David Gilmour Tour / New Album

[James T]

Little info on the album at the moment, but dates are as follows...

9/12 — Pula, Croatia
9/14 — Verona, Italy
9/15 — Florence, Italy
9/17 — Orange, France
9/19 — Oberhausen, Germany
9/23 — London, England
9/24 — London, England
9/25 — London, England

I got tickets for the second London show, £100 each though! Nice to see him at the albert hall I'm sure.

[BzaInSpace]

£100 is taking the piss. Who the fuck is Gilmour anyway? Merely the 2nd best guitarist in the Pink Floyd.

[TheWarmth]

Is it so surprising? Gilmour is a legend. He'll sell those tickets in minutes. I wouldn't pay it, but there are a shit-ton of people who will. I think he's the coolest member of Pink Floyd, so good for him. Check out Gilmour in the Live At Pompeii movie. He's badass.

[Laz69]

Tickets for Fleetwood Mac recent current/recent tour in Glasgow are £140 and thats the cheapest. I couldn't care less if i was a massive fan or if it was the last time they were ever going to play, but THAT is just offensive BUT i know they'll probably sell every one.
Whether its the band or the promotor or both, its a disgrace. When is it going to end? A stand needs to be taken against these greedy individuals and until they are left with an empty venue, no lesson will be learned.

[BzaInSpace]

I think U2 started this nonsense off, charging crazy ticket fees to see Bono land in a fucking spaceship shaped like a burger or whatever.

Now, I love Fleetwood Mac, especially the S/T-Rumours-Tusk era, but £140 is a disgrace.

Ultimately it's a supply and demand thing - doesn't mean to say it's right though. If people actually quit paying stupid ticket prices that might work.

[semisynthetic]

It is not unusual to see mention of BOX SETS that people on the SITE have paid as much or more than £100; I know that the relative decline of the value of the $, £ & € simply means it takes more of each unit of currency; in 1914 $1 was $1; now it is little more than 10% of that in buying power of similar goods; just about the ratio of the increase seen in these ticket prices. I have Pink Floyd tickets that were $3 -$10; and at the time, $10 was a lot of money. The decline in the WORTH of our currencies is where the problem is, and printing paper money like toilet paper causes each $ to be worth less. It is unfortunate that our currencies have been treated so badly; I get SHOCKED every time I go to the grocery store, and see some pitiful pork-chop sized T-Bone Steak at $15, when just a few years ago, a REAL steak was one third that price or less.

It is unfortunate that the decline in our currencies worth does not allow us to have or do or go to Concerts or a nice restaurant as we once might have; those with young children are hit triply hard, as items for the wee ones are very costly today.

I would pay that price to hear Gilmour play and present a live show; I believe him to be very talented; and not to be morose, but the great names of our youth or of the earlier days are sadly disappearing from view with every passing day; I will not be able to go, and I regret that. But change the "name" of the performer, and perhaps some people might change their opinion on the value of the experience. To each his own, I suppose.

But do to the COST of producing these shows, if no one goes due to some "moral money strike", there will simply be fewer and fewer shows of the type that the audiences tend to enjoy. I remember paying $25 to see the WHO a very long time ago, (front row and backstage after, and THAT was a monumental price at the time, but it was worth every penny; I met the group, w/ Moon the Loon and saw a REAL show). It has always been helpful to know someone who owns a Radio Station!

I did NOT go to concerts that now I wish I had; sometimes it was the work I did was time sensitive, and a few times, I simply did not have the cash; but every concert I DID see, with a few exceptions, are all wonderful memories that have no price.

[BzaInSpace]

But do to the COST of producing these shows, if no one goes due to some "moral money strike", there will simply be fewer and fewer shows of the type that the audiences tend to enjoy.

I know, it's never gonna happen. But all things considered I think this advent of these massive shows asking for 4, 5 or 6 times the standard going rate of a gig is just plain greed - and also a bad thing. That's not rock & roll - it becomes an elitist thing, which is just sad.

I'm sure I've said this before, but consider that London Spiritualized gig in 2011, at the Royal Albert Hall no less, which had something like 60 musicians and singers on stage? That was £32 a ticket, which in itself was expensive for a Spiritualized show. (When then played in Glasgow a year later my ticket cost a mere £17.50...)

