A SAUCERFUL OF SECRETS

Undoubtedly, if I could've lived through that belle époque of the early 70's, instead of been born in the late ones; to witness not only the birth of prog rock but the rise of determinant albums like this altogether, I certainly will sustain a whole different point of view concerning this almost completely written piece by youngster Roger WATERS. Far from giving a complete explanation of why psychedelic rock is retaking a considerable spot among the prog community these days, I rather talk about how come I consider this album and its predecessor, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn", as the implosions that gave birth to prog rock.

Firstly, back then in 1967, the band's first production was catalogued of incorrigibly strident and senseless, which truth be told, was the watermark of prog rock. In the same year, the band composed and arranged three of the seven pieces contained in "A Saucerful of Secrets", which weren't included in "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" due the inconveniences and financial impossibilities the record labels where suffering those days. Due those dry patches the record companies where going through, PINK FLOYD recorded their singles partly and unevenly with different musical seals, in that order they recorded "Remember a Day", "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" and "Jugband Blues" with Westminster Music Ltd. and the rest of the record with Lupus Music Ltd. in 1968. Eventually, the band gave the music industry "A Saucerful of Secrets", occupying the empty seat of the "see-saw" to lift "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" off the ground. The record companies gave the band fair recognition and fought over which would be the first one to get the quartet to sign a new record deal.

Secondly, and beyond the interminable discussions regarding "which was the first prog band ever?", I'm just gonna limit myself to setting the basis of why I consider them the fathers of prog rock. Maybe in 1966, some bands appealed to prog rock released a single before PINK FLOYD did, but that didn't mean those bands were assumed to be blanketed underneath the progressive rock trend wing and contemplate them as precursors. PINK FLOYD set the basis and the parameters from where rock was going to be considered as progressive or not, and they still do, no matter if it's been over ten years from their last studio release. The band commanded in the very beginning by Syd BARRET, then by Roger WATERS during the providential stage of the band and by David GILMOUR afterwards the inevitable split up, started to stand up somewhere in between the prominent musicians of that time like Bob DYLAN, Frank ZAPPA or THE BEATLES, by proposing and establishing new musical trends. The PINK FLOYD albums proceeding "A Saucerful of Secrets" contain the pure essence of the band and the key parts for the creation of masterpieces such as "Meddle", "The Dark Side of the Moon", "Wish You Were Here", "Animals". all crafted under the initial psychedelic rock alignments the English band was founded on.

"A Saucerful of Secrets" is a very underestimated album. Pieces like "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" still have reminiscences not only in our minds when relating PINK FLOYD to a specific stage of their successful career, but in the compilation, live, remastered albums, proving they have prevailed no matter how many years they carry on they shoulders. Excellent album that certainly was way to many steps ahead the nowadays musical achievements and an incomparable piece of work. Masterfully interpreted, irremediably a point of departure to many incoming bands, a must definitely. PINK FLOYD at its best.