Tag Archive for "abbey road" tag

Well, the last post, although clearly entitled Songs about girls, featured a song about a car and included reference to a well-known tune very much about a boy. The next song was actually written for a boy – for Julian Lennon. I’m sure you know it and will sing along at the end, possibly with an arm waving and maybe a lighter gently flickering somewhere above your head. Careful.

It was being recorded on this day in 1968 at Abbey Road.

I won’t apologise for choosing two Paul McCartney songs in as many posts. I just won’t.

If you haven’t yet gamely played along with the last random topic, as there are just so many songs about girls, there might as well be another post in a week or so which should hopefully mop up all those ladies momentarily forgotten about. If you think of any in the meantime, do jot them down.

That’s about it for another week. As promised, in the interests of fairness, I leave you with ten chaps to identify from the lyrics below. Can you name them all, and can you similarly give a tired brain something to reach for?

01. “We miss you day and night
You left town to live by the rifle
You left us to fight”

02. “In the stone, under the dust
His name is still engraved
Some things need to go away”

03. “He goes out
He don’t have no doubt
He don’t have to know
What the world’s about”

04. “My brother, you are older than me
Do you still feel the pain of the scars that won’t heal?
Your eyes have died, but you see more than I”

05. “Never used your head
To find out what this whole thing meant
It’s not what it seems
But it is”

06. “You’ve really made the grade
And the papers want to know whose shirts you wear
Now it’s time to leave the capsule, if you dare”

07. “We’ve got to get on with the film show
Hollywood waits at the end of the rainbow
Who cares what it’s about as long as the kids go?”

08. “I got a cupboard full of fleshy, fresh ingredients
I’m very careful, at the same time, quite expedient”

09. “A smile like the cartoon, tooth for a tooth
You said that irony was the shackles of youth”

10. “With his long tail hanging down
He quietly sits under every tree
In the folds of his velvet gown”

If you’ve been wondering, Lance’s clay sculpture is now complete – and here’s the finished article. A video of its development can be viewed here.

Thanks again for sharing it, Lance.

The chatroom will be open tomorrow from 3pm (UK), so have some of the Songs that Shaped Rock and Roll lined up and we’ll chat about… something completely unrelated, I’m sure.

Keep those songs coming, please.

On this day in 1969, David’s pick of his Desert Island Discs – ‘Dancing in the Street’ by Martha and the Vandellas – was a UK Top Five hit behind Diana Ross, the Supremes and the Temptations (‘I’m Gonna Make You Love Me’), Peter Sarstedt’s ‘Where Do You Go To (My Lovely?)’, ‘Blackberry Way’ by The Move and Cardiff’s very own Amen Corner, with ‘(If Paradise is) Half As Nice’. Would you nominate any of those as a song that shaped music?

If ever a recording studio influenced music more than most, it’s Abbey Road. We’ll talk about this legendary London landmark next week, by which time there may have been a decision made as to its new owners. Fingers crossed.

Until then, here’s something to consider: Should the National Trust try to save it?

Lastly, in continuing with references and bold directions to old posts that you might like to re-visit: Oasis won the BRIT’s Album of 30 Years award, by the way.

That’s easier on the eye than a long page of text, isn’t it? (If you prefer a long page of text, please see my ‘Live in GdaÅ„sk’ summary page.)

Obviously, the price for each one would help you decide which is the right package for you. Prices will be here just as soon as possible (but it won’t be for a while yet).

The release date for all of the above is 15 22 September for Europe, 16 23 September for North America.

Details on how to pre-order any of these, which is strongly recommended in the case of the vinyl version, will also follow in due course.

Please appreciate that things aren’t quite finished yet. There are still details that need to be finalised before your (very good) questions can be answered to your liking.

Just when you thought you’d set your heart on the five-disc combination of CDs and DVDs, here’s what’s in the vinyl set.

Five LPs, four of which cover the entire concert from Gdańsk, plus a 20-page booklet and web pass, so that you can also download the whole thing.

The fifth LP has a few live recordings from Venice and David’s appearance on the ‘Live from Abbey Road’ television programme (‘On The Turning Away’ from Venice, ‘The Blue’ and ‘Echoes’ from Abbey Road), plus two Barn jams.

