NPR’s Rob Schmitz speaks with Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason in regards to the band’s epic album “Want You Had been Right here” because it’s reissued 50 years after its launch.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
For 50 years, that lo-fi guitar riff has been the preamble to one of the crucial recognizable rock songs of all time.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) So, so that you assume you may inform heaven from hell, blue skies from ache.
SCHMITZ: It is the title monitor of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album “Want You Had been Right here,” an album that is turn out to be the common soundtrack of loss and longing.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) A smile from a veil?
SCHMITZ: And drumming like that is its beating coronary heart.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) Do you assume you may inform? Did they get you to commerce your heroes for ghosts, scorching ashes for bushes?
SCHMITZ: Pink Floyd drummer and founding member Nick Mason is liable for a lot of the band’s improvisational and experimental percussion. Heading into the studio, Pink Floyd regarded prefer it was driving excessive, coming off a profitable tour and gross sales data with their earlier album, “The Darkish Facet Of The Moon.” However Mason says issues weren’t as nice for the band as they appeared.
NICK MASON: We have been moderately not on the high of our recreation by the point we went again into Abbey Highway. And actually, after all, we ended up spending an terrible lot of studio time doing nothing or engaged on a undertaking referred to as “Family Objects.”
SCHMITZ: “Family Objects.” What was – inform me about that.
MASON: Effectively, the concept was to make a file utilizing family objects moderately than musical devices.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD’S, “THE HARD WAY (FROM ‘HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS’)”)
MASON: The one factor I bear in mind enjoying was as an alternative of utilizing a bass drum, I had an ax and a big log of wooden.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD’S, “THE HARD WAY (FROM ‘HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS’)”)
MASON: It was a type of helpful train, from our viewpoint as a result of I believe if we would caught with it, we would nonetheless be in Abbey Highway now making an attempt to complete. And I believe, in a manner, we have been, you realize, being sensible after the occasion, we must always have carried on touring “Darkish Facet” for an additional 12 months. However we did not. We thought we would type of needed to get on, I suppose.
SCHMITZ: Fascinating. So the sensation was extra of, what are we doing?
MASON: Yeah. And the reply will not be very a lot (laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD’S, “THE HARD WAY (FROM ‘HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS’)”)
MASON: The one factor we actually took out of the “Family Object” recording classes was some – the stroked glasses, which reappeared.
SCHMITZ: I consider it was “Shine On You Loopy Diamond.”
MASON: Yeah.
SCHMITZ: That is the opening monitor to the album. It type of units the tone of the album. It is a 13 1/2-minute music. The primary 9 minutes are purely instrumental. You’ll by no means get away with that as we speak.
MASON: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 1-5)”)
SCHMITZ: Once we hear the vocals, lastly, it is clear that that is about former band member Syd Barrett, who had a psychological breakdown by this level and had left the band.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 1-5)”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) Bear in mind while you have been younger, you shone just like the solar. Shine on, you loopy diamond.
SCHMITZ: And in some methods, you realize, his absence appears to have had simply as massive an affect on Pink Floyd’s music as his presence had had. Inform me a bit of bit about that.
MASON: I do not assume we began recording on “I Want You Had been Right here” with the concept it was associated to Syd. I believe it was a way more common absence. After which there was this outstanding visitation from Syd. I hadn’t seen him, I might say, for 5 years, one thing like that. And, I imply, for me, it was significantly alarming ‘trigger I believe I used to be placing a drum monitor down that got here again into the management room. And there was this man there who was chubby, balding. And so I did not acknowledge him as being Syd in any respect.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 1-5)”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) Effectively, you wore out your welcome with random precision, rode on the metal breeze. Come on, you raver, you seer of visions. Come on, you painter, you piper, you prisoner and shine.
SCHMITZ: Now, I needed to briefly discuss to you about the remainder of the band. You recognize, Pink Floyd is a band of massive personalities, and at occasions it has been fairly contentious among the many surviving members, and this continues to today. I imply, do you’ve gotten any regrets about how issues have turned out between the members of the band?
MASON: Yeah. I believe when – most of us would moderately have a quiet life, whereby we simply get on with no matter we wish to do, and that advantages no matter you are doing, though there’s a counter to that, which is that you just want that type of pressure as a way to obtain a few of the ends of regardless of the undertaking is you are engaged on.
SCHMITZ: So in some methods, it truly – the stress type of fueled the creativity.
MASON: Effectively, it may be that. The issue with it’s you waste numerous time.
SCHMITZ: Clearly, numerous these tensions boiled up between Roger Waters and David Gilmore. What was your position in all of this?
MASON: Put the tin helmet on and get down within the bunker.
SCHMITZ: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “HAVE A CIGAR”)
SCHMITZ: You made this album at a time when album paintings was essential. And, you realize, “Want You Had been Here is” album cowl depicts two businessmen shaking fingers. One in every of them is on fireplace. It is fairly placing. And it speaks to one of many themes of the album itself – company greed. We hear that on “Have A Cigar.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HAVE A CIGAR”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) And did we inform you the secret, boy? We name it driving the gravy practice.
SCHMITZ: How has the music business modified? And I am curious to know your ideas on that.
MASON: Ah, I believe it is a lot harder now than it ever was, significantly for youthful bands. Principally, within the ’70s, you wanted an agent, a supervisor and a file firm. However now, the file corporations won’t choose up a starter band. They will wait till that band is displaying – you realize, it is acquired 100 thousand followers. I imply, some issues are loads simpler. I imply, clearly, you can also make any file you want and make it obtainable, however that is not essentially a lot assist while you’re beginning out.
SCHMITZ: So I grew up within the Nineteen Eighties, and I do not forget that one of many greatest issues round at the moment – I grew up within the Midwest – was out in numerous North American cities – was the Pink Floyd laser gentle present on the native planetarium. And I am simply curious. You recognize, I am positive you realize this entire phenomenon. You recognize, while you made these albums, did you think about that this may be how your music would attain generations of youngsters to return?
MASON: Principally, if you happen to’re within the music business and if you happen to’re making data, you are still believing that pop music is ephemeral and that any day now they will ship you again to the employee – workhouse. Yeah. I imply, it’s totally curious, this enterprise of reviewing a file that was made 50 years in the past. I left faculty to spend a 12 months in a band. How was I to know 50 years later, I might nonetheless be in that band?
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 6-9)”)
SCHMITZ: That is Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason. The reissue of a deluxe fiftieth anniversary of “Want You Had been Right here” is out now. Thanks a lot for talking with us as we speak, Nick.
MASON: You are very welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 6-9)”)
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