Pink Floyd Music Circu 70/71

[ali-d]

This was the period when "Meddle" was being put together. Floyd's record company EMI put out a sampler LP called " A day in the Country " . This featured a demo Floyd had done called "Embryo". A little later Floyd did a Radio 1 "In concert" show, hosted by "John Peel" . This set had "Fat Old Sun" , "One of These Days" , "Embryo" and "Echoes". The version of Embryo played was very different from the Demo on the EMI sampler. What ever happened to this track. Did it morph into a Dark Side tune or has it sunk without a trace ?

[crowman]

I believe the original version of Embryo was recorded in late 1968, and was possibly considered for Ummagumma before that album became a collection of 4 solo projects. It was performed live on BBC radio in early 1969 and featured the same acoustic guitar arrangement as the original recording.

It was probably premiered live in concert in January 1970, by this time it had been fairly radically reworked into a heavier, bluesier version with striking lead work from Gilmour, this was the arrangement performed on BBC radio in 1970 and again in 1971. The original recording was released on the Harvest compilation "Picnic: A Breath of Fresh Air" (as seen in my avatar ) in May 1970 without the band's permission and was soon withdrawn from sale. According to BBC DJ John Peel in the 1971 live broadcast, the band considered the Picnic version to be an unfinished demo.

Embryo continued to be performed until the end of 1971 after which it was dropped from their live set. It doesn't seem to have turned into anything on Dark Side of the Moon (which the band started work on in late 71), although the last performance in November 71 features an extended guitar solo from Gilmour in which you can hear the music for Breathe starting to take shape.

The live versions from this period are brilliant, it's a pity it was never properly recorded in this form. The original 1968 recording is now available on the Works compilation.

Incidentally, there's another Embryo thread here.

Hope this helps.

[506am]

The live versions from this period are brilliant, it's a pity it was never properly recorded in this form. The original 1968 recording is now available on the Works compilation.

I absolutely love the 1969-71 era and Embryo is one of the reasons. Long instrumental passages that were shaping the future sound of Pink Floyd and brilliant arrangements that encompassed the new Floyd following Syd's departure.

From Cymbaline to Embryo to Echoes to Set The Controls to Atom Heart Mother to Interstellar Overdrive... and the lush acoustic tracks such as Grantchester Meadows, Green Is The Colour and even If... what an era...

[drafsack]

The sampler the EMI put out was also called Picnic

[Zack]

This is probably in the other thread, but one ought to point out that the bird noises from the backwards echo unit in Echoes were born during Embryo, as heard in 1970 versions. Once Echoes was composed, they replaced them in Embryo with a keys-based jam as heard in 71. As I have said many times before, it's a shame they didn't dust it off for AHM. The album could have used it.

[Steph22]

The BBC 70/71 version of Embryo is the one they should have recorded. The one relesed on Picnic is a little disappointing when you hear the heavier guitar driven version. Growing up, the only one I knew was on "Works".

I hate to say it, but god bless the internet for making all the live versions of Floyd stuff available. It's simply amazing to hear songs you know and love being performed live and to hear the evolution of those songs until they were recorded.

[Hogtown]

The BBC 70/71 version of Embryo is the one they should have recorded. The one relesed on Picnic is a little disappointing when you hear the heavier guitar driven version. Growing up, the only one I knew was on "Works".

I hate to say it, but god bless the internet for making all the live versions of Floyd stuff available. It's simply amazing to hear songs you know and love being performed live and to hear the evolution of those songs until they were recorded.

Well, back in the 80s I spent waaaay too much money on vinyl bootlegs of a lot of Pink Floyd live material (I heard the long version of Embryo from the BBC a couple of years before I heard the Works/Picnic version). I say thank g-d for the internet for allowing this material to be freely available!!!!

[Damn!t]

I envy you J for having vinyl bootlegs.

Tried to buy me some but these things are more expencive then anything.

[Hogtown]

Bran man! I sold all that vinyl long ago and started replacing it with cds (sold those too)...THEN the internet took off. So, most of the stuff I have downloaded off the internet, I already paid for (sometimes twice). So, don't envy me. I envy people who didn't have to go through the spending I did.

[Damn!t]

Now now...
You live and you learn.

Do you still own some of the vinyl bootlegs or you sold everything?

[Hogtown]

Do you still own some of the vinyl bootlegs or you sold everything?

Everything gone!! I have a few cds left though.

[Damn!t]

[Steph22]

When I was 14 and just starting to get into Pink Floyd, it was 1991.
My brother took me to a record collectors convention in Philly. I bought a cassette tape of the BBC 70/71 show, not knowing what it was. I listened to it and realized I knew none of the songs. I put it away and never listened to it again until a few months ago and finally realized what I had bought 18 years ago! I'm 32 now!

The track listing is:
1. Embryo
2. Green is the Colour
3. Careful witht that Axe, Eugene
4. Atom Heart Mother
5. If
6. One of These Days
7. Echoes

[Hogtown]

I'm 32 now!

Is it safe to assume you are female???

I mean, I am a 38 year old male who likes PF...

[Steph22]

I'm 32 now!

Is it safe to assume you are female???

I mean, I am a 38 year old male who likes PF...

Um, yeah...