Pink Floyd News and Notes

Richard Wright, the keyboardist whose somber, monumental sounds were at the core of the art rock by Pink Floyd that has sold millions and millions of albums, died Monday in London, where he had lived. He was 65.

The cause was cancer, said his publicist, Claire Singers.

Wright was a founding member of Pink Floyd, and his spacious, enveloping keyboards, backing vocals and eerie effects were essential to its musical identity.

Though Syd Barrett and then Roger Waters wrote most of Pink Floyd's songs, Wright shares credit on the improvisatory psychedelic studio works the band composed collectively, and he sang a few lead vocals, including on "Astronomy Domine" from the band's debut album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn."

Wright was also sole songwriter on "The Great Gig in the Sky," a hymnlike track with a soaring, wordless female vocal at the center of "The Dark Side of the Moon," the 1973 Pink Floyd album that has sold some 40 million copies.

David Gilmour, Pink Floyd's guitarist and singer, said in a statement Monday: "In the welter of arguments about who or what was Pink Floyd, Rick's enormous input was frequently forgotten. He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound."

Wright was born in London in 1943 and taught himself to play keyboards, developing an early interest in jazz. He attended a school for haberdashers, then studied architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic College.

With fellow students at Regent Street - Waters on guitar or bass and Nick Mason on drums - he started a group, at first playing American rhythm-and-blues songs. Barrett joined them in 1965, reshaping the music and naming the band The Pink Floyd Sound, after the U.S. bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.

Barrett's whimsical, asymmetrical songs and the band's fondness for experimental sounds placed it at the center of London's underground psychedelic movement in the mid-1960s. "Music was our drug," Wright once said.

"The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" was released in 1967 and yielded pop hits in England, but LSD use and mental illness made Barrett so unstable that he left Pink Floyd in 1968.

Pink Floyd continued to thrive through the 1970s, and Wright released his first solo project, "Wet Dream," in 1978. Pink Floyd's 1979 album, "The Wall," eventually sold 23 million copies in the United States alone.

Waters, who had increasingly taken control of Pink Floyd, reportedly threatened not to release "The Wall" unless Wright resigned his full membership in the band. He does not appear on the band's 1983 album, "The Final Cut."

After that album, Waters left Pink Floyd. Amid lawsuits, Gilmour and Mason regrouped under the Pink Floyd name; Wright rejoined them for the 1987 album "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" and "The Division Bell" in 1994.

3-13-07

Top 200 'Definitive' albums

Last week, the National Association of Recording Merchandisers, which represents more than 7,000 music stores in the United States, and the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame put out the Definitive 200 list. It spans the past 50 years of modern popular music, ranking the top 200 albums.

Rank	Artist	Album Title	Release Date	Genre
1	BEATLES	SGT. PEPPER'S LONELY HEARTS CLUB BAND	1967	Rock
2	PINK FLOYD	DARK SIDE OF THE MOON	1973	Rock
3	MICHAEL JACKSON	THRILLER	1982	Pop
4	LED ZEPPELIN	LED ZEPPELIN IV	1971	Rock
5	U2	JOSHUA TREE	1987	Rock
6	ROLLING STONES	EXILE ON MAIN STREET	1972	Rock
7	CAROLE KING	TAPESTRY	1971	Adult Contemporary
8	BOB DYLAN	HIGHWAY '61 REVISITED	1965	Rock
9	BEACH BOYS	PET SOUNDS	1966	Rock
10	NIRVANA	NEVERMIND	1996	Rock
11	PEARL JAM	TEN	1991	Rock
12	BEATLES	ABBEY ROAD	1969	Rock
13	SANTANA	SUPERNATURAL	1999	Rock
14	METALLICA	METALLICA	1991	Rock
15	BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN	BORN TO RUN	1984	Rock
16	PRINCE	PURPLE RAIN	1984	Pop
17	AC/DC	BACK IN BLACK	1980	Rock
18	ROLLING STONES	LET IT BLEED	1969	Rock
19	DOORS	DOORS	1967	Rock
20	GRATEFUL DEAD	AMERICAN BEAUTY	1970	Rock
21	SHANIA TWAIN	COME ON OVER	1997	Country
22	WHO	WHO'S NEXT	1971	Rock
23	STEVIE WONDER	SONGS IN THE KEY OF LIFE	1976	R&B
24	FLEETWOOD MAC	RUMOURS	1977	Pop
25	PINK FLOYD	WALL	1979	Rock
26	ALANIS MORISSETTE	JAGGED LITTLE PILL	1995	Pop
27	NORAH JONES	COME AWAY WITH ME	2002	Pop
28	EMINEM	MARSHALL MATHERS LP	2000	Rap
29	OUTKAST	SPEAKERBOXX-LOVE BELOW	2003	R&B
30	DR. DRE	CHRONIC	1992	Rap
31	BEASTIE BOYS	LICENSED TO ILL	1986	Rap
32	GUNS 'N ROSES	APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION	1987	Rock
33	DIXIE CHICKS	WIDE OPEN SPACES	1998	Country
34	MILES DAVIS	KIND OF BLUE	1959	Jazz
35	EAGLES	HOTEL CALIFORNIA	1976	Rock
36	DEF LEPPARD	HYSTERIA	1987	Rock
37	SOUNDTRACK	GREASE	1978	Soundtrack
38	MARVIN GAYE	WHAT'S GOING ON	1971	R&B
39	BEATLES	WHITE ALBUM	1968	Rock
40	SOUNDTRACK	SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER	1977	Soundtrack
41	JIMI HENDRIX	ARE YOU EXPERIENCED?	1967	Rock
42	BEATLES	REVOLVER	1966	Rock
43	BOSTON	BOSTON	1976	Rock
44	BON JOVI	SLIPPERY WHEN WET	1986	Rock
45	U2	ACHTUNG BABY	1991	Rock
46	WHITNEY HOUSTON	WHITNEY HOUSTON	1985	R&B
47	LED ZEPPELIN	LED ZEPPELIN II	1969	Rock
48	DAVE MATTHEWS BAND	CRASH	1996	Rock
49	ROLLING STONES	STICKY FINGERS	1971	Rock
50	GREEN DAY	DOOKIE	1994	Rock
51	LED ZEPPELIN	HOUSES OF THE HOLY	1973	Rock
52	JONI MITCHELL	BLUE	1971	Rock
53	ELVIS PRESLEY	ELVIS PRESLEY AT SUN	2004	Rock
54	AEROSMITH	TOYS IN THE ATTIC	1975	Rock
55	LAURYN HILL	MISEDUCATION OF LAURYN HILL	1998	R&B
56	BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN	BORN IN THE U.S.A.	1984	Rock
57	50 CENT	GET RICH OR DIE TRYIN'	2003	Rap
58	AC/DC	HIGHWAY TO HELL	1979	Rock
59	NOTORIOUS B.I.G.	LIFE AFTER DEATH	1997	Rap
60	VAN HALEN	VAN HALEN	1978	Rock
61	GREEN DAY	AMERICAN IDIOT	2004	Rock
62	BLACK SABBATH	PARANOID	1975	Rock
63	EMINEM	EMINEM SHOW	2000	Rap
64	JEWEL	PIECES OF YOU	1995	Pop
65	COLDPLAY	RUSH OF BLOOD TO THE HEAD	2002	Pop
66	MEATLOAF	BAT OUT OF HELL	1977	Rock
