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Yahoo
17 hours ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Legendary ‘60s Rock Band Still Holds Album Record 50 Years Later
Legendary '60s Rock Band Still Holds Album Record 50 Years Later originally appeared on Parade. Over 50 years after its release, Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon still holds one of the most impressive records in Billboard history. The legendary 1973 album, which includes iconic tracks like 'Money,' 'Us and Them' and 'The Great Gig in the Sky," has spent 989 weeks on the Billboard 200 chart. Recently, The Dark Side of the Moon made a notable jump from No. 42 to No. 24 on Billboard's Top Album Sales chart, which only counts physical purchases. The numbers prove fans aren't just streaming the album — they're still buying it in droves, even decades later. With vinyl making a major comeback, the record also landed at No. 15 on the Vinyl Albums Chart. 🎬SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox🎬 In terms of overall sales, The Dark Side of the Moon continues to outshine the competition. With over 45 million copies sold worldwide, it's surpassed classic albums like The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band and Michael Jackson's Bad. When Pink Floyd, made up of David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright and Roger Waters, first introduced the album in 1973, the title wasn't guaranteed. Another band, Medicine Head, had released an album called The Dark Side of the Moon a year earlier, nearly forcing Pink Floyd to scrap the name altogether. 'We were annoyed because we had already thought of the title before the Medicine Head album came out,' Gilmour reportedly once said. Fortunately for Pink Floyd, Medicine Head's version didn't gain traction — and the iconic title was up for grabs. If things had gone differently, the album might've been called Eclipse, according to the guitarist. While reflecting on the album's lasting impact, Wright explained why it continues to resonate with fans in a 2001 interview. 'I think it is a combination of the lyrics and the feeling of some of the music with the lyrics. Obviously, that's what makes a good song," he said. Adding, "I think it's the continuity of it, this kind of whole musical and lyrical story, if you like. It all made sense and even some songs weren't related to the other. 'Money' wasn't related to 'Us and Them', or whatever.' Legendary '60s Rock Band Still Holds Album Record 50 Years Later first appeared on Parade on Jun 7, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 7, 2025, where it first appeared.
Scottish Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Inside Pink Floyd's epic Pompeii gig as spectacular upgraded version of iconic film hits cinemas in days
BA-DUM. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. What is it about Pink Floyd and heartbeats? An amplified heartbeat bookends their defining album, The Dark Side Of The Moon — a profound, at times overwhelming, sonic exploration of mortality. 8 Pink Floyd's Roger Waters bangs the gong Credit: Sony Music 8 Guitarist David Gilmour has since returned to the ruins as part of a solo tour Credit: Sony Music 8 Nick Mason remembers the sessions as 'an easy period for the band' Credit: Sony Music And another ushers in the most captivating filmed document of the prog rock pioneers in action, the newly restored Pink Floyd At Pompeii: MCMLXXII. In early October, 1971, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright set up shop in the haunting surrounds of a Roman amphitheatre in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. 'Maybe we thought we were all going on an Italian holiday,' says Mason today. 'Like Cliff Richard but in Italy.' Though summer had passed, he reports that it was still 'hot and dusty' on the shores of the Gulf Of Naples that year. Witnessed by only a small crew and a few children messing about in the ruins, Floyd delivered a masterful set of pre-Dark Side material, beginning and ending with one of their most complex soundscapes, Echoes. Other tracks such as Careful With That Axe, Eugene, A Saucerful Of Secrets and One Of These Days were later interspersed with studio footage from Abbey Road, shot the following year. In similar vein to The Beatles' Get Back documentary, this gives the film a welcome added dimension of unguarded, fly-on-the-wall glimpses of Floyd as they set about making their next album. You know, THE one I already mentioned, which came housed in a jet-black sleeve with a triangular prism on the outside and, naturally, a spectrum in the form of a heartbeat on the inside. Mason remembers the sessions as 'an easy period for the band'. 