This page collects together some
of the comments Brain Damage has received from its visitors, about the
band's Live 8 reunion on 2nd July, 2005, at London's Hyde Park. Our
thanks to everyone who wrote in with their views; we only wish we could
post them all! All pictures taken by Andy Whitworth.
For at least the last twenty
years the Floyd have taken a lot of flack for their live shows; critics
will carp on about the lights, inflatables and the films all being
distractions from the music and then they’ll moan about the
supplementary musicians; often seen by the harshest critics as
necessary to compensate for a lack of musicality in the band.
Well
on Saturday night they were stripped down to the bare essentials; no
fancy lights, inflatable pigs or crashing planes, and they were not
found wanting – it was one of the most exciting Floyd shows I’ve ever
seen. Roger seemed to be having the time of his life and David’s voice
was smooth and strong and his guitar work was incredibly confident.
Nick was completely on his own on the drums probably for the first time
since 1978 and didn’t miss a beat and Rick’s keyboards sounded more
relaxed than ever.
There’s a little part of me that would love
to see this Floyd on tour again, but with Roger’s opera and new album,
and David’s new album in the works I know this probably isn’t going to
happen. And there’s another part of me that’s completely happy with
that; Saturday night was almost the perfect fairy-tale end to the Pink
Floyd story. Maybe it’s best to go out on a high?
Still, an Unplugged would be nice!
-- Mark Stay
It was quite emotional seeing all
of them together again! Loved Rogers comments before WYWH. He seemed to
be enjoying himself the most, I thought. I was surpirsed how his voice
has changed, however, and was glad he let David do most of the vocals.
MTV also did not show very much of Rick Wright at all, hopefully
they'll do him more justice on the DVD.
I certainly hope this
gets all their creative juices flowing that they have a desire to work
together again. I will cry if I never get to see the Floyd on tour
again! But if they never do, at least we had this!
-- Angela Overbaugh
I have been virtually a lifelong
Floyd fan, Dark side being the first ever album I bought. I saw them
performing the Wall at Earls court - more years ago than I care to
remember. To see them performing together again to me was magical, I
was almost in tears for Christ sake, whether it was what live8 stood
for, or just the pleasure at seeing the guys together and forgetting
their differences just for that performance I don't really know.
Whether
they get back together again or not dosen't really matter to me, it was
the fact that they could do it for live8. Good luck to Dave, Nick,
Roger and Rick, and of course Syd wherever he is because without him
there would never have been Pink Floyd.
-- Andy C, Somerset
We thought the "Lads" were
absolutely brilliant! The last time we saw them all together was
Newcastle City Hall in 1970! We are big fans of our local tribute band
Shine On, and also Aussiefloyd, but there ain't nothing like the real
thing, this was no Surrogate Band!
-- Dave & Angela, Hartlepool
Simply a "Majestic" performance.
To put aside personal differences and to get back together to perform
is a powerful positive statement of the human spirit. We can all learn
from that. They stood up to be counted on the most important cause that
they and all of us will ever be involved in. Their performance of
"Money" - how appropriate!! Isn't this what it is all about? G8 drop
the debt! Well done Pink, Bob, Everyone Involved, Maintain the rage to
Edinburgh and Beyond!!!
-- Louis from Melbourne Australia
It was stunning. I couldn't
actually believe what I was seeing or hearing when the first few beats
of Breathe flitted across the screen, then the so-familiar chords
kicked in. I had to stand up with the sheer disbelief and excitement.
But it did really happen. It was by far and away the best performance
of the day. Wish You Were Here is my favourite Floyd lyric and I felt
they did the song justice - though it was a bit mawkish to dedicate it
to Syd - he has been gone quite a long time.
Comfortably Numb
was outstanding, done with great compassion and humanity. Singing and
playing that song together must have seemed quite weird after all the
water that has passed under their bridge. As Dave said before the event
their squabbling seems petty in the grand scheme of the Live 8 theme.
But it is not easy to put so many years of bitterness, wrangling and
anxiety behind you, even if only for a few minutes in a just and global
cause. The guys' musicianship, professionalism and tolerance shone
through and illuminated the day and the cause.
Thank you guys even if you never play again.
-- Howard Walwyn
I flew from Miami to London on
Friday July 1, arrived at 11am. The Floyd show was amazing. What was
most noticable for me was when Nick Mason took off his headset during
'Comfortably Numb', and close his eyes and get into the music -
unbelievable. The complete show was surreal and unreal at the same
time. After Floyd played, it was hard to truly enjoy Paul McCartney. We
saw history that night, now the history will come this week at the G8
summit at Gleneagles.
