77-548: The Final Cut may refer to: The Final Cut (album) , a 1983 album by Pink Floyd "The Final Cut" (song) , a 1983 song by Pink Floyd The Final Cut (1983 film) , a video EP by Pink Floyd The Final Cut (band) , an industrial music group The Final Cut (1995 film) , a film starring Sam Elliott The Final Cut (2004 film) , a film by Omar Naim starring Robin Williams The Final Cut (TV serial) ,
154-411: A wah-wah pedal back to front (connecting the guitar to the pedal's output and the pedal's input to the amplifier), an effect they used live from 1970 for the central section of “ Embryo ”. Unlike with Atom Heart Mother , the new multi-track capabilities of the studio enabled them to create the track in stages, rather than performing it in a single take. The final, 23-minute piece would eventually take up
231-622: A "uniform tone", but not song structure, and wrote of the album's significance in the band's catalogue: "Pink Floyd were nothing if not masters of texture, and Meddle is one of their greatest excursions into little details, pointing the way to the measured brilliance of [The] Dark Side of the Moon and the entire Roger Waters era." The album was voted number 255 in the third edition of Colin Larkin 's All Time Top 1000 Albums (2000). A short concert tour ran from October to November 1971 to promote
308-430: A band since their ninth studio album Wish You Were Here (1975). Storm Thorgerson , a founder member of Hipgnosis (designers of most of Pink Floyd's previous and future artwork), was passed over for the cover design . Instead, Waters created the cover himself, using photographs taken by his brother-in-law, Willie Christie . The front cover shows a Remembrance poppy and four Second World War medal ribbons against
385-583: A confident vocalist and, on one occasion, after repeated studio takes, Waters noticed him writing on a notepad. Losing his temper, he demanded to know what Kamen was doing, only to find that Kamen had been writing, "I Must Not Fuck Sheep" repeatedly. Waters said that "a lot of that aggravation came through in the vocal performance, which, looking back, really was quite tortured." Like previous Pink Floyd albums, The Final Cut used sound effects combined with advances in audio recording technology. Mason's contributions were mostly limited to recording sound effects for
462-553: A dog beside him. The back cover features a photograph of an officer standing upright and holding a film canister, with a knife protruding from his back: the film canister and knife may reflect Waters' tumultuous relationship with The Wall film director Alan Parker . The Final Cut was accompanied by a short film. It features the songs "The Gunner's Dream", "The Final Cut", "The Fletcher Memorial Home" and "Not Now John". Produced and written by Waters and directed by his brother-in-law Willie Christie , it features Waters talking to
539-537: A liberal country where we would all look after one another ... but I'd seen all that chiselled away, and I'd seen a return to an almost Dickensian society under Margaret Thatcher. I felt then, as now, that the British government should have pursued diplomatic avenues, rather than steaming in the moment that task force arrived in the South Atlantic. Waters had conflicting feelings about how his generation
616-464: A more developed group than before, "coloring the slow guitar ripples with deep-in-the-studio sonic details that only the truly baked would notice, much less appreciate." Writing for AllMusic , editor Stephen Thomas Erlewine called Meddle the best album from their transitional years leading up to The Dark Side of the Moon , as it "spends most of its time with sonic textures and elongated compositions, most notably on its epic closer, 'Echoes'". He noted
693-572: A part of the BBC House of Cards trilogy "The Final Cut" ( Buffy comic) , a comic book story based on the Buffy the Vampire Slayer television series The Final Cut (Judge Dredd novel) , a novel by Matt Smith See also [ edit ] Final Cut (disambiguation) Topics referred to by the same term [REDACTED] This disambiguation page lists articles associated with
770-459: A particular guitar riff. They also spent several days at AIR attempting to create music using a variety of household objects, a project which would be revisited between their next albums, The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here . Following these early experiments – called Nothings – the band developed Son of Nothings , which was followed by Return of the Son of Nothings as
847-487: A point there." But he wasn't right about wanting to put some duff tracks on The Final Cut . I said to Roger, "If these songs weren't good enough for The Wall , why are they good enough now?" The title The Final Cut is a reference to William Shakespeare 's Julius Caesar : "This was the most unkindest cut of all". "When the Tigers Broke Free" was issued as a single titled "Pink Floyd: The Wall: Music from
