So You Think You Can Tell... - Pink Floyd Timeline

[Massacote]

1981/85: Touring Again, Reconstructing a Wall(?) (Part Two)
​

More Bricks

Roger Waters, David Gilmour, and Hugo Zuccarelli; during the recording sessions of After the War.​

Intercalating between the Britannia Row and his newest studio, The Billiard Room, Roger Waters started to record his new project with the name 'Spare Bricks'. Initially planned to be a compilation of songs used in The Wall film plus outtakes from sessions, the project eventually turned into a studio album after hearing about the Falklands War, with some tracks being rewritten to fit into the new concept. After the premiere of the film, the song "When The Tigers Broke Free" was released as a single and was into the track list of the album, with a moderate success in Europe.

"We've started to work in the album in July, with some songs that I discarded on The Wall, such as 'The Happiest Days of Our Lives', 'Teacher, Teacher/The Hero's Return', and 'Get Your Filthy Hands of My Desert/Southampton Dock". [Michael] Kamen and Ray [Cooper] helped me initially, and finally Ezrin was free from Pink Floyd sessions *laughs*. Then one day I called Dave to help me to do some guitar works with Andy [Fairweather-Low].", Waters. One day, Roger calls David Gilmour on his home studio, The Billiard Room:

Waters: "Hey Dave..."

Gilmour: "So Rog, why did you call me?"

Waters: "I think you know that I am doing a new album... I'll be right at the point. Can you do the guitar in the album? Andy is quite busy now, and you're passing through London now..."

Gilmour: "Well, sure, why not? We've done the sound checking of the gig, so I think I can help you, but quickly right?"

David Gilmour and Roger Waters worked in the first day for the guitar solos, mostly, while in the second and third days they've worked in the lead guitar. The recording sessions were quick and the solos were added to 'The Fletcher Memorial Home', 'The Final Cut' and 'Not Now John'.

"Work with Dave reminded me from the times on Pink Floyd. It was great, I felt like our past fights finally vanished with that. Unfortunately I couldn't participate of the concert, but I went to watch it anyways. [Rick] Wills is doing a good job in the bass guitar.".
- Roger Waters

"Sure it was absolutely great to work again with Roger. In one of those days we worked a lot and I ended up arriving late in Wembley *laughs*. Roger watched from backstage, he came with me and saw the band again."
- David Gilmour​

It's like The Wall, but with features!

Roger Waters was finally finishing his album. He, Guthrie and Bob Ezrin were mixing the album, crossfading and etc. "I was a bit annoyed, as this is the second time I see Roger Waters losing his mind at the time of mixing the album. Partly it was funny, but at the same time boring because he was very demanding and very impatient.", James Guthrie.

The album was announced in February of 1983 under the title of 'After the War', and the release of the album was programmed to 21 March 1983. "When the album started to hype I became very happy, since the people liked The Wall, and I think that they will like this one too. The concept quite relates to the concept of The Wall, it's something like a conclusion, or a complement if you listen carefully.", Roger Waters.

Holidays tour

David Gilmour with the Black Strat, performing in Utrecht with Pink Floyd, April 1983.
​

The Holidays tour was also performed in medium to large venues, from 1982 to 1983, including a Latin American leg in 1983, passing through Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico only. The tour was supported by Robert Wyatt (who supported the previous tour again), and Bad Company's former member Mick Ralphs.

"Although it was our first time in these countries, it was difficult to schedule for a place to perform. There were other problems that we thought during the process, such as the Brazilian regime, those Colombian cartels, but we managed to perform anyways... it was a good experience, to be honest!"
- Richard Wright

"I was kinda sad that we didn't record my song for Holidays. But Gilmour once again let me perform it, but I haven't yet done a single contribution to the group."
- Rick Wills
​

Setlist:
Robert Wyatt
1. "Sea Song"
2. "Little Red Robin Hood Hit the Road"
3. "Alliance"
4. "Amber and the Amberines"
5. "P.L.A."

Set One
1. "Short and Sweet" (David Gilmour, Roy Harper)
2. "Against the Odds" (Richard Wright, Juliette Wright)
3. "Siam" (Nick Mason-Carla Bley)
4. "So Far Away" (Gilmour)
5. "No Way" (Gilmour)
6. "I Was Wrong" (Mason-Bley)
7. "There's No Way Out of Here" (Ken Baker)
8. "Summer Elegy" (Wright)
9. "Waves" (Wright)
10. "Holiday" (Wright)
11. "I Can't Breathe Anymore" (Gilmour)
12. "Hot River" (Mason-Bley, Wright, Gilmour, Rick Wills)

Set Two
1. "Shine on You Crazy Diamond [Parts I-V; VII included]" (Roger Waters, Wright, Gilmour)
2. "Breathe in the Air" (Waters, Gilmour)
3. "Time/Breathe (reprise)" (Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour)
4. "The Great Gig in the Sky" (Wright)
5. "Money" (Waters)
6. "Us and Them" (Waters, Wright)
7. "Have a Cigar" (Waters, Gilmour)
8. "Wish You Were Here" (Waters, Gilmour)
9. "Brain Damage/Eclipse" (Waters)

Encore
1. "Thinkin' About Love" (Wills)
2. "Fat Old Sun" (Gilmour)
3. "Echoes" (Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour)

 

[Massacote]

AFTER THE WAR

After the War is the second studio album by Roger Waters. It was released at 21 March 1983 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in the rest of the world by Columbia Records. As the previous album, it was produced by Bob Ezrin and James Guthrie, and the arrangements made by Michael Kamen.