'Things were going well, and we were full of ideas,' he says. 'It was before things began to unravel.' Eerie video reveals Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's £10m mansion 'frozen in time' after being abandoned by star years ago The reason I've been afforded the chance to catch up with Mason, the musician I consider to be Floyd's beating heart, is because a spectacular 21st Century upgrade of the Pompeii film hits UK cinemas this week and an accompanying live album arrives on May 2. 'Talk about the passage of time,' sighs the amiable 81-year-old. 'We had no idea back then that anyone would be looking at this material 50 years hence. This is the only record of how we played during that period, what we did and what we looked like.' But he adds with a chuckle: 'Clearly no one was in charge of the wardrobe — or the wardrobe was still on its way from Dover.' In Mason's case, he performed with inventive intensity while sporting a mop of dark shoulder-length curls, a bandana and a blue T-shirt emblazoned with a rainbow-coloured butterfly. Across various scenes, you'll also notice what he calls 'my vast array of moustaches'. 'In '71, we didn't have smart cameras or smartphones so you could more or less capture everything you did,' he says. But he is thrilled with the restored Pompeii sequences. 'I'm amazed at the sound in particular,' he continues. 'That's the surprise of the whole thing. It's so old but it has so much going for it. 8 Bassist Roger Waters, later the band's chief songwriter Credit: Sony Music 8 Keyboard player Rick Wright, the least extroverted of the four Credit: Sony Music 'And I have to say that it's a tribute to Abbey Road (known in those days as EMI Studios) because so much of their technology was carried out to Italy. Speaking for the band, Mason affirms: 'We are really pleased we did it and slightly taken aback. 'We were very engaged, but it was not something we brought to the table, which was unusual for us. 'Most of the time, we were deciding what to do next by ourselves. So, we look at it in a bemused way.' As for the actual footage, Mason says: 'The extraordinary quality is partly down to modern technology but also to (director of restoration) Lana Topham. "I think she's been working on that footage for most of her life!' Mason explains that the original project was 'not driven by us' but by film director Adrian Maben. 'When I look at it now, I'm a bit ashamed at our casualness. We seemed more interested in teasing Adrian than doing any work.' The story goes that Maben had been trying to persuade Floyd to co-operate in a film showcasing their otherworldly sound but, as Mason admits, 'We initially said no'. 'Adrian's vision had involved a bit more art and a bit less of us messing around,' continues the drummer. 'Done in one take' Then, during a holiday to Naples, Maben visited the Pompeii amphitheatre and, as he strolled around the eerie ruins looking for his missing passport, he sensed that he'd found the ideal setting for his ambitious plans. 'He probably persuaded our manager Steve O'Rourke that it was a good idea and then found the money to fund it,' says Mason. 'We had no way of anticipating how it would turn out, but it became a happy union between a slightly rough venue and not having the problems of a live audience. 'It meant we could stop and rerun if we wanted to but, in reality, virtually all of it was done in one take.' The 'rough venue' was originally designed to host brutal gladiatorial contests in front of 20,000 baying spectators, providing the, er, heartbeat of a beautiful but doomed city. In capacity terms, it was the open-air equivalent of London's 02 Arena — but with added gore. As you may have guessed, the theatre was buried in ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD79 — but it literally rose like a phoenix by the time excavation was completed in 1816. If Pink Floyd were the first rock band to play the ruins, both David Gilmour, as part of a solo tour, and Mason with his band Saucerful Of Secrets, have returned there in recent years. Looking at that initial performance in 1971, I've been left with striking impressions of each band member. Guitarist Gilmour stripped to the waist, his long, straight, fairish hair blowing across his face, playing his black Fender Strat like the personification of a rock god. 8 The band during filming for their Pompeii footage Credit: Sony Music 8 Pink Floyd filming in the Pompeii amphitheatre Credit: Sony Music Bassist Roger Waters, later the band's chief songwriter but here taking a more egalitarian approach, silhouetted against the setting sun and banging a mighty gong. Keyboard player Rick Wright, the