You may not have noticed it. But the album transitions from Interstellar Overdrive to The Gnome without a break. It makes you appreciate the contrast even more.
The Gnome is a track often referenced when Floyd fans want to belittle the importance of this first album and Barrett's vision. That shows a woeful lack of understanding of the psychedelic scene and the sheer invention of this band in their lyrics, chords and use of instruments. Chapter 24, (another great song) is a track I think that could have benefitted from extending the organ solo in the middle into a freeform jam - it already sounds more meaningful than Interstellar overdrive. Wright (or various members) are playing such a variety of instruments that would not appear so much on a floyd album again: celeste, harmonium, electric piano, tubular bells.
The pastoral return to childhood after the trip of "Interstellar Overdrive". A really gorgeous moment on the album. And unmistakably Syd ;-) Your thoughts on the Gnome were interesting, indeed.
This came out the same year as Sergeants Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band by the Beatles, which I thought was progressive for the Beatles since the songs were related, as opposed being just a series of songs. Procol Harum had just released their single "Whiter Shade of Pale" which made the radio stations take notice of longer, well constructed songs. This year was the birth of "Progressive Rock" and musicians started to care less about writing 3 minute songs formatted for radio. Yeah!
@@HippoYnYGlaw radio kept playing 3 minutes songs for years leaving only some airtime for the bands with longer songs in the evening and night hours. Thus the birth of prog created a division in commercial 3 minutes hit parade music and serious music without a time restriction.
@@HippoYnYGlaw Radio kept on with the three minute love songs and major stations did not play any progressive rock, even to this day. This started an underground culture, of buying albums recommended by word of mouth. By the mid-70's, still no progressive rock on the radio, but the record stores were full of King Crimson, Yes, Genesis, Jethro Tull, Strawbs, Camel (etc.) records. A lot of young people were buying guitars and learning to play. The 3 minute radio songs were easy to learn but after a while were boring to play. The Prog rock used alternative time signatures, interesting note choices, key changes and even dissonance to provide "Tension" to the music, something you don't get in a 3 minute song. There are several other reasons as to why Prog rock developed at this time...partially, the cost of recording equipment dropped so many studios opened up, and they did not care about 3 minute songs, as long as the albums sold. All the studios were looking for good bands, therefore the bands could do what they wanted, not what radio wanted. It was a good time for music. Now in 2021, popular music has been normalized (dummied down) by use of pitch and meter correction in the studio, hence music has lost any feeling and expression by the artist. The genre "Blues" disappears when this auto-correction is applied, since the Blues depends heavily on artistic expression. Radio was good for pop music, but I consider it the "scourge" of good music. There were a few good stations that would play Prog rock late at night, but there were none in our area.
I must admit it took an awful amount of time for Chapter 24 to grow on me, but is now one of my favorites. Syd rolling his R's and sharp syllables is unmistakably British, if anyone has any doubt. I agree The Gnome lyrics may itself describe an LSD trip, but I prefer taking it on the first degree, like a child. Maybe because it was my best friend's daughter's favorite song when she was 4 and still is to this day in her mid 30's. And how long did it take for the choke on the crash cymbal to stop working on your Nitro Kit? About a week for mine! :D
@@JustJP Guitar Hero pads work perfectly on this module. You can get those for dirt cheap if you want to expand using the 2 extra trigger inputs. No hopes for the choke though!
I love the trippy eccentricity and fairytale like themes of this album. These two songs linger in the memory forever. Maybe I don't know exactly what they mean. Maybe I don't care. They still convey such intense emotion, and are produced really well. Thanks for the review! 😎😍🤩
Two of my favorite songs from The Piper. And then Scarecrow and Bike next. Genius songwriting by Syd Barret. He has such a playful and engaging style. Love early Floyd!!