It’s also the only package to feature ‘Wot’s…. Uh The Deal’, which is not included on the CD.

The running order of songs is exactly the same as the setlist you’ll already be familiar with (the same goes for the CD), so: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’, ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’, ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Wot’s… Uh The Deal’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’ and ‘Comfortably Numb’.

Go on then, hit me. I know Wot’s coming.

No questions about prices or packaging, please. You’ll have those details as soon as I have them.

Release date: 15 22 September 2008 (Europe), 16 23 September 2008 (North America).

Available formats (for the basics in table form, please click here):

- Two-disc version: Two CDs. Packaged in a gatefold card sleeve with 12-page booklet.

Disc One: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’, ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’. Disc Two: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Comfortably Numb’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

- Three-disc version: Two CDs, one DVD. Packaged in a gatefold card sleeve with 12-page booklet.

Disc One: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’, ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’. Disc Two: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Comfortably Numb’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

DVD includes 114 minutes of concert footage, plus a 36-minute documentary. Tracks on the DVD are: the complete ‘On an Island’ album, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Comfortably Numb’, ‘Echoes’ and ‘High Hopes’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

This DVD also includes a web pass to download 12 bonus live tracks from other concerts from the ‘On an Island’ tour – free: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘Dominoes’ (Paris, 15 March 2006), ‘The Blue’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘Take a Breath’ (Munich, 29 July 2006), ‘Wish You Were Here’ (Glasgow, 27 May 2006), ‘Coming Back To Life’ (Florence, 2 August 2006), ‘Find The Cost of Freedom’ (Manchester, 26 May 2006), ‘This Heaven’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘On The Turning Away’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘Wearing The Inside Out’ (Milan, 25 March 2006), ‘A Pocketful of Stones’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘Where We Start’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006).

- Four-disc version: Two CDs, two DVDs. Packaged in a gatefold card sleeve with 12-page booklet.

Disc One: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’, ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’. Disc Two:
‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Comfortably Numb’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

DVD includes 114 minutes of concert footage, plus a 36-minute documentary. Tracks on the DVD are: the complete ‘On an Island’ album, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Comfortably Numb’, ‘Echoes’ and ‘High Hopes’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

This DVD also includes a web pass to download 12 bonus live tracks from other concerts from the ‘On an Island’ tour – free: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘Dominoes’ (Paris, 15 March 2006), ‘The Blue’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘Take a Breath’ (Munich, 29 July 2006), ‘Wish You Were Here’ (Glasgow, 27 May 2006), ‘Coming Back To Life’ (Florence, 2 August 2006), ‘Find The Cost of Freedom’ (Manchester, 26 May 2006), ‘This Heaven’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘On The Turning Away’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘Wearing The Inside Out’ (Milan, 25 March 2006), ‘A Pocketful of Stones’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘Where We Start’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006).

The second DVD includes a 5.1 surround-sound mix of the ‘On an Island’ album, three new Barn jams (recorded January 2007) and the following audio-visual tracks: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Wearing The Inside Out’ and ‘Comfortably Numb’ (from the Mermaid Theatre, 7 March 2006), ‘On an Island’ and ‘High Hopes’ (from the AOL Sessions, April 2006) and ‘The Blue’, ‘Take a Breath’ and ‘Echoes’ (from ‘Live from Abbey Road’, August 2006).

- Five-disc version/Deluxe: Three CDs, two DVDs. Boxed, with 20-page booklet and tour memorabilia.

Disc One: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’, ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’. Disc Two:
‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’, ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Comfortably Numb’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

Bonus CD has 12 live tracks from other concerts from the ‘On an Island’ tour: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘Dominoes’ (Paris, 15 March 2006), ‘The Blue’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘Take a Breath’ (Munich, 29 July 2006), ‘Wish You Were Here’ (Glasgow, 27 May 2006), ‘Coming Back To Life’ (Florence, 2 August 2006), ‘Find The Cost of Freedom’ (Manchester, 26 May 2006), ‘This Heaven’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘On The Turning Away’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘Wearing The Inside Out’ (Milan, 25 March 2006), ‘A Pocketful of Stones’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006), ‘Where We Start’ (Vienne, 31 July 2006).

