It’s What We Do
David Gilmour, Richard Wright/6:17
Musicians
David Gilmour: acoustic guitar, electric lead guitar, bass
Rick Wright: keyboards, synthesizers, strings
Nick Mason: drums
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis
In “It’s What We Do,” the seventies Pink Floyd once again takes pride of place, and it is virtually impossible not to be reminded of Wish You Were Here. Rick Wright’s soaring synth and the utter elegance of Gilmour’s guitar: it is all there. What immediately strikes the listener is that this music has aged not one bit, and continues to soothe the soul.
Production
The album’s second track, which is also the second longest opens with Rick Wright on Hammond organ. This title clearly harks back to the sonorities and mood of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.” No sooner does the keyboard launch into a melodic line with a French horn sonority than the memory is jogged, causing us to wonder: have we gone back in time to 1975? The resemblance is heightened by a string pad that supports the organ. Gilmour creates a range of effects on guitar, each one outdoing what came before in terms of cosmic intensity. And then Nick Mason enters on the drums in his unmistakable style: a heavy, simple stroke that nevertheless imparts a real groove to the ensemble! David Gilmour is on bass, adopting a playing style that recalls that of Roger Waters. Over the years, Gilmour played bass uncredited on many of the group’s tracks, which explains why his playing sounds so familiar. In addition to bass, he also plays numerous guitar parts in this piece. Initially he can be heard playing simple chords on an acoustic guitar (his Gibson J-200?), double-tracked in stereo (for example at 2:26), and then playing clear-toned lead, most probably on a Stratocaster. The sound is sustained by delay and he also uses his DigiTech Whammy pedal to shift octaves (listen at 2:29). His guitar gradually evolves toward a more distorted tone, and his characteristic floating phrases are truly inspired at all times. He also plays a riff on a second clear-toned guitar with tremolo generated by his whammy bar (listen at 3:37). Could this be his Fender Telecaster Baritone? In this section, Gilmour is accompanied by Wright on an electric piano of the Fender Rhodes type. Wright finally returns to his synthesized string sounds and concludes the piece in the company of Gilmour. “It’s What We Do” gives the impression that the three members of Pink Floyd wanted to take the instrumental sequences of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” a little further—to the delight of the listeners.
Ebb And Flow
David Gilmour, Richard Wright/1:55
Musicians
David Gilmour: acoustic guitar (with and without EBow)
Rick Wright: electric piano, synthesizer
Nick Mason (?): cymbal, chimes
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis
The first movement of the symphony that is The Endless River ends with “Ebb and Flow.” This piece of ambient music is based around David Gilmour’s EBow guitar and Rick Wright’s electric piano. It gives expression to a range of sentiments: solitude, sadness, melancholy, hope in new beginnings…
Production
The tone of Rick Wright’s electric piano recalls that of the Fender Rhodes, and his playing seems to invite a meditative response from the listener. The sonorous keyboard is ushered in by Nick Mason’s ride cymbal (possibly sampled?) and sounds of the Metallic Spheres type. Its notes literally float around the stereo field, supported by a C on the synth that is sustained until the end of the track. David Gilmour contributes once more on his Gibson J-200 acoustic guitar, played lead and with the EBow as on “Things Left Unsaid.” His phrases are enhanced by vast amounts of reverb and by the delay that complements the sonority of his playing so well. Chords, played again on his—this time clear-toned—acoustic guitar mark the harmonic transitions (listen at 0:42). On his last note played with the EBow, chimes ring out (at 1:20) and then a cymbal (at 1:24), introducing a coda made up of strange sonorities that are once again drowned in reverb. “Ebb and Flow” provides the perfect conclusion to this first part of the album, the three constituent pieces linking together naturally and harmoniously. In this section, Pink Floyd proposes an alternative way of appreciating their music: as a tribute to Rick Wright in the form of a quest for the absolute.
