Please help me with Pink Floyd

[dougjwray]

I promise this is not meant to provoke riots.
I've never "gotten" Pink Floyd, and would love to hear exactly what people hear in them.
I truly acknowledge that Gilmour is a great guitarist, and Waters writes some really intelligent lyrics, but to me their work has always sounded like endless dirge-tempo songs about alienation, interrupted only by variations on the same guitar solo.
Does another instrument ever solo?
Is there any humor?
Anything fast?
I know that they're also cited as psychedelic pioneers, but no Floyd I've heard has ever been as radically trippy as, say, "1983" or "Third Stone from the Sun" or "And the Gods Made Love" (Hendrix), "I Am the Walrus" or "A Day in the Life" or "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "Revolution no. 9" (Beatles) or even "Lumpy Gravy" by Zappa.
I'm honestly looking to be educated here. Not trying to be a trouble-maker.

[Tony G]

You either "get" some music, or you don't. I can't find any appeal to country or pop music, but they sell off the charts. Yes, I am a pink floyd fan, but I doubt I can properly explain why. I just like their music. There isn't a song I've heard of theirs that I don't like.

[Folmeister]

Pink Floyd is just great, emotional music. I believe that those who "get" Pink Floyd can make a connection with both the presentation and intent.

[peteroberts]

don't listen to the new Gilmour record then! More of the same.

[Sundogue]

Originally Posted by Folmeister

Pink Floyd is just great, emotional music. I believe that those who "get" Pink Floyd can make a connection with both the presentation and intent.

+1. You really explained it well.

Emotional music. Just sit back and listen to it and let it take you wherever it is you need to go at that moment, and stop trying to "define" it.

Let it come to you, instead of trying to force your ideals onto it. It is, what it is.

[Juneau]

A lot of people dont realize they had 18 studio albums, all varying quite a bit in style. If you dont get "The Wall" or "Darkside of the Moon", they perhaps you should check some of their other work.

I think Animals is their best record personally. I enjoy the theme idea behind it, and its just a great 45 of music.

Obscured by Clouds is a soundtrack they did that is VERY different from a lot of their other stuff. There is some dark humor in this album. Usually when I play this record for people, they ask me who it is, on every song - to which I have to reply "Pink Floyd" everytime.

Saucer Full of Secrets is their real first album IMO. I did not enjoy the band with Sid Barret personally, and Saucer was the first record that was almost all David Gilmore. I think Sid did 1 or two songs. Many of these songs are ideas of what was to come, but certainly not the same as the more well known records out there.

[Tony G]

Originally Posted by Juneau

A lot of people dont realize they had 18 studio albums, all varying quite a bit in style. If you dont get "The Wall" or "Darkside of the Moon", they perhaps you should check some of their other work.

I think Animals is their best record personally. I enjoy the theme idea behind it, and its just a great 45 of music.

Obscured by Clouds is a soundtrack they did that is VERY different from a lot of their other stuff. There is some dark humor in this album. Usually when I play this record for people, they ask me who it is, on every song - to which I have to reply "Pink Floyd" everytime.

Saucer Full of Secrets is their real first album IMO. I did not enjoy the band with Sid Barret personally, and Saucer was the first record that was almost all David Gilmore. I think Sid did 1 or two songs. Many of these songs are ideas of what was to come, but certainly not the same as the more well known records out there.

I'd agree with everything said here. Another one of my favority floyd albums is "final cut". I think that whole album is a masterpiece.

[marcray]

new here... hello all!!! Hope you're all having great days...

my ol dad took me to see The Wall at Earls Court when I was 11 years old and it blew my mind... Explosions, Stukas, teachers, Mothers, Pigs and collapsing walls... to this day that album blows my mind... not all Floyd albums... never liked Animals,but love Dark Side and Wish You Were Here... always will, oh and Meddle certainly has its moments... Live in Pompei DVD is great, try watching that...

[billjr]

I am a pretty big fan of Pink Floyd, but I can understand how some people can get really bored with the length of the songs. To me, It's pretty much like a classical symphony. The musical ideas are layed out, repeated, reinterpreted, altered, modulated, etc., and the idea is expanded much farther than would be possible in a 3 minute pop tune. If you look at the structure of a sonata or listen to symphonies, you get the same thing. A simple phrase carried out to it's full potential. But you know, sometimes even my attention span can't take a full piece.

As far as the psychedelic stuff, first of all, listen to "The Wall," and think about the concept of that story. Secondly, I wish I had a nickel for everyone who has gotten stoned and zoned out listening to Pink Floyd (big, bulky headphones anyone?). The music is very surreal, but even more so when under the influence (or, uhm, so I've been told). The kind of music that makes a stoner feel intellectual.