67	USHER	CONFESSIONS	2004	R&B
68	KID ROCK	DEVIL WITHOUT A CAUSE	1998	Rock
69	GEORGE HARRISON	ALL THINGS MUST PASS	1970	Pop
70	BILLY JOEL	STRANGER	1977	Pop
71	EAGLES	HELL FREEZES OVER	1994	Rock
72	VAN MORRISON	MOONDANCE	1970	Rock
73	REM	AUTOMATIC FOR THE PEOPLE	1992	Pop
74	PHIL COLLINS	NO JACKET REQUIRED	1985	Pop
75	METALLICA	MASTER OF PUPPETS	1986	Rock
76	FAITH HILL	BREATHE	1999	Country
77	JOHNNY CASH	AT FOLSOM PRISON	1971	Country
78	JOHN COLTRANE	LOVE SUPREME	1964	Jazz
79	PINK FLOYD	WISH YOU WERE HERE	1975	Rock
80	MICHAEL JACKSON	OFF THE WALL	1979	Pop
81	MARVIN GAYE	LET'S GET IT ON	1973	R&B
82	BOB SEGER	NIGHT MOVES	1976	Rock
83	PAUL SIMON	GRACELAND	1986	Pop
84	LINKIN PARK	HYBRID THEORY	2000	Rock
85	PRINCE	1999	1983	Pop
86	DEF LEPPARD	PYROMANIA	1983	Rock
87	JANET JACKSON	CONTROL	1986	R&B
88	RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS	BLOOD SUGAR SEX MAGIK	1991	Rock
89	DIRE STRAITS	BROTHERS IN ARMS	1985	Rock
90	TUPAC	ALL EYEZ ON ME	1996	Rap
91	MATCHBOX TWENTY	YOURSELF OR SOMEONE LIKE YOU	1996	Pop
92	RED HOT CHILI PEPPERS	CALIFORNICATION	1999	Rock
93	LED ZEPPELIN	PHYSICAL GRAFFITI	1975	Rock
94	NELLY	COUNTRY GRAMMAR	2000	Rap
95	CREED	HUMAN CLAY	1999	Rock
96	CLASH	LONDON CALLING	1979	Rock
97	CELINE DION	FALLING INTO YOU	1996	Adult Contemporary
98	NEIL YOUNG	HARVEST	1968	Rock
99	SOUNDTRACK	DIRTY DANCING	1987	Soundtrack
100	DIXIE CHICKS	HOME	2002	Country
101	TOM PETTY	FULL MOON FEVER	1989	Rock
102	VAN HALEN	1984	1984	Rock
103	SOUNDTRACK	TITANIC	1997	Soundtrack
104	CROSBY STILLS & NASH	DEJA VU	1970	Rock
105	TLC	CRAZYSEXYCOOL	1999	R&B
106	BECK	ODELAY	1994	Rock
107	KENNY G	BREATHLESS	1992	Adult Contemporary
108	NWA.	STRAIGHT OUTTA COMPTON	1989	Rap
109	SEX PISTOLS	NEVER MIND THE BOLLOCKS	1977	Rock
110	BEATLES	RUBBER SOUL	1965	Rock
111	RADIOHEAD	O.K. COMPUTER	1997	Rock
112	SIMON & GARFUNKEL	BRIDGE OVER TROUBLE WATER	1970	Adult Contemporary
113	DIXIE CHICKS	FLY	1999	Country
114	METALLICA	AND JUSTICE FOR ALL	1988	Rock
115	MICHAEL JACKSON	DANGEROUS	1992	Pop
116	MARIAH CAREY	DAYDREAM	1995	Pop
117	SOUNDTRACK	TOP GUN	1999	Soundtrack
118	ELTON JOHN	GOODBYE YELLOW BRICK ROAD	1973	Pop
119	POLICE	SYNCHRONICITY	1983	Rock
120	NO DOUBT	TRAGIC KINGDOM	1995	Pop
121	ROLLING STONES	BEGGAR'S BANQUET	1967	Rock
122	R KELLY	R	1998	R&B
123	TOOL	LATERALUS	2001	Rock
124	OASIS	WHAT'S THE STORY MORNING GLORY	1995	Rock
125	BOB MARLEY	EXODUS	1977	Reggae
126	JOURNEY	ESCAPE	1981	Rock
127	CHRISTINA AGUILERA	CHRISTINA AGUILERA	1999	Pop
128	JAY-Z	BLUEPRINT	2001	Rap
129	ALICIA KEYS	DIARY OF ALICIA KEYS	2003	R&B
130	SOUNDTRACK	O BROTHER WHERE ART THOU?	2000	Soundtrack
131	CARS	CARS	1978	Pop
132	ENYA	DAY WITHOUT RAIN	2000	Adult Contemporary
133	NATALIE COLE	UNFORGETTABLE WITH LOVE NATALIE COLE	1991	R&B
134	SOUNDTRACK	FOOTLOOSE	1984	Soundtrack
135	LIONEL RICHIE	CAN'T SLOW DOWN	1983	Pop
