The Enduring Appeal of Pink Floyd: A Scientific Exploration of Fan Love

[Gokul43201]

I just noticed Tsunami's signature, and I said to myself, "Damn, there seem to be a bunch of Floydheads over here."

I recall Kerrie used to have a Floyd lyric based signature too - don't remember exactly what it was...

So really, who here digs Pink Floyd, and why ?

 

[recon]

I like to listen to Pink Floyd's "Another Brick in the Wall". I actually considered playing it over the loudspeakers during school assembly, but my responsibility as prefect got the better of me.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I think Dark Side of the Moon was one of the first albums I ever bought.
I was about 14 when The Wall came out in theaters. I lived in a small town in the Southern U.S. and it was considered to be a very weird and controversial film. I just HAD to see it.
When I was 15 my mom started dating my step dad. I went through his record collection and found a copy of Pink Floyd's Animals. I was convinced from then on that he had to be a pretty cool guy.

 

[Tsu]

Floyd rocks. There IS no bad Floyd. Or Led Zeppelin... or Dire Straits... Don't get me started again.

 

[chroot]

I love Pink Floyd, even though most of my friends think I'm pretty weird as a result. But then again, I have almost 2,000 albums, and Floyd is definitely not the weirdest. If only they knew what the really weird stuff was...

I love Floyd for the feeling - the general soundscape. I know it's mostly just the result of heavy effects, but what can I say? Heavy effects affect me. Other heavy-effects bands like U2 and The Verve evoke the same distinct reaction in me.

And the solos, the solos... dear God, the solos...

My favorite Flyod album is actually "Pulse," one of their live sets. It's not that the set those chose to play was that incredible, but its recording quality is actually better than many of their studio albums.

- Warren

 

[Adam]

Not many bands (modern) turn listening to a CD into a trip through an art gallery.

 

[da_willem]

And the solos, the solos... dear God, the solos...

I totally agree! Roger Waters sure can put some feeling in his guitar parts. I especially like the solo in comfortably numb. And I think among their best songs are "shine on you crazy diamond", "another brick in the wall", "wish you were here", and "high hopes".

 

[Gokul43201]

Floyd rocks. There IS no bad Floyd. Or Led Zeppelin... or Dire Straits... Don't get me started again.

My heart just did a little somersault, when I read that.

For one thing, nobody, but nobody listens to Dire Straits in this whole wide country. A large percentage of Floyd fans are mostly into Floyd as a means of enhancing a weed induced high. There are a large number of Led Zep enthusiasts, but you'll soon find that most of them have heard little else than Stairway.

The intersection of the above three sets, is fairly null.

I hope you tried the Music Trivia Quiz...

 

[Gokul43201]

And the solos, the solos... dear God, the solos...

My favorite Flyod album is actually "Pulse," one of their live sets. It's not that the set those chose to play was that incredible, but its recording quality is actually better than many of their studio albums.

- Warren

Ah, do you have the CD with the blinking red LED ? That is really one heck of a good recording.

If I had to pick one concert (among all bands and times) to go to...I think I'd pick the Berlin one that was part of the Pulse Tour. If you have not seen that DVD, it worth the trip to your local (non-Blockbuster) video store.

 

[Gokul43201]

I went to a Waters concert in Cincinnati - it was the summer of 2000. It was great but still, a little disappointing. Somehow (mostly perhaps, because of the lack of Gilmour) it didn't feel and sound as good - even though he did do stuff from Division Bell (which, I think was mostly written by Gilmour). Maybe it was just my state of mind...

 

[Kerrie]

I went to a Waters concert in Cincinnati - it was the summer of 2000. It was great but still, a little disappointing. Somehow (mostly perhaps, because of the lack of Gilmour) it didn't feel and sound as good - even though he did do stuff from Division Bell (which, I think was mostly written by Gilmour). Maybe it was just my state of mind...

a HUGE Floyd fan here too!

First off, The Wall is highly influenced by Roger Waters and was the end of Pink Floyd because of his need to control when he should have realized the musical talent of Gilmour meshed very well with his style...once Waters left and Gilmour, Mason and & Wright went on to do Momentary and Division Bell, it just did not have the same weird edge that Waters gave...Personally, The Wall is my least favorite, but definitely a good piece by the band...Dark Side of the Moon is a classic and no words needed here to explain it

Animals, Wish you were here and Meddle are all superb, but one album many have not heard of that deserves some recognition is More-it is a soundtrack from a movie that Floyd did the entire album for. Pre-Gilmour stuff I have never explored as thoroughly, but "See Emily Play" & "Careful with that axe Eugene" are great songs from Syd Barrett...

