pink floyd

[Wild Frank]

http://www.pastemagazine.com/articles/2011/05/pink-floyd-to-launch-gargantuan-reissue-campaign.html

 

Looks like a massive Floyd re-issue campaign is on the horizon. All 14 albums to be re-released. Dark Side and two more will be released as 'immersion' editions. I have no idea what that will comprise but I'm sure it will be pretty comprehensive and expensive. I do need to re-new (and re-visit) my Floyd collection. Shine On.

[Wild Frank]

http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/latest/get-immersed-in-pink-floyds-back-catalogue-with-outtakes-rarities-and.html

 

It all become's a bit clearer here. New 'Best of'. Dark Side, Wish You Were Here and Wall released in three versions: Discovery (for new listeners), Experience (for those with more than a passing interest) and the Immersion (for Floyd-Heads). The Wall immersion edition will be Seven Discs. All very impressive.

 

And...vinyl also in the pipeline.

 

Hard Core Floyd fans (of which there are many) are all going to be a bit poorer (financially) over the next twelve months.

[Analogman]

I figure I'll get the Dark Side of The Moon two disc version. The CD I have from 199? whatever does not sound so great. I am not really interested in the rest of their albums.

 

THE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON Experience edition - September 26th, 2011

Disc two features the November 1974 Wembley concert recording by the BBC of The Dark Side of the Moon.

 

I figured Capitol would be trotting out the PK catalog again at some point. Plus - they have to get the vinyl out there to cash in on the vinyl craze.

[Moss]

I already have the original vinyl of most of these so think i will save that money at least. But those immersion editions are calling to me.

[nodep5]

Having the entire catalogue on vinyl (minus momentary lapse and divison bell) I think I have no interest in this. The Floyd were my first musical love and I just went back a month ago a spinned some early stuff. I sometimes resent (maybe that is too strong) how they are marketed or percieved or whatever. I hate to think of the floyd as the marching hammers, or The Wall artwork, or the later years light show band. I prefer to think of the floyd as the early seventies Ummagumma or Meddle era floyd. Just go look at those pictures of these English hippie looking dudes. Now that is far out. Man I love some 1969-1975 floyd

[Wild Frank]

Having the entire catalogue on vinyl (minus momentary lapse and divison bell) I think I have no interest in this. The Floyd were my first musical love and I just went back a month ago a spinned some early stuff. I sometimes resent (maybe that is too strong) how they are marketed or percieved or whatever. I hate to think of the floyd as the marching hammers, or The Wall artwork, or the later years light show band. I prefer to think of the floyd as the early seventies Ummagumma or Meddle era floyd. Just go look at those pictures of these English hippie looking dudes. Now that is far out. Man I love some 1969-1975 floyd

I'm with you on this although Animals falls into the period I love. The later two albums are far removed from the Floyd I knew.

[mjpuczko]

Having the entire catalogue on vinyl (minus momentary lapse and divison bell) I think I have no interest in this. The Floyd were my first musical love and I just went back a month ago a spinned some early stuff. I sometimes resent (maybe that is too strong) how they are marketed or percieved or whatever. I hate to think of the floyd as the marching hammers, or The Wall artwork, or the later years light show band. I prefer to think of the floyd as the early seventies Ummagumma or Meddle era floyd. Just go look at those pictures of these English hippie looking dudes. Now that is far out. Man I love some 1969-1975 floyd

 

same for me. i love that era (include animals as well)

[Vacant Horizon]

same for me. i love that era (include animals as well)

 

animals and wish you were here are two of my all time favorite albums. shine on and dogs are so awesome!! i don't need remastered/compressed versions though. i'm fine with my initial reissues from the late 80s.

 

i also like final cut.

[nodep5]

Don't get me wrong, I wore out my cassette copy of the Wall and I love Animals and really think The Final Cut is underappreciated, I'm speaking more to the image of it all. I know this should be irrelevant, but when I listen to the Wall, I get this feeling that some basement dwelling, Ozzy Ozborne loving, world wrestling watching dude is digging on the same thing. I'm not into to darker stuff generally and this whole Wall scene kind of leaves me in an uncomfortable camp. I just prefer the less affected period. Now that I have offended a certain subset of our population. Does this make sense?

[theashtraysays]

Don't get me wrong, I wore out my cassette 8-track copy of the Wall

My edit. True fact.

 

Now that I have offended a certain subset of our population.

