The title track of Atom Heart Mother resulted from a number of instrumental figures the band had composed during these rehearsals, including the chord progression of the main theme, which guitarist David Gilmour had called "Theme from an Imaginary Western", and the earliest documented live performance was on 17 January 1970 at Hull University. A number of out-takes from the Rome sessions were used to assemble new material during these rehearsals, though some of it, such as "The Violent Sequence", later to become " Us and Them", would not be used for some time. They headed back to London in early 1970 for rehearsals. Pink Floyd started work on the album after completing their contributions to the soundtrack for the film Zabriskie Point in Rome, which had ended somewhat acrimoniously. One of the earliest live performances of the album's title track was at this show. Recording Roger Waters onstage at Leeds University, 28 February 1970. Ron Geesin, who had influenced and collaborated with Waters, co-composed to the title track. Ī remastered CD was released in 1994 in the UK and the US, and again in 2011. "A really awful and embarrassing record," said Waters. This was a trend that would continue on subsequent covers throughout the 1970s.Īlthough it was commercially successful on release, the band – particularly Roger Waters and David Gilmour – have expressed negative opinions of the album. The cover was designed by Hipgnosis, and was the band's first not to feature their name, or have photographs of them on any part of it. It was recorded at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London, and was the band's first album to reach number 1 in the UK, while it reached number 55 in the US, eventually going gold there. It was released by Harvest on 2 October 1970 in the UK, and by Capitol on 10 October 1970 in the US. For those who know Pink Floyd solely through lyric dominated albums such as "The Wall" and later "dehydrated" Floyd albums, however, it may come as something of a shock.Atom Heart Mother is the fifth studio album by the English band Pink Floyd. This album is unique and a "must" for any serious Floyd fan. The music is not as strong as the title track, but there is that certain "something" about it (and the album as a whole) that keeps me coming back for more. The album concludes with "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast" another instrumental suite punctuated by sound effects and a backround voice. In my opinion these songs are all stronger then the short songs from Meddle. "If" is memorable as Water's first "list song" and includes possibly his first references to insanity : "If I go insane, please don't put your wires in my brain", and "Fat Old Sun" is a beautiful sleepy Guilour effort. While none of them can be described as "high impact" songs, all three have a haunting simplicity and the best lyrics up to that point. Side 2 of the lp consists of three songs, "If", "Summer of '67" and "Fat old Sun" written by Waters, Wright and Guilmour respectively. The musical themes themselves are both noble and grand in nature and the Suite is, quite simply an astonishing piece of music which is comparable to such modern classics as Holst's "The Planets". Whereas Echoes was built largely on the quality and texture of sound itself, beginning with that repeated and distorted keyboard note, AHM is based on musical themes which are repeated and developed in the classical style throughout the piece. Apart from its length and the fact that it is largely instrumental, it bears little resemblance to "Echoes" from the "Meddle" album. The album opener, "Atom Heart Mother Suite" (side 1 of the lp) is a 23 minute epic. This is largely due to the influence of Ron Geesin who co-wrote the title track and the use of brass instruments and a choir to add texture and colour to the sound. Something of an enigma among their work, this is the one Floyd album which doesn't have the trade mark "Pink Floyd Sound" be it the cosmic / nursery rhyme feel of the Syd Barrett era or the tight, lyrics dominated Roger Waters era. Atom Heart Mother Album Review By James Caulfield"Atom Heart Mother" - best album title and containing the best song title ever : "Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast"!
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