DVD includes 114 minutes of concert footage, plus a 36-minute documentary. Tracks on the DVD are: the complete ‘On an Island’ album, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Comfortably Numb’, ‘Echoes’ and ‘High Hopes’. Recorded live in GdaÅ„sk, 26 August 2006.

The second DVD includes a 5.1 surround-sound mix of the ‘On an Island’ album, three new Barn jams and the following audio-visual tracks: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Wearing The Inside Out’ and ‘Comfortably Numb’ (from the Mermaid Theatre, 7 March 2006), ‘On an Island’ and ‘High Hopes’ (from the AOL Sessions, April 2006) and ‘The Blue’, ‘Take a Breath’ and ‘Echoes’ (from ‘Live from Abbey Road’, August 2006).

Memorabilia consists of: a reproduction postcard, ticket, backstage pass and artist’s pass; a large double-sided poster, a guitar pick/plectrum and seven photographs.

- Five-disc vinyl version: Five LPs. Boxed, with a 20-page booklet and web pass to download concert.

LP #1: ‘Speak To Me’, ‘Breathe’, ‘Time’, ‘Breathe (Reprise)’, ‘Castellorizon’, ‘On an Island’, ‘The Blue’, ‘Red Sky at Night’, ‘This Heaven’. LP #2: ‘Then I Close My Eyes’, ‘Smile’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘A Pocketful of Stones’, ‘Where We Start’. LP #3: ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Wot’s… Uh The Deal’, ‘Astronomy Domine’, ‘Fat Old Sun’, ‘High Hopes’. LP #4: ‘Echoes’, ‘Wish You Were Here’, ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Comfortably Numb’.

Fifth LP includes ‘On The Turning Away’ (Venice, 12 August 2006), ‘The Blue’ and ‘Echoes’ (from ‘Live from Abbey Road’, August 2006), plus two Barn jams (recorded January 2007).

Performing at Gdańsk were: David Gilmour (Guitars, Vocals, Saxophone), Phil Manzanera (Guitar), Richard Wright (Keyboard, Hammond Organ), Guy Pratt (Bass), Jon Carin (Keyboard, Lap Steel), Steve DiStanislao (Drums), Dick Parry (Saxophone), Leszek Możdżer (Piano) and The Symphony Orchestra of the Polish Baltic Philharmonic, conducted by Zbigniew Preisner.

Facts about the concert and what it commemorated:

GdaÅ„sk was the final show of the ‘On an Island’ tour: 26 August 2006. It was also David’s first ever performance in Poland.

It marked the 26th anniversary of the founding of Solidarity, the inspirational trade union.

Solidarity was founded in the GdaÅ„sk shipyard in September 1980, after strikes the previous month by shipyard workers – the first successful strike behind the Iron Curtain.

David was invited to perform in GdaÅ„sk by Poland’s former President and Solidarity leader, Lech WaÅ‚Ä™sa, and the Mayor of GdaÅ„sk, PaweÅ‚ Adamowicz.

GdaÅ„sk is the sixth-largest city in Poland, as well as the country’s maritime capital.

The Polish Baltic Philharmonic Orchestra was conducted by Polish composer, Zbigniew Preisner.

Renowned Polish pianist, Leszek Możdżer, also joined David and the band on-stage.

All of the songs from David’s ‘On an Island’ album featured orchestral accompaniment, as well as ‘A Great Day For Freedom’, ‘Comfortably Numb’ and ‘High Hopes’.

The arrangements on the Pink Floyd tracks are by the late Michael Kamen.

‘A Great Day For Freedom’, a song about the optimism which followed the collapse of the Berlin Wall (from Pink Floyd’s 1994 album, ‘The Division Bell’), was only performed once during the 2006 tour – in GdaÅ„sk.

These extra discs that we’ve been talking about…

Well, you’ve asked about it on more than one occasion, so here it is: a 5.1 surround-sound mix of ‘On an Island’.

