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The Wall - Over rated ?

is "The Wall" over-rated ?

  • yes

    Votes: 33 27.7%

  • no

    Votes: 86 72.3%
  • Total voters
    119
#41
xlows said:
Syd died last year from pancreatic cancer...those songs were written because Roger was so upset by Syd's mental and physical state, not because he was dead
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That's the first I heard about the Pancratic Cancer, and forgive me misspelling Syd. Wow was I wrong. I thought Syd was dead. I knew Gilmore came into the band as a part time replacement, and then for good. I had always heard Syd did himself in, mostly due to his mental state.

I've shared here before I have Manic Depression that's under control, but have been on disablity for it, so I feel really bad about such a mistake.
 
#43
I don't believe that the lyrics are too personal at all. That's the idea behind the album, to reach into ourselves and look at what we have created face to face, then deal with it. Great album that can only be met by other work from Floyd. Each song has a different meaning, but ties into the relevance of the whole story (unlike music nowadays) and brings out what nobody wants to acknowledge.

Such as:
-Problems with school crushing individuality and singling out the tinker.
-The way that the present-day family isn't the best influence.
-Suicide

Present day music that addresses these topics tend to be a bunch of kids whining about how their daddy didn't buy them some expensive new toy, so their unhappy with life. I really don't care how rich they are, but PF put it in a way that could affect everyone: His father died and his mother was over-controlling, and his life sucked. In other words, no one could do it better.
 
#44
Bruce Lindfield said:
Syd lived for many years as a total recluse !

There is a concert on 10th May at the Barbican in London to celebrate his work :

"Madcap's Last Laugh"

with many special guests

http://www.barbican.org.uk/music/event-detail.asp?ID=5653
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So the article I just read says they aren't really sure what his mental illness was, but suspect it was, let's say, not helped any by LSD use. Was he never treated and just left miserable? If so, that's really sad. Heartbreaking.
 
#45
I suspect it was the LSD - same thing happened with Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac.

I bumped into him - well not literally - in a music shop and he was with his carers/minders - so although he could play guitar - he was just "not there" ...:(

He seemed to be totally unaware of any people around him, where he was or what was happenning - but when one of them put a guitar in his hand - he could play wonderfully well!

Different parts of the brain I suppose - some surviving, some shot away by LSD..? :hmm:
 
#46
Bruce Lindfield said:
I suspect it was the LSD - same thing happened with Peter Green of Fleetwood Mac.

I bumped into him - well not literally - in a music shop and he was with his carers/minders - so although he could play guitar - he was just "not there" ...:(

He seemed to be totally unaware of any people around him, where he was or what was happenning - but when one of them put a guitar in his hand - he could play wonderfully well!

Different parts of the brain I suppose - some surviving, some shot away by LSD..? :hmm:
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I knew 2 "Acid casualties" personally. Both totally disabled. Both dealers who had a bunch, took some forgot how much, and stated eating them like candy. They both never came down. One was a Vietnam Vet who would have flash backs of combat, he was a big guy and that was scary. He was on a ton of medication and his body just finally gave out and he went in his sleep. The other one is my age and I went to school with him. 45 and been on a trip for close to 30 yrs now. At least he has great support from his family. Tight group and they stick together. I don't know where he would be without them. I wish some of the kids playing with this stuff could meet these guys, or met in one case.
 
#47
AxtoOx said:
That's the first I heard about the Pancratic Cancer, and forgive me misspelling Syd. Wow was I wrong. I thought Syd was dead. I knew Gilmore came into the band as a part time replacement, and then for good. I had always heard Syd did himself in, mostly due to his mental state.

I've shared here before I have Manic Depression that's under control, but have been on disablity for it, so I feel really bad about such a mistake.
Click to expand...

Hey, don't worry about it. I'm really big on Pink Floyd so I was following that, but this is from someone who thought Chuck Berry was dead for years and years :rolleyes:
 
#48
I wallow in the self indulgent mud gravy that is "The Wall". It is misery squared. I plan on having "Is there anybody out there?" played over and over again at my funeral so everyone has as bad a day as me! Adagio for strings by the composer Barber too! A real tear fest! :smug: I also love "The show must go on" but I have read that it was excised from some of the more recent recordings? Anyway, it is not at all over rated IMO and I love the movie too. A bit too hard to compare the film and album so I just get it on with both of them when I feel miserable!:D Pure depression candy!
 
