Atom Heart Mother, our last album, was the beginning of an end. For example, we are probably best known at present for our electronic effects but in a few months you will probably be hearing an entirely different side to the group. Since those early days we have never trod a particular path but simply zigzagged our way about. I'm thinking of our early singles which were made as a deliberate attempt to get into the charts. Nick Mason: "The few attempts we made to compromise our public were disastrous. Not long after the album's release, Nick Mason commented on the growth of the group from the early days to the present, focusing on Atom Heart Mother. They make the album a rewarding listen through headphones. Peter Bown had worked with the Floyd before, but the brilliant Alan Parsons (later responsible for so much that was great on Dark Side of the Moon) was new on the scene. Stereo effects are used very creatively throughout the album, especially in the group compositions. Engineers Peter Bown and Alan Parsons were also stars of this show. The album ends up as a bit of a vehicle for Rick Wright, as his song Summer '68, and his keyboard playing on the group compositions, are considered by many to be the highlights of the album. This method was much more successful with the former than it was with the latter. The group compositions, Atom Heart Mother and Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast, were written in a style which was developing a Pink Floyd tradition - that of putting together different ideas from all the band members to create a segmented but linked piece. The album consisted of two lengthy group compositions sandwiching three songs written by Waters, Wright, and Gilmour respectively. Production work continued in July and August, and it was probably during this time that the songs for side two of the album were recorded, before the band left for yet another US tour in September. Most of the work on the title track was finished by late June, when the piece had its live premiere in its embellished form. The band then went into the studio to record (probably March), and laid down the basic tracks for the Atom Heart Mother Suite before handing the project over to collaborator Ron Geesin and session musicians and leaving for an American tour in May (see the individual song entries for details). However, this album did succeed on many levels (albeit intermittently) and was an important step towards the next LP, Meddle.ĭetails are sketchy on the production of this album, but it appears that writing for the title track began in November or December of 1969, and finished in time for its premiere (under the title The Amazing Pudding) in late January of 1970. The band's classical pretensions reached new heights as the Atom Heart Mother Suite featured an orchestra with brass and a choir. Maximum unbroken length is about twenty-three minutes or whatever." You have, to some extent, to work in album terms which means that a piece can't be longer than forty minutes. Nick Mason: "We didn't consciously set out to do it, but it became apparent that we'd need at least a side to get it all down. Their first album to be recorded using eight-track tape machines (as opposed to four-track), Atom Heart Mother was also the first to feature a composition which took up an entire album side. Pink Floyd's first recording in the 70s reflected a new direction for the band. US: Harvest SKAO 382 Reached #55 on the US charts UK: Harvest SHVL 78 (Stereo mix 52.04) Reached #1 on the UK charts Recorded at EMI Studios, Abbey Road, London
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |