Released today (Friday, December 16th) is This Christmas Time (https://thecancerplatform.com/this-christmas-time), a beautiful new song to support a new online global project providing information to people living with cancer, led by The Cancer Awareness Trust. Nick Mason, along with Ozzy Osbourne (who narrates a moving introduction), Andy Taylor of Duran Duran (who recently revealed his own battle with cancer) and Noddy Holder, lead a group of renowned artists on the song. It’s Nick’s second collaboration with the charitable endeavour founded by Professor Sir Chris Evans – the first being 2018’s One More Yard (https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/archive/one-more-yard-song-out-now-including-ronnie-wood-and-nick.html). On the new project, Nick said: “It’s an honour and a delight to be asked to play on this record…I mean, what’s not to like? My favourite recording studio, the opportunity to work with great artists on a wonderful track – and for the most worthy cause… Oh, and complimentary lunch in the Abbey Road canteen!” This Christmas Time, written by Prof. Sir Chris Evans (who also played guitar), is inspired by the heroism and letters home from World War 1 British soldiers at Christmas. It has been released on Evamore Records and is now available on streaming and download platforms. The song is available to play on The Cancer Platform website, where youâll also find the full video for the song (the video below is purely the audio), photos of the recording sessions, quotes from the artists and information from Prof. Sir Chris on how he put the songs together and why (https://thecancerplatform.com/this-christmas-time).
First off, please join us in wishing artist extraordinaire Gerald Scarfe a very happy 85th birthday! Gerald has long been associated with Pink Floyd, first working with the band in 1974, and is principally known for his work on The Wall. He has, of course, had a long and illustrious career providing his striking illustrations for publications such as The Sunday Times and Private Eye, and worked in the fields of reportage, advertising, satire and music. It seems apt then on this special day for Gerald, that the striking cover of his upcoming book, The Art of Pink Floyd The Wall (https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamage-21) which is due on November 4th, 2021, has now been revealed. The book, a new, 288 page hardback promises to be a superb collection of Gerald Scarfe’s iconic artwork for Pink Floyd. Details are still brief at the moment, but here’s what the publishers have revealed: “The Art of Pink Floyd The Wall (https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamage-21) is a sumptuously illustrated book, collecting Gerald Scarfe’s iconic work for Pink Floyd. First The Wall was an album, then it was a stage show, a film – now there will be the definitive book, which will be a work of art in its own right. “This large, landscape-format book, presented in a stunning slipcase designed by Scarfe, is packed with photos, drawings and designs which will incorporate the iconic imagery of The Wall alongside new and previously unseen material. “Forty years on, The Wall has lost none of its impact, and its themes are more relevant than ever. Presenting the phenomenal artwork as it has never been seen before, The Art of Pink Floyd The Wall is a must-have for any Pink Floyd fan.” We will hopefully have more information about this book soon. Gerald’s previous books have all been fascinating and very well produced, and we expect the same for this one. For those who would like to add this to their Floydian bookshelves, you can order it through the following links, taking advantage of Amazon’s free pre-order price guarantee – should their asking price drop at any point between you ordering it, and release, they will automatically charge you the lowest price during that period! Ordering through our links also helps with BD’s ongoing running costs, and we really appreciate it: Amazon UK (https://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamage-21), Amazon.com (https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamage-20), Amazon Canada (https://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamageon-20),
Amazon France (https://www.amazon.fr/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamageon-21), Amazon Germany (https://www.amazon.de/exec/obidos/ASIN/1408714329/braindamage0f-21), Amazon Spain (https://www.amazon.es/gp/product/1408714329/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8 tag=braidama01-21 linkCode=as2 camp=3626 creative=24822 creativeASIN=1408714329) and Amazon Italy (https://www.amazon.it/gp/product/1408714329/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8 camp=3370 creative=24114 creativeASIN=1408714329 1 linkCode=as2 tag=bradamonl-21). Some stores might not yet have the book available to order (at time of writing this, Amazon.com for example, doesn’t yet list the book) so please keep checking back as it should be available from all stores, soon. If your chosen store doesn’t stock it, try other Amazon stores as they will ship books worldwide. As at April 10th, the UK retailer WH Smith (https://www.whsmith.co.uk/products/the-art-of-pink-floyd-the-wall/gerald-scarfe/hardback/9781408714324.html) are also offering it, for a decent discount of 20% off the recommended retail price. This could result in Amazon matching or beating their price, as they tend to keep an eye on competitors.
To coincide with the release of Metallic Spheres in Colour by The Orb and David Gilmour (full details and ordering info here (https://www.brain-damage.co.uk/latest/metallic-spheres-in-colour-the-orb-and-david-gilmour-cd-lp-di.html)) on September 29th, a special event was held at EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) in London to launch and perform the album. The reimagining of the original album has garnered much acclaim and brought the work to a new audience, as well as those who were already familiar with the 2010 version. This launch event was a celebration of the work undertaken. Of this new reimagining, producer Youth said that “the idea for Metallic Spheres In Colour, was that Alex Paterson (founder of The Orb) could have done more on the first version, and he didn’t really have the opportunity because we had a philosophy of making the music like the Blade Runner soundtrack meets Wish You Were Here. So, I asked him why don’t we remix it and make it like an Orb classic? And in doing that, it’s almost like a completely different album.” There were lukewarm and highly unrealistic rumours that David Gilmour would appear to recreate his guitar work, and as expected, he didn’t. A good friend of BD, Marcelo Paulo de Souza, was at the event, and sent over the following notes on the event, along with the great pictures below! Last Friday, I attended the album release party in London for Metallic Spheres in Colour by The Orb and David Gilmour. To celebrate the launch of the Metallic Spheres in Colour album, The Orb were due to perform the entire album live, alongside some classics and modern pieces. Additionally, Youth, the producer of Pink Floyd’s seminal album, The Endless River, played a DJ set that included a pleasantly strange rendition of the song Time. David Gilmour did not perform at this show. Despite the advert for the event, they didn’t perform the entire album, but just a segment. As promised, here are a few photos from the Album Release Party for Metallic Spheres in Colour last Friday:
Indie-pop duo Dust In The Sunlight release their self-titled EP, telling the story of their journey so far. Billy Wright and Annie Rew Shaw’s serendipitous meeting (whilst singing backing vocals for Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly’s album) has seen their partnership travel from Southend to London to write and record music that would pique the …
