Bob Dylan is America’s greatest songwriter. He broke in the early sixties and is considered the chronicler of those times. He became known for his Anti-War and Pro-Civil Rights sentiments. He defined the period. However, Dylan was more than the folk counterculture poet laureate. He expanded his music and even committed the cardinal sin by plugging in. Some folk music fans refused to forgive this sacrilege.
Dylan refused to be pigeonholed and typecast as a folk artist. On “Maggie’s Farm”, he declared his independence from the folk community. Dylan has done Country, Gospel, Jazz, and just released a Christmas Album. Bob Dylan has released 33 albums, won a gazillion awards, and even got the Beatles to expand their music and awareness.
Rock n Roll Moment: Dylan plugged in at the Newport Folk Festival. He was booed and left the stage. The Folk Music Community went nuts. One fellow tried to cut the cords running to the amps.
Essential Dylan:
The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan (1963)
Another Side of Bob Dylan (1964)
Bring it all Back Home (1965)
Highway 61 Revisited (1965)
Blonde on Blonde (1966)
John Wesley Harding (1967)
Nashville Skyline (1969)
Pat Garrett and Billy the Kid (1973)
Blood on the Tracks (1975)
The Basement Tapes (1975)
Modern Times (2006)
Dylan’s Top 10:
Blowin’ in the Wind
Maggie’s Farm
The Times They Are a-Changin’
Subterranean Homesick Blues
Like a Rolling Stone
Positively 4th Street
Lay Lady Lay
Rainy Day Women #12 and #35
Just Like a Woman
Tangled Up in Blue
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Sunday, October 25, 2009
#4 The Rolling Stones
The Stones formed in 1962 and are on the verge of celebrating their 50th anniversary. The original band consisted of Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Bill Wyman, Brian Jones, and Ian Stewart. Keyboardist Stewart was quickly dumped because he did not fit the “teen idol” image. He did stay on as road manager and session keyboardist until his death in 1985.
The band’s main influences came from the blues world. Eventually, they came to write their own stuff which was heavily influenced by that genre. When they broke, they used that background to become the anti-Beatles. While the Beatles came off as nice clean cut gents, the Stones were dark and dangerous. Mick Jagger cultivated this image. While the Beatles sang of love, the Stones expressed “Sympathy for the Devil.” This image was reinforced at their Woodstock West concert at Altamont in 1969. The Hell’s Angels provided security and stabbed a fan to death.
Mick and Keith became the band’s main creative force. As they became more popular, they edged the band’s founder, Brian Jones out. Jones eventually died under mysterious circumstances. An investigation into his death has recently been reopened. Jones was replaced by Mick Taylor. For no apparent reason, Taylor quit in 1974 and was replaced by Ron Wood. Wood has been with the band ever since.
The Stones halcyon years ran from the Aftermath album of 1966 through their Exile on Mainstreet in 1972. However, they remained consistent hit makers into the early-to-mid eighties. Then, tensions between Mick and Keith blew the band apart. At Live Aid, Mick took the stage with Tina Turner while Keith (and Ron Wood) played with Bob Dylan.
In 1989, Mick and Keith made up and the band remerged with Steel Wheels. Once again, they scored a series of hit songs and records into the new millennium. During this renaissance period, bassist and band historian Bill Wyman retired. He was replaced by Darryl Jones. The Stones last album was released in 2005 and stirred some controversy with the song “Sweet Neo Con.” The album also produced a stripped down style which critics loved. In many respects, A Bigger Bang gave the public a glimpse at the sixties-era Stones. They are still together and their music and their image is something artists since from the sixties to today have tried to emulate.
Rock n Roll Moment: Keith Richards (yes that is all I am going to say)
Essential Stones:
The Rolling Stones Now! (1965)
Aftermath (1966)
Between the Buttons (1967)
Beggar’s Banquet (1968)
Let it Bleed (1969)
Sticky Fingers (1971)
Exile on Main Street (1972)
Some Girls (1978)
Tatoo You (1981)
Voodoo Lounge (1994)
A Bigger Bang (2005)
The Rolling Stone’s Top 10:
Satisfaction
Paint It Black
Let’s Spend the Night Together
Gimme Shelter
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Honky Tonk Women
Brown Sugar
Tumblin’ Dice
Miss You
Start Me Up
The band’s main influences came from the blues world. Eventually, they came to write their own stuff which was heavily influenced by that genre. When they broke, they used that background to become the anti-Beatles. While the Beatles came off as nice clean cut gents, the Stones were dark and dangerous. Mick Jagger cultivated this image. While the Beatles sang of love, the Stones expressed “Sympathy for the Devil.” This image was reinforced at their Woodstock West concert at Altamont in 1969. The Hell’s Angels provided security and stabbed a fan to death.