136	SARAH MCLACHLAN	SURFACING	1997	Adult Contemporary
137	BONNIE RAITT	NICK OF TIME	1989	Rock
138	METALLICA	RIDE THE LIGHTNING	1984	Rock
139	SHERYL CROW	TUESDAY NIGHT MUSIC CLUB	1993	Pop
140	FRANK SINATRA	IN THE WEE SMALL HOURS	1954	Standards
141	EARTH WIND FIRE	GRATITUDE	1975	R&B
142	ZZ TOP	ELIMINATOR	1983	Rock
143	WILLIE NELSON	RED HEADED STRANGER	1975	Country
144	JOHN LENNON	IMAGINE	1971	Rock
145	TONI BRAXTON	TONI BRAXTON	1993	R&B
146	ETTA JAMES	AT LAST	1961	Blues
147	ELVIS PRESLEY	ELVIS PRESLEY	1956	Rock
148	CAT STEVENS	TEA FOR THE TILLERMAN	1970	Pop
149	SMASHING PUMPKINS	MELLON COLLIE & THE INFINITE SADNESS	1995	Rock
150	DAVE BRUBECK	TIME OUT	1959	Jazz
151	JANET JACKSON	JANET	1993	R&B
152	QUEEN	A NIGHT AT THE OPERA	1975	Rock
153	OZZY OSBOURNE	BLIZZARD OF OZZ	1981	Rock
154	WILL SMITH	BIG WILLIE STYLE	1997	Rap
155	PRINCE	SIGN OF THE TIMES	1987	Pop
156	PUBLIC ENEMY	IT TAKES A NATION OF MILLIONS TO HOLD US BACK	1988	Rap
157	BOB DYLAN	BLOOD ON THE TRACKS	1975	Rock
158	GEORGE MICHAEL	FAITH	1987	Pop
159	BOYZ II MEN	COOLEYHIGHHARMONY	1993	R&B
160	DESTINY'S CHILD	WRITING'S ON THE WALL	1999	R&B
161	JAY-Z	BLACK ALBUM	2003	Rap
162	AVRIL LAVIGNE	LET GO	2002	Pop
163	FUGEES	SCORE	1996	R&B
164	MADONNA	LIKE A VIRGIN	1984	Pop
165	LED ZEPPELIN	LED ZEPPELIN	1969	Rock
166	STEVIE RAY VAUGHN	TEXAS FLOOD	1983	R&B
167	STONE TEMPLE PILOTS	CORE	1992	Rock
168	ORIGINAL CAST	PHANTOM OF THE OPERA	1988	Soundtrack
169	JETHRO TULL	AQUALUNG	1971	Rock
170	TUPAC	ME AGAINST THE WORLD	1995	Rap
171	DAVID BOWIE	RISE AND FALL OF ZIGGY STARDUST	1972	Rock
172	SHAKIRA	LAUNDRY SERVICE	1998	Pop
173	SOUNDTRACK	FORREST GUMP	1994	Soundtrack
174	AL GREEN	CALL ME	1973	R&B
175	CURTIS MAYFIELD	SUPERFLY	1972	R&B
176	LIVE	THROWING COPPER	1994	Rock
177	GEORGE BENSON	BREEZIN'	1976	Jazz
178	WHITE STRIPES	WHITE BLOOD CELLS	2001	Rock
179	LYNYRD SKYNYRD	PRONOUNCED LEH-NERD SKIN-ERD	1973	Rock
180	SADE	DIAMOND LIFE	1984	Adult Contemporary
181	FLEETWOOD MAC	FLEETWOOD MAC	1975	Pop
182	PAUL MCCARTNEY & WINGS	BAND ON THE RUN	1973	Rock
183	BEYONCE	DANGEROUSLY IN LOVE	2003	R&B
184	ANITA BAKER	RAPTURE	1986	R&B
185	NAS	IIIMATIC	1994	Rap
186	BARBARA STREISAND	A STAR IS BORN	1976	Soundtrack
187	EARTH WIND FIRE	THAT'S THE WAY OF THE WORLD	1975	R&B
188	ANITA BAKER	RHYTHM OF LOVE	1994	R&B
189	JAY-Z	IN MY LIFETIME VOL 1	1997	Rap
190	LL COOL J	MAMA SAID KNOCK YOU OUT	1990	Rap
191	STEELY DAN	AJA	1991	Rock
192	WILLIE NELSON	STARDUST	1978	Country
193	ARETHA FRANKLIN	SPARKLE	1976	R&B
194	ANDREA BOCELLI	ANDREA	2004	Classical
195	BOB DYLAN	BRINGING IT ALL BACK HOME	1965	Rock
196	LUTHER VANDROSS	NEVER TOO MUCH	1981	R&B
197	U2	ALL THAT YOU CAN'T LEAVE BEHIND	2000	Rock
198	RUSH	2112	1976	Rock
199	OUTKAST	AQUEMINI	1998	R&B
200	GRAND FUNK RAILROAD	WE'RE AN AMERICAN BAND	1973	Rock

