Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here: Absence & Disillusionment

Suffice it to say, the making of Wish You Were Here was a time of uneasiness for Pink Floyd.

Tasked with making the follow-up to their landmark Dark Side of the Moon album (one of the best-selling records of all time), bassist Roger Waters, guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboardist Rick Wright certainly weren't in the mindset where they could be super productive in the studio and write another Dark Side.

In fact they were struggling to come to terms with what they were doing, now that they'd made millions and ascended to among the biggest rock stars on the planet.

"In this post Dark Side of the Moon period, we were all having to assess what we were in this business for, why we were doing it and whether we were artists or business people," said Gilmour in the documentary The Story of Wish You Were Here. "Having achieved the sort of success and money out of all of that could fulfill anyone's wildest teenage dreams, why we would still want to continue to do it?"

Indeed, Waters has publicly stated that Pink Floyd was, for all intents and purposes, finished after Dark Side, in that there was nothing left to strive for as a band.

"We could have easily split up." - Roger Waters

Waters notes the band in 1975 was "at a watershed then and we could have easily split up, but we didn't because we were frightened of the great out there beyond the umbrella of this extraordinarily powerful and valuable trade name: Pink Floyd".

So with all these misgivings, the members began working at Abbey Road studios in January, 1975, setting about creating a new album, which would get released in September that year and go on to sell millions of copies.

However, it was a painfully slow grind plagued with infighting, particularly between Waters and Gilmour, as they struggled to come to terms with what the album should be and make new music to fit that vision.

Interestingly, the entire album got a kick start from those four, slow guitar notes that Gilmour strummed one day, which became the basis for "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". It was actually a song they had worked on before hitting the studio.

As their studio time got eaten up with nothing to show for it, Waters proposed taking "Shine On" and bookending the album with it, ultimately making it a nine-part track that was 26 minutes long.

Waters also wanted to axe two other songs they'd worked on in 1974 (which turned out to be "Sheep" and "Dogs" which appeared on Animals) in favour of writing new material. But Gilmour was adamantly opposed, wanting to use those two tracks along with "Shine On". This led to a huge fight between the two bandmates, with Waters ultimately winning the day.

"It felt cobbled to me. I didn't feel real," said Waters. "So at some point in the process, I came up with the idea that it has to be thematic.

Two Themes Emerge: Absence & Disillusionment

David Gilmour at Abbey Road in 1975

Two themes would emerge: Absence and the band's growing disillusionment with the record industry.

Waters came up with "Have a Cigar" and "Welcome to the Machine", two songs attacking the music business and it's eternal quest for the next big hit so record companies can fill their coffers off the backs of their recording artists - throwing them into the money-making machine.

For "Have A Cigar", neither Waters nor Gilmour could lay down a vocal that they thought suited the tone of song. They even tried singing it together, to no avail.

So they enlisted Roy Harper to handle vocals on that song, as he was working down in another Abbey Road studio.

And Harper nailed the tone of the lyrics as a greedy record exec who knows nothing about the artists working for him and only seeks to make more cash for the company.

"Everybody thought it was Roger," said Harper in the Wish You Were Here documentary. "I was a bit peed off at that."

Shine On You Crazy Diamond: An Ode to Syd Barrett

"Shine On You Crazy Diamond" is all about Syd Barrett, one of Floyd's founding members who was let go in 1968 because of his erratic behavior and apparent schizophrenia.

"He was kind of a crazy diamond and all of the things (the song) says about him in those brilliant lines are very, very accurate," said Gilmour, who replaced Barrett. "'You wore out your welcome with random precision' was certainly a part of him."

Waters wanted it to be a song "to get as close as possible to what I felt ... that sort of indefinable, inevitable melancholy about the disappearance of Syd."

Wright plays a brilliant keyboard piece as a tribute to Barrett that closes out the last 3:20 of "Shine On" (which is Part IX).

Syd Barrett shows up on June 5, 1975

Shockingly for the four members of Pink Floyd, Barrett actually showed up in the studio on June 5, 1975, as they were working on the final mix for "Shine On". But he wasn't the elegant, wasted rock star they'd seen seven year earlier. Barrett was bald and very overweight, so nobody recognized him as he stood in the control room.