Originally, the album was supposed to be a compilation of unreleased material of The Wall, but eventually Roger Waters changed the idea and modeled the album as a studio album. The album unveiled the concept of the "Anti-war rock" genre, for its criticism of Thatcherism and the Falklands War, as well as referencing World War II, specifically, to the Battle of Anzio (where Roger's father died), and the nuclear war. The Anti-war rock genre is often used for bands as U2, Bad Religion, and artists, such as John Lennon. The album have guitar works by former bandmate David Gilmour.

The album peaked in number 13 at the Billboard 200, and number 2 at the UK Albums Chart. After the film of The Wall, When The Tigers Broke Free was released as single, peaking in number 20 in the United Kingdom and number 35 in Billboard Mainstream Rock chart. It was released Not Now John as single with When The Tigers Broke Free in the B-side. Not Now John peaked at number 5 at Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, number 18 at Billboard Hot 100, and number 2 at the UK Singles Chart. Initially, the album received mixed reviews, such as a very personal album, but afterwards, the album was well-received by the growing fanbase around Roger Waters.

ROGER WATERS - AFTER THE WAR (1983)
Genre: Progressive rock, opera rock, hard rock, anti-war rock
Total: 47:57
All tracks written by Roger Waters (except when noted).

Side A - 22:22
1. "What Have You Done?"¹ - 3:02
2. "You Possible Pasts" - 4:22
3. "One of the Few" - 1:23
4. "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" - 1:46
5. "Teacher, Teacher" - 2:50
6. "The Gunner's Dream" (Waters, Ezrin) 5:07
7. "The Hero's Return" - 3:52

Side B - 25:35
8. "When The Tigers Broke Free" (Waters, Ezrin) - 3:16
9. "Get Your Filthy Hands of My Desert" - 1:19
10. "The Fletcher Memorial Home" - 4:11
11. "Southampton Dock" - 2:13
12. "The Final Cut" (Waters, Ezrin) - 4:46
13. "Not Now John" (Waters, Ezrin) - 4:36
14. "Two Suns in the Sunset" - 5:14
​

Personnel
Roger Waters - vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, synthesizers; tape effects
Bob Ezrin - piano, organ, keyboards, backing vocals
Michael Kamen - piano, harmonium
James Guthrie - synthesizers, effects
David Gilmour - guitar solos on "The Fletcher Memorial Home", "The Final Cut" and "Not Now John"
Snowy White - guitars
Andy Bown - bass guitar
Andy Newmark - drums, percussion
Doreen & Irene Chanter - backing vocals on 'Not Now John'

Production team
Roger Waters - production, sleeve design
Bob Ezrin - production
Michael Kamen - production, arrangements
James Guthrie - production, engineer
Andrew Jackson - engineering
Willie Christie - photography
Artful Dodgers - sleeve design


Notes:
[¹] OTL The Postwar Dream.

 

[Massacote]

1983/85: New Albums, New People, Operas and Synthpop (Part Three)​

After the War tour

Eric Clapton and Roger Waters during the After the War tour, 1984.
​

The period of Roger Waters tours in the mid-80's were informally called the 1984/86 tours, although the 1984 tour was the After the War promotional tour, while the 1985/86 tours were the The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking promotional tour. The tours were very well received by the fans with a reasonable audience in the concerts. Roger played in mostly small and medium venues in the United States, but played in big venues throughout Europe.

Setlist:

All tracks written by Roger Waters, except when noted:

Set one (1984)
The entire 'After the War' album.

Set two (1984)
1. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
2. "Money"
3. "If"
4. "Welcome to the Machine"
5. "Have a Cigar"
6. "Wish You Were Here" (Gilmour, Waters)
7. "Pigs on the Wing"
8. "In the Flesh?"
9. "Nobody Home"
10. "Hey You"
11. "Pigs"

Set one (1985)
The entire 'The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking' album.

Set two (1985)
1. "Welcome to the Machine"
2. "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun"
3. "Money"
4. "If"
5. "Have a Cigar"
6. "Wish You Were Here" (Gilmour, Waters)
7. "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert/Southampton Dock"
8. "In the Flesh"
9. "Nobody Home"
10. "Hey You"
11. "The Gunner's Dream" (Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason)
12. "Not Now John"

Encore
Typical encore
1. "Brain Damage"
2. "Eclipse"

Occasional encores
a. "Breathe" - performed at some shows in the American leg
b. "Mother" - performed at some 1984 shows, then dropped

Where's Rick?

Richard Wright and Juliette Gale; far right​

"We were absolutely ready to record a new album. I've written some songs and we started to record one of them, 'Yet Another Movie'¹. Wright did not showed up and we do not cared about that. Then we were becoming increasingly worried about him for the next two weeks, because he wasn't showing up.", David Gilmour. "I drove to Rick's house and nobody was there. So we were obligated to suspend the recording sessions.".

"Technically, I had an emotional relapse.", recalls Wright. "Juliette [Gale] and I, we divorced. Our personal relationship was deteriorating for the last five, six years. I went near to Greece to refresh my mind of that moment. And I didn't warned nobody about it.".

"In February, I've received a letter from Rick. He told me about his situation at the time and also warn everyone about that. It relieved me a little, but I was still a bit worried about him.", Gilmour. "We had to start to record the album. With or without Rick, we had songs by Dave and Pete [Townshend] to do.", Nick Mason.