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#1732791127537924-602: A psychiatrist named A. Parker-Marshall. The character name was meant to be a dig at both Pink Floyd: The Wall director Alan Parker and Alan Marshall , the film's producer. Alex McAvoy , who played the teacher in Pink Floyd – The Wall , also appears. The film was released on Betamax and VHS in July 1983 and was one of EMI's first "video EPs ". The Final Cut was released in the UK on 21 March 1983. It reached number one in
1001-458: A range of topics from the murder of John Lennon to his relationship with Waters, who also began to tour his debut solo studio album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking the same year. Mason released his second solo studio album, Profiles , in August 1985. In 1985, faced with a potentially ruinous lawsuit from his record company and band members, Waters resigned. He believed that Pink Floyd
1078-610: A real shaping force with the group, it states forcefully and accurately that the group is well into the growth track again", and the NME called it "an exceptionally good album". Steve Peterson of Hit Parader cited "Fearless" as its best song and said of the album, "This has got to be their best ever." Ed Kelleher of Circus called it "another masterpiece by a masterful group", noting "Fearless" as "fascinating" and praising "Echoes" as "a tone poem that allows all four band members much time to stretch their muscles". However, Melody Maker
1155-628: A recorded announcement that the replacement for the Atlantic Conveyor , a ship lost during the Falklands campaign, will be built in Japan. Waters' lyrics refer to his dead father, the loss of Britain's shipbuilding industry to Japan, and Margaret Thatcher, before moving on to "Your Possible Pasts", a rewritten version of a song rejected for The Wall . In "One of the Few", another rejected song,
1232-406: A second solo studio album, Radio K.A.O.S. (1987) Owing to the combination of Pink Floyd's partial break-up and Waters' dominance on the project, The Final Cut is sometimes viewed as a de facto Waters solo album. The personal quality assigned to the lyrics are related to Waters' struggle to reconcile his despair at the changing social face of Britain, and also the loss of his father during
1309-597: A shop whose father had also been killed in World War II and told him The Final Cut was "the most moving record she had ever heard". In 1983, Gilmour said The Final Cut was "very good but it's not personally how I would see a Pink Floyd record going". The Final Cut was released on CD in 1983. A remastered and repackaged CD was issued by EMI in Europe and on Capitol Records in the US in 2004; this included an extra song,
1386-540: A soldier with his back to the camera. Two more photographs show a welder at work, his mask emblazoned with the Japanese Rising Sun Flag , and a nuclear explosion (a clear reference to "Two Suns in the Sunset"). The album's lyrics are printed on the gatefold. Side one of the vinyl disc carries an image of a poppy field, and on side two, a soldier with a knife in his back lies face down amongst the poppies,
1463-403: A submarine-like ping . The band tried repeatedly to recreate this sound in the studio but were unsuccessful, and so the demo version was used on what would later become "Echoes", mixed almost exclusively at AIR Studios. Combined with David Gilmour 's guitar, the band were able to develop the track further, experimenting with accidental sound effects , such as Gilmour's guitar being plugged into
1540-614: A tremendous album" and "still has something fresh to say". Mike Diver of Drowned in Sound was less generous: "Rays of light are few and far between, and even on paper the track titles – including 'The Gunner's Dream' and 'Paranoid Eyes' – suggest an arduous listen." All tracks are written by Roger Waters Pink Floyd Additional musicians Production Sales figures based on certification alone. Shipments figures based on certification alone. Notes Citations Bibliography Meddle Meddle
1617-460: Is a dog in the manger and I'm going to fight him". Waters wrote to EMI and Columbia declaring his intention to leave the group, asking them to release him from his contractual obligations. With a legal case pending, he dispensed with manager Steve O'Rourke and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs. He later contributed to the soundtrack for When the Wind Blows (1986) and recorded
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#17327911275371694-403: Is a nod to Waters' father) reflects a fantastical application of " the final solution " on a gathering of political leaders including Leonid Brezhnev , Menachem Begin and Margaret Thatcher. The album's titular song deals with the aftermath of a man's isolation and sexual repression, as he contemplates suicide and struggles to reconnect with the world around him. The album ends with " Two Suns in
