Also, unbelievably heavy in places (“Nile Song,” “Ibiza Bar”). 1969’s More signaled the start of two albums of outright experimentation. Syd Barrett ultimately departed, and without him Pink Floyd’s sound lost a lot of charm and a mire started to spread. The band’s second album was no less exciting than the first, with a collection of sharp tunes and cosmic investigations. To this day, it is a compellingly joyous listen.Īs Syd began to suffer in his rock star role, David Gilmour joined the fold to help complete A Saucerful of Secrets in 1968. Inspired by Syd Barrett, their charismatic, cherub-like and beautiful leader, the band produced a gem of a record full of pastoral psychedelia, whimsical lyrical nonsense that somehow made complete sense. The UFO Club in London was their headquarters and before long “The” Pink Floyd released Piper at the Gates of Dawn. And somehow, amidst this coolness, a bunch of polite, well-spoken Englishmen managed to become the hippest, most cutting edge of bands. The music of the time was ground-breaking and populist. To formulate an answer, a little context is needed: The late 1960s was by common consent a great time for popular culture, with London one of its epicenters. Possibly after having already feasted on the big four, as well as on the later Gilmour-led era, and maybe having dabbled with Syd’s early excitement? Is Atom Heart Mother really that bad? I mean, really? That’s enough to put anyone off delving into Pink Floyd’s more obscure back catalog. “ Atom Heart Mother is a good case, I think, for being thrown into the dustbin and never listened to by anyone ever again,” Waters added in the ’80s. “You must be fucking joking,” he answered unequivocally. Meanwhile, Waters was once asked whether he would consider playing any of this album live. Possibly our lowest point artistically,” Gilmour later told Mojo. Both Waters and Gilmour have been less than complimentary in the past when talking about Atom Heart Mother.
You listening, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and David Gilmour? These words would probably fall on death ears, however.
A deserved party, recognizing achievement. A celebration is something more spectacular. Not an event itself worth popping corks over, yet arguably did a reasonable amount of good long term. Should the anniversary be commemorated, instead of celebrated? Rather like one commemorates an event in history, such as the founding of NATO. But is Atom Heart Mother’s 50th anniversary worthy of celebration? A change in the way their music was packaged, both physically and sonically. A change which saw Pink Floyd move in a progressive direction. Pink Floyd, not quite in the doldrums but not exactly flying either, released an album which indicated a change.Ī change severing any remaining ties with their psychedelic, whimsical past. Four on from the bombastic psychedelia of their debut, one of the greatest albums of the 1960s.
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