Richard Wright would return from Greece in April 1983. "He was looking more happier. We didn't get angry with him, it was something personal so...", Gilmour. The band passed almost the same event in the sessions of 'Holidays', when Rick was having trouble with his family. In the end of the year, the divorce with Juliette was formalized.

Dave Harris and Tim Palmer

Dave Harris.
​

Pink Floyd was now recording at the Abbey Road studios, when Wright enters the studio with two new people called Dave Harris and Tim Palmer. Harris was a former member of a New Romantic band called 'Fashion', and Palmer an engineer who've worked with 'Mark Knopfler' and 'Dead or Alive'. "That was my first time working with a successful band like Pink Floyd.", Tim Palmer. "I was feeling very nervous to work with them and doing the best I could do to them.".

"I presented Tim [Palmer] and Dee [Harris] to David in early 1983, when I was back to record with Pink Floyd. I had a block on the writing process, so I called Dee Harris to help me, and suggested to Bob and David to hire Tim Palmer to help us on engineering. He did some good jobs and EMI indicated him to me, when I was searching someone to produce the album. Both accepted, and the guys also accepted them so it was okay to us. Bob joked that it was better because 'now he does not have to take care of everything *laughs*."
-Richard Wright​

Fairlight CMI

An announcement of the Fairlight CMI.​

"Tim showed us a new synthesizer.", David Gilmour. "It was called 'Fairlight CMI'. Bob has knew about it. We've used a lot on the album, mainly by Wright and Harris on their songs, such as 'Private Person' or 'How Do You Do It'.". The synthesizer was used in three albums of the band, About Face, Identity, and A Momentary Lapse of Reason. "That synth was pretty innovative for that time. I liked to use that, but eventually it was becoming obsolete. But we've used it a lot in its lifetime.", Richard Wright.

Patrick Leonard and Pete Townshend

Pete Townshend in 1980, with The Who.​

David Gilmour brought to the studio the keyboardist Patrick Leonard and Pete Townshend. Trying to improve his songwriting abilities, Gilmour wrote and composed two songs, 'All Lovers Are Deranged' with Townshend, and 'Yet Another Movie', with Leonard. "Pete and I have been friends for a long-time, since the Pink Floyd was supporting The Who's tour.", Gilmour. "I brought him here because his songwriting skills are quite better than mine, and he'll help me to write other songs."

"Then, finally I had my chance. David accepted to include my song in Pink Floyd's About Face, my sole contribution since when I joined Pink Floyd *laughs*. It wasn't so hard to record it, we've used to work a little on it, and we've finished it in four days only.".
-Rick Wills​

Personal problems
"One specific day, I've got a bit pissed off.", Richard Wright. "I read the song that Gilmour and Townshend composed and I thought the song was referencing my relationship with [Juliette] Gale.". "It wasn't for Rick that song.", Gilmour. "It was a song about love, not a reference to a personal thing. Wright has interpreted wrong there.". After the incident, Wright and Harris moved to Rick's studio near Cambridge¹ until September 1983.

"One day I was playing my piano when I made a chord progression, Bb, F, C and D#.", Gilmour. "Ezrin came to me like 'Oh, what was that, play again!', then came 'Out of the Blue'.". "This song is like, an apology to Rick Wright. That's why the working name was 'Apology'.", Bob Ezrin. Although, Out of the Blue would become a track in Identity, shelving the song to the other album. "It wasn't a song that would fit in About Face. We shelved it to another opportunity.", Ezrin.

"During the period that Wright was out, Jon Lord helped us with the synthesizers and keyboards. Roy [Harper] also helped with the backing vocals.", David Gilmour.

"The sessions in Cambridge were pretty quiet, just me and Harris. Sometimes it was so quiet that I was missing to work with the band.", Rick Wright. "Then I talked with Harris and we came back to London to finish the songs, at the Britannia Row, then, Abbey Road. I've also heard Gilmour's song called 'Apology'. It's a very nice song, I really liked it.".

Michael Kamen, who helped Roger Waters with his two last albums, also made the orchestral arrangements to some tracks of the album, and co-produced the album with the Pink Floyd.

It's Near the End
After all the incidents during the recording sessions, the Pink Floyd started to mix the album. "It was certainly more easier to masterize the album thanks to the Fairlight. Sure it helped us a lot.", Wright. The rumours that Pink Floyd was producing an album were confirmed after the band announce the release date, 6 April 1984. But, the band was still deciding a name for the album.

Pink Floyd released 'All Lovers are Deranged' as a promotional single a week before the release of the album with 'Eyes of a Gypsy' in the B-side. The single was received with good reviews, but the B-side was received with strange looks. The band decided to name the album as About Face.

 

[Massacote]

ABOUT FACE

About Face is the thirteenth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd. The album was released in 29 October 1983 in the United Kingdom by EMI Records and in 6 November 1983 in the United States and Rest of the World by Columbia Records. It was the first album since Animals with the production credited to Pink Floyd, along with Bob Ezrin, who helped with keyboards and arrangements, and Tim Palmer.

Considered a transition album to the eighties, About Face was the last album with songs composed during the So Far Away-Holidays Era, and the first with the songwriting partnership between Richard Wright and Fashion's Dave Harris, David Gilmour's partnership with The Who's Pete Townshend, the first Pink Floyd album with a sole contribution of bass player Rick Wills, and the last album with the collaboration of Nick Mason, Carla Bley and Robert Wyatt. It was recorded between the Britannia Row Studios and Mayfair Studios, where the album was mixed.

