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{{For|the TVB drama|Momentary Lapse of Reason (TV series)}} | |||
{{Infobox Album | |||
{{featured article}} | |||
| Name = A Momentary Lapse of Reason | |||
{{pp-move-indef}} | |||
| Type = studio | |||
{{Use dmy dates|date=November 2020}} | |||
| Artist = ] | |||
{{Use British English|date=August 2012}} | |||
| Cover = MLoRLP01.jpg | |||
{{Infobox album | |||
| Alt = A multitude of hospital beds stretch into the distance, on an overcast beach. A man sits on one bed, holding a broken stick. A group of dogs can be seen lying on the sand, between the beach and the sea. The sky is slightly purple. | |||
| |
| name = A Momentary Lapse of Reason | ||
| |
| type = studio | ||
| |
| artist = ] | ||
| |
| cover = MLoRLP01.jpg | ||
| alt = A line of hospital beds stretch into the distance on an overcast beach. A man sits on one bed holding a mirror. The sky is slightly purple. | |||
| Label = ] | |||
| caption = Original cover{{refn|group=nb|Two alternate covers were also released for streaming platforms and other reissues: one excludes the overlay and features a lady cleaning the land, while the other shows a close-up of the man sitting on a bed and excludes the title}} | |||
| Producer = ], ] | |||
| released = {{Start date|1987|09|07|df=y}} | |||
| Last album = '']''<br />(1983) | |||
| |
| recorded = November 1986 – March 1987 | ||
| studio = {{ubl|], ], ], and Audio International in London|], ], and Can Am in Los Angeles, California|Le Mobile}} | |||
| Next album = '']''<br />(1994) | |||
| genre = ]<!--Do not add unsourced genres --> | |||
| Misc = {{Singles | |||
| length = 51:09 | |||
| Name = A Momentary Lapse of Reason | |||
| label = | |||
* ] | |||
| Single 1 = ] | |||
* ] | |||
| Single 1 date = 14 September 1987 | |||
| producer = | |||
| Single 2 = ] | |||
* ] | |||
| Single 2 date = 13 June 1988 | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| prev_title = ] | |||
}} | |||
| prev_year = 1983 | |||
'''''A Momentary Lapse of Reason''''' is the eleventh ] by English ] group ]. It was released in the UK and US in September 1987. In 1985 guitarist ] began to assemble a group of musicians to work on his third solo album. At the end of 1986 he changed his mind, and decided that the new material would instead be included in a new Pink Floyd album. Subsequently Pink Floyd drummer ] and keyboardist ] (who had left the group in 1979) were brought on board for the project. Although for legal reasons Wright could not be re-admitted to the band, he and Mason helped Gilmour craft what would become the first Pink Floyd album since the departure of lyricist and bass guitarist ] in December 1985. | |||
| next_title = ] | |||
| next_year = 1988 | |||
| misc = {{Singles | |||
| name = A Momentary Lapse of Reason | |||
| type = studio | |||
| single1 = ] | |||
| single1date = 7 September 1987<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1987/Music-Week-1987-09-05.pdf|title=Music Week|page=35}}</ref> | |||
| single2 = ] | |||
| single2date = 7 December 1987<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/release/7574636-Pink-Floyd-On-The-Turning-Away/image/SW1hZ2U6MjAyNTA4NjU=|title=UK promo disc with release date|website=] |date=1987 }}</ref> | |||
| single3 = ] | |||
| single3date = 13 June 1988 | |||
}}}} | |||
'''''A Momentary Lapse of Reason''''' is the thirteenth studio album by the English ] band ], released in the UK on 7 September 1987 by ] and the following day in the US on ]. It was recorded primarily on the converted houseboat '']'', belonging to the guitarist, ]. | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was the first Pink Floyd album recorded without the founding member ], who departed in 1985. The production was marred by legal fights over the rights to the Pink Floyd name, which were not resolved until several months after release. It also saw the return of the keyboardist and founding member ], who was fired by Waters during the recording of '']'' (1979). Wright returned as a session player.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2008/09/16/arts/music/16wright.html|title=Richard Wright, Member of Pink Floyd, Dies at 65|author=Jon Pareles|date=2008-09-15|work=The New York Times|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> | |||
Unlike most of Pink Floyd's preceding studio records, ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' is not a ]. It includes writing contributions from outside songwriters, following Gilmour's decision to include material once intended for his third solo album. The album was promoted with three singles: the double A-side "]" / "]", "]", and "]". | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' received mixed reviews; some critics praised the production and instrumentation but criticised Gilmour's songwriting, and it was derided by Waters. It reached number three in the UK and US, and outsold Pink Floyd's previous album, '']'' (1983). It was supported by a successful ] between 1987 and 1989, including a ] floating on the ] in Venice, Italy. | |||
==Background== | ==Background== | ||
After the release of |
After the release of Pink Floyd's 1983 album '']'', viewed by some as a ''de facto'' solo record by bassist and songwriter ],<ref>{{Harvnb|Watkinson|Anderson|2001|p=133}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Mabbett|1995|p=89}}</ref> the band members worked on solo projects. Guitarist ] expressed feelings about his strained relationship with Waters on his second solo album, '']'' (1984), and finished the accompanying tour as Waters began touring to promote his debut solo album, '']''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=302–309}}</ref> Although both had enlisted a range of successful performers, including in Waters' case ], their solo acts attracted fewer fans than Pink Floyd; poor ticket sales forced Gilmour to cancel several concerts, and critic ] felt that Waters' show was "a petulant echo, a transparent attempt to prove that Roger Waters ''was'' Pink Floyd".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=249–250}}</ref> Waters returned to the US in March 1985 with a second tour, this time without the support of ], which had expressed its preference for a new Pink Floyd album; Waters criticised the corporation as "a machine".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=256–257}}</ref> | ||