They may not have had floating pigs and flying saucers and other ephemeral crap right enough - although they did play the at-the-time unreleased Sweet Heart/Sweet Light album in full, followed by a classics set, which for me was an incredibly unique experience.

I remember that show got a lot of flack on here as there was "too many new songs" and stuff. I wish more bands would do stuff like that. Here's a cool pic of that RAH gig:



I like this as I can see myself and the party I was with that night. Awesome memories...

Anyway. Horses for courses. I have no wish to bring up the gig-ticket-cost wars again, or to flame the likes of Gilmour so I'll leave it at that.



Except...

Is it so surprising? Gilmour is a legend. He'll sell those tickets in minutes. I wouldn't pay it, but there are a shit-ton of people who will. I think he's the coolest member of Pink Floyd, so good for him. Check out Gilmour in the Live At Pompeii movie. He's badass.

I dunno about the legend tag really. And you can hardly compare like for like: that's like comparing the Rolling Stones of 1972, to whatever passes for a Stones gig now. The drive, the energy, the hunger, the drugs... that's all gone, replaced by an anaemic but reassuringly professional 'concert' experience.

And also: The only cool member ever of Pink Floyd was Syd Barrett.

[TheWarmth]

And also: The only cool member ever of Pink Floyd was Syd Barrett.

I disagree with this vehemently. Somehow Syd managed to write a batch of awesome songs for the first album. Fine. It's a great album. He was the leader of the band for a few years and they were great during that period. However, his solo stuff is garbage and I think he gets way more credit than he deserves. Gilmour ranks far higher as a musician in my book than Barrett. Like I said, just watch Live At Pompeii.

[sunray]

And also: The only cool member ever of Pink Floyd was Syd Barrett.

Gilmour ranks far higher as a musician in my book than Barrett. Like I said, just watch Live At Pompeii.

Spoken like a true musician

Anyway, Nick Mason is obviously the coolest one in Live At Pompeii!

[BzaInSpace]

Gilmour ranks far higher as a musician in my book than Barrett...

Horses for courses again. For me, as a musician, Barrett's rough acid-fried boogie is far more interesting than Gilmour's virtuoso guitar wizardry.

It's like saying that Eric Clapton is a better guitar player than Roky Erickson. From a technical point of view that's undoubtedly correct but c'mon - Clapton's 'slow hand' is fucking dull.

Somehow Syd managed to write a batch of awesome songs for the first album. Fine. It's a great album. He was the leader of the band for a few years and they were great during that period. However, his solo stuff is garbage and I think he gets way more credit than he deserves.

Garbage?? Harsh, and I disagree with this vehemently. Give me his weird, fragile and unearthly pop tunes over anything by Pink Floyd post Dark Side of The Moon for a start. I also think - on the contrary - those records are totally underrated, unlike post-Barrett Pink Floyd. To be honest, apart from 3/4 of Meddle, around half of Ummagumma and a few other bits I have little regard for anything. The further they got away from him (and who really wants to go that far out, fair enough...) the less I enjoy them. The mid to late 70s bloated Waters era is dire. After that? Who cares...

Anyway. At the danger of this turning into a Pink Floyd forum - I'm out.

[semisynthetic]

I have a Great, Warm spot in my Heart and Psyche for what Barrett did; perhaps many of those early pieces DO sound "dated"; but that Child-Like approach that came so Naturally was something beyond Brilliant; it was Humane and Kind; sometimes a little humanly naughty, but so what. I should hope I NEVER lose what Child-Like view I still have of the World around me, and I can think of no one else quite like Roger (Syd) Barrett who tapped into it and shared so freely.
"Madness in Great Ones Should Not Unwatched Go" (from Hamlet, quote from the King)

The actual "Rise and Fall of the Floydian Empire" is not simplistic; I am always sadly amused that so many people begin to dislike the Pink Floyd when they, themselves had begun to have enough as well; "The Dark Side of the Moon" and the History of the hassles there helps tell the intro into what happened to the rest of their recordings, and why the band became disillusioned with their Label, their audience, and one another; but their most well known recording, DSOTM, cost them dearly in every way.
It is difficult at times to Define "Success".