"Well, we came back from the tour filled with new ideas and new people to help us with the production and recording sessions. I brought Dave Harris to work with me since I started my career as producer with Fashion's albums. Tim [Palmer] and Bob [Ezrin] brought the Fairlight CMI, while I brought new songs composed with Harris; and Dave [Gilmour] with Pete. It was kinda easy to make About Face, and was certainly a new experience to us."
- Richard Wright
​

A week before the release of the album, Pink Floyd released All Lovers are Deranged as the lead single. Received with good reviews, it was noticed the lyrics composed by Pete Townshend, criticizing the lack of experience on songwriting of David Gilmour. About Face was released by peaking in number 2 in the UK Album Charts and in number 5 in Billboard 200, their worst position since Obscured by Clouds. Although indicated to Album of the Year, the album was received with mixed reviews, such as 'Pink Floyd's shot in 80's music is good, but definitely not their best work.', NME.

In more recent years, Pink Floyd avoided to talk about About Face. David Gilmour and Richard Wright expressed negative views towards the album. Nick Mason and Rick Wills were friendly, although they've expressed that the album 'could've been better than it is'.

"We've done the album in... mid and late 1983, with a lot of people around us. That's true, I said that the album [About Face] was an experimental mistake. Well, I don't regret of doing it. But I have to say, I don't think it's a good record."
- Richard Wright, Gente de Expressão, 1996.
​

PINK FLOYD - ABOUT FACE (1983)
Genre: Progressive rock, jazz fusion, synthpop
Total: 48:18
Produced by: Pink Floyd, Bob Ezrin, and Tim Palmer
Billboard 200: #5
UK Album Charts: #2

Side A - 25:25
1. "Private Person" (Richard Wright-Dave Harris) - 3:36
2. "Cruise" (David Gilmour) - 4:40
3. "Thinkin' About Love" (Rick Wills) - 3:45
4. "Funky Deux" (Wright) - 4:57
5. "All Lovers are Deranged" (Gilmour, Pete Townshend) - 3:14
6. "Cry from the Street" (Gilmour) - 5:13

Side B - 22:53
7. "Yet Another Movie" (Gilmour, Pat Lenard) - 6:28
8. "Round and Around" (Gilmour, Wright) - 1:02
9. "Eyes of a Gypsy" (Wright-Harris) - 4:13
10. "Boo to You Too" (Nick Mason-Carla Bley) - 3:26
11. "Drop in From the Top" (Wright) - 3:25
12. "Love on the Air" (Gilmour, Townshend) - 4:19
​

Personnel
Pink Floyd
David Gilmour - lead vocals [2, 6-7, 12], lead guitar
Richard Wright - lead vocals [1, 9], piano, keyboards, Hammond organ, Oberheim synthesizer, Fairlight CMI
Nick Mason - drums, percussion, Fairlight CMI
Rick Wills - lead vocals [3], bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel
Bob Ezrin - keyboards, orchestral arrangements, producer
Tim Palmer - Fairlight CMI, producer
Dave Harris - Fairlight CMI, drum programming
Robert Wyatt - lead vocals [10], percussion
Jon Lord - synthesizers
Pete Townshend - songwriting, electric guitar
Dick Parry - saxophone
Hipgnosis - cover design, photography
James Guthrie - mixing engineer

 

[Massacote]

1984/85: Searching for a New... Identity (Part Four)
​

About Face tour

One of the promotional photos of the tour with David Gilmour and Nick Mason, 1984.
​

The About Face tour was the concert tour in 1984 promoting their last album, About Face. Although quite successful, the tour was relatively short compared to others, just passing in United Kingdom, Europe, United States, Canada, and an exceptional concert at the Maracanãzinho, Brazil; opening by a reformed Os Mutantes. It was their last tour with Robert Wyatt supporting the band, and the first with the support of former The Who's guitarist, Pete Townshend, and Dave Harris.

"Touring with Pink Floyd was quite different from what I was expecting. I was waiting for people to wonder 'what the hell is this commie bullshit coming from him? Who's he, after all?'; but the people actually liked my songs! And that was my last tour with Floyd, and they gave me more... space to do my part, heh. I think the best moment was when Pink Floyd joined me to play those long jams of Slow Walking Talk, it was magical."
-Robert Wyatt, 2005.
​

Setlist:
Robert Wyatt
1. "Memories" (Hugh Hopper)
2. "Sea Song" (Robert Wyatt)
3. "Alliance" (Wyatt)
4. "The British Road" (Wyatt)
5. "Yolanda" (Pablo Milanés)
6. "I'm a Believer" (Neil Diamond) [featuring Pink Floyd]
7. "Slow Walkin' Talk" (Brian Hopper) [featuring Pink Floyd]

Set one
1. "Eyes of a Gypsy" (Richard Wright, Dave Harris)
2. "Short and Sweet" (David Gilmour, Roy Harper)
3. "So Far Away" (Gilmour)
4. "Holiday" (Wright)
5. "No Way" (Gilmour)
6. "There's No Way Out of Here" (Ken Baker)
7. "All Lovers are Deranged" (Gilmour, Pete Townshend)
8. "Yet Another Movie" (Gilmour, Pat Lenard)
9. "Thinkin' About Love" (Rick Wills)
10. "I Can't Breathe Anymore" (Gilmour)
11. "Hot River" (Nick Mason, Carla Bley)

Set two
1. "Shine on You Crazy Diamond [Parts I-V; VII included]" (Roger Waters, Wright, Gilmour)
2. "Breathe in the Air" (Waters, Gilmour)
3. "Time/Breathe (reprise)" (Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour)
4. "The Great Gig in the Sky" (Wright)
5. "Money" (Waters)
6. "Us and Them" (Waters, Wright)
7. "Have a Cigar" (Waters, Gilmour)
8. "Wish You Were Here" (Waters, Gilmour)
9. "Brain Damage/Eclipse" (Waters)

PINK FLOYD INTERVIEW - PRESS CONFERENCE IN LOS ANGELES; JULY 6TH, 1984
The interview is infamously known as the interview that Nick Mason accidentally announced Pink Floyd's new album under production.