You get that with the four-disc package, by the way. Packaged in cardboard, with a 12-page booklet. That’s two live CDs, one live DVD (114 minutes of concert footage from GdaÅ„sk, plus a 36-minute documentary)…

Plus an extra DVD which, as well as the 5.1 audio, also has 11 bonus audio-visual tracks, three of which are never-before-heard Barn jams (from January 2007), courtesy of David, Richard Wright, Guy Pratt and Steve DiStanislao.

The other tracks are from the Mermaid Theatre (‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, ‘Wearing The Inside Out’, ‘Comfortably Numb’), AOL Sessions (‘On an Island’, ‘High Hopes’) and Live from Abbey Road (‘The Blue’, ‘Take a Breath’, ‘Echoes’).

So, hands up who will be able to listen to ‘On an Island’ in 5.1…

My favourite fan photo for this month is this one, sent in by Angelo.

When everyone was still trying to get over the shock of hearing that surprise ‘Echoes’ at the ‘Live from Abbey Road’ recording, what did David decide to do? Walk up those blue, blue steps to further surprise the Blog contest winners with a greeting, that’s what.

Thanks for sharing your moment with us, Angelo.

Have you got a favourite snap to show off? It can be your pet hamster gnawing on your ‘On An Island’ songbook, or your crazy Gran posing with your pimped-up guitar; as long as it’s vaguely relevant to David, we’d love to see it. Simply get it online, making sure you include its URL with your comment.

Many more of your photos, and artwork, to come.

The chatroom will be open tomorrow from 13:00 (UK), if you’re interested.

Today’s winners are Paul C (20) and Davie (72), who, respectively, win Best Buy and Borders copies of the ‘Remember That Night’ DVD. These were exclusive to the US and are Region 1, don’t forget, but they’re certainly nice items to add to the collection.

The Best Buy version comes with a three-track CD featuring ‘On An Island’, ‘Take A Breath’ and ‘High Hopes’ from the AOL sessions. The Borders version comes with a poster of David playing at Abbey Road.

Well done, both. Let me know where your prizes should be sent.

The next prize draw will be on Monday, when a copy of Phil Taylor’s fine book, ‘The Black Strat: A History Of David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster’, and some equally-fine (apparently, I don’t play) GHS strings for the guitar of your choice will be the prizes at stake.

If you don’t want to be considered for these, please say so.

Don’t forget, you can find out more about both Phil and his book at TheBlackStrat.com.

Just the one answer from Phil today, but it’s a lengthy one.

Your thoughts, as always, are most welcome.

Do you reckon it’s true that David himself is the secret to the Gilmour sound (i.e. he could pick up an 80 quid Strat copy and still sound like Gilmour, or is that just a sweeping statement used by people who find that they cannot get ‘the sound’?) (Emma)

Yes, no question, it is true. David’s choice of notes and sense of melody and timing, both the physical attack and subtleties with both hands in playing of the instrument and his setting of the equipment and control of it to work in conjunction with what he is playing. It is the combination of all this that is his sound. This said, the quality of the sound can be enhanced by using better sounding equipment. Think – does it sound like David if he is using a Telecaster, Les Paul, Gretsch Duo Jet or a Lap Steel instead of a Strat? We once did a TV show with Mark Knopfler – he used David’s Red Strat with David’s amp on David’s settings and who did he sound like? Mark Knopfler, of course. Like any great guitarist, so much of the sound is him. I have never heard anybody sound like David, because this is the real deal from the man who created it. You can only sound like yourself, perhaps trying to imitate somebody else. Like the mimicking professional parrots, such as in Roger Waters’ band or Pink Floyd cover bands, who try their best, but it does not sound like David. It is best summed up by an analogy: it is like a facsimile of an original piece of artwork.

Just to remind fans Stateside that you may still be able to see an hour from ‘Remember That Night’ on PBS over the next week. Make a pledge and you not only bag yourself a copy of the DVD, but you also get an exclusive four-track ‘Live from Abbey Road’ CD thrown in for the hell of it.

This CD is certainly one for the collection. It comes in a cardboard case, is shrink-wrapped, and features the following tracks, recorded live at Abbey Road last year: ‘The Blue’, ‘On An Island’, ‘Take A Breath’ and ‘Smile’.

See the calendar for broadcast details.

Thank you all for the comments about Phil Taylor’s book, ‘The Black Strat’. It’s good to hear that you’re enjoying it.