#50
Bruce Lindfield said:
Who is over-rating it - what are they saying - where can I read this?
:confused:
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Bruce Lindfield said:
I remember it coming out and being totally panned by the critics in music papers in the UK !! :hmm:

So I don't understand where this concept of it being over-rated comes from...? :confused:
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MuzikMan said:
Who's out there rating the Wall? :confused: How can a piece of art be rated anyway? :confused: :confused:
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I've said it twice already and got no answer- as far as I am aware nobody has ever "over-rated" this?

So the premise of this thread is meaningless! :hmm:
 
#51
Bruce Lindfield said:
I've said it twice already and got no answer- as far as I am aware nobody has ever "over-rated" this?

So the premise of this thread is meaningless! :hmm:
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www.allmusic.com rates albums. I believe it gave the wall 4.5 out of 5. So yes, it is possible to say that it is overated by somoene who's job it is to rate things such as albums.

Personally I don't think its overrated as its very subjective - but its not fair to say that art can't be reviewed, critiqued and rated.
 
#52
Mark Latimour said:
www.allmusic.com rates albums. I believe it gave the wall 4.5 out of 5. So yes, it is possible to say that it is overated by somoene who's job it is to rate things such as albums.

Personally I don't think its overrated as its very subjective - but its not fair to say that art can't be reviewed, critiqued and rated.
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I think I see your point. It would be unfair of me to say we can't have a discussion about whether or not we like the album. I just get a little crazy when someone tries to tell me what I should like or dislike. :crying:
 
#53
Mark Latimour said:
www.allmusic.com rates albums. I believe it gave the wall 4.5 out of 5. .
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Well I've never looked at this and see no reason why I should take any notice of it...:hmm:

If the OP had said - "why is The Wall rated at 4.5 on allmusic.com? " - then I would have replied in a completely different way or probably just ignored the thread! :p

I would probably have said this a completely shallow,superficial and fallacious way to look at music... or similar!!
 
#54
what's up guys. first post alright!

The Wall is an awesome album, arguably Floyd/Waters best work. the only downside is that it has some of the stanard double album cliches, such as "filler songs" which. a double album is definitely a risky move but I thought this one worked quite well, with a great concept, and amazing tour.
 
#56
It's not just all-music guide. Bruce are you just playing dumb here or what? Rolling Stone, VH-1, many publications, web sites, etc., critics and listeners alike all over the world consistently rate "The Wall" as one of the "top 100 rock albums of all time" or "best albums of the 70s" or "most important rock albums" or whatever you want to say.

All art is not equivalent. It's not ridiculous or irrelevant or inappropriate to appreciate great art that stands above the crowd. There's a reason the paintings on my wall are not in the Louvre. The same reasoning assures that Ken DeFeudis and Pink Floyd aren't equivalent in music.
 
#57
Philbiker said:
Um. No. The story is semi-autobiographical, it's about a fictional character who has a lot in common with Roger. Syd never commited suicide, he died of natural causes in his old age (recently).
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We covered that a few posts back, he died of pancreatic cancer at 60. The movie from what I read was of a Rock star going crazy in an LA hotel. The scence where Bob shaves his eyebrows and body hair is a direct reference to Syd. Roger felt for Syd a lot and did a lot of writing about him. DSOTM, Shine on you crazy diamond etc.
 
#58
The Wall was genious. The recording was lacking, but not as much as some other PF works. Infact it was a step up in most regards for the band. You may not agree with the lyrics, or the ideas of being an ecotistical maniac, but it works well.

Is there such thing as overrated for a work like this that has influenced so many? Never.
 
#59
Philbiker said:
It's not just all-music guide. Bruce are you just playing dumb here or what? Rolling Stone, VH-1, many publications, web sites, etc., critics and listeners alike all over the world consistently rate "The Wall" as one of the "top 100 rock albums of all time" or "best albums of the 70s" or "most important rock albums" or whatever you want to say..
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Well - I am saying I've never seen this?

I can remember very well when this came out as it was totally trashed in the music press and although a Floyd fan I was put off buying it and then was embarassed when my parents bought it for me , for Christmas - I didn't dare take it back with me to college, in case my friends saw it and made fun of me...:p
 
#60
It's not that I rate music or anything but as Philbiker said,

It's not just all-music guide. Bruce are you just playing dumb here or what? Rolling Stone, VH-1, many publications, web sites, etc., critics and listeners alike all over the world consistently rate"The Wall" as one of the "top 100 rock albums of all time" or "best albums of the 70s" or "most important rock albums" or whatever you want to say..
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I heard it was one of the best albums ever many many times, and wondered on people's thought about it being - over rated by the people who say so, or they agree with the album being phenomenal (wow I am going fancy there)
 

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