REPORTER 1: Since you are in the scheme of releasing album/then touring, do the Pink Floyd think of any time to stop for some rest at a certain time? It seems to me that the band is not stopping there.

GILMOUR: Certainly we are, we've done that on the last time. Work on Holidays, and specially on So Far Away were totally hard times. But the sessions of About Face were rather easier because we were more focused and we had a bit more of involvement of a lot of people.

WRIGHT: In a way, I can say that this album put us on another perspective. There are something different from our previous content, still we had the rest of songs from that content, y'know?

[...]

REPORTER 4: Mr. Mason, since you're relatively close to them, what about the former members, Roger Waters and Syd Barrett? Still in contact? Since we've heard about the leak incident from previous years.

MASON: We aren't... that much in contact with Roger, not that we are distant or have any contempt for each other, but he's on his way, and we are in our way, and that's all what that matters. Of course, during our free-time, I generally talk with Roger, he is a friend from years ago, and I love to have his friendship, despite our previous arguments. Syd's case is more delicate, we are still in contact, of course, he was totally comprehensible about this, but his sister seems... quite uneasy about this. That's what I can pretty much say.

GILMOUR: Roger now is currently working on his new project... what's called again? 'The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking', which seems a lot promising. I'm really liking Clapton's work that he has shown to me.

WILLS: I talked with Roger a bit when we were producing So Far Away. He was next to us, producing his self-acclaimed album, 'The Wall'. He rehearsed a bit with me the previous songs by the Floyd.

[...]

REPORTER 5: Since we are currently seeing a further relation between the Eastern and Western blocs, and that would be an opportunity to famous bands such as Pink Floyd, Queen, AC/DC, and more to start to promote them in the other side of the iron curtain. Do Pink Floyd would tour in a near future?

GILMOUR: Well, who knows? We hope we can reach our fans out there, as we did in part of Latin America a year ago.

WRIGHT: I've been to... Yugoslavia in the last year, for one day only, when I was going to Greece on my vacation. They seem a bit different from what we are used to think. Like, they aren't that suffering people that we use to see, but they were quite happy.

[...]

REPORTER 7: Mr. Rick Wills, you are the newest member of Pink Floyd so far, receiving an unexpected offer to join the band. How are you enjoying your status as an official member?

WILLS: I am pretty fine, I guess, no problems at all. I'm glad that people liked Thinkin' About Love, that's what I really got until now, and I pretend to do a lot more. And I'm grateful that Dave offered a chance to perform with Pink Floyd, I became quick friends with Nick and Rick Wright, and we are looking forward on this tour.

[...]

REPORTER 12: A question for all the members, what are the ambitions of Pink Floyd to the near future?

GILMOUR: As I hope to promote Pink Floyd even more in places that we still haven't been.

WRIGHT: It's basically what Dave said, and maybe a stop after all these tours.

MASON: It's a complicated question, but right to the point, touring with the band is great after all, and we hope to finish that new album...

*Nervous laughs between the members and reporters*

GILMOUR: Well... thanks Nick! To reveal it in wrong time, but since he... told this, all I can say is that we are near to finish the album and as soon as possible we will talk more about it. No more questions about it, please.

[...]

These are the pros and cons of recording an album...

Roger Waters during his Pros and Cons tour, 1985.
​

"Initially I wanted to try to make a live album to achieve an experience of a drive and make the fans part of the atmosphere of the project, but in practice it was hard. When we moved Pros and Cons to the studio, it was almost the same plan on recording After the War, I had Eric [Clapton], Snowy [White], Jon [Carin], and Andy [Newmark] and we entered at the Billiard Room and started to do our job. It was quite shorter than the last album, though, but we still had to tour, so... we started to promote the album during the recordings, with some of Clapton's set in-between my songs."
-Roger Waters
​

Two albums in once

Pink Floyd in 1984, promotional photo shoot for Identity.
​

In early December 1984, and Pink Floyd finally announced their fourteenth studio album, Identity, with a QnA in Rolling Stone magazine, talking about the album; and the release of the first single, Blue Light, backed with Confusion. Gilmour confirmed that Identity was a concept album. The reaction of the public was overall good, still uneasy because of the impressions of their previous album, About Face. Although, Blue Light was well received by the fans, with similar touches of Short and Sweet. "Identity is a... restart for the band. We've seemed lost on this confusion, but finally we got on tracks.", David Gilmour.

In other side, Roger Waters announced The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking two weeks after Identity, with the lead single, the title track, being received as reasonably good by the critics and fans. "It's nice to see that people are attracting to me without they need to now that I am a former member of Pink Floyd. Finally I can build my own fanbase!", Roger Waters. The concept, explained by Roger, was considered unusual since most of his stuff is themed with war and isolational themes. "There will be another. No need to be afraid.", Waters.