1771-457: Is followed in " Paranoid Eyes " by the teacher's descent into alcoholism. The second half deals with various war issues. While "Southampton Dock" is a lament to returning war heroes and other soldiers heading out to a likely death, " Not Now John " addresses society's ignorance of political and economic problems. "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" deals with Waters' feelings about war and invasion, and " The Fletcher Memorial Home " (the title
1848-534: Is the sixth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd , released by Harvest Records on 5 November 1971 in the United Kingdom. The album was produced between the band's touring commitments, from January to August 1971 at a series of locations around London, including EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios ) and Morgan Studios . With no material to work with and no clear idea of the album's direction,
1925-492: Is the twelfth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd , released on 21 March 1983 through Harvest and Columbia Records . It comprises unused material from the band's previous studio album, The Wall (1979), alongside new material recorded throughout 1982. The Final Cut is the last Pink Floyd album to feature founding member Roger Waters , who left the band in 1985. It is the only Pink Floyd album without founding member and keyboardist Richard Wright , who had left
2002-535: The Syd Barrett -influenced group of the 1960s and the Waters-led era of the 1970s. Fans often refer to this album, especially "Echoes", as the first instance of the group achieving their musical potential. As with several previous albums, the cover was designed by Hipgnosis , and has been explained by its creator Storm Thorgerson – who was unhappy with the final result – to be an ear underwater. The album
2079-606: The BBC's 1971 In Concert . Meddle was certified gold by the RIAA on 29 October 1973 and then double platinum on 11 March 1994, following the added attention garnered by the band's later successes in the United States. On release, Meddle received generally positive reviews from music critics . Rolling Stone ' s Jean-Charles Costa wrote: " Meddle not only confirms lead guitarist David Gilmour's emergence as
2156-663: The Film" on 26 July 1982, with the film version of "Bring the Boys Back Home" on the B-side; the single was labelled "Taken from the album The Final Cut " but was not included on that album until the 2004 CD reissue. The Final Cut is an anti-war concept album that explores what Waters regards as the betrayal of fallen British servicemen—such as his father—who during the Second World War sacrificed their lives in
2233-446: The Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977) and The Wall (1979). After months of poor relations, and following a final confrontation, Gilmour was removed from the credit list as producer, but was still paid production royalties. Waters later said that he was also under significant pressure and that early in production believed he would never record with Gilmour or Mason again. He may have threatened to release
2310-409: The Moon . The album's title Meddle is a play on words: a medal, and to interfere. Storm Thorgerson of the art-design group Hipgnosis originally suggested a close-up shot of a baboon 's anus for the album cover photograph. He was overruled by the band, who informed him via an intercontinental telephone call while on tour in Japan that they would rather have "an ear underwater". The cover image
2387-473: The Second World War. Gilmour's guitar solos on "Your Possible Pasts" and "The Fletcher Memorial Home" are, however, sometimes considered the equal of his best work on The Wall . More recent reviews of the album have weighed its importance alongside the band's break-up. Writing for AllMusic , Stephen Thomas Erlewine said "with its anger, emphasis on lyrics, and sonic textures, it's clear that it's
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2464-427: The Sunset ", which portrays a nuclear holocaust : the final result of a world obsessed with war and control. American composer Michael Kamen , who had contributed to The Wall , co-produced, oversaw the orchestral arrangements, and mediated between Waters and Gilmour. He also stood in for keyboardist Richard Wright , who had left the band under pressure from Waters during the recording of The Wall . James Guthrie
2541-472: The Tigers Broke Free ". Bassist, vocalist, and primary songwriter Roger Waters also planned to record a small amount of new material, expanding The Wall' s narrative. As a result of the Falklands War , Waters changed direction and wrote new material. He saw British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher 's response to Argentina 's invasion of the islands as jingoistic and unnecessary, and dedicated
