Mind Over Matter 4: The Images of Pink Floyd (Hardcover)

~ (Author, Compiler), (Compiler) "In the beginning was Syd..." (more)
Key Phrases: available daylight, colour transparency, live album, Pink Floyd, Dark Side, Momentary Lapse (more...)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Published to coincide with the 40th anniversary of Pink Floyd, this book from famed British artist Storm Thorgerson explores the images of Pink Floyd album sleeves and the artwork contained therein. Thorgerson’s memoirs of his time spent with Pink Floyd are combined with all the artwork he created to represent the band at each stage of their career.

About the Author

Storm Thorgerson is the English artist who was was a key member of the British graphic art group known as Hipgnosis. He designed many of the most famous album covers of all time, including Pink Floyd's instantly-recognizable Dark Side Of The Moon. He has directed rock videos, long forms, commericals and TV documentaries

Product Details

• Hardcover: 208 pages
• Publisher: Vision On; 40th Anniversary edition (October 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1846097630
• ISBN-13: 978-1846097638
• Product Dimensions: 12.6 x 9.9 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 4.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.9 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #196,464 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect Companionship For Listening to Floyd, February 24, 2005

By	Danno (NY, NY) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mind Over Matter, 3rd edition: 30th Anniversary (Hardcover)

Storm Thorgerson is the artist who designed the bulk of Pink Floyd's artwork, and "Mind Over Matter" is a combination of memoir, scrapbook, and gallery. With the possible exception of Led Zeppelin, no British rock band of the 1970s paid closer attention than Pink Floyd to the potent magic a well-designed album cover could lend to music the album contained. Much like Zeppelin, it's almost impossible to think of Pink Floyd's music without imagining the incredible visuals on their album covers. In essence, Thorgerson is almost an adjunct member of the band.

Graphic artists will appreciate this collection because Thorgerson's almost Magritte-like graphic style is also perfectly and endlessly adaptable to the commercial marketing. Casual Floyd fans will get a kick out seeing so many classic Floyd images reproduced at much larger than CD size. More serious Floyd fans will savor Thorgerson's behind-the-scenes insights regarding the band. (I was surprised to learn that Thorgerson leans more towards Gilmour than Waters). Throughout,the author discusses his designs in a very straightforward, conversational, non-pretentious way. As a bonus, he also includes graphics from Floyd tour books, posters, and DVD clamcases.

Given that so little video footage exists of Floyd, this oversized hardcover collection provides the perfect collection of visuals to leaf through while you're listening to "Dark Side of the Moon" for the umpteenth time.

14 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A Mindblowing Journey, June 21, 2000

By	"spaztic86" (Oklahoma) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mind Over Matter, Revised Edition (Paperback)

What do you get when you cross art and the greatest rock band in history? A materpiece! If I had the chance, I would give this book a million stars!

Storm Thorgerson, mastermind behind most of Pink Floyd's album artwork, has compiled almost all of the rare, unusual, interesting, and familiar pieces. It also includes stories on how they (the art) came to be (which, by the way, sheds a light on the innovative genius of the band). It goes from the early years of Syd Barrett to the post-Waters era. This book is a must for any Floyd fan, especially one who is interested in the history and progress of the band.

11 of 12 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very good, but not a true graphic artists compilation, September 23, 2000

By	David Czuba "czubad" (Bellingham, WA USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This review is from: Mind Over Matter, Revised Edition (Paperback)

As a music fan, there are two things you want to add to your experience, a songlist compilation and a biography. Anything more is really too much, but in the case of groundbreaking album cover art, and knowing Pink Floyd's history of employing visual effects in their shows, a book like this is necessary, especially since albums are gone now, and the tiny graphics you get on a CD jewel case don't compare with the stuff promoters used to jam into album jackets. This book is a trip into Storm Thurgeson's head, not necessarily Floyd's. The difference is not much since Storm was a boyhood chum, and listened so well to his employer's ideas, instead of pushing his own. That's one reason the band was so successful musically as well, was Hypnosis' reliance on the members' themes. This book is not a graphic artist's design book, though I wish it were, but it would be tons bigger. It covers 30 years (and not even all the Floyd's covers (for instance, The Wall)). But you will appreciate the fact that Storm operated more under impluse as a designer than by today's modern design houses which try to render graphics in a production line style...can't be done. The author's bylines give us insight if not in technical process, then in the intellect process, and it's good fun knowing this guy was a friend to the Floyd for a LONG time, even having to uncomfortably stand in the middle of relationships for the 'Is There Anybody Out There?' live Wall issue. All in all, I'd give 5 stars for the artwork and presentation, but lose half of one for lack of technical explanation. Enjoy!