on July 11, 2007
Is this something you need crushed up mandies on your head to enjoy?
posted by Devils Slide at 3:56 AM on July 11, 2007
Is this something you need crushed up mandies on your head to enjoy?
That depends... WTF are mandies?
posted by Poolio at 3:57 AM on July 11, 2007
That depends... WTF are mandies?
posted by Poolio at 3:57 AM on July 11, 2007
mandies:
Shorthand term for Mandrax (pronounced "Mandrakes"), a line of highly addictive British pharmaceutical tablets no longer in legal production. They act as barbiturates (or "downers") and were prescribed as sleeping aids in the late 60s and early 70s.posted by pracowity at 4:20 AM on July 11, 2007
Well, it is a tribute, so I suppose you could say it's a "downer".
posted by Poolio at 4:28 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Poolio at 4:28 AM on July 11, 2007
Dark Side of the Rainbow is fun, but I've always preferred Echoes synced with the final act of 2001 - Jupiter and Beyond The Infinite
posted by Roommate at 4:33 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by Roommate at 4:33 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
Voivod's brilliant cover of Astronomy Domine. (Not one of the more camera-friendly bands ever, but who cares?)
posted by Wolfdog at 4:44 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Wolfdog at 4:44 AM on July 11, 2007
I listened to The Wall almost incessantly in high school (1998-2002). It gets old after a while. Seriously depressing, whiny stuff. In a way, Roger Waters is a prelude to Emo Kids around the world.
Also, what the shit was he on when he got Cyndi Lauper to sing "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2"?
Still, I hold the majority of Pink Floyd's recorded output in high regard, even The Division Bell. (A Momentary Lapse of Reason sucks, the big one, though.)
posted by SansPoint at 4:54 AM on July 11, 2007
Also, what the shit was he on when he got Cyndi Lauper to sing "Another Brick in the Wall Pt. 2"?
Still, I hold the majority of Pink Floyd's recorded output in high regard, even The Division Bell. (A Momentary Lapse of Reason sucks, the big one, though.)
posted by SansPoint at 4:54 AM on July 11, 2007
that QFT was in reference to Wolfdog's comment about Voivod... not Floyd.
posted by Poolio at 4:57 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Poolio at 4:57 AM on July 11, 2007
Voivod's Angel Rat is one of the most Floydian albums since the band's own heyday. Even the lyrics push the same buttons for me.
posted by Wolfdog at 5:11 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Wolfdog at 5:11 AM on July 11, 2007
Bitterly poignant Syd Barrett reference here.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:16 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by flapjax at midnite at 5:16 AM on July 11, 2007
Poolio, there are a few different versions of the "mandies story" (because the other band members were also doing copious amounts of drugs), but it seems to have been a turning point in the band's history because the rest of the members could no longer deny that Syd was pretty much barmy, and unable or unwilling to play before an audience.
From the Wikipedia link:
"Barrett's behaviour became increasingly unpredictable, partly as a consequence of frequent experimentation with psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Many report having seen him on stage with the group, strumming on one chord through the entire concert, or not playing at all[5]. At a show at The Fillmore West in San Francisco, during a performance of Interstellar Overdrive, Barrett slowly detuned his guitar. The audience seemed to enjoy such antics, unaware of the rest of the band's consternation. Before a performance in late 1967, Barrett apparently crushed Mandrax and an entire tube of Brylcreem into his hair, which subsequently melted down his face under the heat of the stage lighting, making him look like "a guttered candle".[6] Nick Mason later disputed the Mandrax portion of this story, stating in the Barrett biography, Madcap, that "Syd would never waste good mandies".
posted by Devils Slide at 5:20 AM on July 11, 2007
From the Wikipedia link:
"Barrett's behaviour became increasingly unpredictable, partly as a consequence of frequent experimentation with psychedelic drugs such as LSD. Many report having seen him on stage with the group, strumming on one chord through the entire concert, or not playing at all[5]. At a show at The Fillmore West in San Francisco, during a performance of Interstellar Overdrive, Barrett slowly detuned his guitar. The audience seemed to enjoy such antics, unaware of the rest of the band's consternation. Before a performance in late 1967, Barrett apparently crushed Mandrax and an entire tube of Brylcreem into his hair, which subsequently melted down his face under the heat of the stage lighting, making him look like "a guttered candle".[6] Nick Mason later disputed the Mandrax portion of this story, stating in the Barrett biography, Madcap, that "Syd would never waste good mandies".
posted by Devils Slide at 5:20 AM on July 11, 2007
If you play the movie Pink Floyd the Wall and listen to the Wizard of Oz soundtrack at the same time, it like totally syncs up in weird ways. Especially if you're stoooooooned, man. You gotta see where Bob Geldof goes nuts on that groupie and smashes his guitar right when "If I Only Had a Heart" starts playing. It'll freak you right out. Man, am I hungry.
posted by Cookiebastard at 5:36 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
posted by Cookiebastard at 5:36 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
thanks for the info, Devils Slide... I hadn't heard any version of that story.
posted by Poolio at 5:50 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Poolio at 5:50 AM on July 11, 2007
"Behind the Wall" (the last link) is excellent... I recommend it to any Floyd fan.
posted by pruner at 6:34 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by pruner at 6:34 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
The Wall (The album) is about 30 years old now. I can't really believe that. I came to it late but I remember it being deeply unfashionable during the late '80s and through the '90s. The reason this is freaking me out is because OK Computer is 10 years old now. I still listen to it like it's a new album that's only been out a year or so.
