The 50th Anniversary of "Dark Side Of The Moon!"
Hi, WA Friends!
The title image of this post is from one of the most iconic albums in Classic Rock! It has almost become an international symbol. Wear it on a t-shirt in most parts of the world, and people of all ages will recognize it.
Let's face it; you probably clicked on this blog post because you recognized the prism with the refracted light beam! Right? π
It has sold more than 50 million copies worldwide!
Today marks the 50th anniversary of the release of this musical masterpiece. The Dark Side Of The Moon was Pink Floyd's eighth studio album, released on March 1, 1973.
If you had a lava lamp and a water pipe back in the 60s, then this album was almost certainly part of your collection!
The Dark Side Of The Moon Tourο»Ώ
I was still in high school at the time, and this album helped change my approach to playing the guitar. My brother and I saw the Dark Side Of The Moon tour at the Radio City Music Hall on March 17th, 1973.
The band was touring with a "quadrophonic" sound system and had speaker stacks on all four sides of the hall, plus a massive PA system and state-of-the-art laser light show. They toured with their own power housed in two trailer trucks containing diesel-powered generators they bought from a disbanded circus.
The Setlist
Here is the setlist from the concert we attended:
- "Obscured By Clouds"
- "When You're In"
- "Childhood's End" (6β10 March)
- "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" (11 March onwards)
- "Careful with That Axe, Eugene"
- "Echoes" (opening number from 4β12 March)
Second set β The Dark Side of the Moon
- "Speak to Me"
- "Breathe"
- "On the Run"
- "Time"/"Breathe (Reprise)"
- "The Great Gig in the Sky"
- "Money"
- "Us and Them"
- "Any Colour You Like"
- "Brain Damage"
- "Eclipse"
Encore:
- "One of These Days"
AND... YES, they flew the pig!
There was a 20-minute intermission between the first and second sets.
The Stage Setup
Here is a photo from the 1973 tour we saw.
You can see a very young David Gilmour with his famous black Stratocaster guitar on the left and Roger Waters on the right playing bass. Nick i s peeking out from behind the drums and you can't see Richard.
David's playing is so phenomenal on this album! So much space between every note, and yet so intense!
AND, let's not forget about the fabulous vocal part on "The Great Gig In The Sky," sung by Clare H. Torry!
The Black Strat
David used the black Stratocaster to record Dark Side Of The Moon and parts of every Pink Floyd album until the band's final breakup.
The black Strat sold at auction for 4 million dollars. It was bought by the Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsav and was the most ever paid for a solid-body electric guitar. Eric Clapton's "Blackie Strat was bought by Guitar Center for 1 million dollars.
Fender made a David Gilmour Signature Strat and a Limited Edition Custom Shop version with every scratch and dent found on the original, including the custom short-length whammy bar David was known for using.
David Gilmour playing his black Stratocaster.
I bid $25,000 at auction on David's red Strat that he used on the "Momentary Lapse Of Reason" album and the "Delicate Sound Of Thunder Tour. " I knew I'd never win it, and the guitar sold for more than $250,000!
Please leave your memories of Pink Floyd and the Dark Side Of The Moon album in the comments below!
Keep On Rockin' π€
ο»ΏFrank πΈ
Recent Comments
128
I have an interesting trivia story about Pink Floyd and the Animals album you guys might find interesting. The cover of the Animals album has a giant pig "balloon" flying over some industrial buildings, (see below).
When Pink Floyd were out taking this photo for their album, it was apparently quite a windy day and the giant pig balloon somehow got unsecured from whatever was holding it down, and subsequently started floating away.
The location was near London's Heathrow airport, if I recall correctly, and commercial airline pilots were calling in that they were seeing a giant flying pig.
They followed the pig until they were able to retrieve it, but it apparently caused some very confused and questioning looks from all who witnessed it. Quite the funny story.
I just found the full story, with more than I had heard in the original story, (which came from a Pink Floyd book I bought with a box set of their best albums).
The full story can be found here:
https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2022/09/16/pink-floyd-reissue-of-1977-animals-given-an-updated-cover/?sh=640cf3474fd6
Hi, Kevin
Yes, that is precisely what happened, and the genesis of the pig they were famous for flying during concerts!
"Animals" is such a fabulous album!
Thanks so much for adding the story to this thread!
Rock On! π€
Frank πΈ
Hahaha! Yes, Kevin, that is the complete story!
I have a framed copy of the original Animals album, which was autographed by the band, hanging in my music studio.
Sorry about the reflections and poor lighting. I'm having some work done in the room. You can see me taking the photo with my phone in the upper left-hand corner. Lol!