least extrovert of the four, adding ethereal vocals to Echoes and providing the gorgeous organ part for the Celestial Voices finale to A Saucerful Of Secrets with Gilmour's cry leading the wordless vocals. Drummer Mason occupying a central position and driving each song to greater heights with just the right amount of tempo, subtlety and power, the person who knits the whole shebang together. If a lot of bands keep the rhythm section in the shadows and push the show-offs — the singer and lead guitarist — to the front of the stage, there's a remarkable equality on display at Pompeii. Mason says: 'I wouldn't be here now if I hadn't gone to a gig at Regent Street Poly, where I was studying at the time, and Cream came on. I modelled myself on Ginger Baker. We liked being a band that played together rather than one with a frontman and a drummer sitting on a table at the back. Nick Mason 'We liked being a band that played together rather than one with a frontman and a drummer sitting on a table at the back. 'I remember Gary Wallis [Pink Floyd percussionist 1987-1994] saying to me, 'A band is bass and drums and then some novelty acts'.' Speaking of novelty acts, the Pompeii movie includes a track called Mademoiselle Nobs. While in Paris, Floyd suggested they would like to film a performance of a short blues song featuring a howling dog with Gilmour on harmonica, in the style of Seamus from their then recent album Meddle. Adrian Maben happened to know Madonna Bouglione, daughter of circus director Joseph Bouglione, who was known for strolling around the French capital with his dog Nobs. Of the recording, Mason says: 'It's very strange. Original dog Seamus obviously had to bring in a deputy to do it. 'Fifty years later, I thought I might have to ring Noel Fitzpatrick, the Supervet, to find out if dogs don't like howling. 'It did worry me slightly that we were torturing these poor animals — but I think they enjoyed it.' So, whose idea was it to bring in the canine helpers? I venture. 'I'm not sure,' confesses Mason. 'I had a conversation with Roger a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say his memory is even worse than mine.' Finally, we turn our attention to 1972 studio footage when Abbey Road was Floyd's musical playground as they created their eighth album, The Dark Side Of The Moon. You witness a band of seasoned campaigners high on confidence. 'We seemed to think we knew it all,' acknowledges Mason. 'But it wasn't entirely justified. 'Strong following' 'It's something quite prevalent in bands — you move on from starting something to gaining confidence, either through record sales or bigger crowds.' Mason has this assessment of the post-Meddle, pre-Dark Side period: 'We had conquered Europe, particularly France where we had a very strong following. 'But we were still lagging behind in the States. Quite a lot of Americans thought Dark Side was our first album because that's when they hooked on to us. 'Before that, we could be described as an underground band playing big venues, but not stadiums.' Dark Side also represents the transition from Pink Floyd as a democratic unit to one dominated by Waters' songwriting. There's some great shots of the band experimenting with early synthesisers such as the EMS VCS3, which helped them make electronic instrumental On The Run. The band talk avidly about how these amazing contraptions 'can't think for themselves', all the more pertinent because of the current dismay at AI 'scraping' the work of musicians. We didn't have access to the finer instruments of the period, but it was easier for us to use the simpler ones properly Nick Mason And, as Mason points out, On The Run wasn't as ahead of its time as you may think. 'The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, who did the Doctor Who theme, had been all over the VCS3 for quite a while before we ever got our hands on one. 'We didn't have access to the finer instruments of the period, but it was easier for us to use the simpler ones properly, to get more out of them.' And just like the Fab Four in Get Back, it's not all about the music for Pink Floyd. There's some hilarious banter as they eat their rather basic lunches at Abbey Road. 'We spent a lot of our lives in that canteen,' recalls Mason. 'It was probably run by people whose previous experience had been at the local primary school, but it worked perfectly well. We were very happy with the apple crumble!' And were there any arguments? 'We were pretty good all the way through the recording,' he replies. 'We clearly started sparking a bit when it came to the mix [of Dark Side] and we eventually got Chris Thomas to help us. 'He gave us a brilliant independent view and did it for relatively little money.' Looking back on that iconic album 52 years on from its release, Mason says: I'm absolutely pleased with what we did. 'It would be totally churlish to say I'm unhappy with any of it!' Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. PINK FLOYD At Pompeii MCMLXXII ★★★★☆