1-6-07

Pink Floyd Rock Icon Roger Waters Records "Hello (I Love You)," an Original Song for New Line Cinema's "The Last Mimzy"

Waters Collaborates With Oscar-Winning Composer Howard Shore and Pink Floyd Producer James Guthrie

"It has been great collaborating with (director) Bob Shaye and Howard Shore on 'The Last Mimzy,'" says Waters. "I think together we've come up with a song that captures the themes of the movie, the clash between humanity's best and worst instincts, and how a child's innocence can win the day."

Shaye adds, "It's an honor to have a huge talent like Roger Waters contribute a song to 'The Last Mimzy.'"

A warm, midtempo song inspired by the film's theme of the delicate balance between ecology and technology, "Hello (I Love You)" will be featured in the film and will run over the end credits. The six and a half minute song will be available on New Line Records' official soundtrack for "The Last Mimzy," which is scheduled for a spring release.

"Hello (I Love You)" was co-written by Waters and Shore, co-produced and engineered by Waters, Shore and Guthrie, and executive produced by New Line Cinema's President of Music Paul Broucek. The song was performed by an A-list team of musicians including drummer Steve Gadd (Eric Clapton, Paul Simon, Steely Dan), guitarist Gerry Leonard (music director/guitarist for David Bowie), and Waters on bass and vocals. Additionally, "The Last Mimzy's" 6-year-old star Rhiannon Leigh Wryn appears on the track, singing along with Waters on the song's chorus.

Globally renowned as founder member, lyricist and principal composer of legendary rock band Pink Floyd, Waters has also had a successful solo career and masterminded one of the largest concerts ever -- The Wall Concert in Berlin in 1990. Waters is a member of the U.S. and UK Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, and in 2005 released the opera album "Ca Ira," which reached #1 on both the U.S. and UK Classical charts. This marks only the second time that Waters has ever penned an original song for a film, the first being "Lost Boys Calling" in the 1998 drama "The Legend of the Pianist on the Ocean," coincidentally distributed by New Line.

Guthrie served as producer and studio engineer on a number of Pink Floyd and Waters' solo albums starting with "The Wall" in 1979. He was also responsible for the sound at the live performances of "The Wall." He remastered "Dark Side of the Moon" for the 20th Anniversary Edition CD and produced Waters' 2000 live album "In The Flesh" and the Pink Floyd compilation "Echoes."

Shore is among the most respected, honored and active film composers and music conductors at work today. He has won multiple Academy Awards and Grammys for his work scoring such films as "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy, "The Aviator," "The Silence of the Lambs," "Philadelphia," and New Line's "Seven," among others.

Based on the acclaimed sci-fi short story by Lewis Padgett, "The Last Mimzy" tells the story of two children who discover a mysterious box that contains some strange devices they think are toys.

"The Last Mimzy" features an ensemble cast that includes Timothy Hutton ("Ordinary People," "General's Daughter"), Joely Richardson ("The Patriot," "Nip/Tuck"), and Rainn Wilson ("The Office"). It is produced by Michael Phillips ("The Sting," "Close Encounters of the Third Kind") and directed by Bob Shaye (executive producer of, among other films, "The Lord of the Rings" trilogy). Shaye is also founder, Co-Chairman, and Co-CEO of New Line Cinema.

7-03-06

PINK FLOYD PULSE DVD - OFFICIAL LAUNCH

Report by Marcus Hearn and Matt Johns, http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/

David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason reunited as Pink Floyd for the launch of the Pulse DVD at the Vue cinema in London’s Leicester Square last night (Tuesday July 3rd). The event was attended by executives from EMI, music journalists (including your very own Brain Damage!) and Floyd luminaries including Phil Manzanera, Dick Parry, and Guy Pratt, alongside Storm Thorgerson and Peter Curzon, who were responsible for the packaging and DVD design.

To kick things off, as the band members arrived at the venue, a large pair of eyeballs was signed, along with three massive representations of the DVD artwork. These will be auctioned off for charity, along with a red Strat, again signed by the three.


