New interview with Guy Pratt

[woody1]

I’ve just interviewed Guy Pratt for my blog https://upwardsat45degrees.wordpress.co ... nces-more/

We talked Floyd, Saucers, that Gilmour gig with Bowie and meeting Roger in New York. He was on top form. News of a new book as well.

[Master_Chief]

Fabulous interview! I really enjoyed it. Can't wait for that second book

[woody1]

Many thanks!

[Hadrian]

Thanks for this, great interview indeed.

Guy Pratt is a fabulous bass player. When The Later Years were announced, I was hoping that the 1987 live version of "Echoes" would find its way there. His modern slapping bass playing on it updated the track greatly, which was wonderful to hear. That version was performed by Pink Floyd only 11 times in 1987, but pre-tour rehearsals of it were also recorded. That remains the only track from the 1987-1990 live stretch that did not make it to the box set (speaking of updating that song, I do like Dick Perry's saxophone solo on "Echoes" from the 1974 tour, found on the Immersion edition; sound-wise this brought the song into the softer and more sophisticated Dark Side aural sphere, which was interesting to hear).

Guy Pratt can now say that he shared the stage with Dave, Nick, Rick and Roger, and he performed the band's catalogue live from Syd's to The Division Bell days.

By the way, I love it that he likes CDs. I like them too, and I think that it was a great physical medium that did not really get proper utility. It is perfect for a sesquialbum (1.5 LPs), one of the rarest beasts out there, something that would have 18 songs of regular length rather than 12 as the usual album. I have a strange Japanese compilation that packs 6 CDs into a standard CD jewel case (the case has the cover printed directly on plastic from all sides), the entire interior is removed and there is only a small rubber stick to stack the discs on top of each other. It is incredible simple, but it shows how much could be packed within the format.

[Yucateco]

Guy Pratt is a fabulous bass player. When The Later Years were announced, I was hoping that the 1987 live version of "Echoes" would find its way there. His modern slapping bass playing on it updated the track greatly, which was wonderful to hear. That version was performed by Pink Floyd only 11 times in 1987, but pre-tour rehearsals of it were also recorded. That remains the only track from the 1987-1990 live stretch that did not make it to the box set (speaking of updating that song, I do like Dick Perry's saxophone solo on "Echoes" from the 1974 tour, found on the Immersion edition; sound-wise this brought the song into the softer and more sophisticated Dark Side aural sphere, which was interesting to hear).

Interesting. I find the 87 versions horrible to listen to for exactly the bass playing (and the additional drumming by Gary Wallis). It just sounds so wrong

[azza200]

the last few versions of Echoes 87 before it was dropped are better then the first few attempts fair play for David for trying it out with a new band. But don't forget David did said the younger players at the time did not get it that's why it sounds so off and was dropped.

At first i hated the Sax in Echoes but the Wembley 74 immersion version release is amazing

[Yucateco]

But don't forget David did said the younger players at the time did not get it that's why it sounds so off and was dropped.

I always find that quote from David quite amusing since the younger players had just about the same age as the Floyd’s themselves when they recorded Echoes

[snifferdog]

I really enjoyed that interview. I've been watching Guy's lockdown videos on and off and they're pretty entertaining too. Hopefully he'll get around to writing another book. The first one was a good read