"How remarkable, how long it was before anyone actually woke up," said Gilmour, who was the first to recognize the man as Syd Barrett during those extremely awkward minutes. "And then we were all unbelievably shocked at his appearance. (He'd) turned rather balloon shaped, had no eyebrows and little hair."

Storm Thorgerson, who did the covers for Wish You Were Here and Dark Side of the Moon, noted that both Waters and Gilmour cried when they finally recognized Barrett.

Absence in Wish You Were Here

The song "Wish You Were Here" isn't so much about Barrett as it is about Waters thinking about absence. The song got its initial seed from Gilmour playing the opening riff, and when Waters heard it, he loved it. Both Waters and Gilmour wrote the chords for the rest of the song, with Waters penning the amazing lyrics.

"That collaboration between David and I is really good," said Waters. "It's a much more universal expression of my feelings about absence. Because I felt that we weren't really there. We were very absent."

Gilmour says "Wish You Were Here" does remind him of the man he replaced.

"'Wish You Were Here' has a broader remit. I can't sing it without thinking about Syd," said Gilmour. "Because of the resonance and the emotional weight it carries, it is one of our best songs."

Check out our look at why The Final Cut is one of Pink Floyd's best albums

The Five Best Iron Maiden Songs with Paul Di'Anno

Original Iron Maiden singer Paul Di'Anno only appeared on three of the band's records - Iron Maiden, Killers and Maiden Japan - but he certainly left his mark on some of Maiden's best songs with his gruff vocals and snarly East London attitude. Di'Anno, who joined the band in 1978, was ultimately fired in 1981 by manager Rod Smallwood, after bassist and bandleader Steve Harris questioned Di'Anno's commitment to the band, which was being undermined by his affection for booze and cocaine. Nevertheless, Di'Anno had a huge impact with fans and here are five of the best songs he recorded during his brief tenure with Iron Maiden.

Prowler

The opening track from Maiden's 1980 self-titled debut album, "Prowler" is arguably one of Maiden's best songs, period. It's got a punk feel to it that's perfectly suited to Di'Anno's gruff vocal style. Lyrically it's about a perverted creep who gets off masturbating in the bushes as he peeps at various ladies passing by. A major highlight of the track is Dave Murray's blistering guitar solo while the band keeps it rocking in double time. Steve Harris wrote the music and lyrics.

Phantom of the Opera

Another track from their first record, "Phantom of the Opera" features Iron Maiden at their epic, progressive-metal best. At 7:02, it's a longer track with plenty of tempo and feel changes throughout. Penned by Steve Harris, Phantom is a shining example of where the band would go on later albums. The guitar solos by Dave Murray and Dennis Stratton are tastefully executed, while drummer Clive Burr lays down an absolutely furious drum beat during the verses, while also showing his great feel on the slower parts of the song. "Phantom of the Opera" has featured prominently in Maiden's live shows for years and is a favourite of Harris's.

Drifter

A song that maybe flies under the radar a bit, "Drifter" is the last track on 1981's Killers album, but it's an all-out rocker. From the opening guitar notes to Di'Anno's scream of "Walk Away", "Drifter" - written by Steve Harris - delivers thanks to a punky verse offset by a slower bridge with a beautiful, slow Dave Murray solo. After the last verse, Adrian Smith delivers one of the best guitar solos on the entire record (using a wah wah) that carries the track to the end, where Di'Anno shows his vocal chops on that last, ear-splitting scream. It's such a good song, in fact, that Maiden has dusted it off and played it during a few tours over the past decade.

Murders in the Rue Morgue

Based on the Edgar Allan Poe of the same name, "Murders in the Rue Morgue" is a song narrated from the first person with an amazing feel that almost puts the listener on the streets in Paris, harkening to Maiden's ability to paint pictures with music. A highlight comes from the twin guitar solo of Dave Murray and Adrian Smith, while Di'Anno lays down a convincingly menacing vocal track as the killer of two young girls.

Killers

On "Killers", Di'Anno is at his best, whether it's the powerful opening screams or the conviction he brings in the vocal delivery during the verses. It's a song where Di'Anno gets a rare songwriting credit (alongside Steve Harris) and it's one of Iron Maiden's best early tracks with its driving energy and foreboding lyrics about a serial killer who murders with knife. Harris sets the tone with a dark bass intro and it takes off from there. This is arguably Di'Anno's finest moment in his three years with Iron Maiden.