Items to be auctioned off for charity


A unique edit of Pulse, comprising Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Learning To Fly, High Hopes and the entire Dark Side of the Moon was digitally projected with a stunning Dolby 5.1 sound mix, very loud and crystal clear. Shine On You Crazy Diamond appeared markedly different from the version we’re used to seeing, with the long instrumental introduction augmented by previously unseen backstage clips of the band.

Following the screening the band took to the stage to answer questions from BBC Radio 2’s Stuart Maconie. Very relaxed, the band made plenty of jokes about themselves and the subjects under discussion.

Richard kicked things off by explaining what a joy it was to see Pulse, as he’d never had the opportunity to see their show himself. The new DVD gave him a chance to see and hear the show in great quality. David also mentioned that it is “fantastic to watch it like this, as it’s a privilege we just never ever get – it’s extraordinary the amount of stuff that’s happening behind us…”

During the screening, Gilmour had been spotted singing along with the music and even seemed to be conducting it at one point during Us and Them. ‘It’s in the blood, I can’t help it,’ he explained. He then revealed that he’d recently been to see the Eagles in concert and had sung along to all their songs too. All three claimed that it was strange seeing themselves in performance, amid jokes about the lengths of Guy and Jon Carin’s hair in 1994. Richard himself complained of having a bad hair day the day of the filming!

Inevitably, the discussion turned to Live8.

Gilmour: “Well, the performance was great and we had a wonderful time. One can only hope that it did some good; the jury’s still out I think, but I’m sure it was better to have done it than to have not done it.”

“I think it achieved certain elements of what was required,” Mason added, “and I think, as far as I’m concerned, the most useful thing was that I think it moved the dialogue on from this idea that rock concerts, or charity rock concerts, are there in order simply to send food parcels.

“I think a lot of people after that at least started asking questions about the politics of world trade and I think that’s enormously worthwhile and I also think, you know, we haven’t finished. I think Bob Geldof is particularly exercised at the moment about ensuring that promises or undertakings that were made, if haven’t been met - then, well, a fuss should be made. I expect we’ll have to turn out in Hyde Park again in a few months time if they don’t do something.”

The subsequent audience Q&A brought inevitable enquiries about future Pink Floyd performances. Mason and especially Wright seemed amenable to play further shows as part of Pink Floyd (“being on stage is just… wonderful”). Indeed on being asked if they’d want to do the reunion again, Richard responded with a most definite “YES!” and later stated he’d be “happy on stage anywhere”.

“Well, you know, we’ve all been out,” Gilmour expanded, “All four of the old group - the classic line up if you want to call it that - have been out plying our trade this year and so we all are doing exactly that and it’s been enormously great fun for myself, and for Richard. How about you Nick? You’ve done it a little bit more recently!”

Mason: “Just looking at it again, it does remind you that it is great fun – I don’t think there is a better job in the world, really….”

On the foreseeable future, David remarked that “my plan is to just meander on in my own particular way for the time being.”

Rick Wright followed by saying, “And I guess my plan is to meander along. AND whenever Dave wants me to play with him, I’m really happy to play with him. And [to Gilmour] you’ll play with me right?”

Gilmour: “Of course!” followed by Mason (to much laughter and applause) “Of course, I’m available to everyone.”

Gilmour did not rule out further archive releases, citing the 1989 Venice concert in particular, but claimed that there was nothing in the works. He responded to a query about the Wall shows at Earls Court by stating that the footage was now “100% under Roger Waters control”, and that the quality was still not quite good enough for release.

There was a light-hearted question about Scissor Sisters’ version of Comfortably Numb, which Gilmour happily described as “jolly entertaining”. He said that he was happy for other people to cover Pink Floyd songs, and Mason added that innovative covers were preferable to tribute bands, “copying every mistake we’ve ever made, perfectly”. Wright highlighted the reggae album Dub Side of the Moon, and Mason claimed that Luther Wright and the Wrongs’ country and western version of The Wall was a particular favourite of his.

The final question was about the old Dark Side of the Moon/Wizard of Oz theory, which was met with mock exasperation by Mason. He closed the Q&A session by suggesting that if anyone had the time and inclination they might want to listen to The Wall while watching The Dam Busters, as apparently that doesn’t work either!

6-12-06

Pink Floyd Frontman Syd Barrett Dies

by Adam Bernstein, The Washington Post

Syd Barrett, 60, the singer-songwriter-guitarist who co-founded the British rock band Pink Floyd and whose drug-fueled mental collapse became a cautionary tale of rock lore, died of complications from diabetes July 7 at his home in Cambridgeshire, England.