I liked them better than I thought I would. Thank God The Gnome was short, get it, short. Gnomes are everywhere it seems, even with my limited prog music collection, Gong and my favorite trippy band, Ozric Tentacles. Jurassic Shift is awesome. Once in a while I’ll receive a gnome filled letter from the band since seeing them in ‘93. Eh, but Chapter 24 was cool, I got into it as it went on. Not knowing it’s origin I thought of the similar mystical Beatle songs. Chinese rather than Indian, interesting. Natural/ supernatural exploration through use of sensory heightening substances. Transformation perhaps? Take care everyone, mask up and be nice, not too Gnomie, Peace and mystical drumming Music
I bet it's all that Hobbit stuff that was big in the sixties..."Frodo lives!" "As I fell asleep and dreamed I dreamed I was in a Hollywood movie And that I was the star of the movie This really blew my mind The fact that me, an overfed long haired leaping gnome Should be the star behind a Hollywood movie, hmm" -Eric Burden and WAR, "Spill the Wine"
"Chapter 24": " "And the seventh brings return..." Hmmm...this would be a good time to segue from this to Jon Anderson's "Song of Seven"? Chris Squire's "Lucky 7?" Iron Maiden's "Seventh Son of a Seventh Son?" :)
I think the lyrics you're looking at aren't exactly right, Justin. According to the _Piper_ CD booklet, the Gnome's name is Grimble Gromble. The correct lyrics for "Chapter 24" are "Thunder in the Earth, the Course of Heaven."
I think this is the only Pink Floyd album I can say puts a big goofy smile on my face when I hear it! Love the Gnome! Great video dude! On another note you’ve gotta be getting a Yes itch in need of scratching? I am! ;)
I often wonder how much the band were influenced by the Beatles, they were recording at abbey road while the Beatles were making Sgt Pepper and were brought to meet them these two songs would not be out of place in the Beatles psychedelic era.
It would be fair to say, rather, that the two bands influenced each other. "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band" and "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" were released both in the glorious summer of '67, so it's kind of dumb and unfair to see the first album by Pink Floyd as something following the model of "Sgt. Pepper's". Morever, it's necessary to point out that the Beatles were already internationally popular and acclaimed at the time, instead Pink Floyd were creating their innovative and mindblowing sound by the age of about 20, still being an underground band, without a full paid orchestra, rainbows and unicorns. I respect The Beatles and I particularly love their psychedelic period, but, when I read or hear that Pink Floyd were influenced by The Beatles, as if it was a point against them, it makes me mad, because Syd Barrett and Co. were playing their light shows as early as 1966, and The Beatles had been attending those concerts. The same was being done by The Velvet Underground, in New York, and The Doors, too, on the West Coast, were doing their magic, by a theatrical approach. To be fair, The Beatles were influenced by Frank Zappa and The Mothers of Invention: "Freak Out!" was a reference point for McCartney and associates, and it would model "Sgt. Pepper's"; even Rolling Stones were interested in Zappa's early creations (you can hear some of the inspiration on "Between the Buttons", published January 20, 1967, especially on "Something Happened to Me Yesterday"). Indeed, Zappa himself liked the album, and mentioned it as one of his Top 10 Favourite Records. The Beatles didn't make anything out of nowhere: "Rubber Soul" was clearly influenced by The Byrds and Dylan; "Revolver" was influenced by The Beach Boys (and so by Van Dyke Parks' production and melodic oddities). "Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts' Club Band", again, was influenced by "Freak Out!" by The Mothers of Invention. And Zappa would make fun of The Beatles' lush artcover by his parody on "We're Only In It for the Money". All of this to say that The Beatles took part to a musical scene, or better a set of musical scenes, that was unique and magic. Though, they were not the ones who always invented something out of nowhere. They were great, but not the top of the line in everything existing. "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" is way more accomplished than "Sgt. Pepper's", even though many'd rather think it's not like that.
"vibraphone and marimba and xylophone" don't forget the celesta! Everyone forgets the celesta, the only one of this family that's operated through a keyboard, it has the most gentle sound of them all
Great reaction as usual . I really think Piper stands alone as a brilliant conception separate from all other Floyd . This maybe the most influential album they ever made .
