Ummagumma

Dellinger wrote: uduwudu wrote: If only the demos that comprised the studio albums had been done by Pink Floyd (as a band). The Narrow Way was nearly terrific, needed the band touch and Waters was a bit mean (not just to DG) but to the devoted public - us!) for not ensuring a quality experience when DG asked for a helping hand. Meadows however is terrific. Species is real outtake land. Poor old Nick Mason. Half an LP to fill up and he had to cheat by getting his Missus to improvise a melody over a drum solo. Sysyphus is the best complete suite but Meadows my most enjoyable listen on the album. Shame they didn't do The Man / The Journey as well. Or even instead. Put all the pieces into concept context. Now the Live album. Set The Controls should be... now... unedited not faded early. Grr. But I have to go with this classic version of Saucer. Knocks the studio version into demo land. Great vocal at Part 3 and all round terrific performance, Rick Wright at his finest and you get that mesmerising improv (RIO) section. Not that Astronomy Domine and Eugene are lesser. It just needs expanding, mind expanding perhaps. They should have done a separate live album really. One of the more interesting among the odd experiments from the Abdabs. I do like The Narrow Way just the way it is... my favourite part of the studio album. Though I guess if it had been played by the whole band it should have been better. Perhaps if I heard some of the live versions I would have a better idea. Actually, I did order some BBC albums I didn't know existed... I don't remember if one of those has The Narrow Way, specially since one of those albums has some of the names changed.

Yes, I know what you mean. The Narrow Way is excellent just... well, DG did say he'd "bullsh*tted" his way through it. Perhaps it needed a gestation period because it could have been the most accessible suite on the studio album.  Ah well it's there now and has been for a while.

What next - Ummmagumma Immersion box? Expanded lie album with Interstellar Overdrive, The Mn The Journey and a few others.

Oh by the way,  Amusing Notes Dept. There's a bootleg of PF playing Meadows at the beginning the show, start of a UK tour. The compere strolls out and talks to the audience " Would the owner of a yellow Cortina licence plate [etc] please come that front desk as you are about to be towed away." Or words to that effect. Compere then strolls off and leaves the Floyd to continue on... (Some of the details may be awry but the story's straight. He probably wouldn't have tried that with The Who...)

I was going to laugh at everyone who chose Species but then realized that it's my favourite too.

Tom Ozric wrote: Flight123 wrote: I have a live vinyl bootleg I picked up in Geneva that captures the band around this point 1. Astronomy 2. Cymbeline 3. Embryo 4. Set the Controls 5. Saucerful.  The studio albums did not really capture the transition from 'Saucerful' to 'Atom Heart' - an incredibly creative period for the band. Isn't this the period DG claims as rubbish ??

A Saucerful of Secrets