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center | quote = At that time, certainly, I just thought, I can't really see how we can make the next record or if we can it's a long time in the future, and it'll probably be more for, just because of feeling of some obligation that we ought to do it, rather than for any enthusiasm. | source = Nick Mason, '']'' (1994)<ref name="Redbeard2007"/> | align = left | width = 27%}} | |||
After drummer ] attended one of Waters' London performances in 1985, he found he missed touring under the Pink Floyd name. His visit coincided with the release in August of his second solo album, '']'', on which Gilmour sang.<ref name="Blakepp311313">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=311–313}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=257}}</ref> With a shared love of aviation, Mason and Gilmour were taking flying lessons and together bought a ] aeroplane. Gilmour was working on other collaborations, including a performance for ] at 1985's ] concert, and co-produced the ]'s ].<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=258–260}}</ref> | |||
In December 1985, Waters announced that he had left Pink Floyd, which he believed was "a spent force creatively".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=262–263}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = Jones | first = Peter | title = It's the Final Cut: Pink Floyd to Split Officially | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=9SQEAAAAMBAJ | page = 70 | magazine = ] | date = 22 November 1986 | access-date = 22 September 2009}}</ref> After the failure of his ''About Face'' tour, Gilmour hoped to continue with the Pink Floyd name. The threat of a lawsuit from Gilmour, Mason and CBS Records was meant to compel Waters to write and produce another Pink Floyd album with his bandmates, who had barely participated in making ''The Final Cut''; Gilmour was especially critical of the album, labelling it "cheap filler" and "meandering rubbish".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=261–262}}</ref> | |||
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center | quote = At that time, certainly, I just thought, I can't really see how we can make the next record or if we can it's a long time in the future, and it'll probably be more for, just because of feeling of some obligation that we ought to do it, rather than for any enthusiasm. | source = Nick Mason, '']'' (1987)<ref name="Redbeard2007"/> | align = left | width = 27%}} | |||
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center | quote = They threatened me with the fact that we had a contract with CBS Records and that part of the contract could be construed to mean that we had a product commitment with CBS and if we didn't go on producing product, they could a) sue us and b) withhold royalties if we didn't make any more records. So they said, 'that's what the record company are going to do and the rest of the band are going to sue you for all their legal expenses and any loss of earnings because you're the one that's preventing the band from making any more records.' They forced me to resign from the band because, if I hadn't, the financial repercussions would have wiped me out completely. | source = Roger Waters, '']'' (June 2004), explaining why he stopped his legal challenge<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=240}}</ref>| align = right | width = 33%}} | |||
According to Gilmour, "I told before he left, 'If you go, man, we're carrying on. Make no bones about it, ''we would carry on''{{'}}, and Roger replied: 'You'll never fucking do it.'"<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=245}}</ref> Waters had written to ] and ] declaring his intention to leave the group and asking them to release him from his contractual obligations. He also dispensed with the services of Pink Floyd manager ] and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs.<ref name="Blakepp311313" /> This left Gilmour and Mason, in their view, free to continue with the Pink Floyd name.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=263}}</ref> In 2013, Waters said he regretted the lawsuit and had not understood English ].<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.bbc.com/news/entertainment-arts-24160584|title=Pink Floyd star Roger Waters regrets suing band|date=19 September 2013|work=BBC News|access-date=10 March 2016}}</ref> | |||
Meanwhile, after drummer Nick Mason attended one of Waters' London performances in 1985, he admitted that he missed touring under the Pink Floyd banner. His visit coincided with the release in August that year of his second solo album '']''. The album contained the nominal single, "Lie for a Lie", on which Gilmour sang.<ref name="Blakepp311313">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=311–313}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=257}}</ref> With a shared love of flying, the two were taking flight lessons, and would together later buy a ] aeroplane. Gilmour also busied himself with other collaborations, including a performance for ] at 1985's ] concert. He also co-produced ]'s self-named début album, '']''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=258–260}}</ref> | |||
In Waters' absence, Gilmour had been recruiting musicians for a new project. Months previously, keyboardist ] had jammed with Gilmour at his ], where he composed the chord progression that became "]", and so was invited onto the team.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=316}}</ref> Gilmour invited ] (co-producer of 1979's '']'') to help consolidate their material;<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=315, 317}}</ref> Ezrin had turned down Waters' offer of a role on the development of his new solo album, '']'', saying it was "far easier for Dave and I to do ''our'' version of a Floyd record".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=267–268}}</ref> Ezrin arrived in England in mid-1986 for what Gilmour later described as "mucking about with a lot of demos".<ref name="Blakep318"/> | |||
Waters had hinted at his future during a 1982 interview for '']'', in which he mused: "I could work with another drummer and keyboard player very easily, and it's likely that at some point I will", but in December 1985 he announced that he had left the band, and that he believed that Pink Floyd was a "spent force".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=262–263}}</ref><ref>{{Citation | last = Jones | first = Peter | title = It's the Final Cut: Pink Floyd to Split Officially | url = http://books.google.co.uk/books?id=9SQEAAAAMBAJ | page = 70 | publisher = '']'' | date = 1986-11-22 | accessdate = 2009-09-22}}</ref> Gilmour saw matters differently; the guitarist refused to allow Pink Floyd to fade into history, and was intent on continuing with the band: "I told him before he left, 'If you go, man, we're carrying on. Make no bones about it, ''we would carry on''.'" Waters' warning was stark: "You'll never fucking do it."<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=245}}</ref> He had written to ] and ] declaring his intention to leave the group, and had asked them to release him from his contractual obligations. He had also dispensed with the services of Floyd manager ], and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs.<ref name="Blakepp311313"/> This left Gilmour and Mason (in their view) free to continue with the Pink Floyd name.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=263}}</ref> | |||
At this stage, there was no commitment to a new Pink Floyd release, and Gilmour maintained that the material might become his third solo album. CBS representative Stephen Ralbovsky hoped for a new Pink Floyd album, but in a meeting in November 1986, told Gilmour and Ezrin that the music "doesn't sound a fucking thing like Pink Floyd".<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=268–269}}</ref> By the end of that year, Gilmour had decided to make the material into a Pink Floyd project,<ref name="Redbeard2007">{{Citation|title=In the Studio with Redbeard, A Momentary Lapse of Reason|year=2007|type=Radio broadcast|publisher=Barbarosa Ltd. Productions}}</ref> and agreed to rework the material that Ralbovsky had found objectionable.<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269" /> | |||
{{listen | pos = right| filename = Pink floyd learning to fly.ogg | title = "Learning to Fly" | description = With frequent use of samplers and drum machines, ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' demonstrates a significant change in style over the more traditionally recorded ''Final Cut''. "Learning to Fly" was heavily influenced by Gilmour's flying lessons. | format = ]}} | |||
In Waters' absence, Gilmour had been recruiting an array of musicians for a new project. Some months previously keyboard player ] had jammed with Gilmour at his Hookend studio, where he composed the chord progression for what later became "]", and so he was invited onto the team.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=316}}</ref> Gilmour invited Bob Ezrin (co-producer of 1979's '']'') to work on his new project, to help consolidate what material had been written.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=315, 317}}</ref> The invitation came only a short time after the Canadian had turned down Waters' offer of a role on the development of his new solo album, '']'', which Ezrin had been unable to do: "... far easier for Dave and I to do ''our'' version of a Floyd record."<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=267–268}}</ref> Ezrin arrived in England in the summer of 1986, for what Gilmour later described as "mucking about with a lot of demos".<ref name="Blakep318"/> At this stage there was no firm commitment to a new Pink Floyd album, and publicly, Gilmour maintained that the new material might end up on a third solo album. CBS representative Stephen Ralbovsky had different expectations however; in a November 1986 meeting with Gilmour and Ezrin, the guitarist was left in no doubt as to his feelings: "This music doesn't sound a fucking thing like Pink Floyd".<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|pp=268–269}}</ref> Gilmour later admitted that Waters' absence was a problem, and that the new project was difficult without his presence.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=320}}</ref> Gilmour had experimented with various songwriters such as ] and ], but eventually settled on musician ],<ref name="Masonpp284285">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=284–285}}</ref> who was later credited as co-writer of "Learning to Fly" and "On the Turning Away". The idea of a concept album was ditched, and Gilmour settled instead for the more conventional approach of a track-list of songs not thematically linked.<ref name="Poveyp241">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=241}}</ref> By the end of that year, he had decided to turn the new material into a Pink Floyd project.<ref name="Redbeard2007">{{Citation | title = In the Studio with Redbeard, A Momentary Lapse of Reason | format = Radio broadcast | publisher = Barbarosa Ltd. Productions | year = 2007}}</ref> | |||
==Recording== | ==Recording== | ||
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center|quote = You can't go back ... You have to find a new way of working, of operating and getting on with it. We didn't make this remotely like we've made any other Floyd record. It was different systems, everything.| source = David Gilmour<ref name="Schaffnerp269"/> | align = right | width = 33%}} | {{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center|quote = You can't go back ... You have to find a new way of working, of operating and getting on with it. We didn't make this remotely like we've made any other Floyd record. It was different systems, everything.| source = David Gilmour<ref name="Schaffnerp269"/> | align = right | width = 33%}} | ||
Gilmour experimented with songwriters such as ] and ], but settled on ],<ref name="Masonpp284285">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=284–285}}</ref> who was credited as co-writer of "Learning to Fly" and "On the Turning Away". Whereas many prior Pink Floyd albums are ]s, Gilmour chose a more conventional approach of a collection of songs without a thematic link.<ref name="Poveyp241">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=241}}</ref> Gilmour later said that the project had been difficult without Waters.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=320}}</ref> | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'', as it would later be named, was recorded in several different studios, chief among them Gilmour's houseboat '']''. The boat was moored on the ], and the river setting (according to Ezrin) eventually "imposed itself" in all the songs.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=268}}</ref> "Working there was just magical, so inspirational; kids sculling down the river, geese flying by ..."<ref name="Blakep318"/> ] (a colleague of Floyd cohort ]) was brought in to engineer the recordings. In a series of discontinuous sessions between November 1986 and February 1987,<ref name="Poveyp246">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=246}}</ref> Gilmour's band of musicians worked on new material, which in a marked change from previous Floyd albums was recorded with a 24-track analogue machine, and overdubbed onto a 32-track Mitsubishi digital recorder. This trend of using new technologies was continued with the use of ] synchronisation, aided by an ] computer.<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=284–286}}</ref> | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason ''was recorded in several studios, mainly Gilmour's houseboat studio ''], ''moored on the ]; according to Ezrin, "working there was just magical, so inspirational; kids sculling down the river, geese flying by...".<ref name="Blakep318" /> ] was brought in to engineer. During sessions held between November 1986 and February 1987,<ref name="Poveyp246">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=246}}</ref> Gilmour's band worked on new material, which in a change from previous Pink Floyd albums was mostly recorded with a 32-track ] digital recorder apart from the drum tracks, which were recorded with a 24-track analogue machine.<ref name="Pacuła 2020">{{cite web |last1=Pacuła |first1=Wojciech |title=Technology: Mitsubishi ProDigi |url=https://highfidelity.pl/@main-1011&lang=en |website=High Fidelity |access-date=7 October 2022 |ref=Pacuła 2020 |date=1 July 2020}}</ref> This trend of using new technologies continued with the use of ] synchronisation, aided by an Apple ] computer.<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|pp=284–286}}</ref> | |||
After agreeing to rework the material that Ralbovsky had found so objectionable, Gilmour employed extra session musicians including ] and ]. Both drummers, they later replaced Mason on most of the album's songs; Mason was concerned that he was too out of practice to perform on the album, and instead busied himself with its sound effects.<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269"/><ref name="Masonp287">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=287}}</ref> Some of the album's drum parts were also performed by ]s.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=319}}</ref> Gilmour was contacted by Wright's new wife, Franka, who asked if Wright could contribute to the new album. Gilmour considered the request; the keyboardist had left the band in 1979, and there were certain legal obstacles to his re-admittance, but after a meeting in Hampstead he was brought back in.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=316–317}}</ref> Gilmour later admitted in an interview with author Karl Dallas that Wright's presence "would make us stronger legally and musically". He was therefore employed as a paid musician, on a weekly wage of $11,000,<ref name="Manningp134">{{Harvnb|Manning|2006|p=134}}</ref> but his contributions were minimal. Most of the new keyboard parts had already been recorded, and so from February 1987 he played some background reinforcement on a ], and a ] piano, along with several vocal harmonies. The keyboardist also performed a solo in "On the Turning Away", which was discarded, according to Wright "not because they didn't like it ... they just thought it didn't fit."<ref name="Schaffnerp269">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=269}}</ref> Gilmour later said: "Both Nick and Rick were catatonic in terms of their playing ability at the beginning. Neither of them played on this at all really. In my view, they'd been destroyed by Roger", a comment which clearly angered Mason, who reflected: "I'd deny that I was catatonic. I'd expect that from the opposition, it's less attractive from one's allies. At some point, he made some sort of apology." Mason did, however, concede that Gilmour was nervous about how the album would be perceived.<ref name="Manningp134"/> | |||
Ezrin suggested incorporating ], an idea dismissed by Gilmour.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Michaels|first=Sean|date=2013-03-21|title=Pink Floyd producer tried to make them go hip-hop|language=en-GB|work=The Guardian|url=https://www.theguardian.com/music/2013/mar/21/pink-floyd-producer-hip-hop|access-date=2020-05-25|issn=0261-3077}}</ref> After agreeing to rework the material that Ralbovsky had found objectionable, Gilmour employed session musicians such as ] and ]. Both drummers replaced Mason on several songs; Mason was concerned that he was too out of practice to perform on the album, and instead busied himself with its sound effects.<ref name="Schaffnerpp268269"/><ref name="Masonp287">{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=287}}</ref> Some drum parts were also performed by ]s.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=319}}</ref> In his memoir, Mason wrote: "In hindsight, I really should have had the self-belief to play all the drum parts. And in the early days of life after Roger, I think David and I felt that we had to get it right, or we would be slaughtered."<ref>{{Cite web|title=Pink Floyd's 'A Momentary Lapse of Reason' Gets An Update Three Decades Later|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/davidchiu/2019/12/09/pink-floyds-a-momentary-lapse-of-reason-gets-an-update-three-decades-later/|last=Chiu|first=David|website=Forbes|language=en|access-date=2020-05-25}}</ref> | |||
"Learning to Fly", with its lyrics of "circling sky, Tongue-tied and twisted, just an earthbound misfit, I", was inspired by Gilmour's flying lessons, which occasionally conflicted with his studio duties.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=267}}</ref> The track also contains a recording of Mason's voice, made during ].<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=229}}</ref> The band experimented with ], and Ezrin recorded the sound of Gilmour's boatman (Langley Iddens) rowing across the Thames.<ref name="Blakep318">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=318}}</ref> Iddens' presence at the sessions was made vital when on one occasion, ''Astoria'' began to lean over in response to the rapidly rising river, which was pushing the boat against the pier on which it was moored.<ref name="Masonp287"/> "]", which Gilmour says was about "physical and political mercenaries", was influenced by an accident during recording. A sampler began playing a sample of laughter, which Gilmour thought sounded like a dog's bark.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=204}}</ref> "]" was one of Gilmour's older demos, which for some time he considered adding lyrics to, but eventually decided to leave as an instrumental.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=272}}</ref> Conversely, the lyrics for "]" were written before the music. The song's opening guitar solo was recorded in the ]. A 24-track mobile studio piped Gilmour's Fender through a ] system, which was recorded in surround sound.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=268}}</ref> | |||