Check out how Iron Maiden forged their sound on the Killers album.

Five of the Greatest Love Songs of All Time

A good love song grabs your heartstrings, making you yearn even more for that special person you're in love with. The best love songs are the ones that perfectly convey the feelings between two people in love ... both the elation and uncertainty of the emotions involved. There are thousands of love songs out there and Whitney Houston could put a greatest hits package of love songs together, but these five great love songs are among the best ever.

The Rose - by Bette Midler

"The Rose" has been covered several times, but Bette Midler's version from the soundtrack to the 1979 movie The Rose is far away the best. Written by Amanda McBroom, the track wasn't originally intended for the movie, but Midler chose it out of 30 other songs. Lyrically the song is a well-crafted tale of loneliness and inspiration to find love "far beneath the bitter snows". Midler's voice is absolutely perfect, while the song starts off quietly with only a piano. Then it builds with a string section while Midler takes it to another place with a beautiful, soaring harmony during the crescendo. If the final 1:20 doesn't give you goosebumps, you aren't feeling anything.

Thank You - Led Zeppelin

From the great Led Zeppelin II record, "Thank You" had Robert Plant writing the lyrics, writing about his then-wife, Maureen. It's a beautiful song about endless love and devotion, through thick and thin. Jimmy Page composed a lovely acoustic passage on a 12-string, while John Paul Jones' work on the organ reminds us of a wedding and a joyous celebration. You won't find "Thank You" on many love song lists, but it deserves to be among the best, and certainly it's one of the most unheralded love songs.

When I'm With You - Sheriff

"When I'm With You" is a song that garnered a lot of airplay in Canada in 1983, after being recorded for the Canadian band's only album Sheriff, which came out in 1982. In 1983, it went to the Top 10 in Canada, while being only a minor hit in the US (No. 61). But in 1989, it rose to the top of the US Billboard Charts after a Minneapolis radio station starting playing it again. It's a power ballad penned by Sheriff keyboardist Arnold Lanni that's backed by a stellar vocal from singer Freddy Curci. Lyrically the song conveys the feelings of being love: "I never cared for nobody, like I care for you" and "I get chills when I'm with you". The universal power of love in a nutshell.

Without You - Harry Nilsson

"Without You" wasn't written by Nilsson, a fine songwriter in his own right, but his version is the most memorable. It was penned by Pete Ham and Tom Evans of British band Badfinger and described by Paul McCartney as "the killer song of all time". Nilsson's version went to No. 1 in many countries in 1971-72. The lyrics deal with the anguish of love lost, while the narrator doesn't want the relationship to end. When he sings the chorus, it almost sounds like Nilsson is crying as the sings. It's a heart-wrenching track that is certainly among the greatest love songs ever written.

Love Hurts - Nazareth

While many think Nazareth wrote the hit "Love Hurts", it was penned by the Felice and Boudleaux Bryant, then recorded by the Everly Brothers in 1960. Covered by the likes of Roy Orbison and Jim Capaldi, Nazareth's power-ballad rendition (from 1975's Hair of the Dog album) was the most popular, peaking at No. 8 in the US. in 1976 and No. 1 in Canada and several other countries. As the title suggests, love hurts and that's all part of the emotions you feel when you're in love. Vocalist Dan McCafferty's rasping vocals perfectly carry this song and the sentiment of the lyrics.

Check out Five of the Saddest Songs ever written.

Five Best Ozzy Osbourne Songs with Randy Rhoads

Randy Rhoads’ time in the spotlight as Ozzy Osbourne’s guitarist was oh so brief, but in the two records he recorded with the former Black Sabbath frontman, Rhoads left an indelible impact thanks to his phenomenal, neo-classical guitar style. Rhoads single-handedly helped spawn the neo-classical metal genre, while also influencing thousands of guitarists after his death (in a plane crash) in 1982. Here are five of the best songs Rhoads recorded with Ozzy from the Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of Madman albums.

Suicide Solution

“Suicide Solution”, off the Blizzard of Ozz record, features Rhoads churning out one of his finest, angry-sounding riffs. With a solid backbeat from bassist Bob Daisley and drummer Lee Kerslake, Rhoads is free to incorporate his signature screams and bends, giving the track added depth. Suicide Solution has become one of Ozzy’s trademark songs over the years. For a really amazing version, check it out live on Ozzy’s Tribute album to hear how Rhoads really flexes his guitar muscle. It’s the track that saw Ozzy getting sued in 1986 by a California family after their son committed suicide while listening to it. The case was dismissed in 1988.