Did you know that Snowy White played the guitar solo on the alternate take 8-track version of "Pigs on the Wing?
You're welcome. I can't pass up the chance to give props to one of the greatest bands of all time, and greatest ALBUMS of all time. Thank YOU for sharing.
Rock On!
Kevin
Frank.
Frank.
FRANK!!!
OMG!!!
You were up close and personal with Pink Floyd in 1973?!?
WOW!!
And that pig!
Okay . . . let me come back to earth now.
They repeated the plane crash, as I understand it, in The Wall concerts.
That was the first time I saw them live but by then I knew every song on 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' album.
And they had the flying bed too sometime later. π
"Legend" is an understatement for David Gilmour.
That man made a guitar talk . . . I mean you could hear the words.
Gosh, Frank.
This post brought tears to my eyes . . . good ones.
Thank you!
Cassi
Hi, Cassi
Haha, Yes, I was in high school the first time I saw them but was already listening to Pink Floyd in middle school. I used to carry the Ummagumma album and a set of Koss headphones to school with me. I had to join the "Audio Visual Club" to get access to their best stereo system.
Yes, they've used the flying plane and bed on many occasions. I was living in Florence, Italy, when the album The Wall came out.
I built a guitar that has David Gilmour's EMG active (DG-20) pickup system, the one he used in his red Stratocaster.
I made the neck out of bird's eye maple with no fretboard cap. The body is made from walnut, which I chambered and added a beautiful tiger-eye maple cap.
I routed the tremolo cavity a little wider, like the Jeff Beck Signature Strat, so that I could set the tremolo to pull up two whole steps and still be able to completely divebomb all the strings.
I also routed a 9-volt battery cavity in the back of the body under the tremolo plate. I stole that idea from the Eric Clapton Signature Strat. That makes it easy to change the battery for the DG-20 system without having to remove the strings and pickguard.
I also added locking tuners and an LSR roller nut to keep it in tune and cut the pickguard to a "teardrop" shape to let more of the maple cap show through.
That's more info than you probably wanted, but I can't help myself when it comes to guitars! Lol! π
Here's a photo of the guitar I built and the active electronics.
Rock On! π€
Frank πΈ
Frank, I am speechless.
My question is:
Why did you not become one of our best rock guitar players?
As Teri said: "WOW!" π
Cassi
Haha, Cassi, you are too kind!
I'm not a bad guitar player, but I'm certainly not of that caliber. However, I can say that I've had a tremendous amount of fun with music over the years.
My wife claims I live in my own musical world that nobody can enter, but I invite anybody to share the joy that music can bring into their lives.
I see that joy in you, Cassi! When you speak of music, your enthusiasm is apparent, and I can see your eyes lighting up with delight on the other side of this screen! π
When I first started writing musical blogs at WA, I wasn't sure they would be well-accepted, but there are so many music lovers and talented players here that it's incredible!
This world needs music, art, and love more than ever! The '60s "flower power" youth had it right, "make love, not war!"
Rock On! π€
Frank πΈ
awesome knowledge and expertise you show in your niche Frank! I was too young to appreciate this album, but certainly have gained a better insight reading your blog. thanks buddy.
Rock on to you ππ΄ββοΈ
Thanks so much, Dale! π
Be sure to check out "Dark Side Of The Moon!" Listen to the entire album, in order! π
Rock On! π€
Frank πΈ
I wish there was a footage of you in concert. The young version of yourself in fact. Do you think that could be possible for you to post?
Myra
Hi, Myra
Haha, I had some 8-mm film footage of the "young version" of myself when I was playing in the house band at the Mississippi Jazz Club in Rome, Italy, way back in the late 1970s. Unfortunately, it got wrecked over the years.
I don't play as well as I used to. A case of encephalitis left me with quite a bit of hand tremor and muscle weakness, but I still do ok.
I'm thinking of making a YouTube channel, so stay tuned. π
Rock On! π€
Frank πΈ
Howzit Frank,
I bought the LP in South Africa sometime in the Seventies, can't remember exact Year, SA always got LP's later.
We had a record player of course, but through time options changed , and my LP was packed away, with a few others.
I think going on for 30+ years never been Played. Time to Dust Off the cobwebs.
You can confirm,Frank "Shine on you crazy Diamond"was a tribute to Syd Barret who co-founded Pink Floyd.
Your musical Knowledge is phenomenal, keep the posts coming.
Cheers
Murray
Thanks so much, Murray! π
YES, you are correct! Shine On was written for Syd. The album "The Wall" was also dedicated to him.