During the sessions, Gilmour was asked by the wife of Pink Floyd's former keyboardist, ], if he could contribute. A founding member of the band, Wright had left in 1981, and there were legal obstacles to his return; after a meeting in Hampstead he was recruited as a paid musician on a weekly wage of $11,000.<ref name="Manningp134">{{Harvnb|Manning|2006|p=134}}</ref><ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=316–317}}</ref> Gilmour said in an interview that Wright's presence "would make us stronger legally and musically". However, his contributions were minimal; most of the keyboard parts had already been recorded, and so from February 1987 Wright played some background reinforcement on a ], and a ], and added vocal harmonies. He also performed a solo in "On the Turning Away", which was discarded, according to Wright, "not because they didn't like it ... they just thought it didn't fit".<ref name="Schaffnerp269">{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=269}}</ref> | |||
]'']] | |||
Despite the tranquil setting offered by ''Astoria'', the sessions were often interrupted by the escalating row between Waters and Pink Floyd over who had the rights to the Pink Floyd name. O'Rourke, believing that his contract with Waters had been terminated illegally, sued the bassist for £25,000 of back-commission.<ref name="Blakep318"/> In a late 1986 board meeting of Pink Floyd Music Ltd (since 1973, Pink Floyd's clearing house for all financial transactions), Waters learnt that a new bank account had been opened to deal exclusively with all monies related to "the new Pink Floyd project".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=270}}</ref> He immediately applied to the ] to prevent the Pink Floyd name from ever being used again,<ref name="Blakepp311313"/> but his lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed. Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a non-confrontational press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist, however the guitarist later told a '']'' reporter: "Roger is a ] and I'm going to fight him, no one else has claimed Pink Floyd was entirely them. Anybody who does is extremely arrogant."<ref name="Manningp134"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=271}}</ref> Waters twice visited ''Astoria'', and with his wife had a meeting in August 1986 with Ezrin (the producer later suggested that he was being "checked out"). As Waters was still a shareholder and director of Pink Floyd music, he was able to block any decisions made by his former band-mates. Recording moved to ] in February 1987, and from February to March—under the terms of an agreement with Ezrin to record close to his home—to ] in Los Angeles: "It was fantastic because ... the lawyers couldn't call in the middle of recording unless they were calling in the middle of the night."<ref name="Poveyp246"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=321}}</ref> The bitterness of the row between Waters and Pink Floyd was covered in a July 1987 issue of ''Rolling Stone'' magazine, which became its best-selling issue of that year.<ref name="Manningp134"/> The legal disputes were, however, finally resolved by the end of 1987. | |||
Gilmour later said: "Both Nick and Rick were catatonic in terms of their playing ability at the beginning. Neither of them played on this at all really. In my view, they'd been destroyed by Roger." Gilmour's comments angered Mason, who said: "I'd deny that I was catatonic. I'd expect that from the opposition, it's less attractive from one's allies. At some point, he made some sort of apology." Mason conceded that Gilmour was nervous about how the album would be perceived.<ref name="Manningp134" /> | |||
==Packaging== | |||
]'', an image of the band. Wright's name appears only in the credits.]] | |||
{{listen | pos = right| filename = Pink floyd learning to fly.ogg | title = "Learning to Fly" | description = With frequent use of samplers and drum machines, ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' demonstrates a significant change in style over the more traditionally recorded ''Final Cut''. "Learning to Fly" was heavily influenced by Gilmour's flying lessons. | type = ]}} | |||
The album's title was chosen after careful consideration. The initial three contenders were ''Signs of Life'', ''Of Promises Broken'', and ''Delusions of Maturity''. For the first time since 1977's '']'', designer ] was employed to work on a Pink Floyd studio album cover. His finished design was a long river of hospital beds arranged on a beach. The image was inspired by a phrase from "]" and Gilmour's vague hint of a design that included a bed in a Mediterranean house, as well as "vestiges of relationships that have evaporated, leaving only echoes."<ref name="Blakep322"/> The cover shows 800 hospital beds, placed on ] in ] (where, coincidentally, some of the scenes for '']'' were filmed).<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=290}}</ref><ref name="Poveyp243">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=243}}</ref> The beds were arranged by Thorgerson's partner, Colin Elgie.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=273}}</ref> A ] can be seen in the sky, a clear reference to "Learning to Fly". The photographer, Robert Dowling, won a gold award at the Association of Photographers Awards for the image, which took about two weeks to create.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=323}}</ref> To drive home the message that Waters had left the band, a group photograph, shot by ], was—for the first time since 1971's ''Meddle''—included in the gatefold. Richard Wright's name appears only on the credit list.<ref name="Blakepp326327">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=326–327}}</ref><ref name="Poveyp349">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=349}}</ref> | |||