It's scary that the music I like is so old. When I was a kid I pretty much laughed at anyone who listened to music more than a decade old.
posted by seanyboy at 6:52 AM on July 11, 2007
It's scary that the music I like is so old. When I was a kid I pretty much laughed at anyone who listened to music more than a decade old.
posted by seanyboy at 6:52 AM on July 11, 2007
Hard luck, cortex. Those peripherals will get you every time.
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:52 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by chuckdarwin at 6:52 AM on July 11, 2007
Pink Floyd and a great number of other bands, owe a lot to the talents of Storm Thorgerson.
posted by punkfloyd at 6:54 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by punkfloyd at 6:54 AM on July 11, 2007
It's a bit unfashionable to like stuff that's 25-30 years old, but liking stuff that's 250-300 years old is sheer taste & class.
posted by Wolfdog at 6:59 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by Wolfdog at 6:59 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
i never understood why people loved this album. i still don't.
posted by Stynxno at 8:02 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Stynxno at 8:02 AM on July 11, 2007
oz and dark side of the moon idiot...
posted by shockingbluamp at 8:07 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by shockingbluamp at 8:07 AM on July 11, 2007
Did anyone see Pink Floyd on Live Earth? Even with a stage full of ringers, it was a total clusterfuck. Gilmour played about 6 notes the whole time. And Waters was barely in control of his voice or his instrument most of the time. Yikes.
I had the worst trip of my life 20 years ago at a show on the Wall tour at Foxborough Stadium. Pink Floyd got me to give up hallucinogens. Ah, nostalgia.
posted by spitbull at 8:22 AM on July 11, 2007
I had the worst trip of my life 20 years ago at a show on the Wall tour at Foxborough Stadium. Pink Floyd got me to give up hallucinogens. Ah, nostalgia.
posted by spitbull at 8:22 AM on July 11, 2007
Their 'unknown' albums are really great. Like More and Obscured by Clouds (my favorite name); and Ummagumma has two amazing songs - live Careful with that Axe, Eugene and Granchester Meadows. The rest of Umma is a bit bad though. Yeah, those three are best, really, they don't have the terrible slickness of Dark Side, more listenable than Piper (although Piper is really great too), and not overly bombastic like albums after Dark Side and before they started to totally suck hairy monkey tails. Strangely enough, I like The Division Bell, partly because it was my first Floyd album. I know that much of it is crap. But it's sooo better than Waters' albums. Which proves that Floyd was not one of those one performer bands. If there was no Division Bell you could really think it was always just Waters. I forgot Echoes though which is also pretty good, and I think parts of Wish you were here and Animals are also really good. But it's funny that their two best albums are soundtracks for minor low budget french movies. I've heard somewhere that Floyd was really a soundtrack band, and I have to agree.
posted by rainy at 8:29 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by rainy at 8:29 AM on July 11, 2007
Stynxno: Sure it's unsubtle, whiny, navel-gazing. But not many other bands have the balls to pull off a concept album and multimedia-overblown rock concert like that, and for that you've got to give them props.
Hell, I'm not a big fan of R. Kelly, but "Trapped in the Closet" was amazing.
posted by fungible at 8:32 AM on July 11, 2007
Hell, I'm not a big fan of R. Kelly, but "Trapped in the Closet" was amazing.
posted by fungible at 8:32 AM on July 11, 2007
My vote goes for Animals as the most consistent Floyd album. All the others, despite moments of greatness, have moments the I feel compelled to skip. But Animals is interesting, tuneful, and well-written through and through, I think.
posted by fingers_of_fire at 8:37 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by fingers_of_fire at 8:37 AM on July 11, 2007
Astronomy Domine, by Mefite Devils Rancher over at Metafilter Music.
posted by micayetoca at 8:40 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
posted by micayetoca at 8:40 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
Poolio, I thought it was Tony Tenille? Sounds like her voice. Lauper has that obnoxious Brooklyn thing going. I'm pretty sure it ain't her.
posted by MetaJohn at 9:18 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by MetaJohn at 9:18 AM on July 11, 2007
spitbull: I thought it was just Roger Waters at Live Earth, not Pink Floyd. Did Gilmour and the rest show up?
To be honest, I tried to watch the YouTubes of the performance, but I just couldn't endure Roger's voice, so I bailed.
posted by The Deej at 9:21 AM on July 11, 2007
To be honest, I tried to watch the YouTubes of the performance, but I just couldn't endure Roger's voice, so I bailed.
posted by The Deej at 9:21 AM on July 11, 2007
seanyboy writes "It's scary that the music I like is so old. When I was a kid I pretty much laughed at anyone who listened to music more than a decade old."