Mick and Keith became the band’s main creative force. As they became more popular, they edged the band’s founder, Brian Jones out. Jones eventually died under mysterious circumstances. An investigation into his death has recently been reopened. Jones was replaced by Mick Taylor. For no apparent reason, Taylor quit in 1974 and was replaced by Ron Wood. Wood has been with the band ever since.
The Stones halcyon years ran from the Aftermath album of 1966 through their Exile on Mainstreet in 1972. However, they remained consistent hit makers into the early-to-mid eighties. Then, tensions between Mick and Keith blew the band apart. At Live Aid, Mick took the stage with Tina Turner while Keith (and Ron Wood) played with Bob Dylan.
In 1989, Mick and Keith made up and the band remerged with Steel Wheels. Once again, they scored a series of hit songs and records into the new millennium. During this renaissance period, bassist and band historian Bill Wyman retired. He was replaced by Darryl Jones. The Stones last album was released in 2005 and stirred some controversy with the song “Sweet Neo Con.” The album also produced a stripped down style which critics loved. In many respects, A Bigger Bang gave the public a glimpse at the sixties-era Stones. They are still together and their music and their image is something artists since from the sixties to today have tried to emulate.
Rock n Roll Moment: Keith Richards (yes that is all I am going to say)
Essential Stones:
The Rolling Stones Now! (1965)
Aftermath (1966)
Between the Buttons (1967)
Beggar’s Banquet (1968)
Let it Bleed (1969)
Sticky Fingers (1971)
Exile on Main Street (1972)
Some Girls (1978)
Tatoo You (1981)
Voodoo Lounge (1994)
A Bigger Bang (2005)
The Rolling Stone’s Top 10:
Satisfaction
Paint It Black
Let’s Spend the Night Together
Gimme Shelter
Jumpin’ Jack Flash
Honky Tonk Women
Brown Sugar
Tumblin’ Dice
Miss You
Start Me Up
Presidential Legacies: Cold War Democrats (and Ike): 1945-1969
The next set of presidents faced a drastically changed world. Following World War II, Europe was in shambles, the Soviet Union was throwing its weight around, and America was the last man standing. As such, the post-war presidents filled the vacuum left by collapsed European powers. America became the world’s policeman. As such, the United States moved to thwart Soviet expansionism. The U.S. did this for three reasons. First, the Soviets moved into Eastern Europe and refused to leave. Second, the Soviets’ stated purpose was worldwide revolution. Third, Hitler already plunged the world into a global conflict that took millions of lives. Stalin was not that much different than the German dictator. So, checking Soviet expansionism became a way to stop World War III.
Harry Truman was the first president to face this threat. His response was decisive and set the policy that was essentially followed by his successors through 1991. When George Kennan wrote his long telegram arguing that the U.S.S.R. respected strength and would back down if confronted, Truman made it his own. American policy toward the Russians would be based on containment. Communism would not be allowed to spread beyond its current borders. In order to achieve these ends, Truman pumped money in the form of the Marshall Plan into Europe. The plan got Western Europe back on its feet by the early fifties. He backed the Democratic forces in Greece and Turkey when Communism threatened. They survived. When North Korea invaded South Korea, Truman sent in MacArthur. Despite Chinese intervention, South Korea remained free. Despite his foreign policy achievements, including ending World War II, Truman was unpopular. Due to his low approval ratings and advanced age, he stepped down from office. However, his Containment Policy survived the Truman Presidency by forty years.
Truman’s immediate successor was General Eisenhower. Ike continued his predecessor’s policies and balanced the budget. Ike also created the Interstate Highway System which created Modern America. The system was designed with defense in mind. It ended up creating the suburbs. Americans were no longer shackled. They did not have to either live in the country or the city. They could now more easily go on cross country vacations, work far from home, and so on.
Eisenhower faced international crises as well, but being Ike, he was able to confront them and calm the nation. John F. Kennedy being John F. Kennedy, and not General Eisenhower, gave the Soviets no pause. After a failed attempt to overthrow Cuba’s Fidel Castro, the Soviets decided to place offensive nuclear missiles on the island. What followed was a textbook example of crisis management. Kennedy ordered a blockade. Technically, this was an act of war. However, Robert Kennedy was negotiating behind the scenes and an agreement was reached. The Soviets backed down. The world did not incinerate. The Soviets would remove the missiles from Cuba. The U.S. would remove antiquated missiles from Turkey. The Soviets would not mention the deal. America would not remove Castro. The Cuban Missile Crisis ended and the world survived.