"Learning to Fly" was inspired by Gilmour's flying lessons, which occasionally conflicted with his studio duties.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=267}}</ref> The track also contains a recording of Mason's voice during ].<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=229}}</ref> The band experimented with ], and Ezrin recorded the sound of Gilmour's boatman Langley Iddens rowing across the Thames.<ref name="Blakep318">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=318}}</ref> Iddens' presence at the sessions became vital when ''Astoria'' began to lift in response to the rapidly rising river, which was pushing the boat against the pier on which it was moored.<ref name="Masonp287"/> | |||
{{-}} | |||
"]" is a song about "physical and political mercenaries", according to Gilmour. It came about through a mishap in the studio when a sampling machine began playing a sample of laughter, which Gilmour thought sounded like a dog's bark.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=204}}</ref> "]" was one of Gilmour's older demos, which he decided to leave as an instrumental.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=272}}</ref> Conversely, the lyrics for "]" were written before the music. The song's opening guitar solo was recorded in the ]. A 24-track mobile studio piped Gilmour's guitar tracks through a ], and the resulting mix was then recorded in surround sound.<ref>{{Harvnb|MacDonald|1997|p=268}}</ref> | |||
=== Legal disputes === | |||
]'']] | |||
The sessions were interrupted by the escalating disagreement between Waters and Pink Floyd over who had the rights to the Pink Floyd name. O'Rourke, believing that his contract with Waters had been terminated illegally, sued Waters for £25,000 of back-commission.<ref name="Blakep318"/> In a late-1986 board meeting of Pink Floyd Music Ltd (Pink Floyd's clearing house for all financial transactions since 1973), Waters learnt that a bank account had been opened to deal exclusively with all monies related to "the new Pink Floyd project".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=270}}</ref> He immediately applied to the ] to prevent the Pink Floyd name from being used again,<ref name="Blakepp311313"/> but his lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed. Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist; however, Gilmour told a '']'' reporter: "Roger is a ] and I'm going to fight him, no one else has claimed Pink Floyd was entirely them. Anybody who does is extremely arrogant."<ref name="Manningp134"/><ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=271}}</ref> | |||
Waters twice visited ''Astoria'', and with his wife had a meeting in August 1986 with Ezrin, who later suggested that he was being "checked out". As Waters was still a shareholder and director of Pink Floyd Music, he was able to block any decisions made by his former bandmates. Recording moved to ] in February 1987, and from February to March – under the terms of an agreement with Ezrin to record close to his home – to ] in Los Angeles: "It was fantastic because ... the lawyers couldn't call in the middle of recording unless they were calling in the middle of the night."<ref name="Poveyp246" /><ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=321}}</ref> The bitterness of the row between Waters and Pink Floyd was covered in a November 1987 issue of '']'', which became the magazine's best-selling issue of that year.<ref name="Manningp134" /> The legal disputes were resolved out of court by the end of 1987.<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/roger-waters-regrets-pink-floyd-legal-battle-191084/|title=Roger Waters Regrets Pink Floyd Legal Battle|last=Danton|first=Eric R.|date=19 September 2013|magazine=Rolling Stone|access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|title=Roger Waters: 'I was wrong to sue Pink Floyd'|url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-24157591|date=19 September 2013|work=BBC News|access-date=17 August 2018}}</ref> | |||
==Packaging and title== | |||
]'',{{refn|Photographs of the band on stage were used on a poster that was included in copies of 1973's '']''.<ref name="Mabbett-3">{{Cite book| publisher = Omnibus| isbn = 978-1-84938-370-7| last = Mabbett| first = Andy| title = Pink Floyd - The Music and the Mystery| location = London| date = 2010}}</ref>|group="nb"}} an image of the band. Wright appears only by name in the credits, as he wasn't a member of the band due to legal complications.]] | |||
Careful consideration was given to the album's title, with the initial three contenders being ''Signs of Life'', ''Of Promises Broken'' and ''Delusions of Maturity''. The final title appears as a line in the chorus of "]".<ref name="Mabbett-3"/> | |||
For the first time since 1977's '']'', designer ] was employed to work on a Pink Floyd studio ].{{refn|Thorgerson also worked on the cover of the 1981 compilation '']''.<ref name="Mabbett-3"/>|group="nb"}} His finished design was a long river of ]s arranged on a beach, inspired by a phrase from "]" and Gilmour's vague hint of a design that included a bed in a Mediterranean house, as well as "vestiges of relationships that have evaporated, leaving only echoes".<ref name="Blakep322"/> The cover shows hundreds of hospital beds assembled in July 1987 on ] in ],<ref></ref> where some of the scenes for '']'' were filmed.<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=290}}</ref><ref name="Poveyp243">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=243}}</ref> The beds were arranged by Thorgerson's colleague Colin Elgie.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=273}}</ref> A ] in the sky references "Learning to Fly". The photographer, Robert Dowling, won a gold award at the ] for the image, which took about two weeks to create. Some versions of the cover do not feature the hang glider, and other versions feature a nurse making one of the beds.<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=323}}</ref> | |||
