If I show you my dark side…

Last week was the fortieth anniversary of Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of the Moon.  Yes, we are all that old.  If you need me to tell you how good the album is, then there probably isn’t much I can do for you.  Just go and listen to it.  It’s streaming on their website, search YouTube, hell, steal it off bittorrent if you have to – they don’t need the money.

One of the many brilliant aspects of the album is the talking throughout various parts of the album, relating to the album’s themes.  They set up a series of cards with questions on them and invited anyone who happened to be around the studio to answer them.   Abbey Road doorman Gerry O’Driscoll provided many of pieces used, including the final statement about the dark side of the moon.  As David Gilmour says in Classic Albums, it’s the people who aren’t used to being interviewed who come up with the goods.  Wings happened to be recording at Abbey Road at the same time and all participated.  Paul and Linda’s answers were too guarded but Henry McCullough made the final mix with the timeless comment, “I don’t know, I was really drunk at the time.”

One of the special trinkets that came with the Immersion edition was Roger Waters’ handwritten recreation of the questions asked.  The first few questions were along the lines of “What is your favourite colour?” just to get people relaxed before getting to the relevant questions.  I very much doubt any of my answers would have been used, but this is what they would have been.

Are you afraid of dying?
Yes, I am.  I know it’s not cool on any level to admit it, but I am – partly because I don’t know what’s on the other side and partly because I don’t want to go before I’ve done everything I want to do.  That’s in addition to natural self-preservation instincts.  Nobody wants to die.  Given the choice, I think we all want to avoid it.

When were you last violent?
Truly, I can’t remember the last time I was violent towards another person.  I’ve always been against violence but I have to admit the primary reason I’m against violence is because I’m so bad at it.  Being against violence would mean more if I were more able to utilise it should I choose to.

Embarrassingly enough, the last time I behaved violently was when someone had pissed me off on the phone and I took out my frustration by beating the arm of the couch with a cushion.  I told you I was bad at violence but we all have violence in us – it’s just a question of how we express it.

Were you in the right?
Of course I was in the right but I would say that, wouldn’t I?

Do you ever think you are going mad?
Regularly – and beyond the usual, “I’m bonkers, me!”  or “everyone’s mad,” thing that everyone does once in a while.  I’ve always felt apart from whatever ‘normal’ is.  Most of the time, I’m happy to embrace that but there are also moments when I don’t feel I have control of what my mind is doing and that is… uncomfortable.

Most of the time though, I see people who are allegedly sane and I don’t want a bar of it.

If no, why?
Well, perhaps thinking you’re mad might be the best indication of sanity.

What do you think of The Dark Side of the Moon?
Fookin’ great album man!