While Kennedy stepped to the edge, Lyndon Johnson went over it. Lyndon Johnson managed to anger everyone. His Great Society angered Conservatives, led to large deficits in subsequent decades, and is generally considered a failure. His Civil Rights policies angered the South and sent the entire region over to the G.O.P. Freeing African-Americans (with more Republican support than Democratic) should have been his crowning glory. However, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Fair Housing Act of 1968 are overshadowed by Vietnam.
The Vietnam War destroyed Johnson. As it dragged on, more people became disillusioned. After three years, the administration told Americans that the war was almost over. Then, the enemy launched a daring attack on the Tet New Year. In 1968, they attacked every major city in South Vietnam and fought in the American Embassy in Saigon. The U.S. won a major victory, but it did not look like it on television. Walter Cronkite declared the war lost. Johnson later announced he would not seek another term as president. The Democratic Party after 1968 fell to the McGovernites and has yet to recover.
Harry Truman was the first president to face this threat. His response was decisive and set the policy that was essentially followed by his successors through 1991. When George Kennan wrote his long telegram arguing that the U.S.S.R. respected strength and would back down if confronted, Truman made it his own. American policy toward the Russians would be based on containment. Communism would not be allowed to spread beyond its current borders. In order to achieve these ends, Truman pumped money in the form of the Marshall Plan into Europe. The plan got Western Europe back on its feet by the early fifties. He backed the Democratic forces in Greece and Turkey when Communism threatened. They survived. When North Korea invaded South Korea, Truman sent in MacArthur. Despite Chinese intervention, South Korea remained free. Despite his foreign policy achievements, including ending World War II, Truman was unpopular. Due to his low approval ratings and advanced age, he stepped down from office. However, his Containment Policy survived the Truman Presidency by forty years.
Truman’s immediate successor was General Eisenhower. Ike continued his predecessor’s policies and balanced the budget. Ike also created the Interstate Highway System which created Modern America. The system was designed with defense in mind. It ended up creating the suburbs. Americans were no longer shackled. They did not have to either live in the country or the city. They could now more easily go on cross country vacations, work far from home, and so on.
Eisenhower faced international crises as well, but being Ike, he was able to confront them and calm the nation. John F. Kennedy being John F. Kennedy, and not General Eisenhower, gave the Soviets no pause. After a failed attempt to overthrow Cuba’s Fidel Castro, the Soviets decided to place offensive nuclear missiles on the island. What followed was a textbook example of crisis management. Kennedy ordered a blockade. Technically, this was an act of war. However, Robert Kennedy was negotiating behind the scenes and an agreement was reached. The Soviets backed down. The world did not incinerate. The Soviets would remove the missiles from Cuba. The U.S. would remove antiquated missiles from Turkey. The Soviets would not mention the deal. America would not remove Castro. The Cuban Missile Crisis ended and the world survived.
While Kennedy stepped to the edge, Lyndon Johnson went over it. Lyndon Johnson managed to anger everyone. His Great Society angered Conservatives, led to large deficits in subsequent decades, and is generally considered a failure. His Civil Rights policies angered the South and sent the entire region over to the G.O.P. Freeing African-Americans (with more Republican support than Democratic) should have been his crowning glory. However, the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Voting Rights Act of 1965, and Fair Housing Act of 1968 are overshadowed by Vietnam.
The Vietnam War destroyed Johnson. As it dragged on, more people became disillusioned. After three years, the administration told Americans that the war was almost over. Then, the enemy launched a daring attack on the Tet New Year. In 1968, they attacked every major city in South Vietnam and fought in the American Embassy in Saigon. The U.S. won a major victory, but it did not look like it on television. Walter Cronkite declared the war lost. Johnson later announced he would not seek another term as president. The Democratic Party after 1968 fell to the McGovernites and has yet to recover.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Greatest Movie Scenes #121-125
121. Order 66: Revenge of the Sith (2005): The march on the Jedi Temple looked sweet. The Jedi's eradication is similar to the murder of Chinese Monks by a Chinese Emperor from long ago.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQ8_ZJiwqo
122. The President takes down the Duke: Escape from New York (1981): We need a president like this nowadays...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfotQ1YQrvk
123. Train Wreck: The Greatest Show on Earth (1952): Nothing like carnage on the rails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtf_RE6r5Q
124. The quest: Excalibur (1981): Excalibur had a dream-like quality to it. This scene with the Knights of the Round Table hunting the Holy Grail to classical music is very romanticized. It really appeals to the western mindset of the noble knight on crusade.