Yes, Floyd has contributed greatness to this world with their wonderful music

 

[Hurkyl]

And y'all thought PF stood for physicsforums...

 

[Gokul43201]

About 4 months ago I was Googling around looking for a discussion forum where I had previously seen some interesting Pink Floyd trivia relating to Astronomy Domine - that website too had PF in their name.

About 4 months ago, was April 2004...

 

[Ivan Seeking]

For me, music by Floyd qualifies as a genre of one. I was hooked the first time I heard them - when DSOTM first came out. I have never tired of a single song. I never like Money, and I still hate the alarm clocks in Time, otherwise their stuff is music for the soul, IMO.

 

[Math Is Hard]

I think Comfortably Numb was my alltime favorite song by PF. And I love the vocals on Great Gig in the Sky. Who was that singer anyway?


Hey Gokul - maybe we need a Pink Floyd trivia quiz!

 

[Gokul43201]

Hey Gokul - maybe we need a Pink Floyd trivia quiz!

I doubt there'd be enough takers ...but sure, I'll give it a shot. Perhaps I should put it here instead of with the Quizzes ?

 

[Math Is Hard]

I doubt there'd be enough takers ...but sure, I'll give it a shot. Perhaps I should put it here instead of with the Quizzes ?

Sure - you could do it just like those fun trivia games you used to make for us.
Cool!

 

[Gokul43201]

Floyd Trivia Quiz Tomorrow

This is just advance warning. I'm putting up a Pink Floyd Trivia Quiz on a new thread tomorrow.

 

[Moonbear]

Another Brick in the Wall! I remember that being a favorite for roller-skating when I was a kid.

Yep, Floyd has a way of triggering memories for me. And, no, not because I ever did anything that would have made me forget the memories.

 

[plover]

Several species of small furry animals gathered together in an internet forum...

My heart just did a little somersault, when I read that.

For one thing, nobody, but nobody listens to Dire Straits in this whole wide country. A large percentage of Floyd fans are mostly into Floyd as a means of enhancing a weed induced high. There are a large number of Led Zep enthusiasts, but you'll soon find that most of them have heard little else than Stairway.

The intersection of the above three sets, is fairly null.

"This whole wide country" being Australia in your case? As far as I'm aware the only Dire Straits tracks that anyone in the US ever knew are "Money for Nothing", "Sultans of Swing", and maybe "Walk of Life", and they probably haven't listened to them in over 10 years anyway. I can't say that I listen to Dire Straits much at this point, though they were one of my musical obsessions as a teenager (from before "Brothers in Arms" came out! before I tell you... ). "Telegraph Road" remains one of my favorite songs though. Is any of their recent stuff any good? I've never actually heard it.

As for Floyd, my favorite album is probably "Wish You Were Here". And I should probably mention the song "Echoes", just 'cuz no one else has...

In one of the electronic music classes I took back in the 80's, I got to use a VCS-3 synthesizer - the same kind that's used on DSOTM. While I've never been as keen on DSOTM as some, it's extremely impressive that they could get the music they did out of such a primitive and unwieldy piece of equipment.

For those who like pre-DSOTM Floyd, I recommend checking out God Speed You, Black Emperor's "Lift Your Skinny Arms Like Antennae To Heaven" and Explosions in the Sky's "The Earth Is Not A Cold Dead Place".

And I have to agree with chroot that those who think Floyd is exceptionally weird don't know from weird...

 

[Gokul43201]

plover, I meant the US. And yes (this is about the "before Brothers...came out" bit) I actually quite fell for their self-titled first album. I think, their last work together was the On Every Street tour - get a hold of that if you can.

As far as Floyd is concerned, they recently released a compilation, titled Echoes.

And oh yeah, the Quiz is up, right here in Gen Disc.

 

[Olias]

Clare Torrey, who happened to be introduced by Alan Parsons due to her backing vocals (in studio previous work for AP). She was not given any vocal instructions by PF, all she was told was to think about Dying, and to make any vocal representations she Wished. She was played a little of the Piano work by Rick, then let loose and recorded her vocals, amazing eh!

 

[Math Is Hard]

Clare Torrey, who happened to be introduced by Alan Parsons due to her backing vocals (in studio previous work for AP). She was not given any vocal instructions by PF, all she was told was to think about Dying, and to make any vocal representations she Wished. She was played a little of the Piano work by Rick, then let loose and recorded her vocals, amazing eh!

Is this the answer to my Great Gig in the Sky question? Thanks!

 

[Olias]

Yes..and no problem, one of my interests is Roger Waters..did anyone here know that Dark Side of the Moon was based on Newtonian Thinking?

