Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey
by Nicholas Schaffner
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Book Summary Information
Author: Nicholas SchaffnerEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1992-06-01
ISBN: 0385306849
Number of pages: 348
Publisher: Delta
Book Reviews of Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey
Book Review: Thorough Biography on the Unique History of a Great Band
Summary: 5 Stars
There really aren't a whole lot of books out there about Pink Floyd's history, which is surprising considerind that Floyd is one of the best groups in rock history, not to mention the fact that the group's history is much more unique than most others that have lasted for more than two decades. As a result, this book stands out as a wonderful piece of writing, both well-researched and fully documented. Though the now-defunct Roger Waters passed on the opportunity to be personally interviewed for the book, Waters and his views about the remaining members of the band carrying on without him (but with the same famous name) are well-represented here. While re-examining the battles -- some of which were fought in court, while others were staged in the print media -- that took place between Waters and the rest of the group after he left, the author retains a fair sence of objectivity, allowing his readers to decide which side is in the right. But Waters doesn't even represent Floyd's original leadership, though he was in the band from the beginning. In exhaustive detail, the author investigates the group's early rise to popularity in the underground of the British music scene. Most of that early popularity can be attributed to Syd Barrett, who served as the group's lead guitarist and vocalist and authored most of the songs on its debut album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn. In one of rock's most tragic stories, Barrett slowly began to lose his mind as Floyd became more and more popular, a situation that some have blamed on the front man's constant use of hallucinogenic substances. Barrett would eventually become too bizarre and unstable to remain a productive member of the group. Enter David Gilmour, a man who would one day become one of rock's most accomplished guitarists, but who to this point had yet to establish himself. Many of Floyd's fans and a lot of music executives thought the group would suffer terribly without the charismatic Barrett, ultimately causing it to disband. For awhile, there was no reason for these skeptics to change their minds. Floyd's next few albums were, for the most part forgettable. They did a number of movie soundtracks and even an advertisement for a European soft drink, the latter of which the band would later regret. Meddle proved to be a huge step in the right direction, but Floyd's popularity went through the roof with the release of what I believe is the greatest album in rock history, Dark Side of the Moon. All of the band's subsequent albums would prove successful as Pink Floyd became a household name in the music industry. As the band continued pumping out solid product, Roger Waters became more obsessive about certain subjects like war and the death of his father; he also became obsessive over his role in the band, becoming its leader and eventually taking complete control of its creative direction. The others in the band, of course, came to think of Waters as too bent on getting his own way, never letting anybody else have any influence on the music. By the time The Wall was released, Waters was almost the only group member contributing anything, although Gilmour always claimed that he too played an important role in the making of the album. Floyd's next album, The Final Cut, is considered by most a solo project, an assertion that seems very reasonable due to the fact that the inside cover reads, "An album by Roger Waters, performed by Pink Floyd." The Final Cut was the last Pink Floyd album on which Waters would appear. When the group regathered itself, with Gilmour now clearly at the helm, for another album, Momentary Lapse of Reason, Waters began a public outcry about his former colleagues' use of the Pink Floyd name. To Waters, he was Pink Floyd and the only reason Gilmour and crew wouldn't create a new moniker for themselves is that they were more interested in money than in product quality. Unfortunately for Waters, through several court battles, the group has been allowed to keep its name and has made a few more, not very notable albums. To this day it seems there is animosity between Waters and the rest of Floyd. This book makes it clear that the potential for a future reunioun, while a wonderful idea, is not good because Waters has no respect for the other Floyd and they are scared to death of the thought of him returning to once again control their every musical whim. What is interesting to note is that none of the group's members have made any successful solo albums. Everytime one of them struck out on his own, it was obvious that he needed the others to make a cohesive rock statement. This is most likely a result of them being unfriendly with the press and not putting pictures of themselves all over most of their successful albums. Because they succeeded in putting up a cloud of mystery surrounding the group, none of the guys ever became stars independent of the group. All of them, however, are responsible for producing some of the best music ever made, and this book perfectly captures the aura of Pink Floyd and its troubled history.
Summary of Saucerful of Secrets: The Pink Floyd Odyssey
Saucerful of Secrets is the first in-depth biography of this very private group. At the heart of the saga is Syd Barrett, the group's brilliant founder, whose public decline into shattered incoherence--attributable in part to his marathon use of LSD--is one of the tragedies of rock history. The making of Dark Side of the Moon and Floyd's other great albums is recounted in detail, as are the mounting of "The Wall" and the creation of the flying pigs, crashing planes, "Mr. Screen" and the other elements of their spectacular stage shows. The book also explores the many battles between bass player/song writer Roger Waters and the rest of the group, leading up to Water's acrimonious departure for a solo career in 1984 and his unsuccessful attempt to disolve the group he had left behind.Saucerful of Secrets is an electrifying account of this ground-breaking, mind-bending group, covering every period of their career from earliest days to latest recordings. It is full of revealing information that will be treasured by all who love Pink Floyd's music.
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