 

[Massacote]

THE PROS AND CONS OF HITCH HIKING

The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking is the third studio album by British singer-songwriter Roger Waters. Released in 13 March 1985, Pros and Cons was released by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and Columbia in the Rest of the World. Produced by Roger Waters and Michael Kamen, the album was certified 3x Gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America in April 1991. The cover was designed by Gerald Scarfe.

During the After the War tour, remembering a concept envisioned when he still was a member of Pink Floyd, in 1977, Waters' initial idea was to record a live album with the atmosphere of the album (similar to his The Wall Tour), but the rehearsals for the new live album failed out, and Roger and the backing band moved to the studios to record. The concept rotates around a man's scattered thoughts during his midlife crisis. These are explored on a dream journey during which he takes a road trip through California, commits adultery with a hitchhiker he picks up along the way, attempts to reconcile with his wife by moving to the wilderness, and finally ends up alone but with greater insight into a common human compassion. Along the way he also faces other fears and paranoia. At the end of the dream, the man wakes up lonely and contrite and turns to his real wife for comfort, presumably having processed his crisis.

Roger has chosen Sexual Revolution as the lead single, and although it was banned from American and some British radios, the single became Roger's worldwide breakthrough in the 80's by peaking in number 2 in Billboard Hot 100 and topping Billboard Hot Rock Songs. Subsequently, Roger released Every's Stranger Eyes, with less impact, and the title track with great success, but not as Sexual Revolution. With the release, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking reached number 5 in UK Album Charts and number 9 in Billboard 200. The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking is claimed by the critics as the album that made Roger get out of the shade of Pink Floyd.

ROGER WATERS - THE PROS AND CONS OF HITCH HIKING (1985)
Genre: Progressive rock, art rock, blues rock
Total: 42:07
Produced by: Roger Waters and Michael Kamen
All tracks written by Roger Waters

Side A - 19:37
1. "4:30AM (Apparently They Were Traveling Abroad)" - 3:12
2. "4:33AM (Running Shoes)" - 3:20
3. "4:37AM (Arabs with Knives and West German Skies)" - 3:05
4. "4:39AM (For the First Time Today, Part 2)" - 2:02
5. "4:41AM (Sexual Revolution)" - 4:49
6. "4:47AM (The Remains of Our Love)" - 3:09

Side B - 22:30
1. "4:50AM (Go Fishing)" - 6:59
2. "4:56AM (For the First Time Today, Part 1)" - 1:38
3. "4:58AM (Dunroamin, Duncarin, Dunlivin)" - 3:03
4. "5:01AM (The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking)" - 4:36
5. "5:06AM (Every Stranger's Eyes)" - 4:48
6. "5:11AM (The Moment of Clarity)" - 1:28
​

Personnel
Roger Waters - vocals, backing vocals, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, synthesizers; tape effects
Michael Kamen - piano
Andy Bown - Hammond organ, 12-string guitar
Eric Clapton - lead guitar, backing vocals, Roland guitar synthesizer
David Sanborn - saxophone
Ray Cooper - percussion
Raphael Ravenscroft, Kevin Flanagan, Vic Sullivan - horns
Andy Newmark - drums, percussion
Madeline Bell, Katie Kissoon, Doreen Chanter - backing vocals
The National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted and arranged by Michael Kamen.

Production team
Roger Waters - production, sleeve design
Michael Kamen - production, arrangements
Andrew Jackson - engineering
Gerald Scarfe - sleeve design

 

[Massacote]

IDENTITY

Identity is the fourteenth studio album by English rock band Pink Floyd. The album was released in 9 April 1985 in the United Kingdom and 12 April in Europe by EMI and 16 April in the United States and the Rest of the World by Columbia Records. The production was credited to Pink Floyd, Bob Ezrin who contributed as producer only, Rick Fenn, who composed with Nick Mason, and Tim Palmer.

It is Pink Floyd's first album with fully new material (that is, no songs written during So Far Away-Holidays era). Most of the tracks of Identity were written during the About Face tour, with a earlier performance of Out of the Blue and You Know I'm Right in the last concerts, and with the exception of Lie for a Lie, written during the sessions of the album by Nick Mason, Danny Peyronel and Rick Fenn (who Nick would collaborate to release an album in the same year). The album was recorded in the Abbey Road Studios and the Britannia Row Studios in London, Pathé Marconi Studio in Paris, and was mixed at the Mayfair Studios. The announcement of the album was earlier than expected with Nick Mason accidentally mentioning Identity during a press conference.

"[...] To be honest I don't have any complains about the sessions and the tours, they made us happy to be united, and with new people the things came out as perfect. I think those years were the years that defined the exact line between the old and new Pink Floyd."
-David Gilmour, 1997.​

With the announcement in December 1984, Pink Floyd released Blue Light with moderate success, being well received by the fans. The critics noted the new direction that the band was going, hyping it as the true 80's Pink Floyd album. The song performed worse than Roger Waters' Sexual Revolution, peaking in number 8 in Billboard Hot 100 and number 3 in UK Single Charts. How Do You Do It? was released as the second single but with a minor success, and then Until We Sleep with a bigger success than both singles. Although, Identity was successful by topping the UK Album Charts and Billboard 200. It was the first Pink Floyd album released officially in the Eastern world, and the best-selling album in most of the countries there. Even though the album was received with good views by the fans, the album was received with mixed reviews by the critics in general, such as that Identity is the defining album of Pink Floyd of the decade, to the album is Pink Floyd's sell-out.

