Pink Floyd (1 Viewer)

[Lili Marlene]

I don't get it when people say they hate Pink Floyd. Pink Floyd through the years have been several different bands playing different kinds of music. From the psychedelic stuff they did way back, to the more folksie-type stuff of Obscured by Clouds, More and Meddle, the experimental mellow stuff like DSOTM and WYWH, the bizarre emotion of the Wall and the Final Cut, to the very indifferent stuff that followed. Surely theres something there for everyone?

I got Piper and gave it a few listens and wasn't really into it so I wrote them off forever. I'm sure they're great but I'll probably never bother again.

 

[coast to coast]

Just checking out all the credits for this quartet of records: Wish You Were Here, The Wall, DSOTM, Animals.

A few interesting things:

All of the records include credits for either Sound Effects (The Wall Credits two of the members with playing Sound Effects) or Tape Effects, except Animals...

And the ONLY record to ONLY feature the band on all the tracks (i.e. no session musicians) is Animals.

So Animals is the only record with no studio musicians and no credit for Sound or Tape Effects...

Snowy White played guitar on the 8-Track cartridge version of Animals. [This sounds like I'm making it up but its true. There was a link between Pigs On The Wing part 2 back to part 1 so the album would play as a loop. Snowy White toured with them on the Animals tour and probably on The Wall shows too.]

The amount of session musicians playing on the albums in neglible upto and including The Wall - it was predominantly for instruments that they didn't play themselves. Dick Parry was a friend of theirs from Cambridge too, so it wasn't like he was some studio pro hired hand gunslinger who didn't give a fuck. It was only on The Final Cut and beyond where it got ridiculous and Nick Mason barely played the drums and Richard Wright contributed little.

And there are sound effects all over animal sound effects all over Animals, not to mention Nick Mason's vocodered psalm in Sheep so I don't really think the point about the credits is that relevant. If you mean that they used the same technique more tastefully on Animals then I understand, but it still the same technique, its still there. I think the soudn effects on The Wall, for example, all that theatrical shit, is a bit gimmicky in a bad way. Dark Side is gimmicky but in a really smart, original way. Final Cut is nice and subtle too. Personally I think those sounds (like I think it was @Shaney who said it) were a massive part of their arsenal, what gave them a lot of personality considering that apart from Gilmour they didn't have a huge amount of "signature sound" on their instruments (aside from their voices) like other prog rockers might have had and in general they were musically flashy (a good thing).

As for the sax, its obviously not on every bloated 70s rock record but its clearly part of the repertoire of some of those bands. I personally think its really quite tasteful where it is, especially for such an oft-derided feature of that kind of music.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

I got Piper and gave it a few listens and wasn't really into it so I wrote them off forever. I'm sure they're great but I'll probably never bother again.

You'd be just the person to settle this bitter dispute about Animals and whether or not its a sound effects album or a band playing music album. The rest of us are too emotionally involved.

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

Snowy White played guitar on the 8-Track cartridge version of Animals. [This sounds like I'm making it up but its true.] And the amount of session musicians playing on the albums in neglible upto and including The Wall. It was only on The Final Cut and beyond where it got ridiculous.

And there are sound effects all over animal sound effects all over Animals, not to mention Nick Mason's vocodered psalm in Sheep so I don't really think the point about the credits is that relevant. If you mean that they used the same technique more tastefully on Animals then I understand, but it still the same technique, its still there.

As for the sax, its obviously not on every bloated 70s rock record but its clearly part of the repertoire of some of those bands. I personally think its really quite tasteful where it is, especially for such an oft-derided feature of that kind of music.

Im with MilanPan!c on the animals sound fx question. Obviously there are some sound effects there but they're much more a part of the music itself than on the wall or DSOTM. At least they sound better integrated to my ears. The vocodered barking dogs in Dogs are great.

Its funny the way the saxes and dancing backing singers seem to be a defining part of the bands sound despite featuring on only two albums.