125. Hello Cleveland: This is Spinal Tap (1984): Spinal Tap is ready to go onstage and gets lost underneath the stadium. I have heard interviews with bands that claim to have done the same thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21yssFhCsk
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tKQ8_ZJiwqo
122. The President takes down the Duke: Escape from New York (1981): We need a president like this nowadays...
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mfotQ1YQrvk
123. Train Wreck: The Greatest Show on Earth (1952): Nothing like carnage on the rails.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUtf_RE6r5Q
124. The quest: Excalibur (1981): Excalibur had a dream-like quality to it. This scene with the Knights of the Round Table hunting the Holy Grail to classical music is very romanticized. It really appeals to the western mindset of the noble knight on crusade.
125. Hello Cleveland: This is Spinal Tap (1984): Spinal Tap is ready to go onstage and gets lost underneath the stadium. I have heard interviews with bands that claim to have done the same thing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C21yssFhCsk
#5 The Who
The Who were four distinctly different personalities that emerged from Shepherd’s Bush to become one of the greatest bands of all time. They were known for their energetically aggressive stage shows, innovative records, and attitude. Pete Townsend came from art school and was the band’s chief songwriter, conceptualizer, and world class guitarist. Roger Daltrey is one of rock’s greatest vocalists and front men. He’s a brawler and could probably still kick a 20 year old’s ass. John Entwhistle is rock’s greatest bassist and turned the bass guitar into a lead instrument. Keith Moon is rock’s greatest drummer and its court jester. The band came from the London Mod scene and were the antithesis of peace and love. Instead, they pioneered instrument destruction and stage mayhem. From “Can’t Explain” to “My Generation”, there was something different about The Who.
Imagine being a hippie at Monterey in 1967. The San Francisco sound dominated the Summer of Love and the Monterey Pop Festival. Then came The Who. They blew up the stage and probably frightened some hippies. Before going on, Pete Townsend and Jimy Hendrix fought over who would close. Neither one wanted to follow the other. They almost came to blows, but settled the dispute. Townsend won and Hendrix closed. Hendrix then expropriated Townsend's antics and took him one better.
After a couple of years, the band was at a crossroads. Where to go? Pete Townsend put together an ambitious project. It was the first rock opera, Tommy. The album was a smash and propelled the Who to superstardom. In 1969, they played Woodstock and The Who continued to record smash albums well into the seventies.
In 1978, drummer Keith Moon died. After Moon's death, the band lost its way. Pete Townsend went into a tailspin. Singer Roger Daltrey admits to doing things he had never done before. The band eventually dissolved in 1982. They reunited for Live Aid in 1985, for a tour in 1989, and for their induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. In 1996 and 1997, they got together to tour for their 70s classic, Quadraphenia. Then came the concert for New York following 911. They owned the show and reunited for good. On the eve of a tour, bassist John Entwhistle died. Roger and Pete have continued on and even recorded their first album since the early 80s.
Rock n Roll Moment: Keith Moon took a horse tranquilizer before a show and passed out on stage. The band invited a fan on stage to play the drums and The Who finished their set. He also got banned from the Holiday Inn after driving a car into the Flint Holiday Inn’s pool.
Essential Who:
My Generation (1965)
A Quick One (1966)
The Who Sell Out (1967)
Tommy (1969)
Who’s Next (1971)
Quadrophenia (1973)
The Who’s Top 10:
Can’t Explain
My Generation
A Quick One While He’s Away
I Can See For Miles
Pinball Wizard
Listening to You/See Me, Feel Me
Baba O’Reilly
Won’t Get Fooled Again
5:15
Who Are You?
Imagine being a hippie at Monterey in 1967. The San Francisco sound dominated the Summer of Love and the Monterey Pop Festival. Then came The Who. They blew up the stage and probably frightened some hippies. Before going on, Pete Townsend and Jimy Hendrix fought over who would close. Neither one wanted to follow the other. They almost came to blows, but settled the dispute. Townsend won and Hendrix closed. Hendrix then expropriated Townsend's antics and took him one better.
After a couple of years, the band was at a crossroads. Where to go? Pete Townsend put together an ambitious project. It was the first rock opera, Tommy. The album was a smash and propelled the Who to superstardom. In 1969, they played Woodstock and The Who continued to record smash albums well into the seventies.