Here’s the latest batch of Phil’s answers to the questions you submitted recently.

Does David use ear protection? If not, what’s his tip for playing loud, not becoming deaf and still having a perfect ear? (Cromer Franck)

No, he does not use ear protection. Don’t play too loud and keep the speakers focused lower, i.e. not pointed at your ears.

Does David only use Evidence audio cables or does he use both? And why did you change over to EA? (Matt Surdin)

All of David’s audio signal and speaker cables are Evidence Audio and I have had them all cryogenically frozen for enhanced performance. During the ‘On An Island’ tour, all the stage cables for all the musicians were swapped over to these – with great results.

How important would you consider the cables (in terms of quality) in the signal path? (Andreas)

Very important – the cable is what transfers the sound of your instrument to the amplifier. This can make a big difference to the level, frequency response, depth and detail of information, and extraneous unwanted noise. This also applies in a similar way to the speaker cables.

You asked, Phil answered.

Thank you to everyone for sending in a question (or three) for consideration. Special thanks to the names listed below and, of course, to Phil for taking the time to give such honest, insightful answers.

There’s plenty more to follow over the next week or so.

Phil’s book, ‘The Black Strat: A History of David Gilmour’s Black Fender Stratocaster’ is released very soon. More on that as the week progresses, including your chance to win a copy.

The winners of our latest contest were Tom from NE Scotland, Simon J and Rick Strang.

Congratulations to you. You each win a PBS exclusive live CD from Abbey Road. Please let me know where you’d like it sent.

If you’re interested, our chatroom will be open tomorrow between 1PM and 3PM (UK time).

I’ll also have details of the Crisis charity auctions tomorrow, so do come back for those.

You have one of the best jobs in the world. What do you enjoy the most about working with David? (Mat)

Being there when he plays, particularly standing on the stage three foot behind him during a sound check and hearing/feeling the power, sound and control. Very few people can ever experience how good this can be.

How did you meet David and land this prestigious gig? (Buffalo Phil)

I was in the wrong place at the wrong time, and they made me an offer that I could not understand.

When not touring, what are you supposed to do? Maintaining all Mr Gilmour’s rigs in working condition? Looking at new gear? (Frédéric)

I am kept busy. I wear a selection of different hats: I run the Astoria recording studio, David’s equipment warehouse, maintain and find new equipment, look after David’s home studio, be a guitar tech when David makes an appearance, sometimes production director for live shows, and a few other duties besides.

The above photograph, taken by Polly, is from the Ritzy in Brixton. This is where David premiered ‘Remember That Night’ for the benefit of North American cinema audiences (back in September).

And it’s just asking for a caption, really, isn’t it? So, over to you.

The prize is an exclusive four-track ‘Live from Abbey Road’ CD, available only in the US to those who pledge money to PBS. (Basically, pledge more than a certain sum, as will be decided by each local station, for a copy of ‘Remember That Night’ and you get the exclusive CD thrown in free.)

The CD comes in a cardboard case, is shrink-wrapped, and features the following tracks, recorded live at Abbey Road last year: ‘The Blue’, ‘On An Island’, ‘Take A Breath’ and ‘Smile’.

As you’ll expect from the prize, there is a PBS television special coming up. Details to follow very soon.

One caption per person only, please, to be submitted no later than 6PM (UK) on Friday 9 November. Winners will be announced on Monday.

Thank you for your varied comments about the ringtones. I don’t think anyone really needs more, which is why the previous entry is now missing a comment form, but some of us do appreciate your feedback.

‘Remember That Night’ is released in Japan today.

Last, but by no means least, the chatroom will next be open tomorrow between 10AM and 12PM (UK).

Following the tremendous reaction to last week’s 24-hour contest, here’s another.

‘Remember That Night’ prizes are as follows:

- Exclusive Borders DVD (available only in the US, comes with an Abbey Road mini-poster)
- Exclusive Best Buy DVD (again, US-only, includes three-track CD from the AOL Sessions)
- Rare promo CD, issued only to radio stations in the run-up to the DVD’s release

Everyone is welcome to enter.

To be considered eligible, leave a caption for the above photo by 5PM (UK time) tomorrow, please. Only one caption is allowed per person.