Yeah, but you were young and stupid. It's better to be older and have more perspective, and better taste. It doesn't mean that all new music is terrible, either.
posted by krinklyfig at 9:25 AM on July 11, 2007
Yeah, but you were young and stupid. It's better to be older and have more perspective, and better taste. It doesn't mean that all new music is terrible, either.
posted by krinklyfig at 9:25 AM on July 11, 2007
Another long-time Floyd fan here who isn't into The Wall.
I mean, don't get me wrong, The Wall was instrumental in getting me into the Floyd, and I did listen the shit out of it back in high school. But seriously, it's some of their least impressive work. I'd say the only Waters-era album to be less-impressive then the Wall would be The Final Cut, which, let's face it, might as well be Waters's first solo album. And as far as I'm concerned, the Floyd stopped existing after The Final Cut.
True, the music (other then Gilmour's solos on Another Brick II and Comfortably Numb) are uninspired. And yes, the lyrics are whiny and pretentious. But it's more then that. The Wall is the essence of Baby Boomer baggage. The story of The Wall is very much a story for Roger Waters's generation. Dad died in World War II. Child grew up during post-war prosperity, and became a self-absorbed, self-destructive, self-pitying adult. His wife cheats on him, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him even though he's obviously a rockstar and no doubt has had many affairs of his own. He takes too many drugs and has too many fans and has had too much attention showered upon him, and he just can't take it anymore! This just isn't a narrative that I'm very impressed by. I think it was probably a lot fresher back in the late 70s, when characters like Pink were seen with a more sympathetic eye. I'd be more likely to think of him as kind of a dick.
Finally, I must concur with rainy - the Floyd's "unknown" albums are among their most timeless. Listen to Piper. Listen to Saucerful. Listen to the Ummagumma live album (the studio one, not so much). Listen to Meddle. Listen to Obscured By Clouds. Listen to Atom Heart. Listen to More. When you listen to these albums, you hear a band that really, really, really knew how to work together. I would argue that Dark Side is the last album where they really worked together as a band. After that, they made some truly awesome classic rock, but it just wasn't the same.
However, even better then their 67-73 albums were the shows that they played during that era. God, I wish there were some way I could just reach through this screen and give you my bootleg collection. There's so much to hear that never made it onto the albums. Atom Heart Mother without the orchestra, Fat Old Sun with the extended 7-minute instumental, post-Barrett Interstellar Overdrive, Grantchester Meadows segued into Green Is The Color without that awful tinwhistle that mars the official version on Works, and the list goes on and on and on.
In the end, the Floyd was a truly great band, I would argue one of the best ever, but The Wall really wasn't their best material.
posted by Afroblanco at 9:26 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
I mean, don't get me wrong, The Wall was instrumental in getting me into the Floyd, and I did listen the shit out of it back in high school. But seriously, it's some of their least impressive work. I'd say the only Waters-era album to be less-impressive then the Wall would be The Final Cut, which, let's face it, might as well be Waters's first solo album. And as far as I'm concerned, the Floyd stopped existing after The Final Cut.
True, the music (other then Gilmour's solos on Another Brick II and Comfortably Numb) are uninspired. And yes, the lyrics are whiny and pretentious. But it's more then that. The Wall is the essence of Baby Boomer baggage. The story of The Wall is very much a story for Roger Waters's generation. Dad died in World War II. Child grew up during post-war prosperity, and became a self-absorbed, self-destructive, self-pitying adult. His wife cheats on him, and we're supposed to feel sorry for him even though he's obviously a rockstar and no doubt has had many affairs of his own. He takes too many drugs and has too many fans and has had too much attention showered upon him, and he just can't take it anymore! This just isn't a narrative that I'm very impressed by. I think it was probably a lot fresher back in the late 70s, when characters like Pink were seen with a more sympathetic eye. I'd be more likely to think of him as kind of a dick.
Finally, I must concur with rainy - the Floyd's "unknown" albums are among their most timeless. Listen to Piper. Listen to Saucerful. Listen to the Ummagumma live album (the studio one, not so much). Listen to Meddle. Listen to Obscured By Clouds. Listen to Atom Heart. Listen to More. When you listen to these albums, you hear a band that really, really, really knew how to work together. I would argue that Dark Side is the last album where they really worked together as a band. After that, they made some truly awesome classic rock, but it just wasn't the same.
However, even better then their 67-73 albums were the shows that they played during that era. God, I wish there were some way I could just reach through this screen and give you my bootleg collection. There's so much to hear that never made it onto the albums. Atom Heart Mother without the orchestra, Fat Old Sun with the extended 7-minute instumental, post-Barrett Interstellar Overdrive, Grantchester Meadows segued into Green Is The Color without that awful tinwhistle that mars the official version on Works, and the list goes on and on and on.
