Pink Floyd’s Pulse DVD
THE DVD: “Pulse” (Sony)
PERFORMER: Pink Floyd
WEBSITE: here
Get the last Floyd fix you’ll ever need with the recently released “Pulse” 2-Disc DVD set. If you had the 1994 concert CD set of the same name, filmed at Earls Court in London, you thought that blinking light on the case would never burn out. (The same way you had felt about the idealism of your youth, or the feeling that there was some benevolent force in rock music that could truly unite millions.) Well, after Pulse (released 7/11) had one of the top three opening sales weeks of any music DVD in history, opening at No. 1 on both sides of the pond, at least the latter sentiment still seems true.
The impressive DVD set features the entire 22-song set from the “Pulse” CDs, including the first ever audiovisual performance of The Dark Side of The Moon, in its entirety, remastered in Dolby Digital 5.1, and re-edited for 2006. The inside sleeve and artwork is done by longtime Floyd filmer Storm Thorgerson, so it keeps with traditional surrealist Floyd themes. The DVD menu selection chart in the sleeve, swamped with Floyd footage options, looks more like a FEMA funchart than something you were meant to enjoy. Suffice it to say, this fix is worth $20.
With a live Floyd show, you get to see the light show, and of course, hear the music. With this DVD set, you also get over 20 videos, original screen films from the ’70s (which predate the MTV era), and alternate versions not yet seen by your eyeballs. Check out the high-minded and haunting video made for “High Hopes” to have your noodle sent reeling. The one made for “Us and Them” is cool, too. These videos do for the songs what Michael Stipe (of R.E.M., known for ambitious concept videos) said they should: add to what the songs mean to the fans, not take away.
“Say Goodbye To Life As We Know It” is a tour documentary from the 1994 Division Bell Tour, complete with beer drinkin’ hotel room trashin’ (a lamp is sacrificed), bathroom-to-bathroom footage, and general time killin’ fun. Ever wonder what it would look like to get hit in the eye with one of their lasers? Check it out, it’s scary. They shoot one directly into a camera.
The “Bootlegging the Bootleggers” footage isn’t about our country’s 20th Century heroes. No, it’s live footage of the “Pulse” show shot from the crowd’s perspective. This is right up the alley of all fans of raw concert recordings, like your humble narrator. There’s also a cover art section, so you can check on those old records, too.
One of the cooler parts of the set is footage of Billy Corgan (of Smashing Pumpkins fame) inducting Pink Floyd into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996. Corgan gives heartfelt reflections on the band’s influence on him growing up, and on the (now) late Syd Barrett. Then, Corgan joins David Gilmour and Richard Wright for a version of “Wish You Were Here.” Goosebumps ensue.
For those of you who will never see Pink Floyd live, or can never seem to get that perfect Floyd fix, this should do you. To see Pink Floyd’s video for “High Hopes,” click here. To see the live version of one of my favorite Floyd songs, “Coming Back to Life,” click here.
— Nick2
August 24th, 2006 at 9:11 am
I was on shrooms one time, watching Delicate Sound of Thunder, and I remember thinking “Why didn’t these guys change the world?”
Then I remembered I was shroomin’, and should keep my mouth shut.
August 25th, 2006 at 4:07 am
No mention of the fact that this is “Faux Floyd”, sans Roger Waters, the chief songwriter? You’re falling down the job a bit there. This DVD is a very good record of what was basically a Pink Floyd tribute band, performing a very elaborate show that tried to use bells and whistles to cover up the fact that the soul of the group was not on stage.
Pulse is half of the Floyd experience. “In The Flesh” by Roger Waters is the other half. On their own, they each leave a lot to be desired.
It’d be nice if they’d dig out some of the films of the real Pink Floyd performing “The Wall”, and restore those to DVD quality with Dolby 5.1 sound.
“Pulse” is an unsatisfying, incomplete glimpse at what was one of the great bands of all time. Only recommended for the completist.
August 25th, 2006 at 8:50 pm
THIS DVD IS AN AMAZING MUSICAL EXPERIENCE- EVEN WHEN VIEWED SOBER. PINK FLOYD HAS TO BE ONE OF THE GREATEST BANDS OF ALL TIME.
NOT ONLY WAS THE MUSIC FANTASTIC VISUAL STIMULATION WAS UP TO PAR. IF YOU HAVE ANY TASTE IN MUSIC YOU WOULD AGREE THIS DVD IS A CLASSIC.
August 26th, 2006 at 7:49 am
Actually, if you have any taste in music, you’d agree with the second anonymous post. And Molly, why all the yelling?
There are films of the real Pink Floyd peforming in concert—they were a great band, and it does a disservice to their memory to present “Dave Gilmour and Friends” as Pink Floyd.
The bonuses on the DVD make it worth getting, but the main concert is still just half of the key members of the band.
It would be like calling a Wings concert DVD “The Beatles Live”.
And what exactly does being sober have to do with enjoying the music? Do you routinely have to get drunk in order to appreciate music? Doesn’t that say something about the music you listen to, if you you need to get baked first?
What does “up to par” mean? I always thought it meant “average” or “adequate”. When you say “VISUAL STIMULATION WAS UP TO PAR” do you mean that with all the films and the big round screen and pyro and smoke that the visuals during the concert were only average? That’s sad. Pink Floyd was NEVER average.
I agree with “anonymous 2″. I was lucky enough to see the real Pink Floyd during “The Wall Tour” where a 30-foot high wall was built on stage during the show–only to come down at the end. That was Pink Floyd, and films from that tour should be released on DVD. “Pulse” was lame when it came out ove ten years ago, and while the DVD extras make it attractive, it still isn’t the real thing.
–the debbil
August 29th, 2006 at 7:14 pm
I’m glad to see so many people STILL care about their Floyd Fix, even if the quality of the fix may not be what it used to be.
As for being a tribute band, they’re (or were at that point) still one of the best tribute bands ever, no?
I would’ve loved to see Floyd back in the day. I got to see Waters do it on PBS, in Germany, I think.
Hopefully, this review will at least get people (younger, maybe) interested in Floyd, then, looking back on all their work.
Thanks for the comments.