There is a great DVD available called..The Dark Side Of The Moon, in some great interviews Roger gives it straight, as per usual!

 

[Kerrie]

that is interesting but not surprising olias regarding what DSOTM is based on...

 

[Gokul43201]

Just what was Gilmour thinking when he wrote 'Coming Back to Life'. I mean, it started out okay, then descended into some form of vanilla pop-rock. I don't get it.

Well, he was probably a little frustrated at the time, but still...?

 

[Kerrie]

Just what was Gilmour thinking when he wrote 'Coming Back to Life'. I mean, it started out okay, then descended into some form of vanilla pop-rock. I don't get it.

Well, he was probably a little frustrated at the time, but still...?

Division Bell is okay, i always wonder how much better Momentary Lapse and Division Bell would have been with the Roger Water's touch...

 

[tumor]

I totally agree! Roger Waters sure can put some feeling in his guitar parts. I especially like the solo in comfortably numb. And I think among their best songs are "shine on you crazy diamond", "another brick in the wall", "wish you were here", and "high hopes".

You mean Waters bass guitar solos or Gilmours who actually played lead guitar?

 

[da_willem]

You mean Waters bass guitar solos or Gilmours who actually played lead guitar?

I meant Gilmours...

 

[Averagesupernova]

Learning To Fly and Waiting For The Worms. Something about those 2 I just can't explain it. Most other PF I like too. Every now and then I catch myself saying out loud: "Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn?" Floyd heads will surely understand, the rest of em? Sometimes I really don't care...

One of my friends said to me once that he listens to Floyd in spurts. He won't listen to them for like a year and then all of a sudden he gets into it again and listens regularly. I now find I am the same way. Alot of my music I will do that, but when Floyd comes back it is always more of a 'high' or welcome than any other music. I will pull a CD out that I haven't heard in a year or so and I listen to it once and it goes back on the shelf. But Floyd gets played many times before laying to rest for another 6 months to a year.

Does anyone here get into INXS? It is so disappointing that Michael is gone. I really like their live albums. I will also say that I have never heard a band from Australia that made it big that I didn't like. I am sure that there are some that suck, but I just haven't heard of them or they didn't make it to the top or I just didn't realize they were from Australia.

 

[Gokul43201]

Remember Kylie Minogue ?

In my opinion, Gilmour was a better bassist than Waters...I recall he (Gil) played bass for more than a couple of numbers and I thought they were real neat. Now I suddenly want to listen to those again, but I can't remember which ones they were...

 

[hypnagogue]

Clare Torrey, who happened to be introduced by Alan Parsons due to her backing vocals (in studio previous work for AP). She was not given any vocal instructions by PF, all she was told was to think about Dying, and to make any vocal representations she Wished. She was played a little of the Piano work by Rick, then let loose and recorded her vocals, amazing eh!

I believe Roger Waters also helped her along during the recording by giving her hand gestures telling her when to raise her voice and when to quiet down, in the fashion of a symphony conductor.

One of the greatest but most overlooked things about Floyd, IMO, is Waters' lyrics. The music itself is good enough that the casual listener might not pay very close attention to the words, but those words are incredible. He has a way of creating succint and powerful images with a poetic elegance that I think is unrivaled by just about any other lyricist. I find that for the great majority of songs, the lyrics suffer greatly if read without the musical accompaniment, but Waters is one of the few whose stuff still shines when it stands alone. And if you follow the words within the atmosphere of the music-- someone mentioned art galleries, but I'd say more like virtual reality. Chilling stuff sometimes.

"Does anybody here remember Vera Lynn"... you know it's strange, I used to get that a lot too, floating around in my head. There must be something to it.

For all the Floyd heads, here's a brief list of some of my relatively obscure favorites:

Fearless
Let There Be More Light (amazing lyrics here, especially in conjunction with the music)
Dogs (possibly the most acerbic words ever sung, and that transition from the keyboard/strumming to the slow beat guitar solo kills me)
Mudmen (love the drum crescendo into the wailing guitar bend)
Cirrus Minor (puts you on another planet)
and of course, the epic to end all epics,
Echoes

 

[photon]

I wasn't alive when PF was big, but I think they rock. Among my favs are, "Another Brick In the Wall," and "Great Gig in the Sky."

Some other fav. rock bands: U2 (can't get enough), Led Zep., beatles, Jefferson Airpalne, it's all good.

 

[Gokul43201]

I actually liked Final Cut quite a bit. I've not found anyone to second that opinion.

 

[tumor]

Final cut might have had great lyrics as usual with Waters,but musically I could not stand it,same with The Wall plus to much hype.All the albums until The Wall are my favourites.