You can click the image to see a larger version.

Three names will be drawn at random. Winners to be announced, and all captions published, on Friday.

Good luck, all.

If you are one of our latest winners and await delivery of your prize, please be prepared to wait a little longer. DG Management have moved to a new office, and many things are still in boxes.

‘Remember That Night’ is now Number One in Portugal. It has also topped the Music DVD charts in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, New Zealand, Sweden, the UK and the US.

The winners of yesterday’s 24-hour contest are as follows:

- Borders exclusive ‘Remember That Night’ DVD (with Abbey Road mini-poster): Lorraine (for Tantastic).

- Best Buy exclusive ‘Remember That Night’ DVD (with three-track AOL Sessions CD): Pete from Germany (for Powerful).

- ‘Remember That Night’ programme from the UK & Europe premiere, plus a choice of any other listed prize: Tom (for being the only person to opt for Sincere, hence the extra prize).

- ‘Backstage’ pass from UK & Europe premiere: Andrew McHarg (for Magical… and I’ll throw in a programme, too, as the pass alone looks a bit rubbish).

- Promo CD, as issued to radio stations: Jessica (for Personal).

A bonus prize also goes to Tom B, for introducing us all to the word Tantastic. Thanks for that, Tom.

Congratulations to all six of you. Please let me know where you want your prizes sent, and they will be winging their way to you next week.

By the way, voting for the BT Digital Music People’s Choice Awards ends on Sunday. If you wish to cast a vote for us in the Best Music Blog and/or Best Official Music Site categories, please do.

I know that some of you have been voting religiously since I first told you about these awards. Thank you, all, for your time and support.

That’s all for another week. Have a good weekend, everyone.

Yes, that annoying pink button will be gone by Monday…

I hear there are some awesome Gilmour-goodies knocking about the DG Management office, looking for a good home, so what better way to dish them out than to run a completely random contest?

I’ve got a copy of the awesome exclusive DVD package that’s currently available in Borders stores (available only in the US, containing a rather nice Abbey Road mini-poster); the US-only DVD exclusive from Best Buy, complete with awesome three-track CD from the AOL Sessions (I’ll ask that someone checks that the DVD actually works first, don’t worry); an awesome programme from the UK & Europe premiere – as seen regularly on eBay (this was available in UK cinemas only, it seems); an awesome (well, that’s a huge exaggeration, it’s pretty dull) ‘backstage’ pass from said premiere; and a rare (and truly awesome) promo CD, issued only to radio stations in the run-up to the DVD’s release.

Five prizes, five winners, so all we need now are five adjectives, as used by you, to describe the awesome ‘Remember That Night’ DVD.

As you are likely to come up with the same ones, especially if you cheat and look back over recent posts, names will be pulled out of an imaginary hat. Whoever matches the most adjectives to my list of five will go into this awesome ‘hat’.

They can be the most over-used, the most annoying, or the most unusual. You have to guess.

Please get your entries in by 3PM (UK) tomorrow, no excuses. Only one entry per person, as always (that’s one list of five adjectives, please). I’ll let you know who has won what tomorrow.

Good luck, all.

Quick update on the position of ‘Remember That Night’ in the Music DVD charts… It’s now Number One in Austria, Belgium, Canada, France, Germany, Italy and the United States.

Awesome, I’m sure you’ll agree.

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: RADIO 2 TOMORROW

I’ve just heard that David will now be on Radio 2 tomorrow, not today. So, that’s Steve Wright’s show, tomorrow, from 2PM (UK).

I’ve really enjoyed your musings on Saturday’s North American premiere. If you were involved, I want to hear from you.

I’ve two things for you all to enjoy today:

1. David on Steve Wright’s BBC Radio 2 show from 2PM (UK).
2. David on ITV’s London Tonight from 6PM (UK).

It doesn’t matter where in the world you are, as everyone can enjoy these online.

If you are in the UK, then you can find Radio 2 at 88-91 FM. If that’s too old-fashioned for your liking, then you could listen via DAB digital radio, digital satellite (Sky, channel 0102), digital cable (Virgin, channel 860 or 902, depending on whether you are an ex-NTL or ex-Telewest customer) or even Freeview (channel 702).

