On This day – The Dark Side Revealed!
Feb 17, 2010 On This Day
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.
On This Day – Pipers Pipe
Aug 5, 2009 On This Day
On this day in 1967 “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” is released by Pink Floyd. This was the first album released by Pink Floyd and showcased Syd Barrett’s vision and songwriting talents.
Regarded by many as an even better realisation of the quintessential English psychedelia of the time that Sgt. Pepper this album strangely (for the time did) not include the singles already released by Floyd “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play”. There are some stand out tracks such as Astronomy Domine, Interstella Overdrive, and the transcendent Mathilda Mother. There is also one complete nonsense song Bike. To me the best track is the driving and sinister Lucifer Sam.
As I remember, although my memory is somewhat hazy of this time……….. one criticism of the album was that it did not reflect Floyd’s live performances. This is true but with this album Floyd were beginning a long journey.
At the time Floyd had no overseas presence and that would not come until some 5 years later after the departure of Syd Barrett. Syd’s mental health declined soon after this album was released and he finally left the band in 1968 being replaced by David Gilmour.
Tags: classic rock, classic rock music, On This Day, pink floyd, rock and blues, syd barrett