Yes you have. But most of us are too old to do too much about it.

 

Does this make sense?

Sorta. Frankly I don't get all this "old floyd" purist snobbery stuff. The early stuff is great, but I grew up in the 70's and DSOTM and Animals and The Wall are the ones that hit me in the gut at the formative years of music listening. As for The Wall, I don't consider it dark or creepy, but maybe that's just because I've been listening to it for literally 30-some years.

 

As for the actual topic, I don't usually do re-issues, but I can definitely see myself doing some of these in an immersion kind of way...

[tinnitus photography]

where are the immersion editions for _Meddle_ or _Obscured By Clouds_?

[Analogman]

Interview with Nick Mason about the re-issues:

 

Pink Floyd Announce Massive Reissue Project

 

Pink Floyd fans should be prepared for an exciting few months: The band announced yesterday that they are launching "Why Pink Floyd…?", a massive reissue campaign meant to deepen and expand the band's extraordinary musical legacy. "Some of the very early demo stuff from '66 is extraordinary – things we recorded in Broadhurst Gardens mainly so we could enter the Melody Maker beat competition," Floyd drummer Nick Mason told Rolling Stone. "It's extraordinary primarily because of Syd [barrett], hearing him so crystal clear, the way he was playing, and bringing back memories of that first year, when I first met him."

 

In going through material for the additional CDs and DVDs, he said he found himself drawn to the tracks that emerged "from the very back of the cupboard," material that includes Barrett, the band's original singer, guitarist and songwriter.

 

On September 26th, a remastered Dark Side of the Moon will be released both as a six-disc "Immersion" box set, as well as a two-disc "Experience" set and a vinyl LP. Fourteen remastered Pink Floyd albums will also be released at that time, both separately and as a box set. Then, on November 7th, Wish You Were Here will be released in five-disc and two-disc versions, along with the single-disc collection, A Foot in the Door: The Best of Pink Floyd. And on February 27th, The Wall will appear in a seven-disc "Immersion" version and a three-disc "Experience" set.

 

The set includes a "Wish You Were Here" demo with Stephane Grappelli wailing on violin, which Mason greeted with wonder upon hearing it. "That is just fantastic," he said. "I had assumed it was lost. The incredible thing is that [classical violinist] Yehudi Menuhin was there as well, but he never went in to play, because he felt that he couldn't improvise."

 

Since the Sixties, of course, Pink Floyd has become an essential rite of passage for generations of music fans, a phenomenon that Mason credits, in part, to bassist Roger Waters, who emerged as the band's main songwriter in 1968, after Barrett's emotional troubles made it impossible for him to continue in the group. "I hate to say this, because Roger is insufferable already," Mason said, sighing, "but his writing is extraordinary. The lyrics to Dark Side were written by a 20-something-year-old guy, but they're relevant to a 50- or 60-year-old guy. 'Time' or any of those songs have lasted extremely well. And the music has an abstraction to it that allows people to put their own visions on it. The songs leave a lot of scope for people to use their imaginations, paint their own pictures and make it a soundtrack to their thoughts and their lives. And you're most susceptible to that when you're a teenager."

 

Syd Barrett died in 2006, and keyboardist Rick Wright passed away in 2008, leaving Mason (who is now 67), Waters and guitarist David Gilmour as Pink Floyd's only surviving members. Gilmour and Waters, in particular, have fought bitterly over the years, preventing, with the notable exception of a Live 8 appearance in 2005, any reunion that includes both men. Did everyone agree on the "Why Pink Floyd" project?

 

"To put it bluntly, Roger would prefer that we pretend that nothing ever happened with Pink Floyd after he left, so we always have that one to go through," Mason said with a laugh. "But after that, once we know what we're trying to do, we do a lot of work to be sure that we have the right mix, and it tends to be quite well done. We can be quite grown up at times!"

 

So, any chance of any Pink Floyd performances in the future involving all three surviving members? "There are absolutely no plans," he said immediately. "But Live 8 was fantastic. We did something for other people, but we also proved that we could all work together again. I'm really pleased that my children saw that. I would have thought that could be regenerated at some time. So I live in hope – but that's no reason to put it out on Twitter that 'Nick Says Band to Re-form!'"

