This is the director’s cut of the film, which was first shot in 1971 and released in 1972. Pink Floyd had already had success with several albums, including “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn”, “Ummagumma” and “Meddle”. Much of the film was shot in the Roman amphitheater in Pompeii, without an audience, and the remaining footage was shot in a Paris television studio. Adrian Maben directed.
In 1974, it was re-edited with new parts- the Floyd working on recording “The Dark Side of the Moon” album at Abbey Road Studios and interviews with the band members were added. The Floyd had broken worldwide with “Dark Side” and they were superstars.
Then in 2003, the director’s cut was released on DVD, with accompanying contemporary NASA shots and additional footage of Pompeii by Maben.
Here then is “Pink Floyd, Live at Pompeii, the Director’s Cut”.
Nowadays
I look at these guys, my generation, and it does blow my mind how the decades have done changes.
Chariming interviews but...
I wonder what it is with all those British Bands dental neglect as a initiating sign of greatness at this stage of the invasion? I hope upon attaining such success they finally made a visit to the dentist’s office before ordering more crustless pie at the EMI diner or they would all be only o eatin bloody puddin soon enough!
Seriously there was nothing like reclining with eyes shut in your room with mega cushioned headphones softly clamped on your head losing yourself to an album like “Animals”, transcendent for the time.
I saw Roger Waters up close in Atlanta during his solo career tour (early 80’s the “Reggie” tour I think) and I did appreciate his contributions to the band and talent writing (not so much his ego) but something major was missing to the sound we had come to anticipate from Pink Floyd that evening. If I had a choice back then, I would rather have seen David Gilmore’s telmark guitar solos live if you had to split them up, but did not have the opportunity.
Well anyway I do believe there flows some very creative juices in Merry and Industrious, Old London Town’s tap waters but it sure ain’t Fluoride! I wonder how much it was to rent out the Pompeii Venue and why no one showed up??
quite a show, for many reasons
What a brilliant idea for a show… play in a stadium to empty seats!
I found the film itself reminding me of Stop Making Sense at points. The slow camera moves showing band equipment, the shots of cameramen and their cameras left in intentionally, and even some of the lighting made me think David Byrne has seen this.
It also seemed like a concert film that touched on many of the other current topics right here on this site – controlling machines, drugs, and even dogs. (I liked the dog singing the blues with them). Topical, through a time machine.
I’m not sure I’ve ever seen them play. Like rootrunner, headphones were the way I was most familiar with Pink Floyd. They seemed to be perfectly crafted albums for close listening.
The interviews were interesting – the discussions of breakfast along with discussions of aristocracy, as well as them teasing the interviewer about trying to get something out of them.
Finally, I enjoyed the studio work and watching them overdub piano and guitar parts for Dark Side. Watching an artist practice their craft is something I’m always interested in.
Full House
Now there’s a show Chris, Not to sound over enthusiastic for a nostalgic review my former youth spent concert hopping, but I was fortunate enough to see the Talking Heads at the Orpheum in Boston from the 11th row during “The Fear of Music” Tour where David Byrne wore an oversized white suit and made about ten laps around the stage during one song before returning to the mike entertaining his quirky dance all the time. That same year I saw the Clash from about the 20th row where Joe Strummer threw himself into the first three rows and was carried about before being thrown back to sing more songs, what a year for Music at one of the best venues to catch emerging groups. Wish I could relive one of those concerts on You Tube!!
Worst Business Decision Ever?
This is my favorite kind of rock show: music interspersed with odd scenes of the band and all kinds tangentially related video of what not plus interviews.
I have to say for those who are also Game of Thrones fans that young David Gilmour looks just like Loras Tyrell from the HBO series.
I wondered if Syd Barrett would appear at all – the mad genius who was chased out of the band because he drove everybody nuts.
He is not. He left in ’68 after one album, and Gilmour replaced him.
Not that I was aware of any of this before yesterday but I had to know so I went to Wikipedia.
Here’s the story that caught my attention. The band organized their business model to have 6 shares – the 4 musicians and 2 managers. When Syd Barrett left the band, the managers decided that as Syd was the “creative genius” they were going to manage him, figuring Floyd had no future. So they sold off their shares in Floyd and went with Barrett.
According to Wikip. Floyd has sold 250 million albums worldwide – third (among the British rock groups of the 60’s & 70’s) behind the Beatles (1 billion) and Led Zepplin (300 million).
Barrett recorded 2 albums that went nowhere, then disappeared into obscurity.
Ooops!
not quite...
Syd went mad. He was a genius, absolutely. But what Wiki apparently didn’t say is that Syd fried. Some say it was acid, some say it was latent schizphrenia that fully bloomed as he reached adulthood. It wasn’t really that he was ‘chased out of the band because he drove everyone nuts.’ Syd had a hard time even communicating on a basic level. There was a good heap of guilt on them all for replacing Syd. And the band kept him financially, throughout his life. So, not as simple as Wiki would have it. There are several good books about PF, including Nick Mason’s own autobio.