 

[rettucs]

Snowy White played guitar on the 8-Track cartridge version of Animals. [This sounds like I'm making it up but its true. There was a link between Pigs On The Wing part 2 back to part 1 so the album would play as a loop. Snowy White toured with them on the Animals tour and probably on The Wall shows too.]

wasn't it Snowy White who eas in the touring band of both the reformed Pink Floyd and Roger Waters? Or am I thinking of Andy Fairweather-Low. I think it was Snowy White. I remember both of them playing acoustic guitars on 'Is There Anybody Out There' when Waters did that Wall gig in berlin in 1989. It was only lovely.

It was only on The Final Cut and beyond where it got ridiculous and Nick Mason barely played the drums and Richard Wright contributed little.

Wright isn't credited on that album at all to the best of my recollection. The band are listed as just Mason, Gilmour and Waters. I heard Gilmour say in an interview before that recording that album was a horrible experience. There wasn't much room for anything else other than Waters' massive ego.

....... considering that apart from Gilmour they didn't have a huge amount of "signature sound" on their instruments (aside from their voices) like other prog rockers might have had and in general they were musically flashy (a good thing).

I'd agree where Waters and Mason are concerned. I thought Wright's keyboard playing quite unique though. Especially on the early stuff, and through DSOTM/WYWH. Though in both cases, a completely different sound. I always thought Wright gave Pink Floyd a lot more of its character than he was given credit for.


Edit: Oh, and none of them could sing a note. Brutal singers the lot of them, including Syd.

 

[jasper mckatt]

hey you lot must ahev heard the floyd peel session with the london royal philharmonic orchestra? that is something else, really, apart from the polite student twats audience politely clapping and laughing at John's shit jokes. If you havent heard it, you should get a listen. green is the colour us and them one of these days breathe its all stuff from that time. I cnat remember the full track list. I also have some quality floyd boots - philadelphia 1970 southampton uni 1969 chicago 1972 oakland coliseum 1977 but I prefer the peel session though - it is marvellous

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

wasn't it Snowy White who eas in the touring band of both the reformed Pink Floyd and Roger Waters? Or am I thinking of Andy Fairweather-Low. I think it was Snowy White. I remember both of them playing acoustic guitars on 'Is There Anybody Out There' when Waters did that Wall gig in berlin in 1989. It was only lovely.

Jon Carin played in both bands, and at live8.

Wright isn't credited on that album at all to the best of my recollection. The band are listed as just Mason, Gilmour and Waters. I heard Gilmour say in an interview before that recording that album was a horrible experience. There wasn't much room for anything else other than Waters' massive ego.

Apparently Gilmour loved a few tunes (Fletcher Memorial Home included) and wanted to take time to get some more good tunes together but Waters wanted to rush ahead with whatever new stuff and Wall leftover they had and get the album out while the Falklands war was still topical. The Final Cut is an incredible album in ways. I find it very hit and miss but I can't think of any other rock bands that have made an album like it. Even if they hadn't fallen out its hard to see where you could go after the wall and the final cut.

I'd agree where Waters and Mason are concerned. I thought Wright's keyboard playing quite unique though. Especially on the early stuff, and through DSOTM/WYWH. Though in both cases, a completely different sound. I always thought Wright gave Pink Floyd a lot more of its character than he was given credit for.

Agreed. I think his playing on Animals is superb. Has anyone heard Wet Dream? Broken China was dreadful.

Edit: Oh, and none of them could sing a note. Brutal singers the lot of them, including Syd.

David Gilmour has a great voice

 

[coast to coast]

Do you mean Wright's "Turkish Delight" keyboards on the early Syd and immediate post-Syd era stuff? I was never sure if that was run of the mill for that time or if it was somewhat distinguished.

I didn't necessarily mean that they were great singers, but you can tell Waters or Gilmours voice a mile off and you can generally distinguish Richard Wright's by its general lack of identifying characteristics in comparison with those other two.

Snowy White definitely would've play in post Final Cut live bands... Andy Fairweather Low too. Think he's supporting Waters Wall show possibly?

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

hey you lot must ahev heard the floyd peel session with the london royal philharmonic orchestra? that is something else, really, apart from the polite student twats audience politely clapping and laughing at John's shit jokes. If you havent heard it, you should get a listen. green is the colour us and them one of these days breathe its all stuff from that time. I cnat remember the full track list. I also have some quality floyd boots - philadelphia 1970 southampton uni 1969 chicago 1972 oakland coliseum 1977 but I prefer the peel session though - it is marvellous

Who's john?

