Pink Floyd's sophomore effort could very well be the worst of all time. Syd Barrett, their guiding light, and principal songwriter, became the goose that laid the golden eggs, and infamously flamed out, leaving them at the apex and in the middle of recording. I don't think it was just acid, or insanity. I think forming a band was fun, but it suddenly becoming a vocation, and pop stardom stopped being so. He really wanted to be a painter, and he was a pretty good one from what I've seen.
Anyway the rest of the band found themselves in quite the pickle with an album begun and no songs. The title track can only be described as a composition, as it's not a song or even music, really, except for the last section by Richard Wright, which I've used as a long intro to "See Saw". My band, The Smoove Sailors write more interesting "jams" every week than the title tune.
I've been thinking about fixing A Saucerful Of Secrets for a long time. It was the unlistenable half of A Nice Pair, and just as bad as Ummagumma (The best part of which is the picture of all the gear on the back). A Saucerful of Tears is almost long enough to be a double album. Like if the White album lost "Revolution 9" and "Goodnight," which I would never miss.
It's the most democratic Floyd album as it features at least four songwriters and singers. I've compiled all the Syd Barrett songs recorded after their debut, "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn," including the still unreleased "Vegetable Man", and "Scream Thy Last Scream", plus a couple singles with David Gilmour from the same period, but not on the album.
"Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun" is not my favorite, but is the only one involving all five members. "A Jolly Bunch of Pop Tunes" Syd might say.
I think it plays rather well, and because it's all from the same period, could have been released this way. Enjoy!
zip
4 comments:
Nice point about that weird transitional time for the Floyd after the first album. I'm looking forward to hearing this mix - thanks!
As if the five member version was a functioning band.
Just recently began listening closely to the first Floyd record. Pretty remarkable, of course. But yes a pretty steep drop-off after that.
There's a BBC Radio4 special called "The Thing About Syd" that's well done and quite informative. I believe it's out there as a podcast.
I will enjoy this mix, thank you.
A friend and I have challenged each other to pick a tune off the new "ambient" Floyd snoozer and add the most Waters-like lyric and "singing" possible to it. If we ever actually do it, i'm sure it will be lots of fun.
Thanks Mr Sal
Nice to have Pink Floyd in the mix.
Regards
Rhod
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