In the end, the Floyd was a truly great band, I would argue one of the best ever, but The Wall really wasn't their best material.
posted by Afroblanco at 9:26 AM on July 11, 2007 [2 favorites]
Speaking of The Wall, they actually have the original one from the concert (or at least some replica) at the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame, along with the giant inflatable school teacher, the chair and TV Pink vegs out in front of, and some of those cross hammer banners.
Pretty awesome to check it out, among the other things there. I was in awe.
posted by champthom at 9:26 AM on July 11, 2007
Pretty awesome to check it out, among the other things there. I was in awe.
posted by champthom at 9:26 AM on July 11, 2007
Funny, I was just watching a video of Pink Floyd at Live 8 last night and listened to Wish You Were Here (by far the best album, although Obscured by Clouds is pretty interesting) and Animals this morning for the first time in years.
Now I just need to locate my copy of The Final Cut and burn my copy of A Momentary Lapse of Reason (it's not that bad as generic music, but as a Floyd album it blows big donkey balls)
IMO The Wall isn't too bad, in moderation. Some of the songs are really awesome, and it tells a great story, but some of the music is lacking. In concert with the film it's really nice, though. I wish I still had my copy (and a VHS deck to play it on!)
posted by wierdo at 9:29 AM on July 11, 2007
Now I just need to locate my copy of The Final Cut and burn my copy of A Momentary Lapse of Reason (it's not that bad as generic music, but as a Floyd album it blows big donkey balls)
IMO The Wall isn't too bad, in moderation. Some of the songs are really awesome, and it tells a great story, but some of the music is lacking. In concert with the film it's really nice, though. I wish I still had my copy (and a VHS deck to play it on!)
posted by wierdo at 9:29 AM on July 11, 2007
I forgot to mention that it's kind of funny how Gilmour has not aged as gracefully (appearance-wise) as Waters, Mason, and Wright. He's still awesome on the guitar, though. Unmatched, IMO.
posted by wierdo at 9:32 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by wierdo at 9:32 AM on July 11, 2007
Nope. No Gilmour at Live Earth. It was Waters and his band. A link.
posted by The Deej at 9:33 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by The Deej at 9:33 AM on July 11, 2007
I used to love The Wall. These days the closest thing to a Pink Floyd album that I still listen to regularly is Nick Mason's Fictitious Sports. Which is really a Carla Bley album.
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:40 AM on July 11, 2007
posted by Lentrohamsanin at 9:40 AM on July 11, 2007
I forgot to mention that it's kind of funny how Gilmour has not aged as gracefully (appearance-wise) as Waters, Mason, and Wright.
Yeah, but I would argue that Gilmour has probably aged the best, music-wise. Waters's voice, in particular, seems to have been a casualty of age. Hearing his voice crack on Wish You Were Here was painful. Painful, I say! Especially since hitting those sharp, high registers used to be his specialty.
Still, it was great seeing them together for Live 8. With the exception of the aforementioned Waters voice crack, they really did sound excellent - it was like nothing had changed.
I would love it if they got back together, but I know that would never happen. Even if it did, they wouldn't make any new material. Or shouldn't, anyway. Waters has completely lost his writing chops. And Gilmour never really had many to begin with, although he did have his moments (Narrow Way III and Fat Old Sun come to mind)
posted by Afroblanco at 9:42 AM on July 11, 2007
Yeah, but I would argue that Gilmour has probably aged the best, music-wise. Waters's voice, in particular, seems to have been a casualty of age. Hearing his voice crack on Wish You Were Here was painful. Painful, I say! Especially since hitting those sharp, high registers used to be his specialty.
Still, it was great seeing them together for Live 8. With the exception of the aforementioned Waters voice crack, they really did sound excellent - it was like nothing had changed.
I would love it if they got back together, but I know that would never happen. Even if it did, they wouldn't make any new material. Or shouldn't, anyway. Waters has completely lost his writing chops. And Gilmour never really had many to begin with, although he did have his moments (Narrow Way III and Fat Old Sun come to mind)
posted by Afroblanco at 9:42 AM on July 11, 2007
Waters's voice, in particular, seems to have been a casualty of age.
Waters' voice was never great to start with, either. The story is that his studio vocals took tons of work. On Shine On You Crazy Diamond, several sources have said that he had to record it line by line, take after take, to get it right.
Review of live Pink Floyd performaces while they were touring would often comment on Waters' weak vocals.
I was pleasantly surprised by The Wall Live CD. Waters did the majority of the lead vocals, and it actually sounds pretty good. I listen to that version of The Wall way more than the studio version.
posted by The Deej at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2007
Waters' voice was never great to start with, either. The story is that his studio vocals took tons of work. On Shine On You Crazy Diamond, several sources have said that he had to record it line by line, take after take, to get it right.
Review of live Pink Floyd performaces while they were touring would often comment on Waters' weak vocals.