Sum
David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright/4:48
Musicians
David Gilmour: electric rhythm guitar, lap steel, bass, VCS3
Rick Wright: Farfisa organ, piano
Nick Mason: drums
Damon Iddins: additional keyboards
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis
Although the second movement of The Endless River, like the first, gives pride of place to the keyboard work of the late lamented Rick Wright, its orchestration is very different. The ethereal atmosphere is abandoned in favor of a more aggressive, harrowing music in which both David Gilmour and Nick Mason play an important role. The first bars of “Sum” inevitably bring to mind the psychedelic journeys of A Saucerful of Secrets, and even, more recently, “Yet Another Movie” on A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
Production
“Sum” begins with a sequence of sounds played by David Gilmour on a VCS3, Gilmour, along with Roger Waters, having been one of the first to use this synthesizer in rock music. An organ can be heard pulsating in the background: this is the same passage that occurs in the intro to “Cluster One” on The Division Bell (between 1:08 and 1:38). Another pulsating sound, played on Rick Wright’s legendary Farfisa organ, the characteristic sound of Pink Floyd’s early albums, then takes over from this strange intro (from 0:34). It plays for almost forty-five seconds until Gilmour’s (Fender Deluxe?) lap steel, its sound strongly distorted and prolonged by a delay with a distinctly floating quality, is heard ringing out. The lap steel is supported by another, equally distorted, rhythm guitar. Nick Mason then comes in on the cymbals before marking each beat on his bass drum. He then accompanies virtually the rest of this rock section predominantly with tom fills, allowing Gilmour the necessary space for some very good phrases on his lap steel, and also enabling Wright’s subtle work on the acoustic piano to come through. Throughout the piece, numerous effects generated on the VCS3 create a somewhat stressful atmosphere. Finally, a synth played presumably by Damon Iddins introduces a melodic line toward the end of this sequence, before “Sum” draws to a close with a final section dominated by VCS3 effects. The mood at the beginning of this movement contrasts starkly with that of the first, a salutary change of direction that enables Pink Floyd to avoid the danger of creating a work lacking in contrast.
For Pink Floyd Addicts
“Sum” is the first track co-credited to Nick Mason since T
he Dark Side of the Moon in 1973—forty-one years earlier!
Skins
David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright/2:37
Musicians
David Gilmour: electric lead guitar
Rick Wright: keyboards
Nick Mason: drums, Rototoms, gong, chimes
Andy Jackson: bass
Youth: effects
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis
“Skins” is the logical continuation of the previous track. In terms of atmosphere, it is located somewhere between “A Saucerful of Secrets” and “On the Run” from The Dark Side of the Moon. The beating heart of this piece, which could be described as phantasmagorical, is Nick Mason’s drumming.
Production
Whether consciously or not, Pink Floyd is continually revisiting the past in this album. “Skins” clearly contains something of the spirit and color of a track like “A Saucerful of Secrets,” recorded in 1968. The main architects of this revival are David Gilmour and Nick Mason. The first goes in search of the shrillest possible notes, close to the bridge of his guitar (the “Black Strat”?), and almost certainly with the help of a bottleneck (or similar, given the guitarist’s aversion to that particular item!). The resulting sonority is simultaneously stressful and cosmic. He also makes use of extremely spacious reverb accompanied at all times by impressive delay. Nick Mason, meanwhile, returns to a style of drumming he used to favor on the group’s early albums and tracks like “Saucerful,” “Remember a Day,” and “Up the Khyber.” It has to be said that his drumming on “Skins” is extraordinary, and far superior to his level of skill back in the day. His snare drum sounds like it has never sounded before, while his Rototom passages possess an astonishing fluidity. “I hadn’t played them in a long time, apart from when I went out onstage with Roger a few years ago, when we did Dark Side [in 2006–07]. They needed a bit of dusting off.”171 And to make an even better job of reviving the past, he also gets out his gong, the symbol par excellence of the early years, when it was monopolized by Roger Waters (listen at 1:45). For the record, Mason had lent the gong to a store in Camden and had to reclaim it for the album: “It’s probably one of those instruments that everyone probably thought would never again see the light of day, but it was so great to get it out.”171 The rhythmic part ends at 1:45 and gives way to an atmosphere in which effects, realized in part by Youth, dominate the whole of the last part of the piece. In “Skins,” Nick Mason demonstrates that his talents as a drummer have been largely underestimated over the course of his career.
For Pink Floyd Addicts
“Skins” is the second track on the album to be co-credited to Nick Mason. Sadly, it would also be the drummer’s last.
Unsung
Richard Wright/1:07
Musicians
David Gilmour: electric guitar, piano, VCS3
Rick Wright: Farfisa organ, piano
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis and Production
“Unsung” is an instrumental credited exclusively to Rick Wright, and reintroduces a slightly calmer atmosphere (explained by the absence of Mason’s drumming).
