Show #22: Dawn of the Piper
This week I have been forced to step outside of the live context in order to fulfill a request. Someone wanted to hear some Syd Barrett-era Pink Floyd and I set out to deliver. Unfortunately we're talking the late 1960s here when there was no DAT equipment available and good microphones cost a small fortune. The best-sounding gig I could find was from 13 September 1967 in Copenhagen. While the music was passable, the singing was almost non-existent on the recording. So instead I've chosen some select tracks, most of which were recorded in a studio and not in front of a live audience. I don't think any of these recordings have been officially released on CD or vinyl. Most of the songs will no doubt be familiar to fans of early Pink Floyd but the actual recordings probably won't. There's demos, acetates, and performances recorded for English radio.
The tracks here are taken from a bootleg called Dawn of the Piper put out group called Harvested. The folks at Harvested comprise a group of hardcore Floyd fans and collectors who release audio & video of the band after having been tweaked for the best possible quality.
Setlist:
"Lucy Leave"
"King Bee"
The original 5-member Pink Floyd line-up. With Bob Klose on lead guitar and Syd Barrett on rhythm guitar. Possibly recorded at Regent Sound studio around May 1965 (according to Bob Klose whose memory seems a bit better than Nick Mason's on the subject).
"Arnold Layne"
"Candy and a Currant Bun"
Taken from the original acetates demoed to EMI. Recorded at Sound Techniques studio from 23-25 January 1967. After hearing these acetates, EMI signed Pink Floyd to a recording contract on 1 February 1967. When they created this Arnold Layne acetate, they cut out the organ solo. I don't know why they did that. Knowing that EMI would object to the drug references in the lyrics to "Let's Roll Another One", Syd rewrote them to create this Candy and a Currant Bun acetate. EMI still objected to the "I'm high" lyrics anyway. So the band had to go back to Sound Techniques and rerecord it.
"Interstellar Overdrive"
Recorded live at UFO on 27 January 1967 by Granada TV (not 20 January has erroneously reported in some sources). This version is cut as per the editing for the program "Underground: Scene Special". Interestingly, this version lacks the narrator commentary that appears in the final broadcast version. First broadcast on 8 March 1967 (not 7 February as erroneously predicted by Melody Maker).
"Pow R Toc H"
"Astronomy Domine"
Taken from the BBC's "Look of the Week" television program (14 May 1967).
"See Emily Play"
Taken from acetate #2 of 21 May 1967 recordings made at Sound Techniques. Two acetates are known. They are numbered 1 and 2 based on the order in which they were discovered. This second acetate features a slightly extended ending.
"Experiment"
Much about this recording is unknown, including the title. Traditionally, it's been called "Experiment" (as we do here) or "Sunshine". But that was before anyone learned what "Sunshine" really was.
"Sunshine"
"Sunshine" is really the last section of "Matilda Mother". "Matilda Mother" had been rerecorded on 7 June 1967. However, Norman Smith decided that the instrumental section in the middle was too long. During an editing session on 29 June, he literally cut the tape into three pieces. The first part was called "Matilda Mother", the second part (the part being deleted) was called "Wondering and Dreaming", and the third part was called "Sunshine" (based on a convenient lyrical reference at that point). Parts one and three were then spliced together to create the official version. On the stereo release, the "Sunshine" lyric in the left channel gets overpowered by the "For all the time spent in that room" lyric that predominates the right channel. To better hear and appreciate "Sunshine", I've made a mono version of just the left channel starting at the splice point.
"Scream Thy Last Scream"
Recorded at Abbey Road on 7 August 1967. This track is taken from a stereo mix done my Peter Jenner in 1974.
"Set The Controls"
"Reaction in G"
Taken from the BBC's inaugural "Top Gear" Radio 1 program aired on 1 October 1967 (not from a pirate radio rebroadcast). The tracks were recorded at the BBC's Playhouse Theatre on 25 September 1967. The DJs heard on these tracks are Pete Drummond and John Peel. Both DJs were former Radio London DJs (which had shut down on 14 August 1967). Note, the Marine Offenses Act (which took effect 15 August 1967) made these offshore pirate radio stations illegal.
"Vegetable Man"
Recorded at De Lane Lea on 9-11 October 1967. This track is taken from a stereo mix done my Peter Jenner in 1974.
"Apples and Oranges"
Recorded at Abbey Road on 26-27 October 1967. This track is the stereo version taken from the Masters of Rock LP.
