PINK FLOYD IS OVER.... FOR GOOD!

[ChuckM]

Pink Floyd is over

In a recent interview to the magazine "Classic Rock" David Gilmour said that for him Pink Floyd is over for good and that The Floyd took 48 years of his life. 95% was great and good fun with the other members. The remaining 5% will not overshadow what he consider to be the Golden Age the Band.

What can we make of this last declaration? Have Roger Water and Nick Mason anything to say about this?

As a huge fan of the Group, for me the Floyd was over after "The Wall". I have no problems with anyone who like any post "The Wall" work. I tried but when it comes to Lyrics Roger Water is a genius and irreplaceable.

What will be the legacy of this band in the History of Rock or Pop Music?

Over? Not really... The Floyd have the Best Tribute Bands around. "Australian Pink Floyd" or "The Brit Floyd" so, The Show must go on...

[Nictarion]

It's Roger Waters :P

[Freshwater Spartan]

I always liked the Final Cut, Waters last album. The band was over at that point. Afterwards it was just about bringing some cash in.

[Myshkin]

The idea of Pink Floyd died with Rick Wright. As to their legacy, they are, and will always remain, one of the greatest and most influential rock bands ever.

[Kyoshi]

I hope this is a safe place because I have a confession to makeI actually really love their post-Waters material. And no, Im not just saying it to be one of the non-conformist cool kids. I actually love AMLOR and The Division Bell. I can write a 500-word-or-more admittedly myopic and non-referenced essay on my Pink Floyd experience.

My first Pink Floyd song was High Hopes. I was around 19 and home for the holidays. In my house we listened to everything from classic rock to African jazz. So at any given time, a playlist could contain anything from Paul Simon to some unknown artist. That day we listened to my brothers playlist. After the the endless river, forever and ever and the guitar solo in that song, I had to put it on repeat. No one complained. Then I had to go and get the whole album after that. Then I had to go and get all their albums.

Everything just worked for me in TDB. The instrumental arrangement, the lyrics, Gilmours voice (even Wrights in Wearing the Inside Outand the back-up ladies), it all worked for me. Poles Apart and What do You Want from Me were tied for second, Lost for Words is third, with High Hopes as my favourite, even to this day. And Im one of those people who dont have a favourite movie or colour because it changes on something of a weekly basis.

Im also one of those people who dont like knowing about the drama that goes on with bands because it colours my experience of their music. So for the longest time, I wasnt aware that I wasnt supposed to like The Division Bell or AMLOR simply because one of the earlier members had left and declared it to be a creatively exhausted force, simply because his tale was done being told. The one thing I noticed even without critics or self-confessed true fans of the real Pink Floyd colouring my view was that I preferred most of their other albums to The Wall and The Final Cut. The horror! I know. But this is a safe placeI hope.

But here is why: even though I wasnt aware of the behind-the scenes drama, I was definitely aware that the final two albums had shifted creatively. Most of the songs on the Wall dont really stand as single songs. I think only five (Another Brick in the Wall pt. 2, Mother, Young Lust, Hey You and Comfortably Numb in The Wall and even fewer in the Final Cut) are complete songs, lyrically, musically, maybe even length-wise. The rest (21 if Im remembering correctly) are not musically conventionalthey seem like bridges or notes on the side helping to fill in the blanks of the rest of Pinks story. Maybe thats what appeals to so many of their fansthe boldness and uniqueness, and the completeness of the entire album, the poetic nature of the lyrics. That all worked. But for me, on a personal level, it didnt work as well as their other albums.

My brother and I have had endless discussions about this. His favourite Pink Floyd song is Fearless but he also thinks The Wall is their greatest album. Strangely, he ranks Wish You Were Here and The Division Bell as their second best. I think The Divisions Bell is there due to nostalgia. So you can imagine the sort of arguments we have. He thinks my lack of appreciation for the themes explored in The Wall is what clouds my judgement. And maybe he is right because while I empathise with Pink and his plight, I find it an incredibly narcissistic perspective he provides throughout the album. One of the few times I think variation exists within the songs (thematically and otherwise) is in Comfortably Numb and The Trial. And that thing I said about familiarising myself with the bands shenanigans being a hindrance in enjoying their music later applied here. But later, much later. And like I said, I just dont like the incomplete, bridge-like nature of most of the songs.