Darkly handsome and with brooding, poetic eyes, Mr. Barrett was the charismatic early frontman of Pink Floyd. He wrote several of its psychedelic pop hits of the late 1960s, including "Arnold Layne," about a transvestite who steals women's underwear from clotheslines, "See Emily Play," about a schoolgirl groupie, and "Astronomy Domine," which tried to sonically reproduce an LSD trip.

6-13-05

Hey, You! Pink Floyd Reunites

by Josh Grossberg

The wall has come tumbling down.

After nearly a quarter century of acrimony, the classic lineup of Pink Floyd, including band cofounder and creative force Roger Waters, will reunite to perform at the all-star Live 8 concert in London on July 2.

The occasion marks the first time bassist-vocalist Waters, guitarist-vocalist David Gilmour, keyboard player Richard Wright and drummer Nick Mason have played together since 1981, when a power struggle between Waters and Gilmour led the former to leave the group and unsuccessfully sue his estranged bandmates for control of the Pink Floyd name.

The band, which has already proved pigs can fly via its classic concert prop, will be among the headliners at the Hyde Park show, one of six being organized to pressure leaders of the G8 and Russia to do more to fight poverty and AIDS in developing nations. The Live 8 shows are being organized by Bob Geldof as a sequel of sorts to his Live Aid extravaganza in 1985.

Geldof also starred in the 1982 cult movie Pink Floyd's The Wall and is a longtime acquaintance of the band.

"Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G8 leaders to make huge commitments to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world. It's crazy that America gives such a paltry percentage of its GNP to the starving nations," said Gilmour. "Any squabbles Roger and the band have had in the past are so petty in this context, and if reforming for this concert will help focus attention then it's got to be worthwhile."

But before you get comfortably numb, Floyd fans, don't expect a world tour.

Said Waters: "It's great to be asked to help Bob raise public awareness on the issues of third world debt and poverty. The cynics will scoff, screw 'em! Also, to be given the opportunity to put the band back together, even if it's only for a few numbers is a big bonus."

Pink Floyd will be a top draw in a show that will also feature performances by fellow Rock and Roll Hall of Famers Paul McCartney, U2 and Elton John, along with A-list artists like Coldplay, Madonna and Mariah Carey.

(So many people attempted to get tickets to the London show that it set a new record. Per The Guinness Book of Records, exactly 2,060,285 text-message entries were submitted for a shot at the free 66,500 pairs of tickets, making the giveaway the "largest text-message lottery" in history.)

The Waters-Gilmour-Wright-Mason roster created the band's most seminal music: 1971's Meddle, 1975's Wish You Were Here, 1979's The Wall, the rock opera that spawned their biggest commercial hit, "Another Brick in the Wall," and, what is considered Floyd's greatest work, 1973's Dark Side of the Moon, one of the most popular albums of all time, having remained on the Billboard charts for nearly 15 years and certified at 15-times platinum.

After Water's departure, the three remaining members released a handful discs as Pink Floyd, most notably 1987's successful A Momentary Lapse of Reason and the band's last studio effort, 1994's The Division Bell. The band remained a huge concert draw, selling out stadiums night, but failed to achieve the critical success or level of innovation that marked their 1970s heyday.

Waters, meanwhile, embarked on a solo career that never approached his Floyd fame. In 1989, he staged a massive recreation of The Wall at Potzdamer Platz, Berlin, to celebrate the fall of the Berlin Wall that's still considered one of the largest concerts in rock history. He also recently agreed to mount a Broadway version of the rock opera set to debut this December.

Aside from the London concert, Live 8 shows are also being staged on July 2 in Philadelphia with Dave Matthews Band, Bon Jovi, Stevie Wonder, Will Smith, Sarah McLachlan, Jay-Z and P. Diddy; in Paris with Jamiroquai, Placebo and Andrea Bocelli; in Berlin with Lauryn Hill, Brian Wilson and Crosby, Stills & Nash; and in Rome with Duran Duran, Faith Hill and Tim McGraw. A sixth concert featuring Annie Lennox, Dido and Travis is slated for Edinburgh on July 6, the day the G8 summit kicks off.

11-26-04

Pink Floyd pupils sue for royalties

By Nigel Rosser, Evening Standard

A group of former pupils at a London comprehensive school are poised to win thousands of pounds in unpaid royalties for singing on Pink Floyd's classic Another Brick In The Wall 25 years ago.

