Tribute to Pink Floyd

Riaan

All you Floyd fans: Mel Botes is doing his Tribute to Pink Floyd show (called Crazy Diamond) at the Pavillion at the CT Waterfront 26-28 September. Got my tickets already!

Renesongs

I am a big Floyd fan - have been since before Dark Side of the Moon was released. I think David Gilmour's solos are the best and probably can play most of them with my eyes wired shut, along with every other guitarist that has done the pub circus in Cape Town. So my question here is why would you want to watch some other schlepper doing Pink Floyd when these guys are still alive and still playing the stuff themselves ?

Riaan

I am a big Floyd fan

- same here!

I think David Gilmour's solos are the best and probably can play most of them with my eyes wired shut, along with every other guitarist that has done the pub circus in Cape Town

- I can't, not even with my eyes wide open, so it would be nice to see a player who can do it really well.

So my question here is why would you want to watch some other schlepper doing Pink Floyd when these guys are still alive and still playing the stuff themselves ?

Obviously if Gilmour ever bothered to include South Africa in one of his tours - as Roger Waters did - I would be there, ditto if any Cape Town guitarist put together such a tribute show - I would go and watch that too! ? For me it's about the music.

Renesongs

Sorry about the negativity - I think I have seen one too many tribute concert that has left the respected recipients rolling in their graves. One of my life goals is to see David Gilmour in concert, the other being Eric Clapton. If they won't come to south Africa so I will have to hop on a plane and go to were they are playing. In the men time I console myself with DVD's A must for Pink Floyd Fans is Live8, David Gilmour's Meltdown Concert and Remember that Night. ?

NorioDS

Rene, I think we can all relate. It's wonderful watching tribute bands but it can be disappointing when the VERY part of a song that makes you love it so is done differently. (I didn't say screwed up, just different!)

It's like the solo in Nothing Else Matters. If you can't play it right, don't do the song ? (OK, less gentle there *slap on hand*)

It must be AMAZING to watch these guys on stage, especially if you have golden-circle. That must be the most surreal feeling ever, especially if they live up to your expectations and the performer you're watching is the reason you... (play guitar, started listening to x music, sing, whatever!)

Can't wait to follow Satch around the US for a bit!! ?

Riaan

In the men time I console myself with DVD's A must for Pink Floyd Fans is Live8, David Gilmour's Meltdown Concert and Remember that Night.

Yep, same here. One of my biggest regrets was the Earls Court Show of the Pulse tour in 1994 which I missed ☹. I was working on the Isle of Wight at the time, in a job that was paying very well but very busy and I couldn't take time off to travel to London to see the show - my continued stay in the UK depended on that income. Probably wouldn't have managed to get tickets anyway, but it was a lousy feeling being so near, yet so far...

I really hope that DG or PF in any reincarnation makes it here sometime, but that's probably very unlikely. If ever there is a concert abroad again, I'll also seriously consider travelling there just for that.

Jethro

Norio wrote: Rene, I think we can all relate. It's wonderful watching tribute bands but it can be disappointing when the VERY part of a song that makes you love it so is done differently. (I didn't say screwed up, just different!)

Agreed, there's a band in my town called "splitline" that regularly cover bob marley and clapton. I suck compared to them, but I can play the "No women no cry" solo properly, but the twat lead guitarist "plays by ear" and it sounds nothing like the original. To make it worse, during songs they add in crap like "Splitline's in the house tonight!", which is just plain stupid.

LMinnie

Iam Floyd fan myself!

Went to watch Waters when he was here...and I have to say was quite dissapointed...Floyd just aint Floyd without David Gilmore..

That's all I have to say bout that!

Renesongs

IMO Floyd is David Gilmour and Richard Wright and was better off without Roger Waters.

AlanRatcliffe

Floyd was all four of them for me. Definitely not without either Gilmour or Waters. The sum was greater than the parts.

Riaan

IMO Floyd is David Gilmour and Richard Wright and was better off without Roger Waters.

Roger Waters on his own, playing Floyd stuff, is definitely not Pink Floyd. David Gilmour and Richard Wright together, today, is for me almost Pink Floyd but not quite. But in the earlier years (WYWH, DSOTM and even The Wall) the Gilmour/Waters combination was magic while it lasted. I guess it was just a moment in history that couldn't last.

The guitarists that toured SA with Roger Waters - Snowy White, Andy Fairweather Low and the other guy - were obviously good, but yes there's only one David Gilmour.

I also noticed on the show here that Roger's interaction with the audience was almost like he followed a precise script...on the show here and on the DVD of the US shows, he made the exact same comments at the exact same moments during the show.

Riaan-Combrink

Alan Ratcliffe wrote: Floyd was all four of them for me. Definitely not without either Gilmour or Waters. The sum was greater than the parts.

I'm with Alan on this one.

BUT I still love Roger solo. He always uses great guitarists (Clapton on Pros and Cons, Jeff Beck on Amused to death), and Snowy etc live. The trick is, IMHO, not to expect Floyd when you watch Roger, but to listen to his contemporary interpretation of songs which, for the most part, he created (the memorable riff and solo driven DG numbers aside, of course!!) If you expect Floyd when either plays, you're bound to be disappointed (although I do agree with Riaan that DG's Floyd basically sounds like the real thing). But, I assume the point Alan's making, is that even then,with Roger not there, it just feels like something's missing. But hey, guys, this thread is worthy of its own Forum!! ?

sepheritoh

I, me, myself being a huge Floyd fan too. I loved them as a band, I love them each on their own. I have watched te In the Flesh DVD many, many times. BTW I think Katie Kasson.s performance of Mother is out of the world. I also think Remeber te night is top stuff. So is Pulse, and so is The Wall (the movie, not the concert).