To emphasise that Waters had left the band, the inner ] featured a photograph of just Gilmour and Mason shot by ]. Its inclusion marked the first time since '']'' (1971) that a group photo had been used in the artwork of a Pink Floyd album. Wright was represented only by name, on the credits.<ref name="Blakepp3263272">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|pp=326–327}}</ref><ref name="Poveyp349">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=349}}</ref> According to Mason, Wright's leaving agreement contained a clause that prevented him rejoining the band, and "consequently we had to be careful about what constituted being a member".<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=397}}</ref> | |||
==Release and reception== | ==Release and reception== | ||
{{Album ratings | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was released in the UK and US on Monday 7 September 1987.{{#tag:ref|UK EMI EMD 1003 (vinyl album), EMI CDP 7480682 (CD album). US Columbia OC 40599 (vinyl album released 8 September 1987), Columbia CK 40599 (CD album)<ref name="Poveyp349"/>|group="nb"}} It went straight to number three in both countries, held from the top spot by ]'s '']'', and ]'s '']''. Although Gilmour initially viewed the album as a return to the band's best form, Wright would later disagree, admitting "Roger's criticisms are fair. It's not a band album at all."<ref name="Blakepp326327"/> | |||
| rev1 = ] | |||
| rev1Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name="AllMusic">{{cite web |first=William |last=Ruhlmann |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/a-momentary-lapse-of-reason-mw0000196951 |title=Pink Floyd ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' |publisher=] |access-date=5 October 2013}}</ref> | |||
| rev2 = '']'' | |||
| rev2Score = {{Rating|1|5}}<ref>{{cite news|last=McCormick|first=Neil|date=20 May 2014|url=https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/8790376/Pink-Floyds-14-studio-albums-rated.html |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/archive/20220112/https://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/music/8790376/Pink-Floyds-14-studio-albums-rated.html |archive-date=12 January 2022 |url-access=subscription |url-status=live|title=Pink Floyd's 14 studio albums rated|newspaper=]|location=London|access-date=28 December 2014}}{{cbignore}}</ref> | |||
| rev3 = '']'' | |||
| rev3score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2011 |publisher=Omnibus Press |isbn=9780857125958 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&q=pink+floyd&pg=RA3-PA2005-IA45|language=en}}</ref> | |||
| rev4 = '']'' | |||
| rev4score = 2/5<ref>{{Harvnb|Graff|Durchholz|1999|p=874}}</ref> | |||
| rev5 = '']'' | |||
| rev5score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite web |publisher=] |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/pink-floyd/albumguide|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110217230328/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/pink-floyd/albumguide|archive-date=17 February 2011|title=Pink Floyd: Album Guide |access-date=28 December 2014}}</ref> | |||
| rev6 = '']'' | |||
| rev6score = C<ref name="Christgau">{{cite news|last=Christgau|first=Robert|author-link=Robert Christgau|date=29 December 1987|url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv12b-87.php|title=Consumer Guide|newspaper=]|access-date=24 February 2020}}</ref> | |||
}} | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was released in the UK and US on 7 September 1987.{{refn|UK EMI EMD 1003 (vinyl album), EMI CDP 7480682 (CD album). US Columbia OC 40599 (vinyl album released 8 September 1987), Columbia CK 40599 (CD album)<ref name="Poveyp349"/>|group="nb"}} It went straight to number three in both countries, held from the top spot in the US by ]'s '']'' and ]'s ].<ref name="Blakepp3263272"/> It spent 34 weeks on the ].<ref>{{cite book |editor=David Roberts |title=British Hit Singles and Albums|year=2006|page=427|publisher=Guinness World Records Limited|isbn=978-1904994107}}</ref> It was ] in the UK on 1 October 1987, and gold and platinum in the US on 9 November. It went double platinum on 18 January the following year, triple platinum on 10 March 1992, and quadruple platinum on 16 August 2001,<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|pp=349–350}}</ref> greatly outselling ''The Final Cut''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=230}}</ref> | |||
The album is noticeably different in style and content to its predecessor, ''The Final Cut''. Gilmour presented ''A Momentary Lapse'' as a return to the Floyd of older days, citing his belief that toward the end of Waters' tenure, lyrics were more important than music. Gilmour claimed that "''The Dark Side of the Moon'' and ''Wish You Were Here'' were so successful not just because of Roger's contributions, but also because there was a better balance between the music and the lyrics ". He also stated that with ''A Momentary Lapse'', he had tried to restore the earlier, more successful balance between lyrics and music.<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=274}}</ref> | |||
Gilmour presented ''A Momentary Lapse'' as a return to an older Pink Floyd sound, citing his belief that under Waters' tenure, lyrics had become more important than music. He said that their albums '']'' and '']'' were successful "not just because of Roger's contributions, but also because there was a better balance between the music and the lyrics ".<ref>{{Harvnb|Schaffner|1991|p=274}}</ref> Waters said of ''A Momentary Lapse'': "I think it's very facile, but a quite clever forgery ... The songs are poor in general; the lyrics I can't quite believe. Gilmour's lyrics are very third-rate."<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Fricke |first=David |author-link=David Fricke |date=1987-11-19 |title=Pink Floyd: The Inside Story |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-floyd-the-inside-story-104505/ |access-date=2022-10-09 |magazine=] |language=en-US}}</ref> Wright said Waters' criticisms were "fair".<ref name="Blakepp3263272"/> In a later interview, Waters said the album had "a couple of really nice tunes" and chord sequences and melodies he would have retained had he been involved.<ref>{{Harvnb|Manning|2006|p=144}}</ref> | |||
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center|quote=I think it's very facile, but a quite clever forgery ... The songs are poor in general; the lyrics I can't quite believe. Gilmour's lyrics are very third-rate.|source=–Roger Waters<ref>{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=328}}</ref>|align=right|width=33%}} | |||