[TheWarmth]

I'm not a PF fanboy at all. For the record, I have zero interest in Pink Floyd post DSOTM. The only records they did that i will ever own are the first eight ending with DSOTM. EIGHT! Damn. Barrett was only on one of those albums. Dude is over-rated! Also, Gilmour is anything but a virtuoso. I was at a local burger joint this weekend and they always play rock docs and live shows on their massive tv. This weekend I saw a bit of a Stevie Ray Vaughan. That guy was a virtuoso. And he sucked.

[semisynthetic]

You know that I cannot sing a note; so I naturally have an affinity for those who likewise are...off. Perhaps that is why I also enjoy Soft Speaker so much, it is ALMOST as bad, ergo, I may sing along with it in my own, special way.

Isn't "Fanboy" that group from Singapore? I don't like them at all; as I remember, they have Talent, something I cannot abide; they likewise, as you suggest, propose "technique over emotion"; a sort of paint-by-numbers-musical-methodology that is generally reserved for post-lobotomy listening in the criminally insane. .

[runcible]

I'll stick up for The Madcap Laughs which I think is not only an amusing and quirky listen but also full of incredible imagination and genuinely fantastic songs. Something like 'Here I Go' is - for me - so packed with charm and warmth I'm amazed everyone doesn't love it. I also find some similarity between some of this album and the massively underrated Freelovebabies material.

Hardly garbage as far as I am concerned.

[heisenberg]

I have huge respect for Gilmour. He seems like a very cool guy, very respectful and open-minded as a musician and as a person. For me though, Syd Barrett is my pick every time, and by a considerable distance. Aside from that unique, rough but brilliant guitar style, his voice is very beautiful and his songs have a timeless charm, completely free from self consciousness. His solo albums (for all their roughness and murky low points) have some absolutely brilliant songs on them. How can you argue with No Good Trying, Terrapin, Love Song, Dominoes, Golden Hair etc...? For my money, those two albums are much better than anything on Piper... or any subsequent Floyd Album for that matter. I like DSOTM, but I really need to be in the mood to hear it.

Did anyone here listen to the soniclovenoise versions of Pink Floyd's albums? I found them very interesting and thought the mixing of Barrett solo and late 60's/early 70's Floyd worked very well.

[runcible]

For my money, those two albums are much better than anything on Piper... or any subsequent Floyd Album for that matter.

I just said that to someone - spot on! Madcap is far superior to Barrett which has a starker, colder quality, whereas Madcap just oozes smiles and quirkiness. But both are excellent.

[BzaInSpace]

How can you argue with No Good Trying, Terrapin, Love Song, Dominoes, Golden Hair etc...? For my money, those two albums are much better than anything on Piper... or any subsequent Floyd Album for that matter. I like DSOTM, but I really need to be in the mood to hear it...

I love The Madcap Laughs.

'Golden Hair' (good call) is a genuinely beautiful psychedelic master stroke. 'Dark Globe' sounds like a mental breakdown in musical form. The whole album kinda veers between those two extremes...

The only thing that I think gets close to that kinda dark weirdness is that Skip Spence album Oar, and in some ways the backgrounds of him and Syd and the making of those records are troublingly similar.

It's hard to quantify why this kind of stuff really appeals to me. But I'd far rather play this, or Barrett, or Opal, than probably any Pink Floyd. Dark Side of The Moon hangs together really well, is relatively concise, and has flashes of wit and humour the gloomy bastards lost afterwards, but it's something I rarely would choose to listen to now.

I am always sadly amused that so many people begin to dislike the Pink Floyd when they, themselves had begun to have enough as well...

Why would this be unexpected though? Clearly if a band of musicians are not enjoying their music, their shows, those who come and see them play and each other why would anyone else? They should have quit in the mid to late 70s and gone and worked in factories or something - that would really give them something to moan about.

You know that I cannot sing a note; so I naturally have an affinity for those who likewise are...off. Perhaps that is why I also enjoy Soft Speaker so much, it is ALMOST as bad, ergo, I may sing along with it in my own, special way...

I'm not sure if that's complimentary... is it??

Ultimately I have no issues with Dave Gilmour - I don't know him, and he worked hard to get those Syd albums finished which couldn't have been easy. He also did overseen recent remastering of a Syd best of. I'm also certain he wasn't the member of the band who said "Let's not bother" the day they questioned picking him up on the way to rehearsal...