The band The Legendary Pink Dots is like if this version of Pink Floyd had continued instead of making Dark Side and Animals etc. The vocals, songs about characters, strange stories, very psychedelic mixes. But with modern electronics. They get lumped in with Goth music alot. But they are dark psychedelic.
Justin, was that you on the electric kit in the begining? That was pretty cool. I started on guitar. Hell I went to MI for guitar. But I fell in love with drums and spend more time practicing them more than guitar. Both my inspirations came from Yes. You gotta keep moving for inspiration. Black Oni is not too difficult to pick up on and is a great workout, try playing along.
Waters clams Barrett’s lyrics are less drug influenced than what we'd assume. He says it is a traditional form of, as I recall, whimsy writing, I enjoyed all these albums well before I dabbled in anything.
While I respect and understand the importance of the Syd Era it’s never been my bag. Astronomy Domini and some other stuff on SofS is wizardly magic and Chapter 24 was pleasantly listenable so I’m going to put sone new stuff into my Floyd library today. The Gnome, well, I haven’t been able to “see” him in many many moons so I doubt he will “de-realm” and show up in my Apple library. Getting very excited for 13K!!!
still like to get your reaction to some choice tracks from Syds' solo albums the madcap laughs and barrett , tracks like masie, wolfpack, etc and so-on. it'll grow on ya.
Some times it is necessary to examine the humble beginnings to fully appreciate the full blown magnificence that eventually follows... these beginnings seem truly humble to my ears. that isn't to say there aren't nice bits sprinkled in like currents or raisins in an Easter bread but for me they are not songs I would listen to a second time except as background music. To me they don't seem exceptional but I am not a musician nor a lyricist. I am glad others can enjoy them. I Ching was popular with some in the counter culture at that period of time. Great review. Thanks.
Ahhh..., nice to get back to a couple more of Syd's little gems after Interstellar, which for me feels so out of place on the album as a whole. Maybe they should've had Arnold Layne and See Emily Play on the album instead. That said though, it's still my favourite album of theirs by a mile. That leaves just The Scarecrow and Bike to come. Unless you hit the non-LP singles, which you also really need to hear. Big thumbs up to Richard Wright who really seemed able to contribute to what Syd was trying to express in each individual song.
I don't know whether the band intended this or it's just my ability to 'see' connections when there really are none, but allow me to note that while the I Ching appears to offer advice, there is a proviso that all of its pronouncements should be interpreted 'with wisdom'. Which is a great systemic cop-out for when you follow the advice and everything turns to crap - you interpreted with insufficient wisdom. You 'read' the meaning incorrectly. This kind of accidentally or deliberately ambiguous fortune-telling is often described as 'oracular', 'Delphic' or 'gnomic'. So the run of The Gnome and Chapter 24 is a pairing in which each subject is 'gnomic', but in different senses. As I say, it may just be me - but I think that Syd, in particular, had a mind that might have enjoyed smuggling in that connection.
Just a thought for We Floydians. Your comment about Syds's singing style being {Para} accentuating every syllable, each one with importance. This is a common description of David Gilmour's guitar playing style....HMMM, the spirit of Syd lives through Gilmours guitarring?
Seems like Gnomes were trendy at the time, David Bowie had a track of similar intensity and complexity........ ‘The laughing Gnome’ ......on balance Syd Barrett’s is better
The Gnome. I assume this was an attempt at 60's whimsy. Sadly, it was just kak. It takes an artist of Bowie's calibre, and finesse to pull off a humorous song about a gnome. Now, Chapter 24. This the first track on this album I've liked. There was a gentle, flowing, almost ethereal air to it that appealed to me. Finally, not bad at all.
"I assume this was an attempt at 70's whimsy" That's not likely as the album came out in the 60's. ;-) Bowie was a huge Floyd fan (Check out Pinups) and you could definitely argue that he improved on their early whimsical template. :-)
