Customer Reviews

Pink Floyd: London 66-67

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(9)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

This review is for the Pink Floyd London 66/67 combination two disc DVD/CD set.

Quite good, in fact. But viewers should be aware this is not the "Tonite Let's All Make Love In London" movie. It is a combination of filmed portions from that movie, with complete uncut versions of The Pink Floyd performing, "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Nick's Boogie," both from the movie's sessions, and a second audio disc with remastered versions of both tunes. The DVD includes interviews with Mick Jagger, Michael Caine and others, possibly from the original film (I haven't seen it) and Allen Ginsberg reading his poem whose title the movie bears. The CD has about an EP's worth of material, and the DVD lasts long enough to make you feel you've watched something. Both tracks are unique, that is; not album tracks, even though as every Pink Floyd fan knows, a plethora of releases of these tunes are available. The advantages of having this are the DVD and the superior sound.

If you're not sure if this version is the two disc edition, try entering "Pink Floyd 1966" in Amazon's search box. That will bring up specifically the two disc set. I can't tell whether this edition includes the audio-only disc, so I must conclude it does not. You could also write the seller and ask.

I've seen nearly everything with syd barrett most bootleg and this is by far the best put together pink floyd movie ever. it has everything london could offer in 1967 including john lennon, if you like syd barrett at all it's a must have

This is Pink Floyd. A bunch of guys messing around and producing some wildly creative music. I'd only recommend this to big Floyd and Barrett fans because half the fun is seeing some of the clubs and shows they played that you've read about in their books and biographies.

This video basically consists of two Pink Floyd jams recorded in January of 1967, over footage from the recording session as well as various psychedelic happenings in London in 1966 and 1967. There is visual footage of the Floyd playing at UFO, but disappointingly no audio footage. It's good enough, but since I already had the two Floyd tracks on CD and I had seen footage of "Underground" London before it was not a great revelation. What annoyed me, though, was that although this video was sold from a U.S. web site, it was not formatted to play on North American video players. In fact, this is imported from the UK, something which is not apparent from the product description. Therefore, if you buy this, be prepared to spend additional funds getting this video transferred to the North American video format, as I did.

The only reason I give this video 4 stars is because of its duration (approx 30 min.) Otherwise, it is a definite 5. What sets this tape apart from other Floyd videos is the Syd Barrett factor. Syd Barrett was a founding member of Pink Floyd who took way too many drugs, forcing him to make an unfortunate early departure. In the early days, Syd was the driving force of "The Pink Floyd".

This video is an excellent collector's item, and it is definitely a "relic". On this tape, Pink Floyd psychedelically jams, performing the music of "Intersteller Overdrive" and "Nick's Boogie".

This is not for people who try synchronizing "Dark Side of the Moon" with "The Wizard of Oz". Nor is it for those who think "Comfortably Numb" has a "kick-[bottom] solo." Nor is it for those expecting live concert footage of Syd Barrett with the band (although there is a little without sound). It's mainly just shots of Floyd in the studio jamming on "Interstellar Overdrive". The visuals are terrific. In one scene, it shows us rare footage of a Yoko Ono exhibit in which a model has her clothes cut off by scissors. A very interesting look at a very interesting era. However, at just under a half hour, the film leaves much to the imagination. This might be worth it just for footage of Syd, which is hard to come by.

This is the real thing. This is what the fuss was all about.

This is The Pink Floyd, prior to their first record contract, in a studio, in late 1966. This is the band that blew the Beatles and the Yardbirds away at London unground clubs like Roundhouse, before the media attention, before the Games For May, before their first hit single. This is the unedited footage originally released in shorter length on the 1968 Documentary Film "Tonite, Let's Make Love In London." Bootleg sound recordings of this circulated for several years in the mid 1980's before the film saw release on videotape in the late 1980's, the orginal unedited footage started quasi-legitimate release shortly thereafter. This material has been subsequently released in a myriad of different editions and formats since then.

It is amazing that we even have this; so much of Syd Barrett's original incarnation of The Pink Floyd was undocumented, unrecorded, that a handful of radio and TV appearances (that were often lip-synched) in 1967 and a few alternate or previously unreleased studio tracks (a few of which were legitimately released 2 years ago on the "Piper At The Gates 40th Anniversary Edition") are about all that survive to document the original Pink Floyd phenomena. (Find the rest of them through bit-torrent websites on fan-made and remastered compilations like "Have You Got It Yet" Vols. i & 2, and "What Syd Wants.")

If you are a post-Atom Heart Mother fan of the band, you might not fully appreciate the performances herein, they're not The Wall, or even Dark Side Of The Moon, they're a short snapshot of a blazing, groundbreaking group of artists who shook the ground and lifted their thunder to the heavens in London's nacient psychedelic community, making music and sounds that the world had never heard before. But if you are, and you haven't seen this footage yet, you owe it to yourself to lay down a few of your hard-earned shekels and step 42 years back in time and hear the real, original, Pink Floyd experience.

I just don't get it. A just-barely-OK lengthy take of "Interstellar" with footage including some weird (not at all in a good/interesting way...I mean weird that anyone decided that it was relevant to the Floyd) faux-psychedelic documentary about London circa '66/'67 interspersed with precious few live clips (again, not that bomb...some footage finds PF looking about as enthused as a kid in church) and you have this perplexingly disappointing release. This is almost bootleg level in terms of editing quality and intention as a piece of art but that besmirches the good name of the better quality bootlegs I've enjoyed in my life. This so totally sucks and was probably only vaguely authorized by the band. It certainly seems designed to slip into the "gimme everything" filterless, fanboy bloodstream. Which is a shame. Don't waste your money. Even if you're hardcore...it just might make you angrier...

This archival video is certainly a must for ANY PF devotee or anyone interested in Psychedelic London circa '66-'67. Pink Floyd's brilliant (and tragic) founder Syd Barrett loomed large at this period-- setting the groundwork for a brand-new movement in Brittish (and American) Rock. Unfortunately for Barrett, his stint on the world stage was all-too brief---yet his indelible legacy is no doubt secure. This rare footage is priceless ---capturing the ambiance of an era--- and the fervency of a major directional change in a fluid art form. It is truly heartrending for those die-hard (and ancient) Floyd fans (myself included) to see Syd again--- in those long-gone halcyon (and hallucinogenic) days of the UFO Club (and other celebrated venues)-- to see him at the height of his youthful brilliance---and make NO MISTAKE about it, HIS was a monumental genuis--- well before the unfortunate return of the schizoprenia that dogged his existance--brought on, no doubt by the maximum consumptions of acid he was famous for taking. Sadly,the "Vegetable Man' became, in the end....just that. It's a shame. All of us who grew up in that era nonetheless have an abiding affection for Syd--- and his remarkable work with Pink Floyd. We will always love him. This tape is more than just nostalgia-- it provides an opportunity for some of us to revisit an old friend---and musical master. Why only four stars and not five??? Simple---the tape shouldve been LONGER in duration. It's THAT historic.

This film won't win awards for musical content or cinematography but for sheer historical value it is a "must have" for any Pink Floyd fan. The best parts of the film are the segments with the legendary Syd Barrett, the reclusive genius that inspired the band in the early years.