2618-416: The UK and number six in the US, it was the lowest-selling Pink Floyd studio album worldwide since their sixth album, Meddle (1971). The Final Cut was conceived as a soundtrack album for Pink Floyd – The Wall , the 1982 film based on Pink Floyd's previous studio album The Wall (1979). Under its working title Spare Bricks , it would have featured new music rerecorded for the film, such as " When
2695-750: The UK, surpassing The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall . It was less successful in America, peaking at number six on the Billboard album charts. Issued as a single, "Not Now John" reached the UK Top 30, with its chorus of "Fuck all that" bowdlerised to "Stuff all that". With over 1,000,000 units shipped in the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified The Final Cut Platinum in May 1983. It
2772-432: The United States, where they were only doing 200,000 units. They were very much an album act – no singles – which was bad news for us. They had a high credibility factor without the sales." On 29 November 1971, "One of These Days" was released as a 7-inch single in the US, with "Fearless" on the B-side. "One of These Days" and "Echoes" were performed during Live At Pompeii (the latter in two parts) and also on
2849-411: The album as a solo record, although Pink Floyd were contracted to EMI and such a move would have been unlikely. Mason kept himself distant, dealing with marital problems. In an August 1987 interview, Waters recalled The Final Cut as an "absolute misery to make", and that the band members were "fighting like cats and dogs". He said the experience forced them to accept that they had not worked together as
2926-413: The album in the United States and Canada, which was the most extensive tour the group had done to that point. The tour was booked by Allen Frey, who continued to organise North American tours for the group throughout the 1970s. Some of the album's material had been played in earlier shows and the practice of playing songs before their official release later became a tradition for the group. The set list on
3003-488: The album that Waters intended it to be. And it's equally clear that Pink Floyd couldn't have continued in this direction." Stylus Magazine wrote: "It's about pursuing something greater even when you have all the money that you could ever want. And either failing or succeeding brilliantly. It's up to you to decide whether this record is a success or a failure, but I'd go with the former every time." Rachel Mann of The Quietus said "flawed though it is, The Final Cut remains
3080-407: The band devised a series of novel experiments which eventually inspired the album's signature track " Echoes ". Although the band's later albums would be unified by a central theme chosen by Roger Waters , and thematically consistent lyrics written entirely by Waters, Meddle was a group effort with Waters contributing primarily to the lyrics and the bass. It is considered a transitional album between
3157-469: The band played around an agreed chord structure, and moods such as "first two minutes romantic, next two up tempo". Each recorded section was named, but the process was largely unproductive; after several weeks, no complete songs had been created. Leckie had worked on albums such as George Harrison 's All Things Must Pass and Ringo Starr 's Sentimental Journey , and was employed as a tape-operator on Meddle , partly for his proclivity for working into
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3234-475: The band under pressure from Waters after the Wall sessions. The recording was plagued by conflict; guitarist David Gilmour felt many of the tracks were not worthy of inclusion, but Waters accused him of failing to contribute material himself. The contributions from drummer Nick Mason were limited mostly to sound effects. Waters planned the album as a soundtrack for the 1982 film adaptation of The Wall . With
3311-481: The best intentions, the cycle of economic recession followed by resurgence still governs our actions. Guitarist David Gilmour disliked Waters' politicising, and the new creative direction prompted arguments. Five other tracks not used on The Wall (" Your Possible Pasts ", " One of the Few ", " The Final Cut ", " The Fletcher Memorial Home ", and " The Hero's Return ") had been set aside for Spare Bricks , and although Pink Floyd had often reused material, Gilmour felt
3388-599: The black fabric of the jacket or blazer on which they are worn. From left to right, the medals are the 1939–1945 Star , the Africa Star , the Defence Medal , and the Distinguished Flying Cross . The poppy is a recurring design theme. The interior gatefold features three photographs, the first depicting an outdoor scene with an outstretched hand holding three poppies and in the distance,
3465-455: The concept of the album). The final song on the album is the 23-minute "Echoes". First performed as "Return of the Son of Nothing" on 22 April 1971 in Norwich, the band spent about three months on the track in three studios (Morgan, AIR and EMI). "Echoes" began with a studio experiment involving Richard Wright 's piano. Wright had fed a single note through a Leslie speaker , producing