The Irish Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Irish Sun
Inside Pink Floyd's epic Pompeii gig as spectacular upgraded version of iconic film hits cinemas in days
BA-DUM. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. What is it about Pink Floyd and heartbeats? An amplified heartbeat bookends their defining album, The Dark Side Of The Moon — a profound, at times overwhelming, sonic exploration of mortality. Advertisement 8 Pink Floyd's Roger Waters bangs the gong Credit: Sony Music 8 Guitarist David Gilmour has since returned to the ruins as part of a solo tour Credit: Sony Music 8 Nick Mason remembers the sessions as 'an easy period for the band' Credit: Sony Music And another ushers in the most captivating filmed document of the prog rock pioneers in action, the newly restored Pink Floyd At Pompeii: MCMLXXII. In early October, 1971, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright set up shop in the haunting surrounds of a Roman amphitheatre in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. 'Maybe we thought we were all going on an Italian holiday,' says Mason today. 'Like Cliff Richard but in Though summer had passed, he reports that it was still 'hot and dusty' on the shores of the Gulf Of Naples that year. Advertisement READ MORE ON PINK FLOYD Witnessed by only a small crew and a few children messing about in the ruins, Floyd delivered a masterful set of pre-Dark Side material, beginning and ending with one of their most complex soundscapes, Echoes. Other tracks such as Careful With That Axe, Eugene, A Saucerful Of Secrets and One Of These Days were later interspersed with studio footage from Abbey Road, shot the following year. In similar vein to The Beatles' Get Back documentary, this gives the film a welcome added dimension of unguarded, fly-on-the-wall glimpses of Floyd as they set about making their next album. You know, THE one I already mentioned, which came housed in a jet-black sleeve with a triangular prism on the outside and, naturally, a spectrum in the form of a heartbeat on the inside. Advertisement Most read in Music Mason remembers the sessions as 'an easy period for the band'. 'Things were going well, and we were full of ideas,' he says. 'It was before things began to unravel.' Eerie video reveals Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour's £10m mansion 'frozen in time' after being abandoned by star years ago The reason I've been afforded the chance to catch up with Mason, the musician I consider to be Floyd's beating heart, is because a spectacular 21st Century upgrade of the Pompeii film hits UK cinemas this week and an accompanying live album arrives on May 2. 'Talk about the passage of time,' sighs the amiable 81-year-old. Advertisement 'We had no idea back then that anyone would be looking at this material 50 years hence. This is the only record of how we played during that period, what we did and what we looked like.' But he adds with a chuckle: 'Clearly no one was in charge of the wardrobe — or the wardrobe was still on its way from Dover.' In Mason's case, he performed with inventive intensity while sporting a mop of dark shoulder-length curls, a bandana and a blue T-shirt emblazoned with a rainbow-coloured butterfly. Across various scenes, you'll also notice what he calls 'my vast array of moustaches'. Advertisement 'In '71, we didn't have smart cameras or smartphones so you could more or less capture everything you did,' he says. But he is thrilled with the restored Pompeii sequences. 'I'm amazed at the sound in particular,' he continues. 'That's the surprise of the whole thing. It's so old but it has so much going for it. 8 Bassist Roger Waters, later the band's chief songwriter Credit: Sony Music Advertisement 8 Keyboard player Rick Wright, the least extroverted of the four Credit: Sony Music 'And I have to say that it's a tribute to Abbey Road (known in those days as EMI Studios) because so much of their technology was carried out to Speaking for the band, Mason affirms: 'We are really pleased we did it and slightly taken aback. 