lindsmuse
It seems that each and every music lover of every generation hold Pink Floyd close to their heart.
When the radio used to be the internet and music connected us, I heard this and I'm almost sure it was only ONCE - blurry, crackly etc on our old radio - and I then went on a quest - I had to have it - a song on a seven single - See Emily Play ( it really appealed to my 11 year old brain!) I never found it alas. Then about a month ago I tracked it down on Youtube. Never was I to know how brilliant these guys were to become ...
?
Explorerlover
They were really before their time. The Wall and Wish you were Here albums still sound a fresh as they did back in the day.
Riaan
Yep, they were well ahead of their time. For me, one of the greatest bands ever. I grew up listening to PF, it took me through all the growing up pains and I still find comfort listening to them. Not to mention that their music inspired me to play the guitar.
AlanRatcliffe
The two Norman Smith produced singles, See Emily Play and Arnold Layne were quite different from most of the other stuff the Barret led version of the band were doing at the time. Smith was brought in to make them more radio friendly (read: sound more like the Beatles) as the Floyd were better known for 30 minute versions of Louie Louie and tracks of their own like Interstellar Overdrive. Barrett saw the single of See Emily Play as "selling out" - he wanted to do more what sometimes gigmates Utterly Incredible Too Long Ago to Remember Sometimes Shouting at People (IIRC ?) were doing and refuse to record any music at all and just play live (which might have something to do with the fact that no-one remembers UITLATRSSAP).
IIRC, both first appeared on the Compilation album Relics and a few compilations since then.
Squonk
I actually first heard David Bowies version of "See Emily Play" on the Pinups album circa 1973, It was his tribute to the 60's bands that he enjoyed.
His reference was "Syd's Pink Floyd". IMO it was a good version.
I eventually got to hear the Floyd version when I got "Relics", It wasn't easy to get that Album in the 70's, not even at the old Hillbrow record Library.
Brilliant Stuff
Bob-Dubery
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
The two Norman Smith produced singles, See Emily Play and Arnold Layne were quite different from most of the other stuff the Barret led version of the band were doing at the time. Smith was brought in to make them more radio friendly (read: sound more like the Beatles) as the Floyd were better known for 30 minute versions of Louie Louie and tracks of their own like Interstellar Overdrive. Barrett saw the single of See Emily Play as "selling out" - he wanted to do more what sometimes gigmates Utterly Incredible Too Long Ago to Remember Sometimes Shouting at People (IIRC ?) were doing and refuse to record any music at all and just play live (which might have something to do with the fact that no-one remembers UITLATRSSAP).
IIRC, both first appeared on the Compilation album Works and a few compilations since then.
Time for me to point out that "Arnold Layne" was actually produced by Joe Boyd and was recorded before the band had signed with EMI.
According to Boyd, in his book
White Bicycles EMI was not necessarily the option most favoured by all members of the band, but they offered a big advance which was needed to pay for a new van.
Originally the management and the band had been keen for Boyd to produce the first album, and to have it recorded at Sound Techniques (Boyd's first choce studio) with John Wood engineering. EMI insisted on Smith, then on their staff, producing but a decision was taken to record the next single at Sound Techniques with Wood at the controls because Smith and the band couldn't get the right sound at Abbey Road.
singemonkey
Having seen that video before I can express my opinion that it's perhaps the worst music video ever made. Ever.
Well, if they pushed Syd away from the space jams - which I think would ultimately have moved the whole band rapidly towards forgotten-ville - towards psychedelic pop songs, they did everyone a big favour. Syds solo stuff was very influenced by his early (still basically sane) attempts at writing pop songs. I think that Gilmour famously said that if Syd hadn't gone barking mad, he would have given Ray Davies a run for his money. And those early post-Syd tunes really show how he influenced Roger waters. Songs like Julia Dream, Set Your Controls, and such.
Syd really hit his stride where both his experience at writing pop songs, and his inability to distinguish zany/experimental from pop, came together just before he was no longer able to play with the band. From Jug Band Blues on. And there's that song (hard to get hold of) called Scream Thy Last Scream, which is wonderfully catchy and thrillingly disturbing at the same time.
After that his real classics like Baby Lemonade, Wolf Pack, Octopus, Wined and Dined. Damn he was so good in a lethargic, Mandraxy way. And part of his special charm for fans is how vulnerable he always sounded.