So yeah, I dont think Pink Floyd was over the moment Waters left. One man alone does not Pink Floyd make. It was arrogant on his part. He hasn't gone on to take over the world on his own. He definitely needed them. Its disrespectful to the rest of the band to keep spreading this misconception. I think even he regrets all the bullshit that followed his departure.

The realisation that the possibility of seeing them live one day, performing under the Pink Floyd banner and not as guests on one anothers tours has just gone down even further than it was before, makes me sad. :(

[Myshkin]

The Division Bell and A Momentary Lapse of Reason are both great albums, but they represent such a shift in sound from the previous albums that it's really no wonder that many fans didn't follow along. For most people Pink Floyd is defined by 6 albums (the big 5 plus Meddle), while the Syd Barrett and post-Waters eras are either forgotten or derided for not being "classic" Floyd. Me I'm a fan of all eras of Floyd, but it's basically like being a fan of three different bands.

[ChuckM]

It is all about Evolution and the group growing more mature. I m sure someone will come and say the Floyd was over after Syd Barrett left, and guess what? he will have a Point because the guy was a great artist, the first Leader and the real driving force of the band, after him their music will never be the same.
 
The "Dark Side of the Moon" is their near perfect album and their "real" last work as a BAND. The Wall is the MASTERPIECE that mark a perfect end in term of the constant evolution of their music but also show their great dependance to Roger Water who answer with some kind of authoritarianism that lead him to fire Rick Wright from the band.
 
So my very personal top six Albums will be:
 
1 - The Dark Side of the Moon
2 - The Wall
3 - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
4 - Atom Heart Mother
5 - Meddle
6 - Wish you were here

[Which Tyler]

All 3 eras were good, and very different. My personal preference is for the Waters led era.

I disagree that Dark side and the wall are there masterpieces though - both are great, and critically (and financially) acclaimed; but Wish was their pinnacle as musicians.

I also have a soft spot for The Final Cut; but that's very much a personal thing, it's not close to being their best; and is essentially Roger's first solo album.

[Veltigar]

I must admit that I'm only really familiar with their earlier work. Of the albums I am very well acquainted with I have to say that I absolutely adore The Wall :)

He thinks my lack of appreciation for the themes explored in The Wall is what clouds my judgement. And maybe he is right because while I empathise with Pink and his plight, I find it an incredibly narcissistic perspective he provides throughout the album. One of the few times I think variation exists within the songs (thematically and otherwise) is in Comfortably Numb and The Trial. And that thing I said about familiarising myself with the bands shenanigans being a hindrance in enjoying their music later applied here. But later, much later. And like I said, I just dont like the incomplete, bridge-like nature of most of the songs.

Have you ever seen the rock opera Pink Floyd The Wall, which was based on the album? It's the greatest rock opera ever and one of the greatest films of all time. If you have trouble emphasizing with Pink, I would really recommend checking out the film, because it will blow your mind.

[Kyoshi]

^^I also think all three eras were good.

I think it's fair to not like the direction a band takes after a certain point. It's fair to say, "MY expectations of Band X have are now unmet, MY love affair with this band ends at this point, etc." That's fine. We all have our preferences and Pink Floyd's sound is as different as is possible for a band. I think it's okay to prefer one of their eras to the others. It's natural.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that as a Pink Floyd fan, I'm annoyed by the widely accepted statement that "Pink Floyd ended when Waters left." I find it disrespectful to the rest of the band, especially since it's only ever uttered by apparent fans. Some of their best work wouldn't be what it is if not for the contribution of the entire band. The instruments support the lyrics a great deal. In all their albums.