[TheWarmth]

I admit that it was heavy-handed to label Barrett's solo output as "garbage." But really, it doesn't do much for me. I'd rather listen to almost anything from albums #2 through 8 (DSOTM) over Barrett's material. Just my opinion, of course.

[semisynthetic]

My comments, BZA, are merely a series of inside jokes between TheWarmth and myself; and that is all.
I must be known to more than just a few people on this SITE as a long time fan of Roger (Syd) Barrett; and the Pink Floyd - especially the earlier materials by Barrett and Richard Wright. I see Brilliance in Barrett's works; frankly, most people do not have the original 7" singles to hear in their ORIGINAL form, and I think many overlook the 2 Solo Albums that all have "something" that appeals to me; not everything that is "great" has to be enjoyable in the traditional sense. Robert Wyatt's "Rock Bottom" comes to mind.

It is quite true, however, that as the Pink Floyd were flying high on DSOTM, the behind the scenes hassles w/ their label, the terrific and unfortunate change from a quiet Spacy Concert to a "Spectacle", caused problems within the band and w/ their audience; it wasn't as fun anymore; that is why I commented that I was sadly amused everytime I hear DSOTM listed as the last "listenable" Pink Floyd Album, because it is true I think, that at this same time, the Band themselves were becoming genuinely disenchanted; so that comment is always an ironic one for me.

[semisynthetic]

Most of the negative comments I read of post-DSOTM has to do as much with the presentation, which had Always been "growing", especially the light shows & Films; but in the earlier days, the band did work much more closely than in later years; Waters became the de facto writer, not with much complaints either; so I blame the 3 of them for allowing Waters to evolve into writing the lyrics AND composing much of the music; it
was not a "single individual" however who decided what else would be going on during concerts; as I mentioned, the "Show" was always growing, and in no small part because audiences demanded it; each new show had to try and "outdo" the one before. I am glad they did not do the lazy way out and go to a factory; they were all very talented, and even the best of friends have disagreements; there were at least 3 albums in Waters mind, at least after DSOTM. As audiences devolved from what the band enjoyed playing for, The Wall began in 1974; I have lyrics that are rougher then than those ultimately used on the 2LP Album. They experimented to create "Wish You Were Here", an Album that Richard Wright did amazing things but he was a quiet person and publicly stayed that way; I have read differering views about what LP each member liked most personally after DSOTM; and no doubt they were working on Solo projects of all types along the way. If I could, I would place a film I have of an "Atom Heart Mother Concert", and the difference is astounding when one compares the show, the Band, & the Audience; who quietly sit with some subtle "Shushing", which is a very different seen by later DSOTM concerts where the band was interfered with by a very different, and generally unhip audience of twits screaming "Play Money" ad infinitum or worse. The use of Airplanes landing and exploding on stage, and the Giant Screens and assorted balloon figures were intended to give this very "new & evolved" audience what they wanted, what I refer to as "Bread and Circus"; this Coliseum like environment was not necessarily what the Band wanted, but I think Pink Floyd did as "The Kinks" suggested, GIVE THE PEOPLE WHAT THEY WANT. I don't see that as a terrible thing to do; very early the entire band discussed at length should they just stand there and play, as they had been, or increase the show to appease the crowd; it just kept growing, 'til the "Bloated Stadium Era", which for some reason turns some people off. I preferred the earlier, more intimate concert settings, but they were selling and filling stadiums; the Shows with the Music evolved from those intimate Concerts with LightShows and Films. They were extremely popular, and still are, even though the band has been essentially dissolved for over 30 years! But I would not expect Gilmour, Mason and Wright to just "disappear" because Waters had enough & considered the band over; they had all of their adult lives invested in playing and writing for "Pink Floyd".

I Truly prefer the earlier material, starting with the 1st single! Several singles took years to appear on LP, and depending WHICH LP, they were not the same; and certainly the Sound was not the same. There must be SOME interest in the Pink Floyd still today; I was surprised to see the "Pink Floyd" Thread had passed 12,000 viewings, and that is a big surprise to me, I just added a few rarities, along with some other people, to share bits of the Band that I thought were likely unknown and possibly interesting; I keep adding singles I obtained, and other items or thoughts, and some people enjoy it. I would imagine anyone who did not would refrain from wasting their time.