-- Francis Fagan, USA
Just shows like cheese Floyd can
mature with age; David's guitar playing was at its finest and the band
seemed to enjoy the set. Roger calling David over at the end for the
farewell wave was tearjerking stuff for me, maybe that will be it but
the memories will be lodged with the others I have during the decades.
-- Ken
I was so delighted to see the
Floyd; I grew up with them, seeing them in Bournemouth when I was 15
and through the late sixties and seventies at numerous pop festivals
around the country. I thought that Jonathan Ross's comment that they
demanded to have horlicks and ovaltine backstage after the gig was
wonderful. I would imagine like myself they are grandfathers but they
most certainly can still produce that magic, it was a wonderful event,
and most important that across all generations the message through
music has I hope touched the hearts of millions, let us make poverty
history.
-- Dave Bull
I was actually moved to tears
during "Comfortably Numb". It was great to see those guys together
again. And the words took on a new meaning - "come on now, I hear
you're feeling down. Well I can ease your pain, get you on your feet
again." The Floyd doing their part to ease the pain in Africa. I was so
proud of them...
-- Ben
I think that for anyone who has
ever had any time for Pink Floyd, the Live8 performance was a highly
charged and emotional experience. I am not ashamed to say that on
several occasions I 'filled up', particularly when Roger and Dave sang
together on WYWH and during the closing CN solo. At that moment, and to
some extent still, I was ready to beg, borrow, steal and sell organs to
see those guys play live together again. It may be foolish, but I still
dare to dream...
-- Nick Green
Brilliant,
uplifting.......any superlative you like. Roger looked like he actually
appreciated the fact that he owed it to Dave for keeping the flame
burning that made this inspiring reunion possible. We can only hope
that the collective will of m(b)illions will give them the energy to
create more of the indefinable inspiration that we were so stunningly
reminded of on Saturday night!
-- Keith Mitchell
That was an absolute phenominal
performance, considering it has taken over 20 years to get it on. The
question is now: Do we beg for more, as they could obviously 'cut the
mustard' if they announced a UK/world tour? Or do we sit back and say
that they definitely stole the show at Live 8 , no mean feat for a
bunch of bus pass holders, and keep that image in our heads of the
greatest performance of the weekend. I personally can't make up my
mind, yet. Also if there is anybody who visits this web site who didn't
have a lump in their throat on Saturday night then I suggest they check
their wrist for a pulse - I still do when I watch the video - again and
again. Lets hope the DVD isn't butchered by the the editor.
Yours, still comfortably numb,
-- Dave White
Incredible, everything I'd hoped for, other than the TV coverage here in the States, which chopped up
the final third of 'Comfortably Numb' with commentator footage.
I'd
basically set aside all plans for the day to see Live 8 coverage. My
wife and I had just sat down to dinner when the Who came on (MTV only
broadcast the 'Won't Get Fooled Again' finale :( ). I ran into the room
to watch and remarked "I bet Pink Floyd is next.." Sure enough less
than 20 minutes later, the broadcast was cutting to "Breathe."
It
was a thrill to watch and especially to see everyone playing so well.
I've never seen Roger live, so it was surprising to see him animated
and mouthing lyrics to songs David was singing. That everyone seemed to
be enjoying himself also gave me a smile. Other than 'Live at Pompeii,'
there seems to be precious little film footage of this quartet playing
live, so I felt I was watching history.
David: As a longtime
guitar player myself, he's always been one of my biggest
influences/inspirations and he was clearly well rehearsed for this gig.
Roger: Again, never seen him live so I was surprised to see him playing the bass aggressively.
Nick: Seemed very happy to be back behind the kit and had all his chops.
Rick: Great funky sounds during "Money"!
Not to forget the supporting players and Dick Parry for a great saxophone solo!
I'll
be wearing out my VHS tape of this set. My only wish is that these four
could again set aside their differences to make some new music. There
really is nothing else like Pink Floyd. As expected, they were the
musical highlight of Live 8.
-- John D, USA
Suffice to say I was in tears
(and my eyes still grow damp every time I watch the video) after
Saturday's performance. It's hard not to be moved by the spectacle. I
don't want to sound overly
sentimental, but getting to see the incredibly emotional, passionate,
enthusiastic Rog, in the same frame with David, Nick and Rick was
something I didn't believe I would live to see. Albeit with a slightly
cold and bitter David, who rarely ever looked at Roger on stage.
[Dave's smile towards Nick, while Rog sang the 2nd verse of WYWH was,
however, something to cherish!]
Anyhow,
unfortunately I haven't got enough time to write a proper 'review'
email about the concert, so this is rather about Jon Carin's somewhat
controversial contribution.