Funny story, when Floyd recorded Dark Side, Syd made an appearance in the studio. He was sweeping the floor. At first, they thought he was the janitor, but then someone recognized him and asked him if he wanted to record. Syd does not appear on the album.
It was so unfortunate, what happened to him, with the drugs and then dying of pancreatic cancer.
Never heard that story, but that would be him to a "T". Drugs as you know are a curse, and at that time prevalent in society. Sad Loss to Pink Floyd and music industry.
Yeah, Murray. I lived through the whole 60s and 70s drug thing. Luckily, I wasn't part of it, but many of my band members had serious problems. Phenomenal times for the music scene, though!
Pink Floyd continued on for quite a while after Roger Waters left the band. But, of course, the stuff with Syd was totally different and seriously awesome.
BTW, I add the photo of the flying pig to my post and some additional info. Remember the pig during the tune "One of These Days?" Haha!
Rock On Dude! π€
Frank πΈ
I left Scotland for SA, 1973 and Drugs were slowly creeping into my home town round about this time, so I missed it totally.
South Africa at that time was relatively Drug.
Unfortunately the same cannot be said of today.
Yeah I remember the PIG, nice addition to the Post.
Cheers
Murray
Unfortunately, the drug thing is out of control now in many parts of the world. We have a real problem in the US now with cocaine and fentanyl.
Black lights and afternoons off school.
I miss the LP,s and the βartβ on the covers. And we should never have gotten rid of vinyl. Haha..the good ol days..
Hi, Stephen
All excellent memories!
You couldnβt have the posters without the black lights.
Many of the new LPs sold today are just digitally recorded music on vinyl.
So, you get the worst of both worlds, the sampling of digital with the pop and hiss of vinyl.
The good ol days! πππΈ
See more comments
I was 11 years old, going on 12 in 73, gosh that was a bit back now. I was starting Jr. High and I have owned that album many times over, vinyl a grip of times, lots of tapes, and a few CDβs now itβs on my external drive.
I got my first guitar when I turned 11 for Christmas, acoustic liquor store special, oh that thing was very difficult to play for the action was so high up. But I learned cords on it.
My mother ended up working for Columbia records and she got me the DJβs version of that album for my 13th birthday, the vinyl was thicker, flat and true so no up and down wobble of the needle when the record was playing.
I was a bicycle riding, model building, lawn mowing paperboy from hell back then!! Get ur done, Was so cool being that young and spending my own money, amazing how much joy 5 bucks allowed me to have back then.
For my 18th Birthday my brother got me Black Sabbath brand spanking new album called Heaven and Hell, 3 months later it was blasting over the radio waves and I was plum sick of hearing that album by then. My brother wore it out. Hhaaahaa.
Neon Nights is still one of my all time favs.
Rock on bro!!
Super David Scott, the Zam Man with guitars.
Hey, Scott
That's so cool that your mom worked for Columbia records! Dark Sound Of The Moon is such an amazing album!
Haha, the Heaven and Hell album! I love everything that Sabbath ever did!
I couldn't believe the sound when I first heard their debut album. It took me a few weeks to figure out how Tony was getting that sound from the humbuckers on his SG guitar.
I had to order a "Screamin' Bird" treble booster directly from Electro-Harmonix because non of the music stores had it. I tried everything to get a Laney amp, to no avail, but I finally got a Marshall Plexi stack instead.
In my high-school bands, we always played every Sabbath song we knew, right up to the Black Sabbath IV album.
Rock On! π
Frank πΈ
How fun! I want to get a Vox AC-30 amp. After that then MessaBoogie. I got an old Jay Turser SG. Red n sexy but will not stay in tune.
I have a Vox AC-15, which I like better than the AC-30 because it has a Master Volume control and a Laney Lion Heart amp that I love.
I have a Mesa Boogie Blue Angel (Class-A) and Heart Breaker (Class-AB), both awesome amps!
Check out the article on how to keep an electric guitar in tune on my website, and I think it will solve your problem. π
Rock On π€
Frank πΈ
Bro, I so love you, so very super glad our paths crossed. Your my guitar
God soul mate so to speak, Hope your wife does not get jealous! :)
Haha! Thanks, Scott!
That's a big compliment coming from you! π
My wife doesn't care too much for guitars, so no worries! Lol!
Check out that article I mentioned to get your guitar tuning problem fixed & send me a photo of that Jay Turser SG!
Keep On Rockin! π€
Frank πΈ
Will do, gotta run over to my brothers and pick up all my guitars, and my Fender Twin Reverb amp. I leave most of my guitars with him when I go up to San Francisco for the winter season.
That's a smart idea, Scott! πππΈ