Rockonteurs is a podcast all about the real stories behind real music.
Presented by Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets / Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp, who wrote and performed megahits like ‘Gold’ and ‘True’, and Guy Pratt, a bass player who shaped songs for the likes of Madonna and Pink Floyd & David Gilmour, you’ll hear exclusive stories of life on the road, in the studio and what really happened behind the scenes from artists who wrote, performed and produced the some of the biggest classic rock and pop tracks of all time.
Rockonteurs is a podcast all about the real stories behind real music.
This weeks upcoming episode is Number 84 and features guest Kenney Jones
Pink Floyd drummer and co-founder Nick Mason, bassist Guy Pratt, guitarists Gary Kemp and Lee Harris, and keyboardist Dom Beken perform live with their band Saucerful Of Secrets.They have just completed their 2022 The Echoes Tour UK Dates.
The band were welcomed each night to critical acclaim, opening in Dublin, Ireland on April the 13th and concluding on May 11th in Croydon, England.
The current tour is named ‘The Echoes Tour‘ , which is a pun on the B-side of Pink Floyd’s 1971 Meddle record, with the entire B-side being taken up by the 23 minute ‘Echoes‘ Masterpiece, which was to be the pinnacle of the Saucerful Of Secrets current tour.
Nick Mason's Saucerful Of Secrets - Echoes (live in London MULTICAM)
Phil Manzanera (Roxy Music), Mark Radcliffe (BBC Radio 2 Presenter), Tim Renwick (Co Guitars Pink Floyd 1987-2005), Mike Rutherford (Genesis), and Willie Watson (Surrogate Band Drummer Pink Floyd The Wall Tour) were among those in attendance throughout the various dates.
A statement released on May 12th on social media reads:
” Thanks so much to everyone who came along to our UK and Ireland tour, which finished last night in Croydon. We had a fantastic time! During the show, Nick managed to surprise the rest of the band with a special t-shirt, which he revealed in the second half. In the last few shows, Gary has been commenting on the different band shirts he’s seen in the audience, but had realised he’d not seen anyone wearing a Spandau Ballet one. As he said this, in Croydon, Nick unbuttoned his normal white shirt, to reveal what was beneath, to some shock and hilarity amongst his bandmates who had no idea! “
Our tour rooms are currently under development, but full tour coverage will be available in the not so distant future. Keep checking AFG for updates.
On April 8, 2022, Pink Floyd released a new song entitled Hey Hey, Rise Up. It is based on the 1914 Ukrainian anthem, “Oh, the Red Viburnum in the Meadow,” and features vocals in Ukrainian by Andriy Khlyvnyuk of the Ukrainian band BoomBox.
The track is the first entirely new piece of music recorded by Pink Floyd since 1994 and was written to show support for Ukraine against the current invasion by Russia.
To further support this, Pink Floyd have announced a Hey Hey, Rise Up clothing and accessory collection.
Pre-orders are available globally, with all net proceeds going towards humanitarian relief!
Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason - Outside The Wall, Live @ O2 Arena HD
On this day in 2011, Nick Mason joined David Gilmour in a guest appearance at Roger Waters‘ Wall concert at London’s O2 Arena, with Nick performing Outside The Wall on tambourine alongside David, who also played guitar on Comfortably Numb.
This marked the last time the 3 surviving members of Pink Floyd appeared on stage together.
Fifteen years ago today, London’s Barbican was the scene of Madcap’s Last Laugh, a tribute to the late Syd Barrett.
This incredible event was a tribute to the late Roger “Syd” Barrett, produced by Nick Laird-Clowes (of Dream Academy) with associate producer Joe Boyd (early Pink Floyd’s producer and founder of legendary UFO club in London).
The show is notorious for featuring surprise performances from Roger Waters himself with Jon Carin then the entire 1994 Pink Floyd line-up (David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Nick Mason) Which was to be Rick Wrights last performance with the band due to his subsequent death in September 2008
The numerous other artists performing Syd Barrett’s music included Damon Albarn (Blur/Gorillaz), Chrissie Hynde (The Pretenders), The Bees, Vashti Bunyan, Captain Sensible, Robyn Hitchcock. The house band included Andy Bell (bass, Oasis), Simon Finley (drums, Echo & The Bunnymen) and Ted Barnes (guitar, Beth Orton). A remarkably fitting tribute !
Here’s Pink Floyd’s performance of Arnold Layne seen that night, It was later released as part of Pink Floyd’s : The Later Years Boxset.
Pink Floyd - Arnold Layne (Live at The Barbican 2007)
In addition Pink Floyd & Roger Waters long term collaborator Jon Carin recently shared his memories of this show on his social media page.
” This was a beautiful night. Honoring Syd Barrett was something many people were thrilled to do. The musical director job was given to the wonderful Nick Laird-Clowes by Joe Boyd. Nick did such a great job. It was a lot to take on & he did it with extraordinary enthusiasm, organization & class.