3542-430: The early hours of the morning. He has said that Pink Floyd's sessions would often begin in the afternoon, and end early the next morning, "during which time nothing would get done. There was no record company contact whatsoever, except when their label manager would show up now and again with a couple of bottles of wine and a couple of joints." The band would apparently spend long periods of time working on simple sounds, or
3619-528: The entire second side of the album. "Echoes" also gave its name to the compilation album Echoes: The Best of Pink Floyd , on which a much-edited version of the title track was included. On the compilation, multiple edits throughout the entire song cut the running length of the piece down by some seven minutes. Some of the material composed during the creation of Meddle was not used; however, one song would eventually become " Brain Damage ", on The Dark Side of
3696-505: The experimental Holophonic system, an audio processing technique used to add an enhanced three-dimensional effect to the recordings; The Final Cut is the second album ever to feature this technology. The technique is featured on "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert", creating a sound of a rocket flying by and exploding which surrounds the listener. Sound effects are reused from the Pink Floyd albums Meddle (1971), The Dark Side of
3773-589: The identical themes of that elephantine concept with no fresh momentum to drive them." Robert Christgau wrote in The Village Voice : "it's a comfort to encounter antiwar rock that has the weight of years of self-pity behind it", and awarded the album a C+ grade. More impressed, Rolling Stone ' s Kurt Loder viewed it as "essentially a Roger Waters solo album ... a superlative achievement on several levels". Dan Hedges of Record also approved, writing: "On paper it sounds hackneyed and contrived –
3850-457: The main EMI and AIR sessions, while for minor work at Morgan, Rob Black and Roger Quested handled the engineering duties. Lacking a central theme for the project, the band used several experimental methods in an attempt to spur the creative process. One exercise involved each member playing on a separate track, with no reference to what the other members were doing. The tempo was entirely random while
3927-539: The new album—provisionally titled Requiem for a Post-War Dream —to his father, Eric Fletcher Waters. A second lieutenant of the 8th Royal Fusiliers , Eric Waters died during the Second World War at Aprilia in Italy, on 18 February 1944, when Roger was five months old. Waters said: The Final Cut was about how, with the introduction of the Welfare State , we felt we were moving forward into something resembling
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#17327911275374004-507: The onset of the Falklands War , he rewrote it as a concept album exploring what he considered the betrayal of his father, who died serving in World War II . Waters sang lead vocals on all but one track, and he is credited for all songwriting. The album was accompanied by a short film released in the same year. The Final Cut received mixed reviews, though retrospective reception has been more favourable. Though it reached number one in
4081-644: The previously released "When the Tigers Broke Free". In 2007, a remastered version was released as part of the Oh, by the Way box set, packaged in a miniature replica of the original gatefold LP sleeve. The Final Cut received mixed reviews. Melody Maker deemed it "a milestone in the history of awfulness", and the NME ' s Richard Cook wrote: "Like the poor damned Tommies that haunt his mind, Roger Waters' writing has been blown to hell ... Waters stopped with The Wall , and The Final Cut isolates and juggles
4158-421: The saxophone. Recording took place in the latter half of 1982 across eight studios, including Gilmour's home studio at Hook End Manor , and Waters' Billiard Room Studios at East Sheen . The other studios were Mayfair Studios , Olympic Studios , Abbey Road Studios , Eel Pie Studios , Audio International and RAK Studios . Tensions soon emerged, and while Waters and Gilmour initially worked together, playing
4235-537: The schoolteacher from The Wall features as the main character of the Final Cut short film, presented as a war hero returned to civilian life. He is unable to relate his experiences to his wife, and in "The Hero's Return" is tormented by the loss of one of his aircrew. "The Gunner's Dream" discusses the post-war dream of a world free from tyranny and the threat of terrorism (a reference to the Hyde Park bombing ). It
