28.08.2007: Guy Pratt interviewte für Planet Rock anlässlich des 40jährigen Jubiläums von The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, das Pink Floyd Gründungsmitglied und seinen Schwiegervater Rick Wright. Das Gespräch ging sehr locker voran Guy Pratts Humor kam immer wieder durch und so lachten beide desöfteren. 55 Minuten lang erzählte Wright über die Aufnahmesessions, den Beatles die nebenan an Sgt. Pepper´s arbeiteten und natürlich Syd Barrett.

Transcript vom A Fleeting Glimpse Forum:

Lucifer Sam plays ...

GUY PRATT: I caught up with Rick Wright, which wasn’t hard because he doesn’t run that fast, to talk about the making of Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. First thing I asked Rick was, what does he remember first about going into the studio to record that album. Actually, it’s quite funny ‘cos I recently had to MC at Storm Thorgerson’s book at the Abbey Road studios and I talked about PF’s rich history of recording at Abbey Road for 40 years its been now and it was quite funny because Rick asked me where the gents was and it was and I thought well how long do you have to work somewhere to figure that out.

RICK WRIGHT: My general recollection was that it was our first album. We had already done Arnold Layne as a single but, umm, incredibly exciting time actually to go into the studio because we were on a huge learning curve at that point and, er, my memories, it’s, it’s very curious because, I just recently read an interview with Norman Smith who did the album and er, we all have our memories coloured if you like and I always thought it was a wonderful most happiest time, you know one of the most happiest times of my life recording this album. Normally it’s a bit different umm but to answer your question it was incredibly exciting going to Abbey Road and making our first album.

GUY PRATT: So were you quite intimidated by the thought of being in the studio …

RICK WRIGHT: No I don’t think we were intimidated. Well, I speak for myself. Just incredibly excited about actually going to a proper studio and emi allowing us to record this album

GUY PRATT: and is it true that you were there at the same time as the Beatles were doing Sergeant Pepper?

RICK WRIGHT: Er, yes, ahha

GUY PRATT: And did you get to pop into any of their sessions

RICK WRIGHT: I seem to remember, I think ’m sure I heard Day In Life going on while we were doing our sessions which is one of my favourite tracks by The Beatles and we certainly … and I know Paul McCartney would pop into our studio … only Paul. And I’m not sure which track it was, what was the name … er, Lily?

GUY PRATT: No, Rita.

RICK WRIGHT: Rita! Lovely Rita! I think they were doing that when we went in. And they were all very nice and er John Lennon, he was my hero, even then, as was Syd’s actually and he was very kind of cool, but Paul McCartney was extremely nice and would come back into our studio and er … so it was pretty amazing that we were doing our first album and I think the Beatles were possibly creating one of their best albums of all time.

GUY PRATT: How was Syd at the time …

RICK WRIGHT: He was still well. I think he was in the process of getting ill, erm but sure he was so creative and he was writing the most amazing songs. Norman Smith was introduced as our producer.

GUY PRATT: He was assigned to you by EMI …

RICK WRIGHT: yes, yes and the situation was ok that we were sign to EMI you need a prod I mean people who are now today seeing how the music business works erm would be quite surprised how different it was in those days. You had to have a producer. Now, we had a clear idea of what we wanted to do and the EMI producer which happened to be Norman Smith, which helped us a lot, had also a clear idea of what should be done which was to make as many hit singles as possible on the album … no longer than 3 minutes long, and so his role was to try and get Syd’s song into some kind of shape they would be played on the radio. The band had no intention of doing that, so already there was a conflict.

GUY PRATT: …

RICK WRIGHT: Well the interesting thing is that I only listened to this album 3 weeks ago in its entirety, since it was released, because obviously it’s umm 40 years and it’s being released again and I hadn’t really listened to the whole thing and it’s quite interesting because there’s all of these wonderful bizarre songs of Syd’s and there’s also the live performance like we played at the UFO, which was Astronomy Domine, Power Toc H, Interstellar Overdrive, which is how we actually played live and then we never played Syd’s song live. Basically, as you know Arnold Layne, was the first time on David’s tour and has never been played before.

GUY PRATT: …

RICK WRIGHT: EMI wanted another pop band. The producer, Norman Smith, was trying to find a hit single from Syd´s songs. We’d already done See Emily play … interestingly enough was recorded at the same time but wasn’t on the album.

GUY PRATT:

RICK WRIGHT: And so we were going against the whole way things were done in those days. Syd’s way of writing songs was pretty unique. He would write from lyrics first of all. He wouldn’t think of any time signatures, so he would sing words and put rhythm to the words and they you had to put the chords behind it. You’re a musician so you understand this.

GUY PRATT:

RICK WRIGHT: So then you come to a problem.

GUY PRATT: Says something about Dominoes.

RICK WRIGHT: Yes, Dominoes exactly. So there was no real time structure to a lot of his songs. So half of the problem actually for all us was how to put Syd’s songs down in some kind of time signature. So Norman was constantly trying to do that, but Syd was only interested in the rhythm and the words and his chord … guitar structure would just go behind the rhythm and the words which made a very interesting way of recording I have to say.

GUY PRATT: … a question is read out

RICK WRIGHT: Well, is that what I said. They are pretty weird

GUY PRATT: At this point, the recording can’t be heard

RICK WRIGHT: Oh yes, he diminished … demolished chord. Actually that chord is probably from my jazz background.

More to follow ...

Info: Brain Damage, Transcript von A Fleeting Glimpse