'We were very engaged, but it was not something we brought to the table, which was unusual for us. Advertisement 'Most of the time, we were deciding what to do next by ourselves. So, we look at it in a bemused way.' As for the actual footage, Mason says: 'The extraordinary quality is partly down to modern technology but also to (director of restoration) Lana Topham. "I think she's been working on that footage for most of her life!' Mason explains that the original project was 'not driven by us' but by film director Adrian Maben. Advertisement 'When I look at it now, I'm a bit ashamed at our casualness. We seemed more interested in teasing Adrian than doing any work.' The story goes that Maben had been trying to persuade Floyd to co-operate in a film showcasing their otherworldly sound but, as Mason admits, 'We initially said no'. 'Adrian's vision had involved a bit more art and a bit less of us messing around,' continues the drummer. 'Done in one take' Then, during a holiday to Naples, Maben visited the Pompeii amphitheatre and, as he strolled around the eerie ruins looking for his missing passport, he sensed that he'd found the ideal setting for his ambitious plans. Advertisement 'He probably persuaded our manager Steve O'Rourke that it was a good idea and then found the money to fund it,' says Mason. 'We had no way of anticipating how it would turn out, but it became a happy union between a slightly rough venue and not having the problems of a live audience. 'It meant we could stop and rerun if we wanted to but, in reality, virtually all of it was done in one take.' The 'rough venue' was originally designed to host brutal gladiatorial contests in front of 20,000 baying spectators, providing the, er, heartbeat of a beautiful but doomed city. Advertisement In capacity terms, it was the open-air equivalent of London's 02 Arena — but with added gore. As you may have guessed, the theatre was buried in ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD79 — but it literally rose like a phoenix by the time excavation was completed in 1816. If Pink Floyd were the first rock band to play the ruins, both David Gilmour, as part of a solo tour, and Mason with his band Saucerful Of Secrets, have returned there in recent years. Looking at that initial performance in 1971, I've been left with striking impressions of each band member. Advertisement Guitarist Gilmour stripped to the waist, his long, straight, fairish hair blowing across his face, playing his black Fender Strat like the personification of a rock god. 8 The band during filming for their Pompeii footage Credit: Sony Music 8 Pink Floyd filming in the Pompeii amphitheatre Credit: Sony Music Bassist Roger Waters, later the band's chief songwriter but here taking a more egalitarian approach, silhouetted against the setting sun and banging a mighty gong. Advertisement Keyboard player Rick Wright, the least extrovert of the four, adding ethereal vocals to Echoes and providing the gorgeous organ part for the Celestial Voices finale to A Saucerful Of Secrets with Gilmour's cry leading the wordless vocals. Drummer Mason occupying a central position and driving each song to greater heights with just the right amount of tempo, subtlety and power, the person who knits the whole shebang together. If a lot of bands keep the rhythm section in the shadows and push the show-offs — the singer and lead guitarist — to the front of the stage, there's a remarkable equality on display at Pompeii. Mason says: 'I wouldn't be here now if I hadn't gone to a gig at Regent Street Poly, where I was studying at the time, and Cream came on. I modelled myself on Ginger Baker. Advertisement We liked being a band that played together rather than one with a frontman and a drummer sitting on a table at the back. Nick Mason 'We liked being a band that played together rather than one with a frontman and a drummer sitting on a table at the back. 'I remember Gary Wallis [Pink Floyd percussionist 1987-1994] saying to me, 'A band is bass and drums and then some novelty acts'.' Speaking of novelty acts, the Pompeii movie includes a track called Mademoiselle Nobs. While in Paris, Floyd suggested they would like to film a performance of a short blues song featuring a howling dog with Gilmour on harmonica, in the style of Seamus from their then recent album Meddle. Advertisement Adrian Maben happened to know Madonna Bouglione, daughter of circus director Joseph Bouglione, who was known for strolling around the French capital with his dog Nobs. Of the recording, Mason says: 'It's very strange. Original dog Seamus obviously had to bring in a deputy to do it. 'Fifty years later, I thought I might have to ring Noel Fitzpatrick, the Supervet, to find out if dogs don't like howling. 'It did worry me slightly that we were torturing these poor animals — but I think they enjoyed it.' Advertisement So, whose idea was it to bring in the canine helpers? I venture. 'I'm not sure,' confesses Mason. 