I think there is some humor. I get a kick out of the English accented "Hey, get your filthy hands of my dessert," just before you hear the missle cruise in and explode. Ok, maybe no Al Yankovic, but pretty good comentary.

Maybe none of the songs are really fast, but there are some more uptempo pieces such as "Money," and "Young Lust."

My interest in Pink Floyd was always that their music was much more meaningful and deeper than other pop songs. The songs seemed to really mean something, even if you didn't understand it, and was far closer to the "serious" classical music that I studied and liked since a kid. I guess that's why I've always loved the Rush songs like Zanadu, 2112, and By-Tor and the Snow Dog." I don't think anyone will get upset because you don't "get it." But understand that thirty years ago (+ ,-), this music was cutting edge, and is is still considered some of the greatest rock music ever written.

[Sundogue]

Funny?

How about the line off of Wish You Were Here...

"By the way, which one's Pink?"

[dougjwray]

Originally Posted by billjr

I am a pretty big fan of Pink Floyd, but I can understand how some people can get really bored with the length of the songs. To me, It's pretty much like a classical symphony. The musical ideas are layed out, repeated, reinterpreted, altered, modulated, etc., and the idea is expanded much farther than would be possible in a 3 minute pop tune. If you look at the structure of a sonata or listen to symphonies, you get the same thing. A simple phrase carried out to it's full potential. But you know, sometimes even my attention span can't take a full piece.

As far as the psychedelic stuff, first of all, listen to "The Wall," and think about the concept of that story. Secondly, I wish I had a nickel for everyone who has gotten stoned and zoned out listening to Pink Floyd (big, bulky headphones anyone?). The music is very surreal, but even more so when under the influence (or, uhm, so I've been told). The kind of music that makes a stoner feel intellectual.

I think there is some humor. I get a kick out of the English accented "Hey, get your filthy hands of my dessert," just before you hear the missle cruise in and explode. Ok, maybe no Al Yankovic, but pretty good comentary.

Maybe none of the songs are really fast, but there are some more uptempo pieces such as "Money," and "Young Lust."

My interest in Pink Floyd was always that their music was much more meaningful and deeper than other pop songs. The songs seemed to really mean something, even if you didn't understand it, and was far closer to the "serious" classical music that I studied and liked since a kid. I guess that's why I've always loved the Rush songs like Zanadu, 2112, and By-Tor and the Snow Dog." I don't think anyone will get upset because you don't "get it." But understand that thirty years ago (+ ,-), this music was cutting edge, and is is still considered some of the greatest rock music ever written.

Well, for the record, I'm old enough to remember the world before the Beatles, and I also have a classical music education and have the attention span for symphonies and an appreciation for long forms.
I'll have to go back and listen to Floyd with an ear tuned to the musical development side of things, as you suggest.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

I promise this is not meant to provoke riots.
I've never "gotten" Pink Floyd, and would love to hear exactly what people hear in them.
I truly acknowledge that Gilmour is a great guitarist, and Waters writes some really intelligent lyrics, but to me their work has always sounded like endless dirge-tempo songs about alienation, interrupted only by variations on the same guitar solo.

I really like Pink Floyd.... I think you've got it just about right in your assessment.

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Does another instrument ever solo?

The keyboard player Rick Wright does occasionally, but it's usually rambling and melodyless. For an appallingly boring example, check out the "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" reprise on the album "Wish You Were Here". Puts me to sleep every time I hear the record. His chordal progression/playing, OTOH. If you love chord progressions, "Great Gig In The Sky" is a masterpiece.

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Is there any humor?

The song "Corporal Clegg" is pretty humorous in that it's so catastrophically bad. "Bike" is much the same.

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Anything fast?

Nick Mason pretty much has one beat he can play at pretty much one tempo, and it's not fast. Seriously, the hi-hat work in "On The Run" is pretty sweet IMO.

Originally Posted by dougjwray

I know that they're also cited as psychedelic pioneers, but no Floyd I've heard has ever been as radically trippy as, say, "1983" or "Third Stone from the Sun" or "And the Gods Made Love" (Hendrix), "I Am the Walrus" or "A Day in the Life" or "Tomorrow Never Knows" or "Revolution no. 9" (Beatles) or even "Lumpy Gravy" by Zappa.

You've got to give some of the early stuff another listen. "Interstellar Overdrive", "Set the Controls For The Heart Of The Sun", and "Echoes" are about as psychedelic as it gets. And check out the record dates on those gems.

Originally Posted by dougjwray

I'm honestly looking to be educated here. Not trying to be a trouble-maker.

Sit down and just listen to "Dark Side Of The Moon", very loud, in a dark room, beginning to end. Make sure your head is right between the speakers. Try some black light if you have it. Imbibimg some kind of psychedelic substance helps a great deal.

I love Floyd.