Mr. Crowley

If ever there was a song that can be described as neo-classical heavy metal, it’s “Mr. Crowley” from the Blizzard of Ozz album. The keyboard intro lays down the mood, while the lyrics about Aleister Crowley, who was denounced as a satanist and would surely have been denounced as a heretic in the Middle Ages, add to the aura of the song. Rhoads main riff is intertwined with bursts, string scratches and fills, while the solos are stellar. The mid solo reminds one of a violin virtuoso playing lead guitar. The outro solo is Rhoads using trills, runs and lightning-fast picking. Amazing stuff. Again, the Tribute version kicks ass.

I Don't Know

The opening track from Blizzard, this would have been everyone’s first listen to Randy Rhoads, and he made sure people knew he meant business, laying down a blistering opening riff, then throwing in a classic little run at the 0:28 mark. With that 30 seconds or so, Rhoads announced to the world he was onto something. The song blends heavy power chords with a jazzy interlude in the bridge. Then the solo takes it to another level as Rhoads dazzles with de-tuned phrasings, runs, his classic deep bends and speedy hammer-pull combos. For an Ozzy song, I don’t know is a thrill-a-minute ride on the crazy train.

Over The Mountain

The first song from the Diary of a Madman record, Over the Mountain sees Rhoads showing his rhythm chops with the chugging main riff, interspersed with his usual phrasings. Ozzy’s in fine form, singing about altered reality and getting high. Then the solo is one of Rhoads’ most memorable, marrying a harmonized passage with a series of partially slurred whammy bar phrases for a strangely unsettled vibe that’s almost like two solos in one. The epic string scratch that caps the solo off nicely carries back into the final verse and riff.

S.A.T.O.

One of the most unheralded of Ozzy’s songs, S.A.T.O. (from Diary of a Madman) is one of those tracks that carries you off on a journey, not across the sky, but across the ocean. To that end, most people think S.A.T.O. stands for Sailing Across The Ocean, however, Sharon Osbourne has said it actually stands for Sharon Arden Thelma Osbourne. Sharon is Ozzy’s current wife, while Thelma is his ex. In terms of the music, it’s a tour de force, giving you the feeling you’re stuck on ship, getting tossed about in a heavy storm. The solo is simply phenomenal — a two-part session of amazing lead fretwork from Rhoads. And the final verse carries the song to its climax, with Rhoads using the wah pedal to take it to another level. S.A.T.O. is one of Ozzy’s best songs, period.

Check out why Sharon Osbourne is the biggest bitch in rock.

The Life & Times of Guitar God Randy Rhoads

Rhoads playing his Jackson Concorde V

It's been 34 years since virtuoso guitarist Randy Rhoads died in a plane crash, yet his legacy is stronger than ever today.

Rhoads never did many interviews (everyone wanted to talk to Ozzy) during his brief time in the spotlight as Ozzy Osbourne's guitarist from late 1979 until his death on March 19, 1982, but, by all accounts, Rhoads was a super nice, quiet-spoken and down-to-earth person.

Unlike most of his peers at the time, Rhoads didn't drink much and never used drugs - a rarity in 1980.

The single, driving force in Rhoads' mind was to always become a better musician and guitar player, a principle that guided him even when he was a kid, learning his craft as a seven year old at the music school in North Hollywood (called Musonia) founded by his lat mother, Delores. He was trained early on in folk and classical guitar, and soon got interested in electric guitar.

His schooling on the electric six-string came from an instructor at Musonia named Scott Shelly. Shelly soon approached Delores and told her that he could no longer teach Randy, as Rhoads' knowledge of the electric guitar had surpassed his own. That shows how dedicated he was to playing and constantly striving to learn more and get better. Rhoads, who grew up in Burbank, Calif., also received piano lessons from his mother to build his understanding of music theory.

His quest for knowledge, no doubt imparted on Rhoads by his mother and father, who was also a music teacher and left when Randy was a year old, led Rhoads to want to teach music to others and share his knowledge.