'I had a conversation with Roger a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say his memory is even worse than mine.' Finally, we turn our attention to 1972 studio footage when Abbey Road was Floyd's musical playground as they created their eighth album, The Dark Side Of The Moon. You witness a band of seasoned campaigners high on confidence. 'We seemed to think we knew it all,' acknowledges Mason. 'But it wasn't entirely justified. Advertisement 'Strong following' 'It's something quite prevalent in bands — you move on from starting something to gaining confidence, either through record sales or bigger crowds.' Mason has this assessment of the post-Meddle, pre-Dark Side period: 'We had conquered Europe, particularly 'But we were still lagging behind in the States. Quite a lot of Americans thought Dark Side was our first album because that's when they hooked on to us. 'Before that, we could be described as an underground band playing big venues, but not stadiums.' Advertisement Dark Side also represents the transition from Pink Floyd as a democratic unit to one dominated by Waters' songwriting. There's some great shots of the band experimenting with early synthesisers such as the EMS VCS3, which helped them make electronic instrumental On The Run. The band talk avidly about how these amazing contraptions 'can't think for themselves', all the more pertinent because of the current dismay at AI 'scraping' the work of musicians. We didn't have access to the finer instruments of the period, but it was easier for us to use the simpler ones properly Nick Mason And, as Mason points out, On The Run wasn't as ahead of its time as you may think. Advertisement 'The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, who did the Doctor Who theme, had been all over the VCS3 for quite a while before we ever got our hands on one. 'We didn't have access to the finer instruments of the period, but it was easier for us to use the simpler ones properly, to get more out of them.' And just like the Fab Four in Get Back, it's not all about the music for Pink Floyd. There's some hilarious banter as they eat their rather basic lunches at Abbey Road. 'We spent a lot of our lives in that canteen,' recalls Mason. 'It was probably run by people whose previous experience had been at the local primary school, but it worked perfectly well. We were very happy with the apple crumble!' Advertisement And were there any arguments? 'We were pretty good all the way through the recording,' he replies. 'We clearly started sparking a bit when it came to the mix [of Dark Side] and we eventually got Chris Thomas to help us. 'He gave us a brilliant independent view and did it for relatively little money.' Advertisement Looking back on that iconic album 52 years on from its release, Mason says: I'm absolutely pleased with what we did. 'It would be totally churlish to say I'm unhappy with any of it!' Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. PINK FLOYD At Pompeii MCMLXXII Advertisement ★★★★☆ 8 The newly restored Pink Floyd At Pompeii: MCMLXXII Credit: Sony Music
The Sun
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Inside Pink Floyd's epic Pompeii gig as spectacular upgraded version of iconic film hits cinemas in days
Simon Cosyns Published: Invalid Date, BA-DUM. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. What is it about Pink Floyd and heartbeats? An amplified heartbeat bookends their defining album, The Dark Side Of The Moon — a profound, at times overwhelming, sonic exploration of mortality. 8 8 8 And another ushers in the most captivating filmed document of the prog rock pioneers in action, the newly restored Pink Floyd At Pompeii: MCMLXXII. In early October, 1971, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright set up shop in the haunting surrounds of a Roman amphitheatre in the shadow of Mount Vesuvius. 'Maybe we thought we were all going on an Italian holiday,' says Mason today. 'Like Cliff Richard but in Italy.' Though summer had passed, he reports that it was still 'hot and dusty' on the shores of the Gulf Of Naples that year. Witnessed by only a small crew and a few children messing about in the ruins, Floyd delivered a masterful set of pre-Dark Side material, beginning and ending with one of their most complex soundscapes, Echoes. Other tracks such as Careful With That Axe, Eugene, A Saucerful Of Secrets and One Of These Days were later interspersed with studio footage from Abbey Road, shot the following year. In similar vein to The Beatles' Get Back documentary, this gives the film a welcome added dimension of unguarded, fly-on-the-wall glimpses of Floyd as they set about making their next album. You know, THE one I already mentioned, which came housed in a jet-black sleeve with a triangular prism on the outside and, naturally, a spectrum in the form of a heartbeat on the inside. Mason remembers the sessions as 'an easy period for the band'. 