My interest in Pink Floyd never went away but for a number of years, it was overshadowed by New Age Music, Blackmore’s Night, Loreena McKennitt and the like. On a pitch black night on an island in the boundary waters of Canada, my interest in Pink Floyd was rekindled.
I had brought along one of those large flashlights that has an AM /FM /NOAH radio built in. Our idea was to listen to weather reports on the radio so we could plan our fishing and exploration for the following day. Night after night we tuned into absolutely nothing. We could not get any kind of signal on the radio. It was about halfway through the week when I made out nightly attempt to pick the forecast. I had it switched to FM and slowly scanned the dial from the 80’s to the 107′ and was on my way back down when the radio crackled to life.
It was the beginning of the instrumental section of Pink Floyd’s Sheep. You know the bit that begins about 4 minutes into the song. We all stood around the radio staring in amazed disbelief. I imagine that we look not unlike the little goblins staring at the lantern in that old fairy tale. I think Scott was the only one of us to speak saying only something like “Cool. Sheep.” After the song concluded, the radio resumed its silent demeanor. We wondered if it was some kind of sign. Our only contact with civilization that whole time was 2/3 of a relatively obscure Pink Floyd song.
When I got home, I dusted off my Animals CD and enjoyed it more than I ever had prior. I set out to acquire the missing pieces of the Pink Floyd catalog. In the years shortly following thereafter, Pink Floyd release another Best Of and a live recording of The Wall Tour of 1980. I felt compelled to buy Echoes: The Best Of Pink Floyd even though I had every song on that double CD except for one. I suppose this is an instant where downloading a song at a time would have been the smarter choice but I was willing to fork out for the liner notes and When The Tigers Broke Free.
In the office, I had introduced the song Echoes to Grant. We would frequently play the song simultaneously on or computers. We’d leave it just slightly out of sync which gave it a really cool reverberation effect. When Ken joined our department we’d do the same thing in three parts.
As for the rest of the Pink Floyd catalog, there are numerous gems scattered all over it. Sure there are albums that everybody recognizes and there is a reason for than but the less know albums still have plenty to offer even if that offering is just the question What would Pink Floyd have been like if Syd Barrett had remained the front man?” My answer to that is Thank God for Gilmour.
Sheep
Astronomy Domine
The Gnome – Thank God For Gilmour!
Bike – Thank God For Gilmour!
Fat Old Sun
Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun
Several Species Of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together In A Cave And Grooving With A Pict
Biding My Time
When The Tigers Broke Free
Childhood’s End
Your Possible Pasts
Not Now John
