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Early Pink Floyd

post #1 of 16
8/31/07 at 12:18am
Thread Starter 
When I say early PF, I'm not referring to the Syd Barret era (I've never really understood why Syd Barrett is so revered but that's another story)

I'm more referring to PF in the early seventies while they were searching for their own unique, after listening to dozens of recordings of their output at the time they really were quite out there and in some cases avant garde until they finally reached the apex with 'Dark Side of the Moon'

Pieces like 'Atom Heart Mother' (which I'd file under ambitious failure, not all of it gels but parts of it are really good) and 'Careful with that Axe Eugene' showed just how interesting their music can be but it's overlooked by their later works which is understandable.
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post #2 of 16
8/31/07 at 12:23am
I've always loved "A Saucerful of Secrets" (The song, though the album is good too). I'm sure you've seen it, but if somehow you've missed it you MUST check out Live at Pompeii. Also, this is the period that sparked The Man and the Journey, which is a pretty damn cool cycle, check it out : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Man_and_the_Journey
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post #3 of 16
8/31/07 at 12:23am
Check out the DVD of Live at Pompeii. I'm not the biggest Floyd fan out there (I respect and appreciate them, but don't LOOOOOVE them) and I thought it was fucking brilliant.
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post #4 of 16
8/31/07 at 12:44am
Thread Starter 
Yeah, I have 'Live at Pompeii, it has the probably the best version of 'Echoes' I've ever heard, just completely amazing.

I've actually got 'Man and the Journey' on my PC as part of a podcast, it's a really cool performance, it's a weird mix of avantgarde, rock and sonic experiments.
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post #5 of 16
8/31/07 at 12:54am
Atom Heart Mother is actually one of my favorite Floyd pieces. I really don't know why. I can see it as the aimless piece it is. I just love it. I love Syd's solo pieces better than anything he did with the Floyd. I know Syd had nothing to do with this though.
Just saying.
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post #6 of 16
8/31/07 at 3:16am
The Live disc on Ummagumma is amazing. The version of Careful with that Axe Eugene is fucking killer.

The studio album, on the other hand, should be destroyed. Listen only if you're curious.

I think the best bet for the stuff between A Saucerful of Secrets and Meddle (which is a must buy, if you don't have it) is the collection Relics. Gets all the good B-sides and some solid outtakes from their soundtrack for More. I also like Obscured by Clouds, the album that comes after Meddle and before Dark Side. A lot of fans hate it though, so beware.
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post #7 of 16
8/31/07 at 11:26am
Thread Starter 
I've heard bits of 'Obscured by Clouds', some good stuff on there.

I came across this site awhile ago called 'Brain Damage' which is a radio show in Boston and the host plays everything in his extensive collection from concert bootlegs to solo stuff from PF members (mostly Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters)
The great thing is that he's added every show as a podcast which you can d/l on the site, it's been a godsend for me.
The BBC One concerts are absolutely terrific, I'm amazed it hasn't been officially released, it's one of the best live albums ever made.

http://braindamage.libsyn.com/index....tegory=general
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post #8 of 16
8/31/07 at 1:37pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon Ma
The BBC One concerts are absolutely terrific, I'm amazed it hasn't been officially released, it's one of the best live albums ever made.

http://braindamage.libsyn.com/index....tegory=general
Thank you for this. I'm straining my connection downloading some of this stuff.

I find my enjoyment of early Floyd to be much more linked to my mood than the "mainstream" stuff. I find it plays well on longer flights when you can close your eyes and zone out.
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post #9 of 16
9/2/07 at 9:48pm
My favorite early Floyd, by the definition as it's used here, is Meddle and Obscured by Clouds. The Barrett era, while nowhere near as good, IMO, does have some bright spots; "Arnold Layne" gets a little more disturbing and approaches brilliance after you listen to a it a few more times. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" is really good, too.
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post #10 of 16
9/17/07 at 6:16pm
I also love Meddle.
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post #11 of 16
9/20/07 at 10:48pm
Thread Starter 
Meddle was the first sign that they were heading in a definite direction. I guess I really like the atmosphere their early seventies stuff conjures up which was sort of lost on their post-darkside material.
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post #12 of 16
9/20/07 at 11:38pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon Ma
Meddle was the first sign that they were heading in a definite direction. I guess I really like the atmosphere their early seventies stuff conjures up which was sort of lost on their post-darkside material.
I'm going to agree and disagree with you at the same time. Post dark-side, you don't get the light gems like "Green is the colour" or "Wot's...uh the deal" or "Cymbaline", which are all incredible songs in my opinion, however, my favorite Floyd album is still Animals, because it feels like such a perfect distillation of everyone's songwriting talents. And I think Wish You Were Here (the album) establishes some pretty great atmosphere.

That's the great part about the band though, they were able to grow and create in an age where that didn't get stifled by their label, so as a result you end up having a collection of albums that sounds like it came from at least four different bands.
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post #13 of 16
9/21/07 at 1:07am
It took me a while, but I was eventually able to find as much to love about a lot of PF's early non-Barrett stuff as their later albums. I'm usually not big on compilations, but "Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd" is a definite exception for me. Some purists might be turned off by the way nonchronological ordered tracks segue into the next, but I enjoy it as a separate experience from listening to the albums proper. My favorite Pink Floyd album might be "Wish You Were Here". Maybe. Before anyone says it, "Dark Side of the Moon" is NOT overrated. I was late to the party with "Animals" and was blown away when I picked it up in 2005. That is one dark album. I'm not a big fan of "The Final Cut". And actually, I only listen to "The Wall" occasionally anymore.

The only Pink Floyd studio album that I don't yet own is "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn". That limited edition that came out this year looks pretty cool. Anyone here heard it yet?
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post #14 of 16
9/21/07 at 1:12am
Thread Starter 
DSOTM is like any other classic album, it has one or two tracks that get played to death on the radio until people are sick of hearing it and it leads people to think it's overrated, same thing happened with Stairway to Heaven.
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post #15 of 16
9/21/07 at 1:24am
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon Ma
DSOTM is like any other classic album, it has one or two tracks that get played to death on the radio until people are sick of hearing it and it leads people to think it's overrated, same thing happened with Stairway to Heaven.
Since you mentioned Zeppelin - I have to admit that classic rock stations have robbed me of the ability to listen to IV from beginning to end anymore. I know you aren't arguing against this point, but although I'm burned out on it, I don't consider IV any less of a classic. I don't think everyone is able to make that distinction about albums that get constant radio play. I mean, if I'm having sex three times a day, I'm bound to get sick of it after a while. That doesn't mean sex is overrated. You know what, forget that last analogy. I'm just lying now.
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post #16 of 16
9/22/07 at 4:14pm
Quote:
Originally Posted by Dragon Ma
DSOTM is like any other classic album, it has one or two tracks that get played to death on the radio until people are sick of hearing it and it leads people to think it's overrated, same thing happened with Stairway to Heaven.
Money...ugh. I hate it that I can't stand to hear it anymore.
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