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zphage
zphage
3378 posts

Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 16:20
Pink Floyd released Ummagumma 1969
Atom Heart Mother 1970
Meddle 1971

These are their most avant garde releases, and easily the greatest penetration the avant garde has ever enjoyed into the mainstream.

This is pretty wild stuff for your average rock fan who would never consider This Heat, Taj Mahal Travellers, zoviet france, NWW, etc.
coldrumhead
608 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 16:42
zphage wrote:
Pink Floyd released Ummagumma 1969
Atom Heart Mother 1970
Meddle 1971

These are their most avant garde releases, and easily the greatest penetration the avant garde has ever enjoyed into the mainstream.

This is pretty wild stuff for your average rock fan who would never consider This Heat, Taj Mahal Travellers, zoviet france, NWW, etc.


Don't you think that Revolution 9 from the White Album probably reached an even wider audience?
gogmagog
176 posts

Edited Dec 18, 2007, 20:28
Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 16:45
Not sure I'd include Meddle in their as "avant-garde" zphage, but I agree with you on the larger point. And definitely, AHM, Ummagumma and More (as well as the large amount of live work they conducted in 68-70) was hugely important for the nascent ascendency of the avant-garde, 'art'-rock movement. Much as a lot of the Krautrock bands (yes, you Can) liked to dismiss them out of hand - the two tours Floyd did of Europe in 68/69 & 70 were the foundation blocks of a lot of subsequent Kosmiche stylings.

Its easy to forget, in light of their later work, just how crucial the immediate post-Syd Floyd was.
zphage
zphage
3378 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 16:45
Possibly, but most people skip it, and did not buy the "White album" for wierdness.
coldrumhead
608 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 17:28
zphage wrote:
Possibly, but most people skip it, and did not buy the "White album" for wierdness.


Exactly...how subversive to stick such an avant garde track on the album?
Dog 3000
Dog 3000
4611 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 18:25
Meddle's pretty much just "space rock" -- not much "avant" about it. The start of their classic run which lasted until the end of the decade.

I don't think Umma or AHM sold very well in the states (did they chart well in Europe?) -- I'd have to agree "Revolution #9" got a lot more "penetration" into the public mind on this side of the pond.

Zappa's records had their avant moments too (Lumpy Gravy, bits of Weasels, "Nasal Retentive Calliope Music") and I believe these records sold more in the US than Floyd in the 60's.

Believe it or not Floyd's first album to reach the top 50 stateside was Obscurred By Clouds (so they did have some popularity-momentum going even before DSOTM) -- while I'm not sure Saucer or Atom Heart charted at all.

"Saucerful of Secrets" also has plenty of avant-ness (in the title track especially), and for that matter "Interstellar Overdrive" is pretty far out (starts like a surf instrumental, but that part in the middle is still practically a one of a kind moment in "rock.")
zphage
zphage
3378 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 18:43
Ummagumma went Gold in'74, platinum '94

Atom Heart Mother Gold in '94

Shine On Box gold 93; platinum 96


zappa only two gold, not relevant ones.
coldrumhead
608 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 18:53
zphage wrote:
Ummagumma went Gold in'74, platinum '94

Atom Heart Mother Gold in '94

Shine On Box gold 93; platinum 96


zappa only two gold, not relevant ones.


Only after the stateside success of Dark Side Of The Moon...
zphage
zphage
3378 posts

Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 18:56
Definitely because of Dark Side, but that got the albums into mainstream fans' hands who otherwise probably not have sought them out.
keith a
9564 posts

Edited Dec 18, 2007, 22:57
Re: Pink Floyd '69 '70 '71
Dec 18, 2007, 22:54
I'm sorry but there's nothing 'pretty wild' about Meddle. It's Jean Michel Jarre for people with long hair!
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