I, too, was overcome by joy when I
noticed that both Nick and Rick were playing unaided, for the first
time since the Animals '77 tour. And then, I noticed Carin getting off
the stage with Renwick, Nick and Dave and started thinking that perhaps
he was just sitting at the side, the band having decided to go ahead
with Rick alone. But when I watched the video the second time (once the
shock and awe had slightly subsided) I began to notice certain details
that gave it away. Details like:
- the backing vocals
throughout 'Breathe' (and the last verse of 'Breathe (reprise)') that
were distinctively Carin's (reminiscent to his contribution in
p.u.l.s.e.)
- the lapsteel-like sounds that were heard in the gap
when Dave stood up from his pedal steel, picked up his black Strat and
went to the microphone (Renwick was playing the guitar arpeggio at the
time, so it could have only been Carin playing it in the shadows, as he
did in Roger's tour, or him triggering a sample)
- the backing vocals in the chorus of WYWH and 'aaaah.. I have become... Comfortably numb' also featured Carin's voice.
Most
importantly, you could clearly *see* what Rick was playing. And he was
playing one thing at a time - never two at once. i.e. When Rick was
playing his Rhodes/Wurly electric piano bit during Money, it was Carin
supplying the Hammond overtones, when Rick was playing piano in WYWH it
was Carin playing the synth brass chords, when Rick was playing the
electric piano in CN it must have been Carin playing the synth pads. It
was probably Carin playing the low piano notes in Money.
I
found that a bit baffling, to be honest, as Floyd were never shy when
it
came to session musicians. They never left them in the shadows. They
even gave them the occasional solo spot. (Unlike other bands. Anybody
ever found out who plays keyboards for U2 during 'Beautiful Day'?
Certainly not The Edge). This time, the Floyd sidemen were a lot more
subdued, possibly to add more emphasis on the significance of the
original 4-member line-up. Fair enough. I have to stress that this
doesn't take anything away from the performance, it's just a tiny bit
of a letdown, simply because it wasn't obvious from the start.
Rick
did give his all during the finale of CN (as did all of them) playing
his trademark Hammond swirls. The ending of CN was momentous. David's
solo was by far better than any of his recent Meltdown+London/Paris
gigs. Rog was playing the bass as if he was soloing himself. Hearing
Mason playing them drums ALONE for the first time in 28 years was
historical in itself. Screw the mistakes. I enjoyed his drumming that
night far more than his usual 'stiff' playing whenever he merely
provides the basis for the 2nd drummer, be it Willie Wilson or Gary
Wallis. The moment Mason removed (with trembling hands, I suspect) his
headphones, as if saying "f**k the monitors, I wanna hear this!", you
could see they were *really* getting into it, living every moment of
the performance. Playing their last ever gig, possibly. And what a way
to take a bow... In front of 200,000+ people and for such a cause.
Polly
and the kids were ecstatic too, as we could see from the BBC cameras.
Some of the younger members of the Gilmour family were probably
watching their father play 'with the Floyd' for the first (and probably
last) time ever. What a treat - for them and for us, of course.
-- Thanasis Tsilderikis
'Didn't they do well?' to borrow
a quote from an old David Gilmour T-shirt. It was wonderful to see them
playing together again and, even better, they rocked! How much
rehearsal had they managed to squeeze in before the gig? Or are the
songs just as engraved in their hearts and minds as they are in ours?
With so many Floyd numbers being appropriate for the occasion it was
still a fabulous choice of songs. The highlights for me were the
Parry/Gilmour solos on Money, and seeing Roger Waters having himself a
great time.
My
only gripe; whoever was directing the TV vision had no interest in
Richard Wright. Those of us who have followed the Floyd for several
decades know that when he came back, so did the real Floyd sound. All
they need now is Roger's lyrics for one last hoorah. We can only hope.
-- Stuart Medley, Dunedin, New Zealand
I had no idea what time Pink
Floyd was to play at Live8, so I just stayed in front of the telly all
day... just to be sure that I wasn't going to miss it. I sat and
watched The Who do their set of just two songs.. but pleasing all the
same ( I like their music too). As Pink Floyd were introduced to the
stage I sat right on the edge on my seat not wanting to miss the
slightest bit of their performance. I scared the living daylights out
of my wife, and the dog too when I shouted at the top of my voice
"ROGER WATERS... THATS ROGER WATERS... ROGER WATERS IS ON STAGE WITH
THEM" The wife jumped out of her skin... the dog stared barking at me,
and rightly so.... I thought I was seeing things! I had no idea, no
idea whatsoever that the whole group had reformed for this occasion. So
there I sat, wide eyed throughout their magical performance, grinning
from ear to ear. Okay I'll admit it, a tear of joy too. I hope that
they can now put their past differences behind them and put together at
least one more album as Pink Floyd, as we know and love them, I live in
hope on this one. Fantastic performance Pink Floyd - keep it up...
Please.
-- Lee Allen
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