I was pleasantly surprised by The Wall Live CD. Waters did the majority of the lead vocals, and it actually sounds pretty good. I listen to that version of The Wall way more than the studio version.
posted by The Deej at 9:52 AM on July 11, 2007
"Rap critics say 'he's money, cash, hoes',
I'm from the hood, stupid, what type of facts are those?"
-Jay-Z, "99 Problems"
Artists write what they know. They have something to communicate that other don't perhaps know about. Waters never knew his father, his mother was controlling yet distant, and he grew up in a world he felt valued conformity over happiness and substance. He felt alienated. The Wall is about that alienation, its sources, and the ramifications. Perhaps having strongly identified with that feeling of alienation is required to get the most from the album. Ymmv.
posted by SaintCynr at 9:55 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
I'm from the hood, stupid, what type of facts are those?"
-Jay-Z, "99 Problems"
Artists write what they know. They have something to communicate that other don't perhaps know about. Waters never knew his father, his mother was controlling yet distant, and he grew up in a world he felt valued conformity over happiness and substance. He felt alienated. The Wall is about that alienation, its sources, and the ramifications. Perhaps having strongly identified with that feeling of alienation is required to get the most from the album. Ymmv.
posted by SaintCynr at 9:55 AM on July 11, 2007 [1 favorite]
wierdo writes "IMO The Wall isn't too bad, in moderation. Some of the songs are really awesome, and it tells a great story, but some of the music is lacking."
It was too much Waters, not enough of the rest of the band, and Syd's influence is completely absent. It's a seminal work, but I can't really listen to it anymore, and the film is way too self-absorbed (much like the lyrics), although I loved it when I was younger, like in high school. Dark Side of the Moon and previous is the good stuff.
posted by krinklyfig at 9:56 AM on July 11, 2007
It was too much Waters, not enough of the rest of the band, and Syd's influence is completely absent. It's a seminal work, but I can't really listen to it anymore, and the film is way too self-absorbed (much like the lyrics), although I loved it when I was younger, like in high school. Dark Side of the Moon and previous is the good stuff.
posted by krinklyfig at 9:56 AM on July 11, 2007
Even as a teenager I thought that Roger Waters inflating his bad nights with groupies and being depressed in front of the teevee into Major Suffering was a bit much. The years haven't aged his self-pity and grandiosity very well. I mean, cripes — not 10 minutes into the movie there's the visual equation of fans charging at the concert with the troops ordered to hold the bridge at Anzio, very nice. The ability of theatricalities, Gerald Scarfe and some band to bail out this crap is pretty limited.
I've come to think that The Wall was the only bridge that uptight radio-rock teens had to punk and art. I mean, kids in Illinois in 1979 aren't going to mail away for Brian Eno or Captain Beefheart, are they?
posted by argybarg at 10:17 AM on July 11, 2007
I've come to think that The Wall was the only bridge that uptight radio-rock teens had to punk and art. I mean, kids in Illinois in 1979 aren't going to mail away for Brian Eno or Captain Beefheart, are they?
posted by argybarg at 10:17 AM on July 11, 2007
krinklyfig wrote: It was too much Waters, not enough of the rest of the band
I would agree, were it not for the really awesome guitar work by Gilmour. I feel essentially the same way about The Final Cut, although it is even more Waters than The Wall.
I've listened to most of Waters' solo stuff, and I don't like most of it. I feel the same way about Gilmour's solo stuff, for that matter. Neither is truly excellent without the other (although The Division Bell has its moments!)
Oddly, I find that much of the pre-DSoTM stuff is boring. It's almost too "acid trip," if you will. Some of it's really good (I love Astronomy Domine, and the albums A Saucerful of Secrets, and as I mentioned before I like Obscured By Clouds, although it's more poppy, almost reminiscent of the Beatles) Really though, it's not that The Wall (or The Final Cut) is worse than the previous stuff, it's just that it's different. Everybody in the band was coming from a completely different place after DSoTM, and especially after Wish You Were Here, which I reiterate is my favorite Pink Floyd album, bar none. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is crazy good.
What can I say..I'm weird! ;)
posted by wierdo at 10:38 AM on July 11, 2007
I would agree, were it not for the really awesome guitar work by Gilmour. I feel essentially the same way about The Final Cut, although it is even more Waters than The Wall.
I've listened to most of Waters' solo stuff, and I don't like most of it. I feel the same way about Gilmour's solo stuff, for that matter. Neither is truly excellent without the other (although The Division Bell has its moments!)
Oddly, I find that much of the pre-DSoTM stuff is boring. It's almost too "acid trip," if you will. Some of it's really good (I love Astronomy Domine, and the albums A Saucerful of Secrets, and as I mentioned before I like Obscured By Clouds, although it's more poppy, almost reminiscent of the Beatles) Really though, it's not that The Wall (or The Final Cut) is worse than the previous stuff, it's just that it's different. Everybody in the band was coming from a completely different place after DSoTM, and especially after Wish You Were Here, which I reiterate is my favorite Pink Floyd album, bar none. Shine On You Crazy Diamond is crazy good.