The pupils from the 1979 fourthform music class at Islington Green School secretly recorded vocals after their teacher was approached by the band's management.

Now the 23 ex-pupils are suing for overdue session musician royalties, taking advantage of the Copyright Act 1997 to claim a percentage of the money from broadcasts.

Music teacher Alun Renshaw took the 13- to 14-year-old pupils out of lessons by to the nearby Britannia Recording Studios in Islington to record - without the head's permission.

With its chorus of "We don't need no education, we don't need no thought control, no dark sarcasm in the classroom - teachers leave them kids alone," the song was an anthem for teenagers. The album The Wall sold over 12 million copies.

Music royalties expert Peter Rowan said: "Some of the kids have put in a claim for royalties due to session musicians for recordings played on the radio or broadcast since 1997. We are going through the process of claiming now."

Today, Mr Renshaw, 59, revealed how he hid the song's lyrics from the head. The Evening Standard tracked him down to his home outside Sydney, Australia, where he runs a vocational training course company.

He said: "I viewed it as an interesting sociological thing and also a wonderful opportunity for the kids to work in a live recording studio.

"We had a week where we practised around the piano at school, then we recorded it at the studios. I sort of mentioned it to the headteacher, but didn't give her a piece of paper with the lyrics on it."

When the song was released the Inner London Education Authority called it "scandalous".

Headteacher Margaret Maden banned the children from appearing on Top Of The Pops or in newspapers and refused to let the band make a video of them singing it.

Mr Renshaw, who emigrated shortly after the song reached No1, said: "Afterwards I looked at the words again and realised ... well! But the parents said it was great and the children loved doing it. Margaret was very good about it. She absorbed most of the politics and I didn't get too badly told off."

Islington Green's current headmaster, Trevor Averre-Beeson, has a platinum record of the song, and the school got a cheque for ?1,000. But Mr Renshaw said: "At the time we didn't think of it in terms of money, more of the experience."

Ms Maden, 62, now a professor at Keele, said: "Alun Renshaw was a seriously good if somewhat anarchic music teacher. I was only told about it after the event, which didn't please me. But on balance it was part of a very rich musical education."

Peter Thorpe, who sang on the single, told friends: "We were just taken to the studios and it was great fun. I didn't realise royalties were owed and I'm very glad to be in a position to claim them."

05-12-04

New Pink Floyd DVD and Book Set

June 14th sees the release of a major look at the career of Pink Floyd, with the 2 DVD and book set "Inside Pink Floyd: A Critical Review 1967 - 1996", released on the Classic Rock label as part of their "Critical Review" series, which has already covered artists such as Genesis, Led Zeppelin and Thin Lizzy.

The series features rare archive footage of the bands in question, together with interview footage from the performers themselves, alongside the comment and analysis by critics, other musicians, and musicologists.

The Pink Floyd title covers their concerts, records, and film work, from Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, to Pulse. DVD disc 1 looks at the years 1967 - 1974, and disc 2 1975 - 1996. Along the way, the departure of Roger Waters, leaving David Gilmour in charge of the band, is covered in detail. The book is a track-by-track analysis of each studio album.

The DVD will be released worldwide, in PAL and NTSC editions for the different markets, and the release date is currently set for the same day irrespective of the country.

12-17-02

Pink Floyd 'Dark Side Of The Moon' DVD-Audio Edition In Progress

By Bruce Simon

It looks like Pink Floyd's Dark Side Of The Moon will soon be heard in a whole new way. Rumors have been circulating for a little while that a DVD-Audio (DVD-A) version of the album, remixed in 5.1 Surround Sound, is in progress, although a label spokesperson would only say that it's not on the release schedule. Now, however, Alan Parsons has confirmed the project's existence.

Speaking at the Surround 2002 Expo in Beverly Hills last week, Parsons said that the members of Pink Floyd have been working on a DVD-A Dark Side. However, Parsons added that even though he was the engineer on the original Dark Side sessions, and that he has a lot of ideas for the new project, the band members have decided not to involve him in the process, according to a report on the audiophile website Audiorevolution.com.

Spokespeople for Parsons and Capitol Records were unavailable for further comment.

It should be noted that the 30th anniversary of the release of Dark Side Of The Moon is coming up in March.