On this day in 1972 Pink Floyd started a four-night residency (can a residency really be just 4 days?) at London’s Rainbow Theatre during which they premiered Dark Side of the Moon – and I continued to lose Floyd.

During the 4 night ‘residency’ Floyd showed the forthcoming album to the world. The press was, of course, rapturous. “Of course” because the press loved Floyd at the time, they could do no wrong. Even though they had subjected us to Meddle and the dreadful Atom Heart Mother.

Meddle was a muddle. There was always going to be a transition between the Barrett Floyd and the non Barrett Floyd and perhaps meddle came out too soon. Anyway it was a mess. Atom Heart, dear oh dear……… What can I say? The moment I remember shaking my head (not in a good rythmic way) to Floyd was at the Colston Hall in Bristol as they fried eggs on stage. It was at that point when I thought that Floyd had lost it as far as I was concerned. To go from the wonderful Saucerful, the magnificent Ummagumma, to bacon butties on stage……..

Anyway, Darkside was recorded in two sessions at the Abbey Road studios between May ‘72 and March ‘3. It then sold squidilions of copies all over the world and other minor planets. They ascended to demi god status and ruled over the progressive musical universe until it imploded and they self destructed in a collision of mega egos.

I am really sorry to the die hard, or the Johnny come lately Floyd fans who disagree with me but “Set the Controls” YES, “Money” NO.

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