What can I say..I'm weird! ;)
posted by wierdo at 10:38 AM on July 11, 2007
fingers_of_fire:My vote goes for Animals as the most consistent Floyd album. All the others, despite moments of greatness, have moments the I feel compelled to skip. But Animals is interesting, tuneful, and well-written through and through, I think.
Yes.
Oh, and hey, thanks for the plug, micayetoca.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:39 AM on July 11, 2007
Yes.
Oh, and hey, thanks for the plug, micayetoca.
posted by Devils Rancher at 10:39 AM on July 11, 2007
This thread has made me realize that I really need to listen to more Pink Floyd. I wasn't familiar with them at all until this year, when my college theater company decided to do a run of The Wall in cooperation with a local band. We did it in an ivy-covered outdoor amphitheater, built a big scaffolding-like structure on the stage for people to dance on, spent $4000 on lights... it really was pretty impressive.
I wasn't blown away by the first rehearsal I saw, but every time I watched it I liked the music more. Maybe it was as much about being part of the spectacle as it was about the music, but by the end of the run I really loved The Wall, and I went out and bought it and Dark Side of the Moon (the only other Floyd album I'd really heard of). I neglected to look for any more, but now I think I will. If The Wall is really some of their worst work, I'm really looking forward to hearing their best.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:56 AM on July 11, 2007
I wasn't blown away by the first rehearsal I saw, but every time I watched it I liked the music more. Maybe it was as much about being part of the spectacle as it was about the music, but by the end of the run I really loved The Wall, and I went out and bought it and Dark Side of the Moon (the only other Floyd album I'd really heard of). I neglected to look for any more, but now I think I will. If The Wall is really some of their worst work, I'm really looking forward to hearing their best.
posted by showbiz_liz at 10:56 AM on July 11, 2007
But Animals is interesting, tuneful, and well-written through and through, I think
Bah. Animals only had 4 good songs on it. (I count Pigs on the Wing Parts 1 and 2 as one song.)
posted by Bonzai at 11:09 AM on July 11, 2007
Bah. Animals only had 4 good songs on it. (I count Pigs on the Wing Parts 1 and 2 as one song.)
posted by Bonzai at 11:09 AM on July 11, 2007
The rest of Umma is a bit bad though.
Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict is unstoppably awesome. It seems to me to be pretty influential on bands like Animal Collective. And the Jimi Hendrix shoutout has always intrigued me.
The live side of Ummagumma is pretty good, too. I think it's the last thing Pink Floyd released with Syd on it (other than his weird rant on Dark Side).
posted by solipsophistocracy at 12:23 PM on July 11, 2007
Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving With a Pict is unstoppably awesome. It seems to me to be pretty influential on bands like Animal Collective. And the Jimi Hendrix shoutout has always intrigued me.
The live side of Ummagumma is pretty good, too. I think it's the last thing Pink Floyd released with Syd on it (other than his weird rant on Dark Side).
posted by solipsophistocracy at 12:23 PM on July 11, 2007
Another boot worth tracking down in the pre-DSOTM BBC appearances, with John Peele announcing. There's a blues jam where Gilmour is just raining down sheets of fire.
posted by Ber at 12:25 PM on July 11, 2007
posted by Ber at 12:25 PM on July 11, 2007
Um, the reveries are nice and all, but did anyone else notice that this FPP is crap?
posted by bardic at 1:26 PM on July 11, 2007
posted by bardic at 1:26 PM on July 11, 2007
Meddle is the earliest album I find worth listening to from start to finish. The previous ones have their moments, but they're so heavily drenched in the pop psychedlia of the times that I lose interest very quickly.
As far as I'm concerned, Dark Side is nearly flawless, the rest are all very uneven, but each has plenty of powerful and original moments/elements that make them well worthwhile (even the Final Cut). As for post-Waters Floyd, I guess I consider those albums to be closer to Gilmore solo albums than anything else. Which is fine, if that's what you're in the mood for.
What I love about Pink Floyd is that they're about the only band I listened to in high school that I still find musically interesting -- their albums have aged startlingly well, IMO.
posted by treepour at 2:04 PM on July 11, 2007
As far as I'm concerned, Dark Side is nearly flawless, the rest are all very uneven, but each has plenty of powerful and original moments/elements that make them well worthwhile (even the Final Cut). As for post-Waters Floyd, I guess I consider those albums to be closer to Gilmore solo albums than anything else. Which is fine, if that's what you're in the mood for.
What I love about Pink Floyd is that they're about the only band I listened to in high school that I still find musically interesting -- their albums have aged startlingly well, IMO.
posted by treepour at 2:04 PM on July 11, 2007
I've listened to most of Waters' solo stuff, and I don't like most of it. I feel the same way about Gilmour's solo stuff, for that matter. Neither is truly excellent without the other (although The Division Bell has its moments!)
Agreed, Waters' solo stuff... not so good. I do have the In The Flesh DVD, which I like overall. It does bother me, though, that the guitarist (forget his name right now) took Gilmour's elegantly crafted guitar composition for Shine on You Crazy Diamond, and turned it into a "guitar solo."