If you’re listening online, you can listen live by clicking Listen in the top-right corner or by clicking the more forthright LISTEN in the suitably coloured ‘On An Island’ blue box to the right of the page. That opens up the BBC Radio Player, which gives you the option to listen with Real Player or Windows Media Player, if you prefer.

If you can’t listen live, there is always the handy ‘Listen Again’ feature, which allows you to replay the programme as many times as you like for a period of seven days following the original broadcast. This can be activated by opening the BBC Radio Player, as directed above, and choosing your desired show from a considerably long list.

A quick note to fans in the USA about tomorrow’s DVD release…

DVDs from Best Buy and Borders stores contain extra goodies.

Select DVDs from Best Buy will include a three-track audio CD of the AOL Sessions. The songs are ‘On An Island’, ‘Take A Breath’ and ‘High Hopes’. The CD comes in a cardboard sleeve which is inside the DVD’s shrink-wrapped packaging.

The Borders DVD package includes a mini-poster. This shows David at Abbey Road, with the band onstage behind him and green lasers. The poster’s size is approximately four-times the size of the DVD booklet. This can be found inside the (shrink-wrapped) DVD case.

Look out for stickers announcing the exclusive extras on the front of the DVD cover before you buy.

These are available in the US only.

‘Remember That Night’ is released across Europe today (except for Finland and Sweden, where it is released on Wednesday).

IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT: ‘THE THING ABOUT SYD’

Don’t forget ‘The Thing About Syd’ on Saturday, BBC Radio 2 at 8PM (UK time). David is one of many interviewed for this new documentary about the Madcap genius.

You can listen online, with live streaming, or you can ‘Listen Again’ – a feature that allows you to repeat the programme as many times as you like for a period of seven days following the original broadcast.

To ‘Listen Again’, please see the purple/lilac box on the right of the Radio 2 homepage (where it says “Listen to your favourite shows anytime”) and click LISTEN. This will open the BBC Radio Player.

Fans in the United States can see David’s excellent ‘Live From Abbey Road’ performance on the Sundance Channel tonight.

If you miss tonight’s broadcast at 10PM E/P, there are plenty of repeats coming up. The Sundance Channel will be showing it again on Saturday (at 2AM), Sunday (at 9PM) and Tuesday (at 6PM).

I hope you enjoy it as much as Dick Parry (above) seemed to when he was at the recording.

The Sundance Channel is available via satellite and cable television.

If you spot the series in your local TV listings, do let us know when and where others can see it.

Here’s the latest from Phil. Our thanks to everybody who submitted a question for him.

Phil answered a good batch of questions, so please appreciate that he will not be answering any additional ones, no matter how good they are. I’m sorry if you missed out.

And please hold on to your questions for David. I’m not ready for them just yet, but look forward to seeing what you’ve come up with.

I’ll open the floodgates towards the end of next week, possibly the week after.

What were the stand-out moments from the ‘On an Island’ tour for you? (Victor)

So many. Playing the Royal Albert Hall with all those guests…

I noticed huge grins on your face both nights at Massey Hall as David did extended solo flights during a few numbers. If you recall at all, what was going through your mind at the time? (Buffalo Phil)

That he was giving it a bit of welly and enjoying himself.

I loved watching you perform because you have such a groovy “wiggle” when you play. Are you able to let go and enjoy the music or are you focused on the piece at hand – or are the two not mutually exclusive? (Nickster)

Steady on there, Nickster. The resident PR is reading the answers! It’s good to lose yourself in the music, provided that you don’t lose your place in the music.

The ‘Live From Abbey Road’ series is currently being shown in the US on the Sundance Channel. David’s performance is due for broadcast two week’s from now: on Thursday 19 July.

Of the songs performed (officially and in their entirety) at the legendary London studios last August, one which is not being shown on television is ‘Astronomy Domine’.

So you might be pleased to know that this is one of the extra goodies on David’s forthcoming double-DVD, ‘Remember That Night’.

I especially hope that those fans who were present at the recording will like the extra memento of what was a unique day.

Its inclusion, obviously, is another nod in recognition of the late Syd Barrett.