Squonk
IMO Barrett was a little genius.
I know he was melting away but what brilliant songs.
'Barrett" and "The Madcap laughs" very good albums
...This is a story 'bout a girl that I knew
she didn't like my songs
and that made me feel blue
she said: "a big band is far better than you"...
"Bike" is still one of my favourite songs, just for it's complete zaniness ?
Riaan-Combrink
PF's also my favourite band of all time. All versions of it, including all solos, collaborations and spin-offs (which I suppose is somewhat weird) - period. The best. Ever.
Emily trivia: See Emily Play was originally to be titled 'Games for May', and is reported to have been inspired by a Barret groupie, Emily Young (contrary to the often-told story that he woke up next to an unknown Emily in the woods after a gig the previous night).
Tokai-SA
Without doubt my favourite band of all time...and Gilmour definitely my favourite guitarist ever.
I can watch the "Pulse" DVD everyday, from beginning to end...it has to be the best live concert ever, IMO.
DaFiz
Thanx for that... 35 years after my introduction to this band and I've still not tired of their music. ?
chris77
I know only a few songs and dont own a cd - when I see one in a music store they're always 250 bucks +! So I dont know them well, hence the question. I read an article with a few interviews with the members in a mag a few months ago and Roger Waters came through as a bit of an a-hole imo. Really arrogant and domineering. So do you think they could have been even more creative and thus even better if R.W wasnt such an egoistical control freak, or were they great Because of his control over everything? Thoughts on this anyone?
Renesongs
As much as I love PF I always believed Water to be an arrogant A hole. He wrote some good lyrics though but IMO Gilmour And Wright were the real music writers. As for Syd, the man was a genius I think it was old grumble belly, Gilmour's nick name for Waters, that drove him over the edge. 8)
Renesongs
I just watched the you tube clip I'm a bit confused as to who's who I recognize Nick Mason air drumming and Waters on Bass, Syd Barrett conducting and ... David Gilmour on Guitar (before his time with PF) and where is Richard Wright?
DaFiz
I LUV David Gilmour's guitaring :?
AlanRatcliffe
chris77 wrote:
So do you think they could have been even more creative and thus even better if R.W wasnt such an egoistical control freak, or were they great Because of his control over everything?
The Wall wouldn't have been what it is without Waters' creative control. The band-written stuff like
Wish You were here and
Animals tended to have less focus and be more jammy. Both good though, just different. Floyd isn't the same without Waters (they tend to sound like Gilmour solo albums), and Waters isn't the same without Floyd.
Renesongs wrote:
I just watched the you tube clip I'm a bit confused as to who's who I recognize Nick Mason air drumming and Waters on Bass, Syd Barrett conducting and ... David Gilmour on Guitar (before his time with PF) and where is Richard Wright?
Mason with Drumsticks, Waters with Bass, Barrett with Telecaster and Wright with nothing.
I'd say Barrett's problems had more to do with copious recreational substances than with Waters.
Riaan-Combrink
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Floyd isn't the same without Waters (they tend to sound like Gilmour solo albums), and Waters isn't the same without Floyd.
My sentiments exactly ...
Renesongs
Mason with Drumsticks, Waters with Bass, Barrett with Telecaster and Wright with nothing.
I think you may be right about Wright but the pretty boy on guitar doesn't look like Barrett IMhO it's Gilmour
AlanRatcliffe
Yes definitely not Barrett. But then he never wanted Emily released and hated videos. I think it was about this time he started getting unmanageable too. I'd presume it's Dave standing in then, doesn't look much like him though.
singemonkey
Alan Ratcliffe wrote:
Yes definitely not Barrett. But then he never wanted Emily released and hated videos. I think it was about this time he started getting unmanageable too. I'd presume it's Dave standing in then, doesn't look much like him though.
When I was really huge into Barrett, I noticed that you can actually see the change in pictures. There's the normal guy - then there's the death-owl stare. Once he started looking like that in pictures, he never seemed to look normal again. "Now there's a look in your eye/like black holes in the sky."
From everything I've heard, schizophrenia can hit quite suddenly. My friend said his brother was standing in the pool one day (about the same age as Syd) and suddenly realised he was God. Heartbreaking whackiness ensued.
