I just don't understand Pink Floyd

[tjnkoo]

First off, I am a HUGE prog guy. I listen extensively to Yes, ELP, King Crimson, Porcupine Tree, The Mars Volta, Jethro Tull, Genesis (Peter Gabriel era of course), Gentle Giant, Renaissance, Rush, Tool, Dream Theater, Obscure, etcetera. Basically if its considered prog I'll often at least give it a shot.

Notice though that Pink Floyd wasn't on that list. I've really tried liking Pink Floyd. I've listened to nearly every album of theirs, including the 'masterpieces' (Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, etc) and find them to be so boring its almost ridiculous. On my first complete listen of Dark Side it actually put me to sleep, literally. Its like watching paint dry. There are small highlights here and there, but that's about it.

In no way am I trying to trash them though, honestly! I want someone to help me understand the Pink Floyd phenomenon. Fellow musicians are practically offended when I say they bore me to tears, especially being how much I am into progressive music (its my favorite genre). Nearly all my favorite bands are prog (minus Primus and earlier Modest Mouse), but I just don't get Pink Floyd. Please help me see the light, o' talkbass.

[gene beauchamp]

Me too. I made the mistake of watching a pink floyd concert on dvd with a date one night and it ruined everything. Blaaaah!!! If you start a club I'm in...

[ThatGermanDude]

I think most of the bands you listed are more energetic than Pink Floyd. Do you like Porcupine Tree songs like voyage 34 and heart attack in a layby? Or more the stuff like open car and blackest eyes?

One of my favorite Pink Floyd albums is Division Bell. Very atmospheric songs with some great guitar work.

[SBsoundguy]

I don't know what the say, you either like them or you don't. I love the atmosphere of their music, very airy, very ambient. Give Live in Pompeii a shot and that'll then you'll know for sure if you don't like them.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n1yxNjU7u_8

[two fingers]

"Learning to Fly" is one of my top 25 favorite songs of all time. I can't stand most anything else by them.

[tjnkoo]

Originally Posted by gene beauchamp

Me too. I made the mistake of watching a pink floyd concert on dvd with a date one night and it ruined everything. Blaaaah!!! If you start a club I'm in...

I'm not sure if we saw the same one, but there was a recent one that we watched at a music camp I was helping out with. After watching them stand there and bask in the exact same chord/synth scale thing for something like 30 minutes I just walked out and went to Panera Bread. Much better use of time for those of us like us two, haha.

[gregmon79]

I totally agree, I really don't understand what the huge deal is with them either. Don't get me wrong, I have enjoyed and even own some of their more popular stuff, my absolute favorite being animals and dark side, but mainly, I think, most people get into them because of the drug thing that is associated with them. The counter culture I mean. I've known some people be like, oh man that pink Floyd stuff is the best! Grab a doob and lay back. I then ask them to name a single Floyd song and they can't. I think they made some some great tunes but I really don't think their all people crack them up to be. Especially when you put them in, or try to, with the likes of the other bands you mentioned. Mars Volta and porcupine tree are magnificant, and old genesis stuff, oh man, now that's the stuff. I always thought of pink Floyd as more blusey and ambient than prog. Their good, but again, I just don't think they are cracked up to be the band so many people try to make them out to be.

[sarcastro83]

It is okay to not like things... for real!

[Kwesi]

Originally Posted by sarcastro83

It is okay to not like things... for real!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-p33001J-0

This thread gets an A+ for disagreement without hostility. I don't get Pink Floyd myself but I don't get A LOT of things musically and otherwise so I'm not much of a barometer, haha.

[low2groove]

You have to be in the mind set and just dig the groove.
It's far from boring, it's extremely artistic in fact.
I play stuff from Wooten to McCartney and I love grooving to a complete album of Floyd from time to time.
To me it's all about diversity and the less it's more concept.
There is a massive amount of music out there that would fit right in the same category as Floyd, and much of it was in the top 100 music charts over the years.
Each to there own though.

[BenBL]

Personally one of my favorite bands. But I understand your point, and my 2 best friends are just like you. It's just music, no big deal. Listen to what you like.

[BenBL]

Originally Posted by Kwesi

This thread gets an A+ for disagreement without hostility.

I think it's because most Pink Floyd fans are very laid back.

[Ziltoid]

I dig PF, always did. They are the precursors to a lot of the stuff I listen to (mainly post-rock these days).

I prefer their early days, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother and Meddle. I'm a bit surprise you dislike AHM since its considered to be one of the most important prog album right along with In the Court of King Crimson.

Originally Posted by Kwesi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y-p33001J-0

This thread gets an A+ for disagreement without hostility. I don't get Pink Floyd myself but I don't get A LOT of things musically and otherwise so I'm not much of a barometer, haha.

I dislike that.

[bluesblaster]

different strokes.... listen to something else then, we dont all have to like the same stuff

[mellowinman]

Pink Floyd writes songs about the Universal Human Condition. They are very much in the "Everyman" vein, and they use that theme to do a lot of different things with sound, textures, etc. Gilmour is a very innovative and great-sounding lead guitar player; the rhythm section is solid as hell; they tend to build up emotion over the course of a track; each song is an artistic statement of its own; the lyrics are fantastic; the album artwork is outstanding; the vocal harmonies are spot-on; they use a lot of variety as far as technical approaches to the actual song structures; they are very experimental, and yet always bring the listener back home by the end of the piece; they are basically sound-painters who know how to rock.

That would be a list of all the reasons they are one of my all-time favorite bands, but keep in mind, I am an overly pompous "artistic" type who probably indulged too much in stuff I don't care to get specific about.

[matante]

Drugs.

[oniman7]

That's OK. I don't like the Beatles much or Genesis but I like Pink Floyd and all the other bands you mentioned. It is what it is.

[Sequimite]

I've listened to and enjoyed their music since the 60's and am also into the most of the bands on your list. Renaissance may be the closest of them to Pink Floyd. I never liked the Rolling Stones and I'm in the decided minority there.

[LiquidMidnight]

Originally Posted by two fingers

"Learning to Fly" is one of my top 25 favorite songs of all time. I can't stand most anything else by them.

And that was probably their most commercial song and is kind of removed from their normal fair.

And didn't we have a big debate like a week ago about whether Pink Floyd is prog or not?

[jimc]

The first live concert I ever saw was Pink Floyd at Knebworth in 1975. This was the last time that Dark Side of the Moon was performed in its entirety with Roger Waters. It had a big impact on me and I wore out that album afterwards.

Fast forward to a couple of years ago and I had the chance to play with a Floyd tribute. I went through the set list and I have to admit I passed on the gig because I really found it kinda boring! Still respect the Floyd and particularly Dave Gilmour but it is a slow show.