Something else to look forward to: promo videos for ‘On an Island’ and ‘Smile’, plus ‘This Heaven’ from the AOL Sessions.

If you need reminding: ‘Remember That Night’ is released by EMI on Monday 17 September in Europe, and by Sony on Tuesday 18 September everywhere else.

The image above is taken from Disc One. Please click it if you wish to see a bigger version.

The 12-part ‘Live From Abbey Road’ series starts tonight in the US.

David’s performance airs on Thursday 19 July at 10PM E/P on the Sundance Channel, with repeats the following Saturday (at 2AM), Sunday (at 9PM) and Tuesday (at 6PM).

The Sundance Channel is available via satellite and cable television.

‘Live From Abbey Road’ is being broadcast in many parts of the world. Please see the ‘More on LFAR’ entry of 24 April for further details.

If you spot the series mentioned in your local TV listings, do tell.

Don’t forget that you can see the entire ‘Live From Abbey Road’ series this weekend in Australia on MAX TV.

Do let us know what you thought of the band’s performance.

The above is another image from Guy’s quest to find Luka’s Taproom & Lounge, documented on Disc Two of David’s new DVD, ‘Remember That Night’, which will be out in September. Click it for a closer look.

Our chatroom is open today between the hours of 1PM and 3PM (UK).

And yes, it was ‘The Blue’…

You might – nay, should – be interested to know that episode two of a new BBC music series, ‘The Seven Ages of Rock’ – which "traces the story of how artistic and conceptual expression permeated rock" and is rather cleverly entitled ‘Between Rock And An Art Place’ – features plenty of rare film footage for all you Pink Floyd buffs.

This includes a never-before-seen snippet from the band’s extremely rare first colour film, which includes David, shot shortly after he joined Pink Floyd in 1968.

Not wishing to give too much away, but we can exclusively reveal that this rare clip is from a BBC documentary called ‘The Sound of Change’, broadcast by the BBC just once back in 1969. It has been cut into a rare promo video for ‘Jugband Blues’, which was originally filmed for North America, Canada and Australia and has never before been broadcast.

There is also a short clip of David explaining the circumstances of how he came to join Pink Floyd, and another of him singing/discussing ‘Brain Damage’ from ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon’.

Of interest to fans of the band when it was led by the late, great Syd Barrett, are several things. As well as home-made videos shot in 1967 and an alternate promo for the ‘Arnold Layne’ single, a ‘new’ version of ‘See Emily Play’ – which includes footage of Syd outside Abbey Road, plus footage from Jonathan Miller’s version of ‘Alice In Wonderland’ – will also be screened on television* for the very first time.

That’s ‘The Seven Ages of Rock’, which can be found on BBC2 at 9.10PM (UK) on Saturday 26 May and is repeated over on BBC1 the following Sunday at 11PM (UK).

If you missed the first programme last night, then you can catch the repeat tonight at 11PM (UK) on BBC1.

Don’t forget ‘Live From Abbey Road’ if you’re in Australia. That’s tonight at 10PM and tomorrow night at 8PM, both on MAX TV.

* There’s really no need for anyone to point out whether or not any of this material is already widely bootlegged and is available from the usual sources, but thanks all the same.

Fans in Australia can see David’s brilliant performance for the ‘Live From Abbey Road’ cameras this weekend.

This programme is on Sunday at 10PM on MAX TV. It will also be repeated on the same channel at 8PM on Monday 21 May.

If you won’t be able to catch either showing, then, luckily for you, the entire series is being repeated over the weekend of 23/24 June, when six episodes will be screened back-to-back from 11AM each day.

MAX TV is available on Foxtel Digital and Austar Digital.

Do let us know what you thought of the performance.

We are still led to believe that ABC (Australia) will also be showing the series in July. As soon as this is confirmed, we’ll let you know.

‘Live From Abbey Road’ is being broadcast just about all over the world. Please see the ‘More on LFAR’ entry of 24 April for details.

If you happen to spot the series mentioned in your local TV listings, no matter where in the world you are, please let us know and we will gladly add all the details to our calendar.

Our chatroom will next be open on Monday between 12PM and 2PM (UK time). Everyone’s very welcome to call in.

Have a good weekend, all.