The only Floyd stuff I do not like is the Syd albums. Maybe becasue I'm not old enough.

I wish I could play all the solos. There was a time when I could play most of them, but my interests has moved away from playing covers. I think it is because I do not gig anymore. I often think I should get back into that mode again.

All & all I would probably love to watch the tribute concert when they come to Jo'burg.

FenderBender

IMO the fact that we still have tributes to Floyd, coupled with the numer of posts hanging on this thread, is testament to how influential the group was as a (post Barret) unit. DSOTM and WYWH were probably "the" albums that had the most influence on my life of all music I have had the time to park off and REALLY listen to. Not sure how I feel about this admission given Roger's jaundiced outlook on life in general!

I felt that post "Final Cut" Gilmour never really got frontline fame like he did with Floyd and that the "About Face" album was not well received. IMO Wright was screwed over when he was left off the cover of "Momentary Lapse..." in 87, as contractual obligations led to him being regarded as a part time or session musician for Floyd since coming on board for "The Wall" tour. I thoroughly enjoyed Waters' Pros & Cons and the slightly cheesier Radio KAOS, but could not bear and was almost amused to death by his next offering.

I agree with Alan in that they are musicians that worked far better together as Floyd than alone.

Anyway, time to get my ax out and drown out my woman's Jona Lewie!

Riaan-Combrink

FenderBender wrote: Anyway, time to get my ax out and drown out my woman's Jona Lewie!

Don't!!! Kitchen at parties, stop the cavalry. Not a guitar in sight but classic pop!!! ?

Renesongs

Aagh - I'm being flamed for diminishing the role old misery guts... I mean Roger Waters played in Pink Floyd. I have to admit that my opinion is based more on the firing of Richard Wright and the atrocious way Roger behaved after he walked out of the band and the law suit that followed. And then you have the Live8 thing where Roger goes all gushy and basically makes a poephol of himself. I have to admit that Roger did write good lyrics in his Floyd days - The Pros and Cons of Hitch-hiking are not discussed in my home it's my wife favourite piece of Waters nihilism.

Vintage-Vibe

Don't get me wrong - Gilmour, (Clapton and May) are all in their own leagues (I am personally a huge fan of the latter 2 and the former's taste and monstrous effects collection), but at least with Barrett there
was a sense of occasional happiness and humour (if not just the least bit marred by several substances)
The band (and its respective offshoots) sound like they have been in mourning ever since Syd's "disappearence".
But for sonic soundscapes, live visuals and tasty blues solos with a twist they are hard to beat.
Sometimes I do wish I had delved more into their "hallucogenic musical pot" to understand them more ... ?

Renesongs

Don't get me wrong - Gilmour, (Clapton and May) are all in their own leagues

IMO Must have DVD,s for you are
Gilmour - Meltdown Concert + Remember that night
Clapton - Crossroads 2004 + 2007
May - Return of the Champions with Paul Rogers (ex Bad Company)

Riaan

but at least with Barrett there was a sense of occasional happiness and humour

Yes, some good songs from that time too, like Arnold Layne, Bike etc. Syd Barrett's solo stuff is quite interesting, especially songs like Here I Go and She Took A Long Cold Look At Me. There are some really weird ones too. Interesting to see people's reaction when they hear this for the first time... ?...it varies from polite nods without comment to outright horror! I guess it's an aquired taste and then only if one knows his history.

BTW I've been told that David Gilmour was approached about a possible SA appearance but his spokesperson declined the invitation, stating that "Mr Gilmour is in preparation for an honorary doctorate in music which he will be receiving in the near future". Interesting!

I have to admit that my opinion is based more on the firing of Richard Wright

Apparently Richard Wright was the only one who ended up making a profit with the albums he was "hired" for as a session musician. The "full band members" only ended up breaking more or less even!

Vintage-Vibe

For Rene:

Thanks !

My fave Queen DVD we have at home is Queen on Fire: Live at the Superbowl - much better vox performance from Freddie than Wembly, and the band were really on edge - still waiting to see that "3-piece" have a "bad day" ?

Clapton Live in Hyde Park always blows me away every time (especially Old Love & the Freddie King covers on that gorgeous ES-335)

Floyd - Pompeii - By far the most enjoyable - sometimes I think all those laser shows detract (know it sounds strange) I always love the way Clapton has stood on 1 spot on the stage for over 40 years, and save for some very dodgy drugged-up playing in the 70's he always let the PLAYING speak for itself - no gadgetry like Hendrix & Gilmour, no fancy eye-sore costumes (except for that I Feel Free TV Show with the perm - yikes !) no fireworks or strippers - just dedication to craft !

I think I've always been into lyrics and vocal delivery, so for me Floyd didn't complete the picture - awesome musos but Waters & Gilmour's vox are always a bit dry and sombre - Mercury is like having a jolt of electricity shot up your spine EVERY time [except for Sun City ? ]

Will try check out the others

VV