4312-515: The songs were not good enough for a new studio album. He wanted to write new material, but Waters remained doubtful as Gilmour had lately contributed little new music. Gilmour said: I'm certainly guilty at times of being lazy, and moments have arrived when Roger might say, "Well, what have you got?" And I'd be like, "Well, I haven't got anything right now. I need a bit of time to put some ideas on tape." There are elements of all this stuff that, years later, you can look back on and say, "Well, he had
4389-550: The sort of thing that was worked into the ground by everyone from P. F. Sloan to Paul Kantner . In Pink Floyd's case, it still works, partially through the understatement and ingenuity of the music and the special effects ... but mostly through the care Waters has taken in plotting out the imagery of his bleak visions." With no plans to tour in support of the album, Waters and Gilmour instead turned to solo projects. Gilmour recorded and toured his second solo studio album About Face in 1984, using it to express his feelings on
4466-426: The spirit of a post-war dream. This post-war dream was that their victory would usher in a more peaceful world, whose leaders would no longer be so eager to resolve disputes by resorting to war. The album's lyrics are critical of Thatcher, whose policies and decisions Waters regarded as an example of this betrayal. She is referred to as "Maggie" throughout the album. The opening track, "The Post War Dream", begins with
4543-552: The technique that would later be used on Wish You Were Here . The title of "A Pillow of Winds" was inspired by the games of Mahjong that Waters, Mason, and their wives played while in the south of France. " One of These Days " was developed around an ostinato bassline created by Roger Waters , by feeding the output through a Binson Echorec. The bassline was performed by Waters and Gilmour using two bass guitars, one on old strings. Drummer Nick Mason 's abstruse "One of these days I'm going to cut you into little pieces" vocal line
4620-591: The time, EMI was equipped only with eight-track multitrack recording facilities, which the band found insufficient for the increasing technical demands of their project. They transferred their best efforts, including the opening of what became " Echoes ", to 16-track tape at smaller studios in London (namely AIR , and Morgan in West Hampstead ) and resumed work with the advantage of more flexible recording equipment. Engineers John Leckie and Peter Bown recorded
4697-481: The title The Final Cut . If an internal link led you here, you may wish to change the link to point directly to the intended article. Retrieved from " https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=The_Final_Cut&oldid=892173029 " Category : Disambiguation pages Hidden categories: Short description is different from Wikidata All article disambiguation pages All disambiguation pages The Final Cut (album) The Final Cut
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#17327911275374774-403: The tracks possess a variety of moods, Meddle is generally considered more cohesive than its 1970 predecessor, Atom Heart Mother . The largely instrumental "One of These Days" is followed by " A Pillow of Winds ", which is distinguished by being one of the few quiet , acoustic love songs in the Pink Floyd catalogue. These two songs segue into each other across windy sound effects, anticipating
4851-430: The video game Donkey Kong (1981) in their spare time, they eventually chose to work separately. Engineer Andy Jackson worked with Waters on vocals; Guthrie with Gilmour on guitars. They would occasionally meet to discuss the work that had been completed; while this method was not in itself unusual, Gilmour began to feel strained, sometimes barely maintaining his composure. Kamen too felt pressured; Waters had never been
4928-700: The vocal melody imitates " Across the Universe " by the Beatles but over 23 minutes of music that flows with a "timeless calm" similar to " Interstellar Overdrive ". Daryl Easlea of the BBC felt it was a similar, but more consistent and tuneful version of Atom Heart Mother , highlighted by "Echoes", which he said "dominates the entire work" and is "everything right about progressive rock; engaging, intelligent and compelling". In The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (2004), Rob Sheffield said "Echoes" showed Pink Floyd to be
5005-609: The working title of the new album, which ultimately evolved into "Echoes". Meddle was recorded between the band's various concert commitments, and therefore its production was spread over a considerable period of time. The band recorded in the first half of April 1971, but in the latter half played at Doncaster and Norwich before returning to record at the end of the month. In May they split their time between sessions at EMI, and rehearsals and concerts in London, Lancaster, Stirling, Edinburgh, Glasgow and Nottingham. June and July were spent mainly performing at venues across Europe. August
