As part of Pink Floyd's 40th anniversary celebrations, Storm Thorgerson and Peter Curzon have undertaken a beautifully updated, fourth edition of "Mind Over Matter: The Images Of Pink Floyd".

This new edition, to be published on November 12th, has a completely new cover as part of its redesign, photographed "with great difficulty in the remote wilds of Utah". A thoroughly worthwhile upgrade in our opinion, the book importantly features some 50 additional pages with some of the very latest Floyd artwork, including some previously unseen to date...

Owners of previous editions will know that the book is a veritable treasure trove of PF images from over the years - established, well-known images alongside rough sketches and plans, alternate shots, and unused concepts.

This fourth edition brings things right up to date, with recent works such as multiple variations of Dark Side Of The Moon's iconic prism for Roger's 2006/7 world tour, and the very little seen EMI album promotion "Moonshine washing line", again from 2006. It also looks into the future with scheduled and possible upcoming releases.

So, if you want to see Storm's designs for the Wish You Were Here SACD packaging (which he notes is due February 2008, but this date is by no means cast in stone!) along with the reasons for the various images he has concocted for it, or you want to see his 40th anniversary designs including the mini-LP box set, you'll find them here in glorious detail.

Of course, before you get to these hot-off-the-press gems, you are guided chronologically through the band's visual history, covering virtually every cover and design (the notable exceptions being the original PATGOD cover, which still gets coverage as Storm revisited it for the reissue, and The Wall album which Gerald Scarfe took care of).

The coverage not only includes album and single covers, but posters, adverts, t-shirts, and more. Some of the alternate versions are quite strikingly different - for example, a rejected idea for the Animals album - and the wealth of different Division Bell "head" designs are fascinating.

The print and paper quality throughout is exemplary, showing Storm's (and his colleagues') work off a treat. Some of the text from earlier editions could have done with revising, though. There's the odd placeholder text (e.g. "See page xxx") and some of the wording from previous versions is unaltered. You see references to what you are reading being from, say, the third edition, and talks of things like the Live At Pompeii DVD and DSOTM 30th anniversary edition being new/upcoming releases.

However, these are very minor points, and really don't detract a jot from what is a truly superb, and fitting, celebration of what has always been a very visual band. Fully deserving pride of place on all Floyd fans' bookshelves, and possibly the final update that will be required, it is one of the few essential purchases!

ORDERING DETAILS:
You can order the book, at time of writing with a healthy discount, through the following links which help Brain Damage with our running costs: Amazon UK, Amazon US/International, Amazon Canada, Amazon Germany, or Amazon France.