In 1978, drummer Keith Moon died. After Moon's death, the band lost its way. Pete Townsend went into a tailspin. Singer Roger Daltrey admits to doing things he had never done before. The band eventually dissolved in 1982. They reunited for Live Aid in 1985, for a tour in 1989, and for their induction into the Rock n Roll Hall of Fame. In 1996 and 1997, they got together to tour for their 70s classic, Quadraphenia. Then came the concert for New York following 911. They owned the show and reunited for good. On the eve of a tour, bassist John Entwhistle died. Roger and Pete have continued on and even recorded their first album since the early 80s.
Rock n Roll Moment: Keith Moon took a horse tranquilizer before a show and passed out on stage. The band invited a fan on stage to play the drums and The Who finished their set. He also got banned from the Holiday Inn after driving a car into the Flint Holiday Inn’s pool.
Essential Who:
My Generation (1965)
A Quick One (1966)
The Who Sell Out (1967)
Tommy (1969)
Who’s Next (1971)
Quadrophenia (1973)
The Who’s Top 10:
Can’t Explain
My Generation
A Quick One While He’s Away
I Can See For Miles
Pinball Wizard
Listening to You/See Me, Feel Me
Baba O’Reilly
Won’t Get Fooled Again
5:15
Who Are You?
Sunday, October 18, 2009
#6 Led Zeppelin
Led Zeppelin was not a metal band. They were a blues based classic rock band. Their interpretation of folk and the blues defined their music. Zeppelin did not limit themselves however. They also included rockabilly, reggae, soul, classical, Indian, Arabic, pop, Latin, and even country into their work. Then, they would take the music into new directions.
Zeppelin’s themes also separated them from the pack. Robert Plant’s interest in history and fantasy found an outlet in songs such as “Stairway to Heaven”, “The Immigrant Song”, and “Ramble On”. He brought a Medieval feel to the work. Guitarist Jimmy Page’s embrace of the occult has been overblown, but it fit into the band’s narrative and music, and complimented Plant's interests. Drummer John Bonham is second only to The Who’s Keith Moon amongst rock’s elite drummers. Bonham experiment and did things on the drums people are still trying to copy. Bassist John Paul Jones held the music together with innovative and time shifting bass lines.
Led Zeppelin experienced unbridled success throughout the seventies. They were the greatest band of the era and many critics place them behind only Stevie Wonder as greatest act of the seventies. During this period, “Stairway to Heaven” was released and is still considered by many to be the greatest rock song of all time. Additionally, they have sold over 200 million albums. Then, it ended. Like Keith Moon, John Bonham died young. Unlike The Who, Zeppelin broke up.
In 1982, Zeppelin released an album of out takes. They reunited with Phil Collins on drums for Live Aid in 1985. The performance was not released on the Live Aid DVD because the band felt their performance was substandard. Page and Plant reunited without Jones in the mid-90s for a pair of albums and tour. This was a point of contention between the three at the Rock n Roll Induction ceremony in 1995. In 2007, the band reunited once more for the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert. Afterwards, rumors about a reunion tour went out of control. Plant shot them down and went onto Grammy success with Alyson Krauss.
Rock n Roll Moment: The Fish Story
Essential Zeppelin:
Led Zeppelin (1969)
Zeppelin II (1969)
Zeppelin III (1970)
Zeppelin IV (1971)
Houses of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Led Zeppelin’s Top 10:
Whole Lotta Love
Heartbreaker
Ramble On
Immigrant Song
Black Dog
Rock and Roll
Stairway to Heaven
Kashmir
Houses of the Holy
In the Evening
Zeppelin’s themes also separated them from the pack. Robert Plant’s interest in history and fantasy found an outlet in songs such as “Stairway to Heaven”, “The Immigrant Song”, and “Ramble On”. He brought a Medieval feel to the work. Guitarist Jimmy Page’s embrace of the occult has been overblown, but it fit into the band’s narrative and music, and complimented Plant's interests. Drummer John Bonham is second only to The Who’s Keith Moon amongst rock’s elite drummers. Bonham experiment and did things on the drums people are still trying to copy. Bassist John Paul Jones held the music together with innovative and time shifting bass lines.
Led Zeppelin experienced unbridled success throughout the seventies. They were the greatest band of the era and many critics place them behind only Stevie Wonder as greatest act of the seventies. During this period, “Stairway to Heaven” was released and is still considered by many to be the greatest rock song of all time. Additionally, they have sold over 200 million albums. Then, it ended. Like Keith Moon, John Bonham died young. Unlike The Who, Zeppelin broke up.