 

Finally, and perhaps inevitably, why "Why Pink Floyd"? "I really think that this could be the last chance for really nice packaging – boxes, books, the whole thing," Mason said. "We've tried to give everyone all the various alternatives. There is Dark Side as it was recorded on vinyl, but there is also the ultimate, high-end stereo version. And there's also live performances. So now, even if we all just download from here on out, they will at least be there as a document of how it used to work. And I do think there will be people who will still be interested and who will want that."

[Analogman]

Don't get me wrong, I wore out my cassette copy of the Wall and I love Animals and really think The Final Cut is underappreciated, I'm speaking more to the image of it all. I know this should be irrelevant, but when I listen to the Wall, I get this feeling that some basement dwelling, Ozzy Ozborne loving, world wrestling watching dude is digging on the same thing. I'm not into to darker stuff generally and this whole Wall scene kind of leaves me in an uncomfortable camp. I just prefer the less affected period. Now that I have offended a certain subset of our population. Does this make sense?

 

I've never been into wrestling, or had a basement to hang out in, but those first two Ozzy albums are great. They are actually being re-released with the original bass/drum tracks.

 

I'd say Pink Floyd was pretty much a darker side of things band - once they quit being a silly singles band, and moved onto being an album band. But - good art ain't always easy. I have no desire to hear The Wall again, but it is extraordinary brilliant album.

 

I'm far from a Pink Floyd worshiper actually - but Dark Side of The Moon is one of best albums ever made. No doubt. And Live at Pompeii - you can't beat that film.

[anthony]

Man I love some 1969-1975 floyd

Totally agree. But like the others, I will include, Animals. My two favorite records are Meddle and Animals.

Does this make sense?

Completely 100%. Perfect illustration of my feelings, as well.

where are the immersion editions for _Meddle_ or _Obscured By Clouds_?

Absolutely. I am totally not interested in all this repackaging/etc. sutff (strikes me as more capitalization on baby boomer nostalgia more than anything fresh). However, I would be tempted by an 'immersion' of Meddle or Animals (if the price was not too ridiculous - I have my doubts...)

Frankly I don't get all this "old floyd" purist snobbery stuff.

Actually, I do not like the Syd era. A little to space-y for my tastes.

 

I saw the Division Bell Tour at the Rose Bowl. While an impressive spectacle, it seemed way to 'bloated dinosaur' and kinda put me off. Live music is much better served in smaller venues.

[Moss]

where are the immersion editions for _Meddle_ or _Obscured By Clouds_?

 

This.

[froggie]

where are the immersion editions for _Meddle_ or _Obscured By Clouds_?

 

Clouds is probably my favourite Floyd album. i'd love to see an extended version of that one

[mjpuczko]

Clouds is awesome. It's in my top 5.

[Analogman]

Nick Mason's book is pretty cool.

 

Pink Floyd Drummer on the Band's Unearthed Recordings, Endurance

 

Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason spoke to an invited crowd at Capitol Records' recording studios in Hollywood, after selections from the upcoming Pink Floyd reissues were played over an impressive sound system.

 

EMI is going whole hog with the the Pink Floyd catalog beginning Sept. 26, with the re-release of the band's 14 studio albums and a six-disc "Dark Side Of The Moon" box set . CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs and expanded editions are part of the reissue program that will include, on Nov. 7, a five-disc "Wish You Were Here" set.

 

 

A few of Mason's observations:

 

On Pink Floyd's enduring appeal.

 

"Romanticism and abstraction. People can use their imagination when they listen."

 

Getting along with Roger Waters and David Gilmour.

 

"We found a good way to work together. James Guthrie, our engineer since '79, was the focal point and everything went through him. We're quite good at working out what we want to argue about. We isolate the areas we want to work out and whittle it down to three or four songs to argue about. It's a civilized process."

 

Meeting the Beatles.

 

"They were in Studio two and we were in studio one recording 'Piper's. Met them while they were recording 'Lovely Rita' and sat at he back of the studio and wondered how do they do it? How do they sound so good?"

 

The discovery of a recording of "Wish You Were Here" with jazz violinist, Stephane Grappelli.

 

"One of the triumphs of this enterprise (was finding) tapes I thought had been recorded over. It's a tribute to Abbey Road (studios) how good the quality is. This was from one of those Abbey Road moments when (jazz violinist) Stephane Grappelli was working with (classical violinist) Yehudi Menuhin. Yehudi was to nervous to improvise but it was Stephane's bread and butter."

 

Highs and low of Roger Waters' early songwriting.

