"Meddle" Album Description:
In the vibrant landscape of 1971 Italy, where artistic expression and musical innovation were reaching new heights, Pink Floyd's "Meddle" emerged as a masterpiece that resonated with the spirit of the times. This article delves into the significance of the 2nd release of the album on 12" vinyl, under the EMI Harvest label (catalog number: 3C 064-04917), examining its unique production details and the cultural context in which it thrived.
Production and Authenticity:
The stamped codes 04917 A 17-9-7 II / 04917 B 20-10-77 III reveal the intricate details of the manufacturing process, providing enthusiasts with valuable insights into the album's production timeline. The meticulous craftsmanship of the vinyl, bearing the S.I.A.E. (Società Italiana degli Autori ed Editori) stamp, adds an authentic touch, highlighting its compliance with Italian copyright regulations.
The Gatefold/FOC (Fold Open Cover) Album Cover Design, a hallmark of 1970s vinyl packaging, unfolds to reveal a captivating full-page photograph of Pink Floyd band members. This visual element, accompanied by the iconic EMI Italia S.P.A. and EMI Harvest logos, not only enhances the album's aesthetic appeal but also serves as a snapshot of the era's graphic design sensibilities.
Cultural Context:
Against the backdrop of the early '70s, Italy was experiencing a cultural renaissance, marked by a fusion of traditional values and progressive ideologies. The music scene, in particular, was witnessing a dynamic shift, with artists experimenting with new sounds and pushing the boundaries of conventional genres. Pink Floyd's "Meddle" found itself in the midst of this musical revolution, contributing to the evolving landscape.
The album, with its innovative sonic explorations, resonated with a generation seeking auditory experiences beyond the mainstream. Tracks like "Echoes" showcased the band's ability to craft expansive soundscapes, pushing the boundaries of what was deemed possible in the realm of rock music.
Band Members and Musicians on: Pink Floyd Meddle Italy |
Pink Floyd's Band/Musicians
- Roger Waters - bass
- Roger Waters – Bass, vocals, songwriter
Roger Waters is the guy I blame (politely) when a Pink Floyd song stops being “spacey vibes” and starts staring straight through you with lyrics that feel like a courtroom cross-examination. Read more... Roger Waters is, to my ears, Pink Floyd’s razor-edged storyteller: bassist, singer, and the main lyric engine who pushed the band from psychedelic drift into big, human-scale themes. His key band period is Pink Floyd (1965–1985), where he became the dominant writer through the 1970s and early 1980s, before leaving and launching a long solo career (1984–present). After years of public tension, he briefly reunited with Pink Floyd for a one-off performance at Live 8 in London on 2 July 2005—basically the musical equivalent of spotting a comet: rare, bright, and gone again. Since the late 1990s he’s toured extensively under his own name, staging huge concept-driven shows that revisit Floyd classics like "The Dark Side of the Moon" (notably on the 2006–2008 tour) and "The Wall" (2010–2013), because apparently subtlety is not the point when you’ve got something to say.
- Nick Mason - percussion
- Nick Mason – Drums, percussion
Nick Mason is the steady heartbeat I always come back to in Pink Floyd: the only constant member since the band formed in 1965, quietly holding the whole weird universe together while the rest of the planet argues about everything else. Read more... Nick Mason is Pink Floyd’s drummer, co-founder, and the one guy who never clocked out: his main performing period with Pink Floyd runs from 1965 to the present, and he’s the only member to appear across every Pink Floyd album. Outside the mothership, he’s had a very “I’m not done yet” second act: in 2018 he formed Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets (2018–present) to bring the band’s early psychedelic years back to the stage. He’s also stepped out under his own name with projects like the solo album "Nick Mason’s Fictitious Sports" (released 1981), which is basically him taking a left turn into jazz-rock just to prove he can. And yes, he was part of that blink-and-you-miss-it full-band moment at Live 8 in London in 2005, when the classic lineup briefly reunited and reminded everyone why this band still haunts people.
- Dave Gilmour - guitars, vocals
- David Gilmour – Guitar, vocals
David Gilmour is the voice-and-fingers combo I hear whenever Pink Floyd turns from “spacey” into straight-up cinematic: he joined in 1967 and basically helped define what “guitar tone with emotions” even means. Read more... David Gilmour is, for me, the calm center of Pink Floyd’s storm: an English guitarist, singer, and songwriter whose playing can feel gentle and devastating in the same bar. His earliest band period worth name-dropping is Jokers Wild (1964–1967), before he stepped into Pink Floyd in 1967 as Syd Barrett’s situation unraveled. From there his main performing era is Pink Floyd (1967–1995), including the post-Roger Waters years where the band continued under his leadership and released "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" (1987) and "The Division Bell" (1994), with a later studio coda in "The Endless River" (2014). Outside Floyd, he’s had a long solo run (1978–present) with albums ranging from "David Gilmour" (1978) to "Luck and Strange" (2024), and he even did a sharp side-quest in 1985 with Pete Townshend’s short-lived supergroup Deep End. And for one historic night, the classic lineup reunited at Live 8 in Hyde Park, London on 2 July 2005—one of those “you had to be there (or at least press play)” moments.
- Rick Wright - keyboards
- Richard Wright – Keyboards, vocals
Richard Wright is the secret atmosphere machine in Pink Floyd: the guy who can make one chord feel like a whole weather system, and then casually add a vocal harmony that makes it hit even harder. Read more... Richard Wright (born Richard William Wright) is, for me, the understated genius of Pink Floyd: co-founder, keyboardist, and occasional lead vocalist whose textures are basically baked into the band’s DNA. His main performing period with Pink Floyd runs from 1965 to 1981 (including the early albums through the massive arena years), then he returned as a full member again from 1987 to 1994 for the later era tours and albums. In between those chapters, he didn’t just vanish into a fog machine: he released a solo album, "Wet Dream" (1978), and later "Broken China" (1996), and he also had a proper side-project moment with Zee (1983–1984), which produced the album "Identity" (1984). He passed away in 2008, but his playing still feels like the part of Pink Floyd that makes the air shimmer.
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