I used to have a load of Floyd bootleg tapes but I threw them all out a couple of years ago. I have a dvd of them playing atom heart mother live with an orchestra and choir. Its shot in black and white and is incredible. ALmost enough to trick you into thinking its a good song. Its followed by a dreadful live version from 1972 where they play it as a 4-piece and its very dull.

Theres a fantastic video out there that was filmed in a tv studio in 1970. AHM is on it again unfortunately but it has incredible versions of Cymbaline and Green is the Colour and its proper professional TV footage.

 

[rettucs]

Do you mean Wright's "Turkish Delight" keyboards on the early Syd and immediate post-Syd era stuff? I was never sure if that was run of the mill for that time or if it was somewhat distinguished.

there was a lot of that hammond-organ sound doing the rounds back then. He did it better than most though IMO.

Snowy White definitely would've play in post Final Cut live bands... Andy Fairweather Low too. Think he's supporting Waters Wall show possibly?

Not sure. I heard he supported Eric Clapton last week so he could be just playing everywhere he plays. There was no support at the last 2 Waters shows I was at.

 

[rettucs]

AHM is on it again unfortunately

I love that song

 

[rettucs]

David Gilmour has a great voice

hah

 

[Denny Oubidoux]

hah

you dont think so?

 

[rettucs]

you dont think so?

great? certainly not.

distinctive, yes. Well suited to the songs, definitely. But not great.

 

[MilanPan!c]

Snowy White played guitar on the 8-Track cartridge version of Animals. [This sounds like I'm making it up but its true. There was a link between Pigs On The Wing part 2 back to part 1 so the album would play as a loop. Snowy White toured with them on the Animals tour and probably on The Wall shows too.]

The amount of session musicians playing on the albums in neglible upto and including The Wall - it was predominantly for instruments that they didn't play themselves. Dick Parry was a friend of theirs from Cambridge too, so it wasn't like he was some studio pro hired hand gunslinger who didn't give a fuck. It was only on The Final Cut and beyond where it got ridiculous and Nick Mason barely played the drums and Richard Wright contributed little.

And there are sound effects all over animal sound effects all over Animals, not to mention Nick Mason's vocodered psalm in Sheep so I don't really think the point about the credits is that relevant. If you mean that they used the same technique more tastefully on Animals then I understand, but it still the same technique, its still there. I think the soudn effects on The Wall, for example, all that theatrical shit, is a bit gimmicky in a bad way. Dark Side is gimmicky but in a really smart, original way. Final Cut is nice and subtle too. Personally I think those sounds (like I think it was @Shaney who said it) were a massive part of their arsenal, what gave them a lot of personality considering that apart from Gilmour they didn't have a huge amount of "signature sound" on their instruments (aside from their voices) like other prog rockers might have had and in general they were musically flashy (a good thing).

As for the sax, its obviously not on every bloated 70s rock record but its clearly part of the repertoire of some of those bands. I personally think its really quite tasteful where it is, especially for such an oft-derided feature of that kind of music.

There's not sound effects all over animals.. there's a limited bit of process animal noises and processed vocals, but that's really it...

and I knew the snowy white thing... I hate an 8-track rip of it after all

 

[coast to coast]

So you agree then... its the same technique, just done more subtlely, like I said.
I've never heard the Snowy White thing, I just brought it up because I love his name.

 

[chutneyfarmer]

Had a lovely listen to WYWH and Animals on the way into work this morning. Also watched the DSotM Classic Albums last night too. All inspired by this thread too

I have to say though, Syd-era Floyd can feck RIGHT OFF!!! Absolute Shiiiiiiiiiiiite.

 

[rettucs]

I have to say though, Syd-era Floyd can feck RIGHT OFF!!! Absolute Shiiiiiiiiiiiite.

sorry whats that? I can't hear you through all this lush psychedelia

 

[chutneyfarmer]

Pull Syd's jip out of your ear and ya might hear better

 

[MilanPan!c]

So you agree then... its the same technique, just done more subtlely, like I said.
I've never heard the Snowy White thing, I just brought it up because I love his name.

Yeah, but the difference is massive... it's like saying Crazy Train and Orange Crush are the same, because they both have guitar solos