I think the Gilmour-led PF performances run circles around any Waters performance. I also agree that Gilmour's solo stuff is not so great. However, his solo stuff really comes to life when played live. The snippets I have seen of the upcoming Gilmour DVD, featuring his On an Island stuff sounds fantastic. And Pulse knocks my socks off every time I watch it.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is actually pretty good, but you can tell it was created by a couple guys who were afraid of a lawsuit. Rick Wright was only marginally involved, for legal reasons. The Division Bell on the other hand is awesome. The Rick Wright influence is back, and the melodies are wonderful. True, it's no DSOTM, but what is?
Gilmour was always the one to make Waters' lyrics and musical ideas actually listenable. Take away Gilmour's influence on The Wall, and you've got... what... The Final Cut!
posted by The Deej at 3:12 PM on July 11, 2007
Agreed, Waters' solo stuff... not so good. I do have the In The Flesh DVD, which I like overall. It does bother me, though, that the guitarist (forget his name right now) took Gilmour's elegantly crafted guitar composition for Shine on You Crazy Diamond, and turned it into a "guitar solo."
I think the Gilmour-led PF performances run circles around any Waters performance. I also agree that Gilmour's solo stuff is not so great. However, his solo stuff really comes to life when played live. The snippets I have seen of the upcoming Gilmour DVD, featuring his On an Island stuff sounds fantastic. And Pulse knocks my socks off every time I watch it.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is actually pretty good, but you can tell it was created by a couple guys who were afraid of a lawsuit. Rick Wright was only marginally involved, for legal reasons. The Division Bell on the other hand is awesome. The Rick Wright influence is back, and the melodies are wonderful. True, it's no DSOTM, but what is?
Gilmour was always the one to make Waters' lyrics and musical ideas actually listenable. Take away Gilmour's influence on The Wall, and you've got... what... The Final Cut!
posted by The Deej at 3:12 PM on July 11, 2007
bardic - Um, the reveries are nice and all, but did anyone else notice that this FPP is crap?
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
posted by Poolio at 3:14 PM on July 11, 2007
Yeah, well, that's just, like, your opinion, man.
posted by Poolio at 3:14 PM on July 11, 2007
Roger Waters "Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" is probably my favorite of the Pink Floyd solo albums.
It's like Floyd except with Eric Clapton on guitar instead of Gilmour, and David Sanborn on sax.
posted by First Post at 3:38 PM on July 11, 2007
It's like Floyd except with Eric Clapton on guitar instead of Gilmour, and David Sanborn on sax.
posted by First Post at 3:38 PM on July 11, 2007
Um, the reveries are nice and all, but did anyone else notice that this FPP is crap?
Well. It's not Scottish.
posted by The Deej at 3:49 PM on July 11, 2007
Well. It's not Scottish.
posted by The Deej at 3:49 PM on July 11, 2007
Odd, I also thought The Wall was a bit too, I guess Waters for my taste. Perhaps it is the classic rock airplay that makes me think of me-me-me-me baby boomers. Ummagumma is awesome until the screaming ruins the acid trip.
Afroblanco, what bootleg recordings would you recommend? I am sure I can find them to download someplace.
posted by geoff. at 5:17 PM on July 11, 2007
Afroblanco, what bootleg recordings would you recommend? I am sure I can find them to download someplace.
posted by geoff. at 5:17 PM on July 11, 2007
I swapped my copy of The Final Cut for a bag of weed once. Bad move. I bought it back a week later. True story.
posted by Jimbob at 5:39 PM on July 11, 2007
posted by Jimbob at 5:39 PM on July 11, 2007
Dude, you got "The Final Cut" and "a bag of weed" backward in that first sentence. HTH.
posted by cortex at 5:48 PM on July 11, 2007
posted by cortex at 5:48 PM on July 11, 2007
Fifteen excellent Pink Floyd bootlegs:
09/13/67 (with Syd Barrett)
11/13/67 (with Syd Barrett)
09/17/69 (The Man and the Journey, AKA Amsterdam 69)
10/25/69 (with Frank Zappa) (AKA Let's Be Frank)
02/11/70 (Project Birmingham, AKA Violence in Birmingham)
04/29/70 (Interstellar Encore)
09/26/70 (Electric Factory)
11/21/70 (Smokin' Blues)
11/20/71 (From a Time So Strange)
03/12/72 (The Great Gig on the Moon)
11/15/72 (Echoes of the Past)
05/09/77 (Firemans' Oakland Master, AKA Oakland 77, AKA Plays the Animals)
07/06/77 (Azimuth Coordinator II)
A Tree Full of Secrets (compilation of early singles, rarities, and unreleased material)
Have You Got It Yet (Syd Barrett rarities compilation)
These are my personal favorites, picked from a collection of 175 or so. I will warn you - I have been occasionally known to enjoy shows that were marked as "for hardcores only" if the performances were strong enough. Drop me a line if you would like to talk Floyd some time.