'Things were going well, and we were full of ideas,' he says. 'It was before things began to unravel.' The reason I've been afforded the chance to catch up with Mason, the musician I consider to be Floyd's beating heart, is because a spectacular 21st Century upgrade of the Pompeii film hits UK cinemas this week and an accompanying live album arrives on May 2. 'Talk about the passage of time,' sighs the amiable 81-year-old. 'We had no idea back then that anyone would be looking at this material 50 years hence. This is the only record of how we played during that period, what we did and what we looked like.' But he adds with a chuckle: 'Clearly no one was in charge of the wardrobe — or the wardrobe was still on its way from Dover.' In Mason's case, he performed with inventive intensity while sporting a mop of dark shoulder-length curls, a bandana and a blue T-shirt emblazoned with a rainbow-coloured butterfly. Across various scenes, you'll also notice what he calls 'my vast array of moustaches'. 'In '71, we didn't have smart cameras or smartphones so you could more or less capture everything you did,' he says. But he is thrilled with the restored Pompeii sequences. 'I'm amazed at the sound in particular,' he continues. 'That's the surprise of the whole thing. It's so old but it has so much going for it. 8 8 'And I have to say that it's a tribute to Abbey Road (known in those days as EMI Studios) because so much of their technology was carried out to Italy. Speaking for the band, Mason affirms: 'We are really pleased we did it and slightly taken aback. 'We were very engaged, but it was not something we brought to the table, which was unusual for us. 'Most of the time, we were deciding what to do next by ourselves. So, we look at it in a bemused way.' As for the actual footage, Mason says: 'The extraordinary quality is partly down to modern technology but also to (director of restoration) Lana Topham. "I think she's been working on that footage for most of her life!' Mason explains that the original project was 'not driven by us' but by film director Adrian Maben. 'When I look at it now, I'm a bit ashamed at our casualness. We seemed more interested in teasing Adrian than doing any work.' The story goes that Maben had been trying to persuade Floyd to co-operate in a film showcasing their otherworldly sound but, as Mason admits, 'We initially said no'. 'Adrian's vision had involved a bit more art and a bit less of us messing around,' continues the drummer. 'Done in one take' Then, during a holiday to Naples, Maben visited the Pompeii amphitheatre and, as he strolled around the eerie ruins looking for his missing passport, he sensed that he'd found the ideal setting for his ambitious plans. 'He probably persuaded our manager Steve O'Rourke that it was a good idea and then found the money to fund it,' says Mason. 'We had no way of anticipating how it would turn out, but it became a happy union between a slightly rough venue and not having the problems of a live audience. 'It meant we could stop and rerun if we wanted to but, in reality, virtually all of it was done in one take.' The 'rough venue' was originally designed to host brutal gladiatorial contests in front of 20,000 baying spectators, providing the, er, heartbeat of a beautiful but doomed city. In capacity terms, it was the open-air equivalent of London's 02 Arena — but with added gore. As you may have guessed, the theatre was buried in ash when Vesuvius erupted in AD79 — but it literally rose like a phoenix by the time excavation was completed in 1816. If Pink Floyd were the first rock band to play the ruins, both David Gilmour, as part of a solo tour, and Mason with his band Saucerful Of Secrets, have returned there in recent years. Looking at that initial performance in 1971, I've been left with striking impressions of each band member. Guitarist Gilmour stripped to the waist, his long, straight, fairish hair blowing across his face, playing his black Fender Strat like the personification of a rock god. 8 8 Bassist Roger Waters, later the band's chief songwriter but here taking a more egalitarian approach, silhouetted against the setting sun and banging a mighty gong. Keyboard player Rick Wright, the least extrovert of the four, adding ethereal vocals to Echoes and providing the gorgeous organ part for the Celestial Voices finale to A Saucerful Of Secrets with Gilmour's cry leading the wordless vocals. Drummer Mason occupying a central position and driving each song to