 

" 'Set Controls for the Heart of the Sun' (from 1968's 'Saucerful of Secrets') is one of my favorites. That's the real blossoming of Roger Waters' songwriting. 'Doctor, Doctor' ('Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk') is one of his less great works. His lyrics are extraordinarily grown up."

 

On the loss of founder Syd Barrett.

 

"We found a half-dozen demos from 1965, early '66 and it's amazing to think we survived without him. We changed enormously after Syd left. He was very involved in the (expansive) film score (style songs). There is a that spirit from Syd that still wanders through all our work."

[Wild Frank]

Nick Mason's book is pretty cool.

 

Pink Floyd Drummer on the Band's Unearthed Recordings, Endurance

I've always meant to pick up Nick's book but my interests had move to other bands at that time. My Floyd interest has been re-ignited somewhat this week (not enough to fork out for an 'immersion' edition of anything!!). I don't think there's any mention of the vinyl editions but I'll pick up those and probably 'find' the bonus material elsewhere. Been listening to Animals a lot over the past couple of days. That is such a great record which gets overshadowed by the two the proceeded it and the one that followed.

[Analogman]

I should have posted the title -

 

Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd

[Mr. Heartbreak]

"We found a half-dozen demos from 1965, early '66..."

This, to me, is the most exciting part. I seriously hope they release all the previously unreleased Syd material sooner rather than later.

[bigideas]

I listened to Wish the other day for the first time in a while. From a songwriting standpoint, it is really interesting that you could look at that album as a template on when you have an EP's worth of material (in this case 4 songs) and how to make it translate into an LP well. It looks like they kinda did that with Animals, too, though I've never heard it.

 

I have had DS, WYWH, and The Wall for years. I have yet to fully get into The Wall, but I like the other two.

 

What is your opinion on Animals?

 

The other 3 you will hear songs on classic rock radio every day probably, but Animals didn't have a single to my knowledge so I don't have the slightest idea what it sounds like. I've wanted it for years, but have kept putting it off for some reason.

 

I had no idea about the remastering until today when looking to see if I could find a cheap copy of Animals used. I'm sure all CD's I have are pre-2000 so I have no opinion on various releases and how they sound.

[Moss]

Animals is easily my favorite Pink Floyd and one I never get tired of hearing. One of those albums I feel like I know every lyric and nuance. I wore that thing out. Just amazing lyrically and musically. Some of Gilmours best guitar work.

[Wild Frank]

Animals is easily my favorite Pink Floyd and one I never get tired of hearing. One of those albums I feel like I know every lyric and nuance. I wore that thing out. Just amazing lyrically and musically. Some of Gilmours best guitar work.

I'll second think. I'm a big Floyd fan and I would rate Animals as their best work. It contains the best elements of Floyd, as Moss states, the best of Gilmours guitar work and the best of Waters lyrics. 'Dogs' is a simply amazing tune.

[dtram]

This is pretty well known but WYWH was originally going to be Shine on on 1 side and Raving and Drooling (Sheep) and Gotta Be Crazy (Dogs) on the other. The concerts following dark side in 74-75 had a 1st set of those 3 songs, usually r and d, gotta be crazy and shine on, second set of dark side and an encore of echoes. Pretty cool that a band could do a first set of all unknown material. Anyway, when they got to recording wywh the disconnected nature of the sessions gave Roger the idea split shine on in half and to write the three songs that they put in the middle to reflect the state the band was in and save the other 2 for the next record. Gilmour at first objected to the idea but Roger got his way and we ended up with wywh, the go to record in the Floyd cannon as far as I'm concerned. I don't really agree with your assertion that it is an ep's worth of material stretched, shine on is a pretty well crafted song, just because it is long and there are long parts with no vox, it dosent mean they were just noodling, the instrumental passages are very well written and arranged. The other 3 are pretty concise.

 

When it got time to do the next record, Roger came up with the whole animals concept, changed some of the lyrics to the already written songs and wrote pigs and pigs on the wing finish it of. I like Animals but IMO it is the least of the big 4 Floyd records. Don't really care much for pigs and Rick doesn't have a real prominent role on the whole thing. If anyone saw the waters dark side tour in 06-07, the first set closer of sheep was off the hook.

 

For a great document of the tour as i described above, check out the ivory wynne recording from '75, i forget the date. I'm pretty sure it's an Aud recording and might be the best aud i ever heard. At that point, they had only had have a cigar written and played it in the middle of shine on, with Dave and Roger screaming the vox, awesome.