In 1982, Zeppelin released an album of out takes. They reunited with Phil Collins on drums for Live Aid in 1985. The performance was not released on the Live Aid DVD because the band felt their performance was substandard. Page and Plant reunited without Jones in the mid-90s for a pair of albums and tour. This was a point of contention between the three at the Rock n Roll Induction ceremony in 1995. In 2007, the band reunited once more for the Ahmet Ertegun Tribute Concert. Afterwards, rumors about a reunion tour went out of control. Plant shot them down and went onto Grammy success with Alyson Krauss.
Rock n Roll Moment: The Fish Story
Essential Zeppelin:
Led Zeppelin (1969)
Zeppelin II (1969)
Zeppelin III (1970)
Zeppelin IV (1971)
Houses of the Holy (1973)
Physical Graffiti (1975)
Led Zeppelin’s Top 10:
Whole Lotta Love
Heartbreaker
Ramble On
Immigrant Song
Black Dog
Rock and Roll
Stairway to Heaven
Kashmir
Houses of the Holy
In the Evening
#7 Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd emerged in the sixties as the premier psychedelic space rock band. They were founded by Syd Barrett who was at the cutting edge of the psychedelic movement. The Floyd were known for their experimentation and trippy shows. Unfortunately, their leader succumb to mental illness and became less dependable. At one show, he acted normal during warm ups and then just stood and stared at the audience during the show. The band brought in David Gilmour to pick up the slack. Eventually, they stopped picking Syd up for shows.
Eventually, songwriting duties fell to Roger Waters. His vision led to Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, Wish You Were Here and The Wall. Waters’ philosophical and political outlook shaped Floyd albums. Waters’ dominance did not occur overnight. It was gradual and eventually annoyed the band. By the time The Wall was released, they were one of the biggest artists on the planet. Waters’ head was the size of the Earth and he commandeered the band. He went as far as firing founding member Richard Wright. It had become a dictatorship. The band revolted and David Gilmour took over.
Roger Waters’ dissolved Pink Floyd and declared the group “a spent force.” However, Gilmour, Wright, and drummer Nick Mason decided otherwise. For the first time since the mid seventies, the whole band had input in Floyd. They recorded and toured without Waters. This led to a series of lawsuits and squabbles in the press. While Gilmour’s Floyd filled stadiums, Waters played to audiences of 1500. The band toured for the last time in support of 1994’s Division Bell album. They reunited in 2005 for Live 8. In 2006, Syd Barrett died and Richard Wright followed in 2008.
Rock n Roll Moment: David Gilmour and Roger Waters engaged in rock’s greatest feud.
Essential Floyd:
Pipers at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Meddle (1971)
Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
The Wall (1979)
Floyd’s Top 10:
Arnold Layne
Astronomy Domine
Echoes
Time
Money
Us and Them
Wish You Were Here
Another Brick in the Wall
Comfortably Numb
Run Like Hell
Eventually, songwriting duties fell to Roger Waters. His vision led to Dark Side of the Moon, Animals, Wish You Were Here and The Wall. Waters’ philosophical and political outlook shaped Floyd albums. Waters’ dominance did not occur overnight. It was gradual and eventually annoyed the band. By the time The Wall was released, they were one of the biggest artists on the planet. Waters’ head was the size of the Earth and he commandeered the band. He went as far as firing founding member Richard Wright. It had become a dictatorship. The band revolted and David Gilmour took over.
Roger Waters’ dissolved Pink Floyd and declared the group “a spent force.” However, Gilmour, Wright, and drummer Nick Mason decided otherwise. For the first time since the mid seventies, the whole band had input in Floyd. They recorded and toured without Waters. This led to a series of lawsuits and squabbles in the press. While Gilmour’s Floyd filled stadiums, Waters played to audiences of 1500. The band toured for the last time in support of 1994’s Division Bell album. They reunited in 2005 for Live 8. In 2006, Syd Barrett died and Richard Wright followed in 2008.
Rock n Roll Moment: David Gilmour and Roger Waters engaged in rock’s greatest feud.
Essential Floyd:
Pipers at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Meddle (1971)
Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Wish You Were Here (1975)
The Wall (1979)
Floyd’s Top 10:
Arnold Layne
Astronomy Domine
Echoes
Time
Money
Us and Them
Wish You Were Here
Another Brick in the Wall
Comfortably Numb
Run Like Hell
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