Hollywood Reporter reports that David Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson, tweeted that there will be a new Pink Floyd album called The Endless River out in October. 80's and 90's regular back-up singer, Durga McBroom-Hudson, posted on Facebook saying it will consist of "all unreleased material." However, the band's current label, Warner, has not confirmed this report. I really hope this is true!
Most conjecture is that it's leftover material from Division Bell, including Rick's material, re-recorded or newly recorded. The stories make no mention of Roger or Nick, so not really the Pink Floyd album most of us would want (ie: the 3 surviving members). But if it's in the vein of Division Bell, it's worth a listen.
It's stuff left from an instrumental ambient project they were working on at the same time as Division Bell. They've been working on it off and on ever since. Dave's putting vocals on some of it. Mason and Wright play on it, but there's no input from Waters so I'm not expecting much on the songwriting front...
More details here, including conjecture about leftover The Division Bell material and a track called "The Big Spliff."
I can't say I'm as excited about this as I should be. The only reason I don't think this is just a blatant money grab is because I know better. I mean, ignoring the insincerity Gilmour's over the last 20 years about how there's never be another one without Waters, this just seems about as much of a "Pink Floyd" album as The Final Cut or Momentary Lapse... Mason's contributions on the later were negligible at best. But it was his own fault because he was so out of practice. Much of the drumming was done by others. (In fact there were shows in the early stages of DSOT tour were his drums weren't even fully mic'd.) And there have been long conflicting reports of how much of a "guest" Wright really was. As it's fairly commonly knowledge that Gilmour did a lot of the keys himself. Obviously, TDB was much more of a group effort. But even still, some of the percussion work was done without Mason. And who's to say how much he's really on some of these tracks? And I haven't really heard anything about his involvement in this project. I think I would have just been happier had Gilmour just left this a solo album with help from Wright (basically what On an Island was) like everyone assumed it was going to be back in November when the rumors first emerged. Really he doesn't need the Floyd brand like he did in 87. He (or his publicist) done an amazing job of reinventing himself over the last decade. For proof, one doesn't have to look further than that stupid "100 Greatest Guitar Players" Rolling Stone article. When they put out the first one (2000 I think.), he was close to the bottom. Then when they put out the "updated" version a few years ago, he was magically thrust into the top 15. His name is much more well known--even in the States--than it used to be. As far as the content, I don't know what to expect. I think the first question is "What's left?" It long been thought that Wright had reincorporated many of those unused concepts in Broken China, if anything because it answers the question of when he would have otherwise had time to write it. And several reports are indicating that this new stuff is "atmospheric and electronic." Well that describes Broken China in a nutshell. And "Breakthrough" especially is hugely TDB derivative. (It's also probably the best solo song any of 'em ever did, but I digress.) I mean, hear it the way they did it on Gilmour's solo shows, and it totally sounds like some TDB lost track. So then I guess I can't help thinking this is going to be the leftovers of the leftovers.
Regardless of the politics and circumstances surrounding its creation, I'm thrilled at the idea of another Pink Floyd album. Who knows what the final product might sound like, but it's something to look forward to and I'm going to enjoy the anticipation of it.
As this started out as 'The Big Spliff', which was an ambient project, you have to ask yourself how much it can be reworked towards a proper Floyd album. I think it may still be pretty 'ambient'...
The official website and its Facebook page released this brief statement: Pretty much what we already knew, but at least its confirmed.
My bold prediction is it's going to be a Atom Heart/Meddle type of thing: That is, one side will be a single track of this "ambient" stuff and the other side will be three or four single tracks. Perhaps bits and pieces for the TDB sessions or maybe something Gilmour and Wright were working on during the On An Island tour.
It should be noted that the official press release doesn't mention Waters one way or the other, and since it's short on details (especially ones we didn't already know), it can't be assumed that the absence of his name means anything (yet). The only source I've seen claiming Waters isn't involved is The Sun (thanks to Wikipedia), but it's not an online source and I don't know how reputable it is (or which Sun it is). That being said, I don't expect him to be involved, but it would be nice.
Meh. Waters can't sing anymore and can barely play his instrument. And since this is supposed to be mostly instrumental, his contribution would be limited anyway.