So when he was 16, Rhoads started teaching at his mother's school and also formed a band that would become the first incarnation of Quiet Riot.

Quiet Riot became a successful band on the L.A. music scene, releasing two albums in Japan, but they didn't land a recording deal in the U.S. when Rhoads was in the band (they would eventually with CBS in 1982). Quiet Riot's failure to land a recording gig in the States was frustrating for Rhoads and part of the reason he ended up in Ozzy Osbourne's band.

From Obscurity to Blizzard of Ozz

In Sept. 1979, Osbourne was in the process of forming a new band after he was booted from Black Sabbath. Bassist Dana Strum (future Slaughter bass player) was helping Ozzy find a guitar player and asked Randy if he wanted to audition for the Ozzy gig. Randy said yes and got a call to meet Ozzy in his L.A. hotel room on the day before the former Black Sabbath frontman was scheduled to fly back to England.

The story goes that Randy showed up to audition with his Les Paul and a tiny practice amp. Rhoads began warming up, while a wasted Ozzy couldn't believe what he was hearing. Ozzy recalls saying: "Either this is one of the best things I’ve ever heard in my life or these drugs are really good'. The drugs were good and so was Rhoads, who was only warming up for two minutes, according to Delores.

The original Blizzard of Ozz band

Back in England, Osbourne met former Rainbow bassist Bob Daisley, who would be a key songwriter on Blizzard of Ozz and Diary of a Madman, in a pub. The two got on really well and decided to record together. Ozzy's label, Jet Records, wanted an all-English band and were against having the American Rhoads join the quartet, which was called Blizzard of Ozz, no doubt in homage to Ozzy's penchant for white powder. Ozzy insisted on Rhoads as his guitarist and manager Don Arden finally gave in. With drummer Lee Kerslake in the fold, they recorded 'Blizzard' and then 'Diary', the only two studio albums Rhoads would work on with Ozzy.

Despite becoming a renowned guitarist and making it big on the music scene, Rhoads didn't want to be that guy. He didn't enjoy playing metal music (even though when you watch him live with Ozzy, he is carrying the band and absolutely into what he's doing). In fact, after the Diary of a Madman tour, Rhoads had planned on quitting. Not only did he want to go back to California, make solo records and teach guitar, he was also disillusioned with Ozzy's new manager, Sharon Arden (whom Ozzy subsequently married), the daughter of Don Arden.

After the band recorded Diary in 1981, Sharon promptly fired Daisley and Kerslake, a move that angered Rhoads who was close with both of them.

And just before his death, Randy told many people he was going to leave the band and get his Masters Degree in music and become a teacher.

Rhoads' gravesite in San Bernadino

But it all ended for Rhoads at age 25, when he was a in a small Beechcraft F35, single-engine plane piloted by Ozzy's tour bus driver Andrew Aycock in Leesburg, Florida. Makeup artist and seamstress Rachel Youngblood was also a passenger as Aycock tried to 'buzz' Ozzy's tour bus. He succeeded in making two close passes, but botched the third attempt. At about 10 am, after being in the air for approximately five minutes, one of the plane's wings clipped the top of the tour bus, breaking the wing into two parts and sending the plane spiraling out of control.

The initial impact with the bus caused Rhoads' and Youngblood's heads to crash through the plane's windshield. The plane then severed the top of a pine tree and crashed into the garage of a nearby mansion and burst into flames. Keyboardist Don Airey was the only member of the band to witness the crash, because the rest were asleep in the bus. Rhoads was killed instantly, as were Aycock (36) and Youngblood (58). All three bodies were burned beyond recognition, and Randy was identified by dental records and personal jewelry.

Rhoads Legacy Lives On

Despite his oh-so-short time making records, Rhoads' legacy is still so strong today

His style of playing basically ushered in a new brand of heavy metal that drew plenty of its inspiration from his interest in classical guitar, blending classical modes with an aggressive rock sensibility and very advanced technical ability. Aside from 'Diary' and 'Blizzard', Randy's playing on the live Tribute record truly showcases his wizardry.

While Rhoads was especially influenced by David Bowie guitarist Mick Ronson, he has influenced several generations of guitar players including Zakk Wylde, Tom Morello, Dimebag Darrell, Buckethead, Paul Gilbert and Mike McCready, to name a few.