Identity remains as the most successful and best-selling Pink Floyd album of the 80's. The album's work is praised by most of the band themselves, with Gilmour playing most of the songs of the album during the next tours of Pink Floyd. Although, Richard Wright criticized part of the music of Identity and About Face with the "excessive use of synthesizers", preferring A Momentary Lapse of Reason and previous albums.

"All that I can say is that period was widely happy for us being together and et cetera, but I was feeling bad when I was lonely. As the time passed, I didn't like my work on these albums [About Face and Identity], the excessive use of synthesizers, that... annoyed me for a while. Glad that Dave let me change the style of the songs to be played in other tours, I was more comfortable with that."
-Richard Wright, 2005.​

PINK FLOYD - IDENTITY (1985)
Genre: Progressive rock, synthpop, art pop, hard rock
Total: 45:32
Produced by: Pink Floyd, Bob Ezrin, Tim Palmer & Rick Fenn
Billboard 200: #1
UK Album Charts: #1

Side A - 23:17
1. "Until We Sleep" (David Gilmour) - 5:15
2. "How Do You Do It" (Richard Wright, Dave Harris) - 4:45
3. "You Know I'm Right" (Gilmour, Pete Townshend) - 5:06
4. "Blue Light" (Gilmour) - 4:36
5. "Out of the Blue" (Gilmour) - 3:35

Side B - 22:15
6. "Confusion" (Wright, Harris) - 4:17
7. "Lie for a Lie" (Nick Mason, Rick Fenn, Danny Peyronel) - 3:16
8. "Let's Get Metaphysical" (Gilmour, Wright) - 4:09
9. "Seems We Were Dreaming" (Wright, Harris) - 4:57
10. "Near the End" (Gilmour) - 5:36
​

Personnel
Pink Floyd
David Gilmour - lead vocals [1, 3-5, 7, 10], lead guitar, acoustic guitar, slide guitar, bass guitar
Richard Wright - lead vocals [2, 6, 9], piano, keyboards, Hammond organ, Oberheim synthesizer, Fairlight CMI
Nick Mason - drums, percussion, keyboards, programming
Rick Wills - bass guitar, backing vocals

Additional personnel
Bob Ezrin - producer
Tim Palmer - Fairlight CMI, producer
Dave Harris - Fairlight CMI, drum programming, keyboards
Rick Fenn - keyboards, guitars, composing
Jon Lord - synthesizers
Pete Townshend - songwriting, electric guitar
Dick Parry - saxophone
Luís Jardim - percussion
Hipgnosis - cover design, photography
James Guthrie - mixing engineer
Michael Kamen - orchestral arrangement
The National Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted and arranged by Michael Kamen.

 

[Massacote]

1985: World Tour, Rock in Rio, and Live Aid​

In 1985, Pink Floyd started to play regularly in bigger venues, and the setlist of the shows started to be more diverse than the last tour. Who saw the gigs could listen to the fantastic transitions between 'So Far Away' and 'Out of the Blue', and the jamming between 'Short and Sweet' and 'Blue Light'. Pink Floyd toured until June 1985, their final gig was at the Royal Albert Hall, London. Pink Floyd was accompanied by Pete Townshend and Mick Davies on guitars, Jon Carin on keyboards, Rick Fenn on bass guitar, and Dave Harris on synthesizers. After the tour, Pink Floyd would take a hiatus during a year.

Pink Floyd's 1985 World Tour (also called 'Identity Tour')
Setlist
Set one (So Far Away, Holidays, About Face and Identity)
1. "Until We Sleep" (David Gilmour)
2. "Confusion" (Richard Wright/Dave Harris)
3. "Lie for a Lie" (Nick Mason, Rick Fenn, Danny Peyronel)
4. "Short and Sweet/Jam/Blue Light" (Gilmour, Roy Harper/Gilmour, Pete Townshend)
5. "All Lovers are Deranged" (Gilmour, Townshend)
6. "Seems We Were Dreaming" (Wright/Harris)
7. "Medley: Out of the Blue/Let's Get Metaphysical/So Far Away" (Gilmour/Gilmour, Wright/Gilmour)
8. "Hot River" (Mason/Carla Bley, Gilmour, Wright, Rick Wills)
9. "Near the End" (Gilmour)

Set two (The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Atom Heart Mother, Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here)
1. "Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part I-V; VII)" (Waters, Wright, Gilmour)
2. "Astronomy Domine" (Syd Barrett)
3. "Breathe" (Roger Waters, Gilmour)
4. "Summer '68" (Wright)
5. "Arnold Layne" (Barrett)
6. "Fat Old Sun" (Gilmour)
7. "Time/Breathe (Reprise)" (Waters, Wright, Mason, Gilmour)
8. "Wish You Were Here" (Waters, Gilmour)
9. "Have a Cigar" (Waters, Gilmour)
10. "Money" (Waters)
11. "Us and Them" (Waters, Wright)
12. "Any Colour You Like" (Wright, Mason, Gilmour)
13. "Brain Damage/Eclipse" (Waters)

Encore
1. "Echoes" (Gilmour, Waters, Wright, Mason) - played during the concerts of the Latin American leg.

ROCK IN RIO

In January 1985, the first edition of Rock in Rio started. Bands such as Queen, Yes, AC/DC, Iron Maiden, and Pink Floyd, were confirmed to perform in the main stage, with brazilian and international artists. "It was our first time in South America.", David Gilmour. "We initially came to Rio, then we went to San Paulo, back to another day on Rock in Rio, and finally, went to Argentina, playing there at the first time.". Pink Floyd performed their tour setlist in Monday 14th, after Alceu Valença, and finished Thursday 17th, after the Yes concert.

