Synopses & Reviews
Synopsis
When Syd Barrett left (or was dismissed) from Pink Floyd, there was good reason to think that the band was over. Not only was Barrett the good-looking and charismatic front man of the group; he was also its founder, leader, primary songwriter and musical guiding light. As a result, the very public face of Pink Floyd in 1967 and early 1968 was Barrett. The remaining members of the band (Roger Waters, Richard Wright, Nick Mason, and new guitarist David Gilmour) were creatively set adrift: while they still had a record deal, none of the group's members had a distinctive songwriting style that could pick up where Barrett left off. In just over five years (January 1968 to March 1973), Pink Floyd went from a band without managers and a primary songwriter to the group that released one of the most popular albums of the rock era, and in popular music in general. Reinventing Pink Floyd will explore the path taken by the remaining band members to establish a musical identity, develop a songwriting style, and create a new template for the manner in which albums are made and even enjoyed by listeners. As Bill Kopp will illustrate, that path was filled with failed experiments, creative blind alleys, one-off musical excursions, abortive collaborations, a general restlessness and - most importantly - a dedicated search for a distinctive musical personality. The six albums Pink Floyd released between Barrett's departure and the release of The Dark Side of the Moon all but flopped, achieving no singles in the United States or UK and remaining unknown to a majority of the general listening public. Even within musical projects that might have been viewed - even by the band itself - as failures, hindsight reveals a distinct foreshadowing of the musical, lyrical and production-oriented approaches and themes of Pink Floyd's best and most beloved work. The journey taken by the band over the course of five years is in some ways an object lesson in the value of persistence and creative curiosity. Reinventing Pink Floyd will guide readers through the works from 1968-73, highlighting key innovations, musical breakthroughs and ideas/works of lasting influence. It will place the group into the relevant social, historical, cultural and musical contexts while exploring the foundations upon which their ideas were built. To those who might wonder aloud, "Where did The Dark Side of Moon come from? It sounds nothing like The Piper at the Gates of Dawn " The Narrow Way will provide an answer.
Synopsis
In celebration of the 45th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon, Bill Kopp explores the ingenuity with which Pink Floyd rebranded itself following the 1968 departure of Syd Barrett. Not only did the band survive Barrett's departure, but it went on to release landmark albums that continue to influence generations of musicians and fans. Reinventing Pink Floyd follows the path taken by the remaining band members to establish a musical identity, develop a songwriting style, and create a new template for the manner in which albums are made and even enjoyed by listeners. As veteran music journalist Bill Kopp illustrates, that path was filled with failed experiments, creative blind alleys, one-off musical excursions, abortive collaborations, general restlessness, and--most importantly--a dedicated search for a distinctive musical personality. This exciting guide to the works of 1968 through 1973 highlights key innovations and musical breakthroughs of lasting influence. Kopp places Pink Floyd in its historical, cultural, and musical contexts while celebrating the test of fire that took the band from the brink of demise to enduring superstardom.