Our very best wishes go to Gerald Scarfe (http://www.brain-damage.co.uk/gerald-scarfe-interviews/november-2005-with-brain-damage.html) today as he celebrates his 86th birthday. Gerald, of course, is a graphic artist with a long history with the Floyd, from the 1974 tour programme caricature, through to his most famous work on The Wall, and beyond that, working with Roger Waters on his Pros and Cons project. Many happy returns to Gerald on this very special day from all of us here at Brain Damage. For those who haven’t seen it, Gerald’s superb The Art Of Pink Floyd The Wall (https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/books/gerald-scarfe-the-art-of-pink-floyd-the-wall-hardback-book.html) is REALLY worth checking out if you are interested in his work on the project, which spanned the album, concerts and film. It is a beautiful, 288-page hardback book, in landscape format housed within a cardboard sleeve that reveals a huge amount of rare and previously unseen sketches, paintings and more, created by Gerald Scarfe principally for The Wall project, but also includes earlier materials, for Wish You Were Here and Animals, for example. It is an expensive book, but the work involved bringing together the breadth of material within, and the quality of its presentation, help to justify the price tag – and it is completely different to any previous books on Scarfe’s artwork for the Floyd. However much you think you know The Wall, and Scarfe’s artwork for it (and earlier Pink Floyd projects), this book will reveal far more than you could imagine. One wonders if there was anything left in his archive that wasn’t included? That’s not a criticism, but a note of thanks for bringing in so many early sketches and ideas to sit alongside finished designs and images. This is a truly incredible book that will appeal equally to Pink Floyd fans, to Scarfe enthusiasts, and to those interested in production design for film and concert stage. As a special exclusive treat, Gerald had this video shot especially for Brain Damage, so you get a feel for what the book includes, and the format it comes in. Thanks Gerald, and hope you have a great birthday!
