Pink Floyd - jumping the shark?

NEVER, now matter how lost it looks, theres always something new, something strange something thats worth saving the album for.

For example, i Would says, Guilmours Floyd, but there's learning to fly, sorrow, Coming back to life, high hopes, what do you want from me? and so and so, thats worth saving both albums. About A new album, I truly consider the option of a new show, of even (let's put our hands together and pray to our lord) a bands reunion, for Syd Barrets death, I know it would suck, but poor madcap has been sick for a long time, and anything leading to a floyd re-union, can't be that bad 

I agree with Land... they never jumped the shark!!!

Well maybe when Roger put Pink Floyd's name on The Final Cut... but that was just a small moment out of an otherwise flawless career.... I will go on record as saying I just love AMLOR... even the controversial "Dogs of War".  Actually I love that song even more on DSOT... but I still love both of the Post-Waters albums.  Actually The Division Bell is my third favorite PF album after Animals and DSOTM...

Now if we could just convince Dave that he needs to do another one... that would be excellent!!  I just love his guitar on Alan Parson's new cd.... it still wails like no other...

In this case I go with the majoprity of the members who have voted here i believe PF never jumped the shark.

Of course there are great and other not so good or even bad albums (Especially when Roger left), but the sound of Floyd was always present in their music. Surely they changed, but they never sold ot as many other prog' bands did in some moment of their careers.

Even their worst album has a couple of great tracks.

Iván

I see Pink Floyd as four bands (really?) separated by crucial personnel and stylistic differences:

The original Barrett Floyd, a whimsical psychedelic band with incredibly unique acid pop songs, very much a part of the times...but one of the best of its era. I guess hardcore Syd fans would say that Gilmour ruined the band, but the truth is that Syd ruined himself and the band incredibly managed to do a phoenix turn.

The Democratic Floyd (probably a misnomer, but the best I could come up with), an experimental, almost avant-garde band but with deep ties to the blues and pastoral acoustic Englishness. A band truly expanding its horizons, and the horizons of anyone who listened. The most obvious choices to represent the period are Meddle and Ummagumma, but the More OST is possibly an even more pure representation.

The Thoughtful Floyd (or the Waters Floyd, although his domination was less complete at first), a more introspective and chillingly critical band with increasing radio potential despite no punches being pulled...the initial warm eeriness of DSOTM develops into a more hard-hitting but isolated stance, with the songwriting skills finally rivalling their debut album after a decade of more sound-based exploration. I don't care for the Wall or the Final Cut, personally, but that may just be the contempt bred of familiarity.

The Friendly Floyd (or the Gilmour Floyd, or even the Pop Floyd), a less confrontational but increasingly accessible group of mellow middle-aged professionals who know how to compose and perform like few others; they managed to regain the warmth and atmosphere that dwindled a bit after DSOTM even if the actual songs were less essential. Like the Rolling Stones, they can still put on a great show and even release a song or two that stands up to their formidable early discography. My least favorite of the four (although I prefer Division Bell to either the Wall or Final Cut) but I'd still stop well short of dismissing them.

Ah they were rubbish after Waters left.

I can't stand his solo stuff and think he's a miserable, bitter, thoroughly unpleasant indiviodual but Floyd were pretty crap without Roger.

Where's the tension, the angst, the push and pull between magalomaniac miserabilist Water and curmudgeonly axe hero Gilmour. That's the dynamic that made such sweet music from Meddle to The Wall.

Okay, The Final Cut was pushing it a little (it's singularly the most depressing record I've ever heard) but even it has gems like most of the first side and the title track.

Afterwards what was left. Dave Gilmour hooking up with Dream Academy frontman and protege Nick Laid Clowes to write some hopeless words, a drummer who couldn't play anymore and a keyboard player more fragile than a roomful of china. Momentary Lapse is bland and vacuous, Division Bell even more so...

David Gilmour is probably my favourite guitar player on the planet but he's always been a songwriter of very intermittent quality. His solo albums are wishy washy affairs and his guardianship of Floyd has been characterised by the same mediocrity.

I'm no Waters apologist (Radio KAOS makes Division Bell look like Sgt Pepper's) but neither Floyd nor Waters were ever any good without each other. 

And David seems to finally have realised it by putting Floyd out to pasture and setting himself up as an ageing gunslinger for hire. Good man. 

They should all have called it a day after The Final Cut.

Velvetclown wrote: I agree with our Irish friend, same thing with : Fish-Marillion Gabriel-Genesis Neal Morse-Spock´s Beard Some people just can´t be replaced

Wow I find myself agreeing with the Clover Clad fiend on this one!!

I so disagree... The thought that they might of quit after Roger left and we wouldn't have gotten TDB... thats just too sad to contemplate.

Those that say the lyrics to AMLOR or TDB don't measure up to earlier PF works in just looking for grim.  There is nothing wrong with the words on the last 2 PF albums.  AMLOR had "On the Turning Away"... I don't care who wrote it... the words are very emotional, poignant and beautiful.  Sorrow is some of David's finest work... guitar and lyrics..  Atleast when I listen to AMLOR and TDB.. I can hear FLoyd... unlike The Final Cut... where I can't hear them at all.  And that guitar opening from "Coming Back to Life"... thats a sheer moment in ecstasy!

"No more turning away
From the weak and the weary
No more turning away
From the coldness inside
Just a world that we all must share
It's not enough just to stand and stare
Is it only a dream that there'll be
No more turning away?"