greater heights with just the right amount of tempo, subtlety and power, the person who knits the whole shebang together. If a lot of bands keep the rhythm section in the shadows and push the show-offs — the singer and lead guitarist — to the front of the stage, there's a remarkable equality on display at Pompeii. Mason says: 'I wouldn't be here now if I hadn't gone to a gig at Regent Street Poly, where I was studying at the time, and Cream came on. I modelled myself on Ginger Baker. We liked being a band that played together rather than one with a frontman and a drummer sitting on a table at the back. Nick Mason 'We liked being a band that played together rather than one with a frontman and a drummer sitting on a table at the back. 'I remember Gary Wallis [Pink Floyd percussionist 1987-1994] saying to me, 'A band is bass and drums and then some novelty acts'.' Speaking of novelty acts, the Pompeii movie includes a track called Mademoiselle Nobs. While in Paris, Floyd suggested they would like to film a performance of a short blues song featuring a howling dog with Gilmour on harmonica, in the style of Seamus from their then recent album Meddle. Adrian Maben happened to know Madonna Bouglione, daughter of circus director Joseph Bouglione, who was known for strolling around the French capital with his dog Nobs. Of the recording, Mason says: 'It's very strange. Original dog Seamus obviously had to bring in a deputy to do it. 'Fifty years later, I thought I might have to ring Noel Fitzpatrick, the Supervet, to find out if dogs don't like howling. 'It did worry me slightly that we were torturing these poor animals — but I think they enjoyed it.' So, whose idea was it to bring in the canine helpers? I venture. 'I'm not sure,' confesses Mason. 'I had a conversation with Roger a few weeks ago and I'm happy to say his memory is even worse than mine.' Finally, we turn our attention to 1972 studio footage when Abbey Road was Floyd's musical playground as they created their eighth album, The Dark Side Of The Moon. You witness a band of seasoned campaigners high on confidence. 'We seemed to think we knew it all,' acknowledges Mason. 'But it wasn't entirely justified. 'Strong following' 'It's something quite prevalent in bands — you move on from starting something to gaining confidence, either through record sales or bigger crowds.' Mason has this assessment of the post-Meddle, pre-Dark Side period: 'We had conquered Europe, particularly France where we had a very strong following. 'But we were still lagging behind in the States. Quite a lot of Americans thought Dark Side was our first album because that's when they hooked on to us. 'Before that, we could be described as an underground band playing big venues, but not stadiums.' Dark Side also represents the transition from Pink Floyd as a democratic unit to one dominated by Waters' songwriting. There's some great shots of the band experimenting with early synthesisers such as the EMS VCS3, which helped them make electronic instrumental On The Run. The band talk avidly about how these amazing contraptions 'can't think for themselves', all the more pertinent because of the current dismay at AI 'scraping' the work of musicians. We didn't have access to the finer instruments of the period, but it was easier for us to use the simpler ones properly Nick Mason And, as Mason points out, On The Run wasn't as ahead of its time as you may think. 'The BBC Radiophonic Workshop, who did the Doctor Who theme, had been all over the VCS3 for quite a while before we ever got our hands on one. 'We didn't have access to the finer instruments of the period, but it was easier for us to use the simpler ones properly, to get more out of them.' And just like the Fab Four in Get Back, it's not all about the music for Pink Floyd. There's some hilarious banter as they eat their rather basic lunches at Abbey Road. 'We spent a lot of our lives in that canteen,' recalls Mason. 'It was probably run by people whose previous experience had been at the local primary school, but it worked perfectly well. We were very happy with the apple crumble!' And were there any arguments? 'We were pretty good all the way through the recording,' he replies. 'We clearly started sparking a bit when it came to the mix [of Dark Side] and we eventually got Chris Thomas to help us. 'He gave us a brilliant independent view and did it for relatively little money.' Looking back on that iconic album 52 years on from its release, Mason says: I'm absolutely pleased with what we did. 'It would be totally churlish to say I'm unhappy with any of it!' Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. Ba-dum. PINK FLOYD At Pompeii MCMLXXII ★★★★☆ 8
