THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN

Pink Floyd
August 1967
EMI
Produced by Norman Smith


Here's what happened. A friend told me he was at some music store where he met an acquaintance looking to buy himself some Pink Floyd. At the time, the band had just released The Division Bell, so the friend of a friend was hesitating between this new release or an older album.

He stumbled upon Piper, the first album. So now he was torn between the Floyd's first release and its latest output. So, he asked my buddy what album to choose. Since my friend was no fan of either psychedelic music or sixties music in general he recommended The Division Bell. It didn't help that he never actually listened to Piper despite my almost messianic faith in promoting the album to him. So his mate bought Division Bell instead.

Now, all of you raise your hands please: how many of you still listen to The Division Bell? OK, now who still listens to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn?

So, my when my friend told me of this incident I seriously contemplated having him confined to an insane asylume possibly for the rest of his life. But then, I am defenitely biased on the Barrett-era Floyd. Later on, I thought about what would have happened if I were to witness this encounter. Politely, I would have let my friend state his case, and then I would counter with the following argument:

"OK, let's see. The Division Bell, it's new, it's slickly produced, it sounds and looks modern (twenty years ago modern) and there's probably quite a few very good tracks here and there. Some of them may even be up to par with PF's best material. Now, Piper. It's old, some of it sounds very dated and that's because it was made in another time, another place (and Gilmour's not even on it). If you don't listen to old albums, you may even find it very difficult to get into. Much more difficult than, say, Division Bell. Yet, if you're anything like me, here's what's gonna happen. You'll listen to Division Bell a couple of time, probably even going to like it. But, do you remember A Momentary Lapse of Reason? Sure you do, but do you still listen to it, apart from 'Learning to Fly' the hit single? Probably not. You may not like Piper at first listen. But you'll meet people who keeps mentioning this record to you. Mentioning a guy like Syd Barrett and how that part of Pink Floyd's career was special and like nothing else the band ever did. So you'll give it another try. And another. And another. Why? Because it's special, it's unique. Not only compared to Floyd's later output, but compared to other sixties psych records. Some of the songs will stick into your head ans stay there. Ten years down the line, you'll probably give Piper another spin or two while The Division Bell is gathering dust on your record shelf. Piper is the sound of a new band, trying new things at a time when everybody and his goddamned brother were trying new things. Division Bell is the sound of old pros, who hasn't got anything to prove anymore, who are not trying new stuff, but merely expanding on a formula that had gone stale years ago. It's an album by a band that doesn't care anymore (incidently, Division Bell is indeed Floyd's last album of original material). So, are you looking for short-term investment? or long-term?"

Unfortunately that exchange never took place and I could not state my claim. On the other hand, if anyone out there is hesistating between Piper and latter-day Floyd albums, the argument still stands (in fact, I find that very few Pink Floyd fans listen to their last two albums anymore. Ah ah. Vindicated at last).