 Published October 2003, Continuum Publishing. ISBN: 0826414974
Once
in a while, a different approach is made to oft-covered subjects. John
Cavanagh's book, "Piper At The Gates Of Dawn" enjoys just such an
approach.
Released as part of Continuum's
"33 And A Third" series, it concentrates on a single album - in this
instance, Piper. But it doesn't just focus on that album, it also looks
at the artists responsible for the work, and the period of time
involved composing and recording the work.
Being part of a set of like
titles, it is a smaller format book than other Floyd biogs, but this is
no bad thing (indeed, the impetus in the publishing world now seems to
be towards the more accessible, more concise book - Tim Willis's recent
"Madcap" book is another example).
It has meant that Cavanagh has
needed to provide strong focus on the key personnel and events which
shaped the album. It is this focus which has resulted in an incredibly
readable, enlightening and enjoyable tome.
Cavanagh, for part of his
research, managed to gather an impressively suitable list of people to
interview - from Nick Mason and Storm Thorgerson, through to the likes
of John "Hoppy" Hopkins, Jenny Fabian, Peter Jenner and Duggie Fields.
In some of his interviews, he has managed to elicit information that,
to my knowledge, has never been covered in any depth before.
The book starts in the streets of
Glasgow, Scotland, in 1975, and recounts the author's discovery of
Piper (hearing it on the radio), and the awakening of an interest in
Syd's incredible musical legacy. He makes his intentions clear from the
outset:
This is not another book about "Mad Syd", this, instead, is a celebration
of a moment when everything seemed possible, when creative worlds and
forces converged, when an album spoke with an entirely new voice...
The narrative covers this aim in
depth, putting the album into its historical context in a way that has
rarely been covered by other authors.
Cavanagh has clearly done his
research, covering even small facets in good and intriguing detail.
This gives a great atmosphere and depth to a number of passages. Early
on in the book, there are fascinating recollections from Hopkins and
Fabian of the early shows - held at the London Free School, and the UFO
- and a good wrap-up of the signing of the band to a record label. Few
people are aware of the possibilities there were before EMI secured the
band - Elektra were courted but not interested, Polydor came up with a
deal, but EMI effectively outbid them and got the band. Cavanagh covers
the negotiations and decision-making well.
With the band signed, EMI
naturally wanted to start getting a return on their investment, with a
need to capture their live, freeform experimental style into something
permanent and accessible outside of a club. This was never going to be
easy, and the complexities of the recording process, using the high
quality yet technically primitive equipment at Abbey Road, is covered
in great detail. Much of what Pink Floyd did was pioneering and
Cavanagh describes it well. There are some fascinating recollections of
these sessions, although sadly not from Norman "Hurricane" Smith, who
refuses to talk of the Floyd these days. Cavanagh makes up for this by
using Nick Mason's memories, together with a number of segments from a
magazine interview with Norman Smith from a few years ago. This makes
interesting reading, not least for some of Smith's not overly
complementary views of the band:
"...there had to be a drum roll, and [Nick] didn't have a clue what to do.
So, I had to do that. Nick was no threat to Buddy Rich. Roger Waters, on the
other hand, was an adequate bass player, but to be honest he used to make
more interesting noises with his mouth..."
The book contains an interesting
discussion on the growing influence of drugs and the alternative
culture of the time, and how, as part of this culture shift, Pink Floyd
managed to stay remarkably unscathed by the media. Peter Jenner talks
of how the band's publicity was geared towards the chemical culture:
"There we were, quite clearly simulating drug experiences, that's part
of what we were doing. Hey, when you take a trip, you hear sounds like
this...". Thankfully, the author shies away from the oft-told Syd
folklore in this section.
Instead, Cavanagh examines some
of the other influences to Syd's music. Not the least of these was
literature - some contemporary, but most, classic. The I-Ching is, of
course, mentioned, along with works by Tolkein, Milne, and Hilaire
Belloc, who we learn, thanks to the memories of Andrew King, was the
inspiration for the original version of Matilda Mother:
There was a boy whose name was Jim
His friends were very good to him...
If it wasn't for the insistance of
Belloc's estate that the lyrics be changed, the song would've been very
different to that we all know and love!
There are plenty of other
examples of where Cavanagh shies away from the stuff most Floyd fans
knows about; for example, he mentions the Pat Boone Show appearance in
passing, but concentrates on the just as bizarre Perry Como Show
instead. He has some interesting commentary from Pete Drummond, compere
of the Winter 1967 Jimi Hendrix tour (which included Pink Floyd as one
of the support bands), Nick Mason, and others who were involved or saw
these shows. This tour is hardly even mentioned in most other
biographies of the band, and the constraints and compromises imposed on
the band (getting 20 minutes to do "their thing") are fascinating, as
is the depth of detail given on the Games For May show in London the
same year.
This detail and coverage is one
of the reasons why I enjoyed this book so much. You find yourself glued
to the page - it is a very readable tome, not least for its convenient
size. You may find yourself finishing it in a few (extended) reading
sessions but this is no bad thing. Cavanagh has an easy, informal, yet
informative style - perfect for the subject matter. You never feel
bogged down in detail or filler.
Let's hope that he now turns his
attentions to another of their albums. A Saucerful Of Secrets, the
second album and a period of change and upheaval in the band, would be
the obvious choice... how about it, John?
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