Pink Floyd's Saucerful of Secrets

[Hadrian]

Without trying to take anything away from Nick Mason and his fabulous project, a much needed breath of fresh air that I fully support (hey, I heard "Vegetable Man" live with Mason playing; what more could one want?), I do have to ask - was this something that Pink Floyd should've done instead?

If David Gilmour was miraculously on board from day one, playing with Mason small venues since 2018, how would that look like? The tour itself, when it started in 2018, looked very much like the extension of Pink Floyd's 1968 world tour (17 February to 28 December), where they played their first two studio albums and affiliated singles (with NMSOS, in addition, we have unreleased stuff from that era too). Continuing the same tour exactly 50 years later would've been a spectacular marketing gimmick , and playing Syd's material might've masked Wright's absence better. At the same time, would mere mortals even be able to purchase concert tickets for these small gigs, and what would happen with ticket prices? Would the whole affair cause frustrations with fans who would not be able to attend (as most wouldn't, in large cities), or would the interest be adjusted as well, given the material?

Something like this, David Gilmour's live performance of "Remember a Day", is probably the closest illustration of what it all would be like:



p.s.
Again, kudos to Mason for doing this. We should always keep in mind that NMSOS plays pure Pink Floyd, nothing else. It is a shame 2020 is a write-off for concert tours due to the crappy C-19 thing, robbing fans of their chances to hear NMSOS for an entire year (Mason in 76, and he is not getting any younger), and also robbing the band itself for a chance to evolve further, play with the existing material some more, add new stuff, etc.

p.p.s.
I am still hoping that David Gilmour will join NMSOS on stage somewhere, for a number or two

[Kerry King]

Mason is 76, and he is not getting any younger

The music is getting younger.
“I felt 25 again,” Mason told Rolling Stone. “I could finally see the other musicians and we all made eye contact."

I'd like to hear Gilmour on Set The Controls...

[ZiggyZipgun]

I wouldn't be surprised if Matt Gilmour made an appearance with them once touring resumes, since he'll likely be on the road as well.

But to hold a Pink Floyd concert in a small theater would mean having each city's police force working as security personnel. Bowie was able to do it once in a while, but they had to be completely unannounced beforehand, and they were still full every time.

[space triangle]

With all respect I wouldn't want that. I want to have my memory of the complete Pink Floyd intact. A once the greatest band on the Earth. Not a different small fractions occured from the rest of the band supplemented by a different comp musicians. I don't want 'a Pub Pink Floyd'. But. it's just me and my opinion.

[Hadrian]

NMSOS show that I attended, Guy Pratt had a field day with that bass guitar introduction to "Let There Be More Light". It made it young indeed.

Here is an example from 2015 with the Rolling Stones doing what I am talking about (it wasn't the first nor is it the last example I believe, just the first one Google threw back at me, for whatever reason). It was an NMSOS-size venue (1,300 in audience), and it was publicly announced the morning of the show. By the way, they did something Pink Floyd-like there - they played an entire studio album as a set.

Regarding live support, keep in mind that somebody like Jon Carin entered the world of Pink Floyd back in 1985, just a few months before Roger officially left (he played with David Gilmour for the first time at the Live Aid concert, both supported Bryan Ferry). From that point onward he was involved in parallel with Pink Floyd, David Gilmour and Roger Waters tours and concerts, plus studio work with them too (he has writing credits on AMLOR). He has been involved with the boys for 35 years now, Roger was in Floyd for 30. Guy Pratt, similar story, since 1987 (33 years). Tim Renwick, support guitar, also there since 1987 (33 years). These folks will never be official band members for obvious reasons, but after 30 years, they can play any of the material in their sleep.

[Jimi Dean Barrett]

And there'll always be people wanting to see the 30 year members play that stuff when wide awake. Or there was before "the shops shut due to Covid" etc.

[ZiggyZipgun]

Guy Pratt and Jon Carin have toured together, performing a lot of Floyd material that they haven't had a chance to on other tours.

[Hadrian]

When you think about this, Jon Carin's ability to simultaneously work within both camps, with Pink Floyd + David Gilmour solo as well as Roger Waters, going back and forth between then all the time as tours, concerts and studio work happen, all of it is truly incredible. The fact that Roger Waters in particular does not mind continuously working with someone who participated in creating all three Pink Floyd studio albums as well as associated tours and concerts after he left the band, that is almost beyond belief (he took them to court).

If anyone knows them all very well from 1985 to the present, that is Jon Carin. I do wonder if they ask him what the other camp is doing.

[Annoying Twit]

When you think about this, Jon Carin's ability to simultaneously work within both camps, with Pink Floyd + David Gilmour solo as well as Roger Waters, going back and forth between then all the time as tours, concerts and studio work happen, all of it is truly incredible. The fact that Roger Waters in particular does not mind continuously working with someone who participated in creating all three Pink Floyd studio albums as well as associated tours and concerts after he left the band, that is almost beyond belief (he took them to court).

If anyone knows them all very well from 1985 to the present, that is Jon Carin. I do wonder if they ask him what the other camp is doing.

Jon knew the songs and could definitely come up with the goods. See his vocal on 'dogs' as an example. I think this was a sensible choice by Roger. And, it shows that he's not always as emotionally driven as he is sometimes described.

[Hadrian]

Yes, playing the entire Dark Side album live with Pink Floyd in 1994 made him an easy choice for playing the entire Dark Side album live with Roger Waters in 2006-2008. That is just one example.

Playing with all four boys in 2005 during Live 8, and later playing with both Pink Floyd ("Arnold Layne", "Bike") and Roger Waters ("Flickering Flame") at the same event in 2007 (The Madcap's Last Laugh) were Jon's ultimate moments.

[ZiggyZipgun]

And, it shows that he's not always as emotionally driven as he is sometimes described.

The In the Flesh tour program from 1999 has a brief bio for each of the musicians, and in Jon's, Roger says something along the lines of "oh, and he played with that other band...what was their name? Oh yes: 'Pink Floyd (1987) Ltd.'"

[Hadrian]

There are online rumours that Jon Carin and David Gilmour had a fall out, initially based on that fact that Jon was there in his usual extensive capacity for the Legs 1-3 of the 2015-16 Rattle That Lock Tour, but was entirely gone for the Legs 4-5. Those who claim it also noticed Jon's rather uncharacteristic comments about Wright's contributions recently, also complaints about The Later Years remastering, and his Pink Floyd website treatment, all of it in 2019-2020.

The tour thing might be nothing (it is possible Gilmour added two more legs on the fly, and Carin had other commitments already), and the comments might be blown out of proportion too. I certainly hope it is not true. It would be strange to have something like that happen after 30 years of collaboration. It would be a sad affair indeed, if it is true. I do believe that Gilmour will have another studio album for us, and that it will be followed by another of his typical tours (30-50 shows maximum, at mid-size venues) once this madness with Covid passes. I sincerely hope that Jon Carin will be there for it all. With him around, all of it just sounds better.

[space triangle]

Guy Pratt, Jon Carin, Tim Renwick, Andy Fairweather Low and Bob Ezrin they are free to form the Pink Floyd tribute band and leave Pink Floyd alone. To the history and greatefull mankind. They can compete with Brit Floyd, Australian Pink Floyd and other PF tribute bands.

[Annoying Twit]

Guy Pratt, Jon Carin, Tim Renwick, Andy Fairweather Low and Bob Ezrin they are free to form the Pink Floyd tribute band and leave Pink Floyd alone. To the history and greatefull mankind. They can compete with Brit Floyd, Australian Pink Floyd and other PF tribute bands.

Why would you say that?

[space triangle]

Why would you say that?

Just kidding.