For me, it was a busy night. I was to play Flickering Flame with Roger Waters, Arnold Lane with the rest of Pink Floyd, Astronomy Domine with Captain Sensible & Bike with the full ensemble, run back & forth between all of them, rehearse a new bass player, the amazing Andy Bell, who absolutely nailed it, and spread calming vibes to the extremely uncalm.
It was one of those evenings that if you missed out, you may possibly regret it forever. The impact that Syd had on everyone involved, even those who had never met him, but just loved his music, was evident everywhere that night. Roger & I came out & he made a speech that nearly brought me to tears in public. I seriously nearly lost it.
I could tell he was full of emotion, always the spokesman, conscience, heart & leader of the band, even to this day.
And his choice of song was perfect. Not yet another Syd cover, but a carefully & thoughtfully chosen statement on the deep sadness of friends who have passed on. It was intense to say the least.
Backstage was insane. Old friends everywhere. Martha Wainwright, who I had spent a year collaborating with and co-wrote with her on her debut record, was there with her family to sing & many more.
In the end, it was a gorgeous evening and one I cherish. Also poingnant as it was Rick’s last live performance. x ” – Jon Carin
British rock band Pink Floyd is exploring a sale of its recorded music catalog, which includes some of the best-selling albums in history.
Representatives for the band have reached out to potential buyers, according to three people familiar with the matter who asked to not be identified because the discussions are private. The process began in the last few days, and it’s too early to know what the outcome will be, they said. Representatives of the band didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Pink Floyd is looking to capitalize on what has been a frothy market for music rights and score a deal worth hundreds of millions of dollars. Just last year, Bob Dylan sold his recordings to Sony Music in a deal estimated to be worth more than $150 million. Deals for songwriting catalogs have eclipsed $300 million.
While the market for some music rights has begun to soften, that shouldn’t hurt a band like Pink Floyd. The group has sold 75 million records in the U.S. alone, the 10th most of any artist, according to the Recording Industry Association of America. That’s about twice as many as Dylan.
The band formed in 1965 under the direction of then lead singer Syd Barrett, who left three years later. The group continued, producing a string of popular albums and tours in the 1970s. Their 1973 release, “The Dark Side of the Moon,” is one of the top-selling records in history.
Singer and bassist Roger Waters left the band in 1985 and later sued his fellow band mates over their use of the name.
Waters and the rest of the crew have squabbled over the years as the band, led by guitarist David Gilmour, continued to release records. Keyboardist Richard Wright died in 2008. Both Waters and drummer Nick Mason are touring this year as solo artists.
The last Pink Floyd album, “The Endless River,” came out in 2014. Gilmour and Mason released a song last month under the Pink Floyd name to support Ukraine following the Russian invasion.
Last month Snowy White announced a brand new album, ‘Driving on the 44‘ is the latest release planned by the former Thin Lizzy guitarist who is closely associated with Pink Floyd. From 1977’s “In The Flesh” and 1980-81’s “The Wall” tours, and later as a member of Roger Waters’ touring band from the 1990s’ “The Wall Live In Berlin” to 2016’s “Desert Trip,”
‘Driving on the 44‘ scheduled for release on July 22nd, 2022, is the first album in 3 years from Snowy White, known for his very own ‘English‘ blues style, which is characterized by clear, no-frills blues phrases, which he refines with harder riffs. The songs come across as very direct, human, and authentic—as if he wanted to address every listener personally. Few master this art as well as the British guitarist and singer.
Dave Kilminster, lead guitarist of Roger Waters Touring Band, has just announced his participation with the band Manta Vega, which aims to raise funds for the DEC Ukraine Appeal.
“We See You” is an offering of hope, love, and solidarity to our brothers and sisters in Ukraine and anyone on any part of this planet who is suffering due to the impact of this, or any war.
Released on the 7th May 2022, “We See You” is available exclusively on Bandcamp and for a limited time only.
Included in the We See You package is a Song Sheet pdf along with a Global Sing-Along mix of the track, where you can sing along in your own language if you wish!
To purchase and support this great cause, you can do so by Clicking Here to be taken to the official release bandcamp page.
Rockonteurs is a podcast all about the real stories behind real music.
Presented by Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets / Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp, who wrote and performed megahits like ‘Gold’ and ‘True’, and Guy Pratt, a bass player who shaped songs for the likes of Madonna and Pink Floyd & David Gilmour, you’ll hear exclusive stories of life on the road, in the studio and what really happened behind the scenes from artists who wrote, performed and produced the some of the biggest classic rock and pop tracks of all time.
Rockonteurs is a podcast all about the real stories behind real music.
This weeks upcoming episode is Number 83 and features guestNeil Finn