"Pow R Toc H"
Taken from the BBC's "Top Gear" Radio 1 program aired on 31 December 1967. The track was recorded 20 December 1967 at the BBC's Maida Vale studio. Although this track appears on our BBC Archives 1967-1969 release, it is not the same. The BBC archives version is taken from a rebroadcast of the show and has the ending significantly cut short. This track here on Dawn of the Piper rev A contains the entire song from the recently uncovered original broadcast.
Download Show
Pink Floyd
Syd Barrett
The tracks here are taken from a bootleg called Dawn of the Piper put out group called Harvested. The folks at Harvested comprise a group of hardcore Floyd fans and collectors who release audio & video of the band after having been tweaked for the best possible quality.
Setlist:
"Lucy Leave"
"King Bee"
The original 5-member Pink Floyd line-up. With Bob Klose on lead guitar and Syd Barrett on rhythm guitar. Possibly recorded at Regent Sound studio around May 1965 (according to Bob Klose whose memory seems a bit better than Nick Mason's on the subject).
"Arnold Layne"
"Candy and a Currant Bun"
Taken from the original acetates demoed to EMI. Recorded at Sound Techniques studio from 23-25 January 1967. After hearing these acetates, EMI signed Pink Floyd to a recording contract on 1 February 1967. When they created this Arnold Layne acetate, they cut out the organ solo. I don't know why they did that. Knowing that EMI would object to the drug references in the lyrics to "Let's Roll Another One", Syd rewrote them to create this Candy and a Currant Bun acetate. EMI still objected to the "I'm high" lyrics anyway. So the band had to go back to Sound Techniques and rerecord it.
"Interstellar Overdrive"
Recorded live at UFO on 27 January 1967 by Granada TV (not 20 January has erroneously reported in some sources). This version is cut as per the editing for the program "Underground: Scene Special". Interestingly, this version lacks the narrator commentary that appears in the final broadcast version. First broadcast on 8 March 1967 (not 7 February as erroneously predicted by Melody Maker).
"Pow R Toc H"
"Astronomy Domine"
Taken from the BBC's "Look of the Week" television program (14 May 1967).
"See Emily Play"
Taken from acetate #2 of 21 May 1967 recordings made at Sound Techniques. Two acetates are known. They are numbered 1 and 2 based on the order in which they were discovered. This second acetate features a slightly extended ending.
"Experiment"
Much about this recording is unknown, including the title. Traditionally, it's been called "Experiment" (as we do here) or "Sunshine". But that was before anyone learned what "Sunshine" really was.
"Sunshine"
"Sunshine" is really the last section of "Matilda Mother". "Matilda Mother" had been rerecorded on 7 June 1967. However, Norman Smith decided that the instrumental section in the middle was too long. During an editing session on 29 June, he literally cut the tape into three pieces. The first part was called "Matilda Mother", the second part (the part being deleted) was called "Wondering and Dreaming", and the third part was called "Sunshine" (based on a convenient lyrical reference at that point). Parts one and three were then spliced together to create the official version. On the stereo release, the "Sunshine" lyric in the left channel gets overpowered by the "For all the time spent in that room" lyric that predominates the right channel. To better hear and appreciate "Sunshine", I've made a mono version of just the left channel starting at the splice point.
"Scream Thy Last Scream"
Recorded at Abbey Road on 7 August 1967. This track is taken from a stereo mix done my Peter Jenner in 1974.
"Set The Controls"
"Reaction in G"
Taken from the BBC's inaugural "Top Gear" Radio 1 program aired on 1 October 1967 (not from a pirate radio rebroadcast). The tracks were recorded at the BBC's Playhouse Theatre on 25 September 1967. The DJs heard on these tracks are Pete Drummond and John Peel. Both DJs were former Radio London DJs (which had shut down on 14 August 1967). Note, the Marine Offenses Act (which took effect 15 August 1967) made these offshore pirate radio stations illegal.
"Vegetable Man"
Recorded at De Lane Lea on 9-11 October 1967. This track is taken from a stereo mix done my Peter Jenner in 1974.
"Apples and Oranges"
Recorded at Abbey Road on 26-27 October 1967. This track is the stereo version taken from the Masters of Rock LP.
"Pow R Toc H"
Taken from the BBC's "Top Gear" Radio 1 program aired on 31 December 1967. The track was recorded 20 December 1967 at the BBC's Maida Vale studio. Although this track appears on our BBC Archives 1967-1969 release, it is not the same. The BBC archives version is taken from a rebroadcast of the show and has the ending significantly cut short. This track here on Dawn of the Piper rev A contains the entire song from the recently uncovered original broadcast.
Download Show
Pink Floyd
Syd Barrett
posted by Palmer at 9:02 PM
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