It is not unreasonable to wonder what the point is of this short instrumental track—the briefest on the album—which seems to have no obvious justification either rhythmic or harmonic. Conceived as a simple transition, it nevertheless possesses a certain mysterious power and appeal. “Unsung” is based around Rick Wright’s pulsing Farfisa organ, high above which soars David Gilmour on his Strat, using his Whammy pedal for octave shifts, and creating sounds resembling whale song. Piano chords ring out strongly in support of the chord changes. Although most probably played by Rick Wright in the first instance, David Gilmour later reinforced these chords. Gilmour is also responsible for the various sounds produced on the VCS3. We also hear chimes and cymbals. These were probably sampled as they are not credited to Nick Mason in the album liner notes.
For Pink Floyd Addicts
The DigiTech Whammy is a pedal used by numerous guitarists. In addition to David Gilmour, it can be found at the feet of U2’s The Edge, Matthew Bellamy of Muse, Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead, and Jack White of the White Stripes.
Anisina
David Gilmour/3:16
Musicians
David Gilmour: piano, keyboards, acoustic guitar, electric rhythm and lead guitar, lap steel, bass, backing vocals
Nick Mason: drums
Gilad Atzmon: tenor sax, clarinet
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis
“Anisina” brings the second part of The Endless River to a close. As indicated by the title, which is Turkish for “in memory of,” this is a tribute to Rick Wright. However, the Pink Floyd organist is no less physically absent from this recording, the atmosphere of which is reminiscent of “Us and Them” on The Dark Side of the Moon. One notable difference is the presence of Gilad Atzmon, whose saxophone and clarinet add a highly distinctive touch. Like David Gilmour’s, Atzmon’s playing has an especially strong emotional appeal.
Production
“Anisina” is a curious ballad in which it is difficult to recognize the Pink Floyd sound—other than in David Gilmour’s lap steel, perhaps. It is relatively serene in mood, devoid of both shocks and stark contrasts. An allusion to Rick Wright is clear in the opening notes on the Steinway. But that is where the resemblance ends, for what follows is pure Gilmour. Indeed David Gilmour is something of a one-man band on this track, looking after all the keyboards, the bass, and the guitars, not to mention the backing vocals! In terms of the guitar, he can be heard initially on his acoustic Gibson J-200, playing doubled chords in order to emphasize the first beat of specific bars. Instead of strumming his acoustic guitar, from the very beginning of the album, Gilmour has simply been using it to mark the beginning of the bars and transitions. He also supports the melodic motif of the piano on what is most probably a clear-toned Stratocaster (from 0:35), and answers the entry of the clarinet, played by the excellent Gilad Atzmon, with phrases on his lap steel. There follows a kind of bridge in which Gilmour sings backing vocals by himself, his several vocal tracks sounding highly ethereal. The tenor sax enters during the following sequence before being resubstituted by the clarinet, on which Atzmon plays a solo in a reasonably high register, still accompanied by Gilmour, who shifts octaves on his lap steel with the help of his Whammy pedal. The guitarist then reaches for what is almost certainly his “Black Strat,” playing with a distortion that sounds as if it may have been generated by the Big Muff. It is worth noting the very good accompaniment from Nick Mason, who provides solid rhythmic support. “Anisina” ends with a very beautiful clarinet improvisation and a rainstorm atmosphere.
For Pink Floy
d Addicts
Gilad Atzmon has played with numerous rock musicians, including Paul McCartney, Shane MacGowan, Pink Floyd, and Robert Wyatt. Born in Israel, the jazzman is also known as a militant anti-Zionist, and has gone so far as to renounce his nationality of birth.
The Lost Art Of Conversation
Richard Wright/1:42
Musicians
David Gilmour: guitars, percussion
Rick Wright: piano, synthesizers
Recorded
Britannia Row, Islington, London: January 1993
Medina Studio, Hove: November 2013
Astoria, Hampton: 2013–14
Olympic Studios, London: 2013–14
Technical Team
Producers (1993): Bob Ezrin, David Gilmour
Producers: David Gilmour, Phil Manzanera, Youth, Andy Jackson
Sound Engineers: Andy Jackson, Damon Iddins, Phil Taylor (Britannia Row)
Genesis
Is it a question here of back to square one, back to “Things Left Unsaid” and “It’s What We Do”? This melancholy composition by Rick Wright with obvious chill-out properties is based around Wright’s piano and keyboards and David Gilmour’s guitar. It would have been utterly at home on Broken China, the second solo album by the Pink Floyd keyboard player.
Pink Floyd All the Songs Page 77