I bet 10 posts before this becomes a "Waters-era Floyd versus Gilmore era Floyd" pissing contest.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by Juneau

I think Animals is their best record personally. I enjoy the theme idea behind it, and its just a great 45 of music.

I love Animals, personally it is my favorite Floyd record, with "The Final Cut" a close second. However, I think the "idea behind it" is inane. Waters whining and complaining about hor horrible business and capitalism is. In Dogs he describes what he believes to be the way to get ahead in business. I'm successful in business and Waters is full of it.

Actually it kind of reminds me of when I was a kid living comfortably in the suburbs. I wrote a song about how horrible it is living in the city. It was embarrasingly naive and ignorant and, frankly, stupid. That's how I see Animals, except Roger actually aired his pomopus ignorance to millions of record buyers.

I still love the album though.

And "The Wall" is a self-indulgent mess..... It's great, but not one of my favorites by Floyd. I just listened to it all the way through for the first time in years a few weeks ago and was surprised that I liked it.

[Philbiker]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Well, for the record, I'm old enough to remember the world before the Beatles, and I also have a classical music education and have the attention span for symphonies and an appreciation for long forms.
I'll have to go back and listen to Floyd with an ear tuned to the musical development side of things, as you suggest.

You'll want to check the song called "Dogs" from the album "Animals".

[Skel]

Honestly? I first heard "Money" and just loved the song. Then I heard the entire "Dark Side of the Moon" album and loved the "spacey", relaxed feeling it had. I didn't know it then, but I realized how a Stratocaster could make this really "out in space" tone. Then I saw this video where they are performing in broad daylight, in an empty colluseum and it blew me away. It's also about the time I started "experimenting" with pot - that's the honest part, and I'm sure it helped me to appreciate them a little more.

[Juneau]

Originally Posted by Philbiker

I love Animals, personally it is my favorite Floyd record, with "The Final Cut" a close second. However, I think the "idea behind it" is inane. Waters whining and complaining about hor horrible business and capitalism is. In Dogs he describes what he believes to be the way to get ahead in business. I'm successful in business and Waters is full of it.

Actually it kind of reminds me of when I was a kid living comfortably in the suburbs. I wrote a song about how horrible it is living in the city. It was embarrasingly naive and ignorant and, frankly, stupid. That's how I see Animals, except Roger actually aired his pomopus ignorance to millions of record buyers.

I never said that it was a necessarily accurate view of the world or that I even agreed with it, but I still enjoy the idea behind it hehe. I like how its a view of a caste society, and I like the metaphors used. I also think its a great piece of music as a whole. Listening to one song from that record is kinda silly to me.

I usually like concept or theme albums, and Animals is one of the best there is IMO.

I personally like Pink Floyd because they have their own sound. To me, no other band sounds like them, and they dont sound like anyone before them as a whole. There are of course influences, but for the most part I think they had their own thing going on and thats what I enjoy most about it. They werent writing 3 minute pop songs for the masses.

BTW dougjwray, if you want some mp3 samples of any PF, just PM me. I have all their records on mp3.

[spudmaster34]

(from the guy wearing a pink floyd shirt)

Originally Posted by dougjwray

I've never "gotten" Pink Floyd, and would love to hear exactly what people hear in them....


Does another instrument ever solo?

1.) this is really one of those bands that some people just don't get, it's not an issue, I don't like rap, you don't like floyd, not a problem

2.) listen to Money for a verry verry nice bari sax solo

[brianrost]

Originally Posted by dougjwray

Does another instrument ever solo?
Is there any humor?
Anything fast?

You've never heard a Floyd song with a keyboard solo in it? Rick Wright never did as much soloing as Gilmour but he did some.

Humor, well I think an awful lot of their stuff is funny in that dry British way though starting with Animals Roger Waters got so serious he became quite obnoxious.

Fast? Nah, I don't think they know how to do that

[nad]

Animals is my favorite, and personally I love the entire concept, but then again I'm dirty commie scum so there you go.

As to not "getting" Pink Floyd, maybe you just don't like their schtick? Nothing wrong with that, diff'rent strokes and such.

Interstellar Overdrive is one of the trippiest songs I've ever come across though, love that one along with the whole album Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

[dave_p]

to the O.P.

pink floyd has spanned decades now, there are vast musical differences between the beginning and the current state. the wall was the last one i really liked, and after listening enough realized how freakin depressing it is and dont care for it anymore.
there is an LP called relics that has a lot of their older stuff on it. its really a fun record(for pink floyd).
meddle is a really good one, so is animals.
darkside is a fabulous record, the production is great, the songs are great and the support and backing musicians are great. it is an inspiring record. the rest doesnt move me much, and everything after the wall to me is either waters nueroses on his sleeve, or boring drivel(like learning to fly). dont write off floyd, but i can see what you mean.

and to the above poster:
interstellar overdrive kicks much a$$