Finally, I should mention that I am the rare weirdo who mostly likes the Ummagumma studio disc. I even like Rick Wright's piece. The thing that kinda kills it for me is Nick Mason's set - one of this songs has this awful stereo-panning effect that hurts my ears just to think about. They probably thought it was 'arty' at the time. Anyway, I would still rate Umma as one of their best albums.
posted by Afroblanco at 5:49 PM on July 11, 2007 [5 favorites]
09/13/67 (with Syd Barrett)
11/13/67 (with Syd Barrett)
09/17/69 (The Man and the Journey, AKA Amsterdam 69)
10/25/69 (with Frank Zappa) (AKA Let's Be Frank)
02/11/70 (Project Birmingham, AKA Violence in Birmingham)
04/29/70 (Interstellar Encore)
09/26/70 (Electric Factory)
11/21/70 (Smokin' Blues)
11/20/71 (From a Time So Strange)
03/12/72 (The Great Gig on the Moon)
11/15/72 (Echoes of the Past)
05/09/77 (Firemans' Oakland Master, AKA Oakland 77, AKA Plays the Animals)
07/06/77 (Azimuth Coordinator II)
A Tree Full of Secrets (compilation of early singles, rarities, and unreleased material)
Have You Got It Yet (Syd Barrett rarities compilation)
These are my personal favorites, picked from a collection of 175 or so. I will warn you - I have been occasionally known to enjoy shows that were marked as "for hardcores only" if the performances were strong enough. Drop me a line if you would like to talk Floyd some time.
Finally, I should mention that I am the rare weirdo who mostly likes the Ummagumma studio disc. I even like Rick Wright's piece. The thing that kinda kills it for me is Nick Mason's set - one of this songs has this awful stereo-panning effect that hurts my ears just to think about. They probably thought it was 'arty' at the time. Anyway, I would still rate Umma as one of their best albums.
posted by Afroblanco at 5:49 PM on July 11, 2007 [5 favorites]
I would just like to go on record as saying that The Wall is not my favorite Floyd album... I'd be hard pressed to say what is... I celebrate their entire catalog.
posted by Poolio at 6:00 PM on July 11, 2007
posted by Poolio at 6:00 PM on July 11, 2007
Echoes - all the way...
Isnt the true Floyd fan more of a Gilmour fan than a Waters fan???
posted by Nickolas at 3:05 AM on July 16, 2007
Isnt the true Floyd fan more of a Gilmour fan than a Waters fan???
posted by Nickolas at 3:05 AM on July 16, 2007
Well, I'm a big Muddy Waters fan, myself, and -
oops. Wrong thread.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:57 AM on July 16, 2007
oops. Wrong thread.
posted by flapjax at midnite at 3:57 AM on July 16, 2007
A thousand Syd fans would shout you down, Nickolas.
I've never liked Roger's solo decisions, but Floyd isn't just Gilmour either. The two of them pulled of a marvelous tug of war for eight or ten years. I think the true fan litmus—at least between those two—will always be The Final Cut; us Gilmour nuts can't stand how absent he is, the Waters fiends love that it's finally, finally a real Roger record with the band.
Dave is sadly just kind of boring and mild writing on his own. He remains on of my guitar idols and I love his voice besides, but he doesn't have that nasty brilliant writer's touch that Roger has. Whereas Roger is short on the not-making-shitty-terrible-messes instinct for everything he does on his own. Live in Berlin was proof enough that where Dave had aesthetic instincts, he had a bag full of diseased stray cats or something.
posted by cortex at 6:31 AM on July 16, 2007
I've never liked Roger's solo decisions, but Floyd isn't just Gilmour either. The two of them pulled of a marvelous tug of war for eight or ten years. I think the true fan litmus—at least between those two—will always be The Final Cut; us Gilmour nuts can't stand how absent he is, the Waters fiends love that it's finally, finally a real Roger record with the band.
Dave is sadly just kind of boring and mild writing on his own. He remains on of my guitar idols and I love his voice besides, but he doesn't have that nasty brilliant writer's touch that Roger has. Whereas Roger is short on the not-making-shitty-terrible-messes instinct for everything he does on his own. Live in Berlin was proof enough that where Dave had aesthetic instincts, he had a bag full of diseased stray cats or something.
posted by cortex at 6:31 AM on July 16, 2007
Dave is sadly just kind of boring and mild writing on his own.
True. But interestingly, Dave's stuff is better when he does it live than in the studio. (Compare Sorrow on Momentary Lapse of Reason with the live version on Pulse.) Whereas Roger tends to sound better in the studio.
posted by The Deej at 3:44 PM on July 16, 2007
True. But interestingly, Dave's stuff is better when he does it live than in the studio. (Compare Sorrow on Momentary Lapse of Reason with the live version on Pulse.) Whereas Roger tends to sound better in the studio.
posted by The Deej at 3:44 PM on July 16, 2007
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posted by Poolio at 1:54 AM on July 11, 2007