5082-555: Was a "spent force". He applied to the High Court to prevent the Pink Floyd name from ever being used again. His lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed, and Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue; he told a Sunday Times reporter that "Roger
5159-462: Was a mess. I hated that cover. I don't think we did them justice with that at all; it's half-hearted." The gatefold contains a group photograph of the band, which would be their last until 1987's A Momentary Lapse of Reason . Meddle was released on 5 November 1971. It was later released as an LP by Mobile Fidelity Sound Lab , and in April 1989 on their "Ultradisc" gold CD format. The album
5236-407: Was given double Platinum certification in 1997. However, The Final Cut was the lowest-selling Pink Floyd studio album in the United States and worldwide since Meddle . Gilmour claimed that this relative commercial failure supported his assertion that much of the material was weak. Waters responded that it was "ridiculous" to judge a record by its sales, and that he had been approached by a woman in
5313-405: Was included as part of the box set Shine On on 2 November 1992. It reached number three in the UK, but lacklustre publicity on the part of Capitol Records led to weak sales in the US, and a chart position of number 70. "Pink Floyd had a strong following in the UK and other parts of Europe," recalled Rupert Perry , then head of A&R at Capitol. "But they needed to be bigger in
5390-421: Was inspired by the band's trip to the south of France in 1970. Pink Floyd uncharacteristically displayed their sense of humour with " Seamus ", a pseudo- blues novelty track featuring Steve Marriott 's dog (whom Gilmour was dog-sitting) howling along to the music. Although "Seamus" often tops polls of the worst songs Pink Floyd ever created, the band would use animal sounds again on Animals (albeit as part of
5467-521: Was more reserved, describing the album as "a soundtrack to a non-existent movie". In Christgau's Record Guide: Rock Albums of the Seventies (1981), Robert Christgau said Meddle was a fairly good progression over the group's previous work and featured folk songs highlighted by unique melodies, although he lamented the lyrics to "A Pillow of Winds": "The word 'behold' should never cross their filters again". In his critique of "Echoes", he believed
5544-399: Was photographed by Bob Dowling. The image represents an ear, underwater, collecting waves of sound (represented by ripples in the water). Thorgerson later expressed dissatisfaction with the cover, claiming it to be his least favourite Pink Floyd album sleeve: "I think Meddle is a much better album than its cover". Thorgerson's colleague Aubrey Powell shared his sentiments, saying: " Meddle
5621-527: Was recorded at double speed using a falsetto voice, and replayed at normal speed. The song " Fearless " includes field recordings of Liverpool F.C. fans in the Kop singing club anthem " You'll Never Walk Alone ", which brings the song to an end in a heavily reverberated fade-out . " San Tropez ", by contrast, is a jazz -inflected pop song with a shuffle tempo , written by Waters in his increasingly deployed style of breezy, off-the-cuff songwriting. The song
5698-536: Was spent in the far east and Australia, September in Europe, and October to November in the US. In the same period, the group also produced Relics , a compilation album of some of Pink Floyd's earlier works. A mix of the album was prepared at Command Studios on 21 and 26 September. New 2016 stereo and 5.1 mixes of the album were inadvertently released as hidden tracks on the "Reverber/ation" Blu-ray disc in The Early Years 1965–1972 box set. Although
5775-404: Was studio engineer and co-producer, while Mason's drumming was supplemented by Ray Cooper on percussion; when Mason was unable to perform the complex time changes on "Two Suns in the Sunset", he was replaced by session musician Andy Newmark . Mason also suggested the repeated reprises of "Maggie, what have we done" be rendered instrumental rather than sung. Raphael Ravenscroft was hired to play
5852-407: Was tackling issues that greatly affected his father's generation. In an interview in 1987, he confessed: It says something about a sense, I suppose for me personally, a sense that I may have betrayed him. He died in the last war and I kind of feel that I personally may have betrayed him, because we haven’t managed to improve things very much. That the economic cycles still over-ride everything, with
5929-456: Was well received by critics upon its release, and was commercially successful in the United Kingdom, but lacklustre publicity on the part of the band's American label Capitol Records led to poor sales in the US upon initial release. Returning from a series of tours across America and England in support of Atom Heart Mother , at the start of 1971 Pink Floyd commenced work on new material at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios ) in London. At
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