[Kyoshi]

I must admit that I'm only really familiar with their earlier work. Of the albums I am very well acquainted with I have to say that I absolutely adore The Wall :)

Have you ever seen the rock opera Pink Floyd The Wall, which was based on the album? It's the greatest rock opera ever and one of the greatest films of all time. If you have trouble emphasizing with Pink, I would really recommend checking out the film, because it will blow your mind.

I really need to check that out. Everyone keeps recommending it. Funny thing is we own a copy of the movie at home. I just never watched it.

[King Tyrion I]

I really need to check that out. Everyone keeps recommending it. Funny thing is we own a copy of the movie at home. I just never watched it.

 

It stars Sir Bob Geldof, doesn't it? Need to watch it as well.

 

Huge Pink Floyd fan here. And "The Wall" is certainly a milestone.

 

I also like their post-"Wall" albums - I know I bought "The Final Cut" as an LP in London back in 1992.

[Nictarion]

I really need to check that out. Everyone keeps recommending it. Funny thing is we own a copy of the movie at home. I just never watched it.

:O You're a big Pink Floyd fan, with access to the movie, and you haven't watched it?? For shame! :P

Seriously though, definitely watch it. It's great.

[Kyoshi]

^^I was afraid I would like it and my brother will have been right all along. Yeah, I'm a little crazy.

Edit: It stars Geldof.

[Gasp of Many Reeds]

I also enjoy the Gilmore-led late albums. The Final Cut is uneven but has some really great songs like The Gunner's Dream and Your Possible Pasts. I like the 'classic' Floyd albums plenty. Meddle minus Seamus is probably up there as a favourite. Obscured by Clouds is criminally underrated (the other soundtrack album, More, isn't especially great admittedly, though starts strongly). Less keen on the early psychedelic stuff (though they have some standout tracks like Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun) but Atom Heart Mother's pretty good.  

[Veltigar]

I really need to check that out. Everyone keeps recommending it. Funny thing is we own a copy of the movie at home. I just never watched it.

I have to mimic Nictarion on this one, what the heck have you been doing with your life? :p

 

 

^^I was afraid I would like it and my brother will have been right all along. Yeah, I'm a little crazy.

Edit: It stars Geldof.

The Wall is a bit crazy to, it's a match made in heaven :p

[Westerosi Coast Gangster]

Ooooooooh I need a dirty woman. Their lyrics and guitar solos are a cut Above everyone in the classic rock genre.

[Westerosi Coast Gangster]

It is all about Evolution and the group growing more mature. I m sure someone will come and say the Floyd was over after Syd Barett left, and guess what? he will have a Point because the guy was a great artist, the first Leader and the real driving force of the band, after him their music will never be the same.
 
The "Dark Side of the Moon" is their near perfect album and their "real" last work as a BAND. The Wall is the MASTERPIECE that mark a perfect end in term of the constant evolution of their music but also show their great dependance to Roger Water who answer with some kind of authoritarianism that lead him to fire Rick Wright from the band.
 
So my very personal top six Albums will be:
 
1 - The Dark Side of the Moon
2 - The Wall
3 - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
4 - Atom Heart Mother
5 - Meddle
6 - Wish you were here

No Animals? Shame, shame on you.

[jobmartell]

Flying frog brigades live version of Animals is terrific. Also, Floyd ended a very long time ago. To me, this isn't news.

[Kyoshi]

I have to mimic Nictarion on this one, what the heck have you been doing with your life? :p
 
The Wall is a bit crazy to, it's a match made in heaven :p

You know what creeps me out, my brother said the same thing. I suppose it's about time I ended my blissful, wilful ignorance.

Flying frog brigades live version of Animals is terrific. Also, Floyd ended a very long time ago. To me, this isn't news.

It's been over for me as well. But there's always that small spark of hope that's like, "I bet since they're talking to each other now, they might give one last tour for the fans." Or something like that. But that's a bad idea since they're likely to fight again. And maybe they realise they're too old for all that. There wouldn't be much gusto in it but I think they may just want to stay friends now.