On the eve of yet another version of rock’s stalwart musical The Wall, I figured I would listen to the 1979 original – the version that is the foundation for every reissue, movie and new tour with accompanying live album that has come out over the last 35 years. You see, Roger Waters has a new live film and album (Roger Waters The Wall, out November 20) and apparently there’s some new light to shine on “his” greatest work.
You see, as much as I love PINK FLOYD – and I actually do – I think ol’ Rog’s trotting out another version either to: a) Cut David Gilmour out of the revenue stream, or b) Get me to start hating him. Just like remakes of great old movies or modern soundtracks of classic musicals, there’s no reason to have at it again. Sure, I’m a sucker for a nicely remastered reissue of an original version of something great, but I don’t need to hear Waters’ – what, third? – crack at Floyd’s masterpiece.
I’ll say this, too. In listening to The Wall (2009 remaster on CD) today, I honestly didn’t remember it being so fucking depressing! Great songs aside (the best ones are the ones they still play to death on classic rock radio), this 2LP/2CD album is one helluva downer. I guess I didn’t pay as much attention to the lyrics and the generally downcast, minor key tunes that Waters, Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason put together in 1979 as I do today as a mature adult. Man, I wonder what kind of stuff Waters’ therapist hears!
(no rating because this really isn’t a review) (Capitol; originally Columbia)
NuDisc 