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Looks nice but it's a bad trip...
There’s some things in life that don’t age well. And this is one of them.
At face value the prospect of contemporary footage of Syd Barrett’s original Pink Floyd is pretty mouth watering. Unfortunately the reality is something of a yawn.
What you get on this hour-long disc is a live version of Interstellar Overdrive (17 minutes) and Nicks’ Boogie (12 minutes) – plus typically 60’s interviews with Mick Jagger, Michael Caine, Julie Christie and David Hockney. Frankly, they’re all spouting bollocks (too much free love or drugs), although David Hockney is, as ever, supremely entertaining.
As for the Floyd footage, Interstellar Overdrive is a million miles removed from the studio version that appeared on Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. For the most part it’s little more than a freeform jam with everyone doing their own thing and Syd seeing how many sounds he can get out of his guitar. It might have been great if you were on acid, but stone cold sober almost 40 years on it doesn’t cut mustard. Nor does Nick’s Boogie which is simply more of the same.
Interestingly when used on the disc as the score for contemporary London scene footage it sort of works. But unless you were into Floyd around that time, are particularly interested in the period, or are thinking of tripping on acid then I’d advise giving this a wide birth. And for those who only know of the Gilmour line up don’t even think about it.
But as with anything Floyd, it’s beautifully packaged which is almost enough to make you want to indulge. But you have been warned.
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Review by Pete Whalley
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