Anyway the wind blows....

FLOYD IN NUMBERS

£60 million: ticket gross for 1994 last US tour

35 million: global sales for 1973 opus Dark Side of the Moon

17 million: The Wall (1979) total world sales

10 million: Wish You Were Here (1975) world sales 6 million: Animals (1977)/A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) world sales

591 consecutive weeks in the US chart for Dark Side of the Moon from 1973 to 1988

15 consecutive weeks at US albums No 1 for The Wall

Ten things you may not know about "The Wall"

1. The three best songs, "Young Lust", "Run Like Hell" and "Comfortably Numb", were co-written by Waters and Gilmour. The latter two songs had their roots in the sessions for Gilmour's eponymous debut solo album, recorded in France in January 1978, but subsequently omitted from that album.
2. According to CBS logs, the recording of "The Wall" took the Floyd 1,279 hours (or more than 53 days) at Producer's Workshop alone!
3. "The Wall" sound system - a 109dB, 150kW quad affair - was the most advanced of its time, while the on-stage wall edifice itself was 160 feet wide, 35 feet high, and comprised 340 bricks "laid" by roadies and concealed hydraulics. The 45 tons of stage equipment included a crashing plane, and giant puppets and inflatable, with the pig hauled out every night just before "Run Like Hell".
4. "In The Flesh", which introduced each show, was played not by Pink Floyd but a "surrogate band" wearing masks, with Waters singing. The band consisted of ex-Status Quo's Andy Bown (bass), Willie Wilson (drums), Peter Wood (keyboards) and Snowy White (guitar; later Andy Roberts). Backing singers were John Joyce, Joe Chemay, Jim Haas and Jim Farber. Apparently, Wilson was taken ill just on the first night of the Earls Court run and had to be replaced by a roadie named Clive.
5. Each show was 'compered' by a MC. In L.A., it was Cynthia Fox and Jim Ladd; Dortmund, Wili Tomsik; London and New York, Gary Yudman.
6. Within a year, "The Wall" sold over two million LP's and tapes in the UK. Worldwide sales are now in excess of 22 million, and "The Wall" is the biggest-selling double LP ever.
7. The single from The Wall film, "When The Tigers Broke Free" (originally titled "Overture") was released at the time in a triple-gatefold sleeve, and remains unreleased on commercial CD. It was backed with a re-recording of "Bring The Boys Back Home".
8. The Floyd rehearsed their shows at Paramount Studios in L.A. 90 minutes' worth of these rehearsals (from 1st February 1980, taking in "The Thin Ice" through to "The Show Must Go On") have appeared on bootleg CDs. These recordings offer a fascinating insight into the complexity of the staging, while Waters remains remarkably calm throughout.
9. There are several collectable "Wall"-related publications, including concert programmes from 1980/81; a programme for the Berlin show; and a book of photos from the film.
10. The Wall movie has been transferred to DVD and, reportedly, Roger Waters worked with James Guthrie on the sound mixing.

# posted by Sreejith Narayanan @ 5:53 AM