"Those gigs in Brazil exhausted us. One day later we went to the beach. That was satisfactory.", remembers Wright. The shows were recorded and released unofficially, in bootlegs. The most famous one, "Pink Floyd - Live at Rio". In Argentina, Pink Floyd was played at the Monumental de Nuñez for three consecutive nights, the largest audience in there until Rolling Stones' Voodoo Lounge tour, in 1995.

LIVE AID AND REUNIONS

Wembley Stadium.​

Organized by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure, the Live Aid was held at the Wembley Stadium in England (attended by 92,000 people), and at the JFK Stadium in the United States (attended by 100,000 people). The event originally was to raise funds for relief of the ongoing Ethiopian famine.

A week before, Pink Floyd met Roger Waters again. Roger wrote a song called 'The Tide is Turning'. "I was very inspired and anxious. Seeing a delightful action by Bob [Geldof] was amazing!", Roger Waters. "Rog showed us the song and asked if we could perform it. He really was inspired to wrote that, so we've agreed, and did the rehearsals.", recalls David. The song would be released as a single by the band, and re-recorded by Roger Waters on his future album, 'Radio K.A.O.S.'.

Pink Floyd w/Roger Waters were presented after David Bowie with a six-song set, "Speak to Me/Breathe/Breathe (Reprise)", "Money", "Wish You Were Here", Roger's "Comfortably Numb" (featuring Gilmour's vocals on chorus), "Hot River", and Roger's new song, "The Tide is Turning" (featuring Waters, David Bowie and Gilmour). "Honestly, I was waiting for the opportunity to perform Comfortably Numb with them, since Gilmour was so nice to give me the demo of his song. It turned out well in The Wall.

The Beatles would reunite on a show for their first time in 26 years, since the Rooftop concert. "We've played our songs after Revolver, except for 'Yesterday'.", McCartney. After The Who, The Beatles also presented a six-song set with "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band", "Come Together", "Something", "Yesterday", "Across the Universe" and "Medley: Golden Slumbers/Carry that Weight/The End". After Freddie Mercury and Brian May, John Lennon reappeared on stage and performed "Imagine" and "Give Peace a Chance", then the Band Aid performs "Do They Know It's Christmas?".

Other bands that would reunite to the Live Aid were, The Beatles (W), Black Sabbath with Ozzy Osbourne (JFK), Led Zeppelin (JFK), and Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young (JFK). Before the Pink Floyd's performance, David Gilmour featured by playing guitar for Bryan Ferry.

EXTRACT OF LIVE AID - PINK FLOYD

David Gilmour performing at the Live Aid with Pink Floyd.​

Jack Nicholson and Andy Peebles: "[...] So, no more waiting... Here they are, for the first time reunited, Pink Floyd with Roger Waters!"

*audience claps and vibrates*

--

['Wish You Were Here' starts]

Roger Waters: "It’s actually quite emotional to be standing up here with these three guys again, after all these years, standing to be counted with the rest of you... Anyway, we’re doing this for the people who’re not here, and particularly, of course, for Syd."¹

['The Tide Is Turning' starts]

David Gilmour: "We've reunited for a huge cause that we are all unconditionally in favour."

Waters: "For all the people in poverty, and repressed at their countries, for all the people of the East or the West."

Gilmour: "So here's one new last song, for all the people around the Earth!"


EXTRACT OF LIVE AID - THE BEATLES/JOHN LENNON

Paul McCartney performing 'Golden Slumbers' at the Live Aid.​

THE BEATLES:

Bob Geldof: "This time, I'll have to present them. Maybe they'll be the most important performance of the entire concert. And after the longest 26 years, please welcome... THE BEATLES!!!"

*three minutes of unstoppable claps and screams*

['Come Together' ends]
--
['The Medley' ends]

Paul McCartney: "I'm sure that stand here with the guys is an amazing thing after all these years, mainly with a cause that everyone wished to not exist."

John Lennon: "For the people who haven't did anything. Come together and let's donate to help all the people in this fight against the famine in Ethiopia!"

*after Lennon's speech, the number of donations started to triplicate*

George Harrison: "It is one of the biggest acts that we are doing. The world is watching and need to contribute to a wonderful event that Live Aid is."

Ringo Starr: "And for you, peace and love, wherever you are!"

JOHN LENNON and YOKO ONO:

['Is This The World We Created...?' ends]

Freddie Mercury: "Now a man with glasses will return to the stage with his wife. I think you may know who's him!"

*John and Yoko appears*

Freddie: "Oh, here they are!"

Lennon: "Thank you Freddie. Now everybody! Let's 'Imagine' and also 'Give Peace a Chance', okay? And if you haven't donated yet, there's still time! Let's fight against the poverty, and not only here but in the entire world! Every action in everyday is needed to make a better world."²

[Lennon performs a portion of 'Working Class Hero', then 'Imagine' with David Bowie, Bob Geldof, Alison Moyet, and Roger Waters, and 'Give Peace a Chance' with the Band Aid and the crowd.]

The Live Aid ends with the Band Aid singing "Do They Know It's Christmas?", a song composed by Bob Geldof and Midge Ure about the crisis in Ethiopia. In the US, the USA for Africa performs their song, "We Are the World".

Notes:
[¹] IOTL, Roger actually said that in the Live 8.
[²] IOTL, Paul McCartney presented with 'Let It Be'.