''Q Magazine'''s view was that the album was primarily a Gilmour solo effort: "''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' is Gilmour's album to much the same degree that the previous four under Floyd's name were dominated by Waters",<ref name="Poveyp246"/> a view echoed by William Ruhlman of Allmusic.com, whose latter-day review refers to ''A Momentary Lapse'' as a "Gilmour solo album in all but name".<ref name="Allmusic">{{Citation | first = William | last = Ruhlmann | url = http://www.allmusic.com/cg/amg.dll?p=amg&sql=10:g9fuxqr5ldje | title = A Momentary Lapse of Reason | publisher = allmusic.com | accessdate = 2010-01-24}}</ref> The '']'' wrote "Something's missing here. This is, for all its lumbering weight, not a record that challenges and provokes as Pink Floyd should. A Momentary Lapse Of Reason, sorry to say, is mundane, predictable."<ref>{{Citation | last = Quill | first = Greg | title = Has Pink Floyd changed its color to puce? | url = http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=10B9DDB1180E5340&p_docnum=36&p_queryname=3 | format = Registration required | publisher = '']'', hosted at infoweb.newsbank.com | date = 1987-09-11 | accessdate = 2010-01-24}}</ref> '']'' reviewer ] wrote: "In short, you'd hardly know the group's conceptmaster was gone—except that they put out noticeably fewer ideas."<ref name="Christgau">{{Citation | last = Christgau | first = Robert | authorlink = Robert Christgau | title = A Momentary Lapse of Reason | url = http://www.robertchristgau.com/get_album.php?id=5686 | publisher = robertchristgau.com | accessdate = 2010-01-24}}</ref> '']'' said the album was "back over the wall to where diamonds are crazy, moons have dark sides, and mothers have atom hearts".<ref>{{Harvnb|Manning|2006|p=136}}</ref> | |||
In '']'', Phil Sutcliffe wrote that it "does sound like a Pink Floyd album" and highlighted the two-part "A New Machine" as "a chillingly beautiful vocal exploration" and a "brilliant stroke of imagination". He concluded: "''A Momentary Lapse'' is Gilmour's album to much the same degree that the previous four under Floyd's name were dominated by Waters … Clearly it wasn't only business sense and repressed ego but repressed talent which drove the guitarist to insist on continuing under the band brand-name."<ref>{{Citation |last=Sutcliffe|first=Phil|title=Pink Floyd: ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason''|date=October 1987|work=]}}; available at (subscription required)</ref> Recognising the return to a more music-oriented approach, '']'' said the album was "back over the wall to where diamonds are crazy, moons have dark sides, and mothers have atom hearts".<ref>{{Harvnb|Manning|2006|p=136}}</ref> | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was certified Silver and Gold in the UK on 1 October 1987, and Gold and Platinum in the US on 9 November. It went 2X Platinum on 18 January the following year, 3X Platinum on 10 March 1992, and 4X Platinum on 16 August 2001,<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|pp=349–350}}</ref> easily beating sales of the band's previous album, ''The Final Cut''.<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=230}}</ref> The album was reissued in 1988 as a limited edition vinyl album, complete with posters, and a guaranteed ticket application for the upcoming UK leg of the band's UK concerts.{{#tag:ref|UK EMI EMDS 1003<ref name="Poveyp350"/>|group="nb"}} The album was digitally remastered and re-released in 1994,{{#tag:ref|UK EMI CD EMD 1003<ref name="Poveyp350"/>|group="nb"}} and an anniversary edition was released in the US in 1997.{{#tag:ref|US Columbia CK 68518<ref name="Poveyp350"/>|group="nb"}} | |||
Conversely, ] of the '']'' wrote: "Something's missing here. This is, for all its lumbering weight, not a record that challenges and provokes as Pink Floyd should. ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'', sorry to say, is mundane, predictable."<ref>{{Citation | last = Quill | first = Greg | title = Has Pink Floyd changed its color to puce? | url = http://infoweb.newsbank.com/iw-search/we/InfoWeb?p_product=AWNB&p_theme=aggregated5&p_action=doc&p_docid=10B9DDB1180E5340&p_docnum=36&p_queryname=3 | format = Registration required | work = ] | via = infoweb.newsbank.com | date = 11 September 1987 | access-date = 24 January 2010}}</ref> '']'' critic ] wrote: "You'd hardly know the group's conceptmaster was gone – except that they put out noticeably fewer ideas."<ref name="Christgau"/> In 2016, ] critic William Ruhlmann described it as a "Gilmour solo album in all but name".<ref name="AllMusic"/> | |||
In 2016, Nick Shilton chose ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' as one of the "Top 10 Essential 80s Prog Albums" for '']''. He wrote: "While it's not a patch on the Floyd masterworks of the 70s, it merits inclusion here. The ironically titled 'Signs of Life' is an instrumental prelude for 'Learning to Fly' which showcases Gilmour's guitar, while the pulsating 'The Dogs of War' is considerably darker, and the uplifting 'On the Turning Away' simply sublime."<ref>{{cite web | url= https://www.loudersound.com/features/top-10-essential-80s-prog-albums | title= The Top 10 Essential 80s Prog Albums | work=Louder | first=Nick | last=Shilton | date=7 August 2016 | access-date=5 October 2019}}</ref> | |||
==Reissues== | |||
''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was reissued in 1988 as a limited-edition vinyl with posters and a guaranteed ticket application for Pink Floyd's upcoming UK concerts.{{refn|UK EMI EMDS 1003<ref name="Poveyp350">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=350}}</ref>|group="nb"}} It was digitally remastered and rereleased in 1994.{{refn|UK EMI CD EMD 1003<ref name="Poveyp350"/>|group="nb"}} A tenth-anniversary edition was issued in the US in 1997.{{refn|US Columbia CK 68518<ref name="Poveyp350"/>|group="nb"}} | |||
In December 2019, ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' was reissued again as part of the '']'' box set. It was updated and remixed by Gilmour and Jackson, with restored contributions from Wright and newly recorded drum tracks from Mason to "restore the creative balance between the three Pink Floyd members".<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-news/pink-floyd-the-later-year-box-set-pulse-877966/|title=Pink Floyd Ready Massive 'The Later Years' Box Set|last=Kreps|first=Daniel|date=2019-08-29|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2019-08-30}}</ref> ''Rolling Stone'' described this version as "more tasteful ... doesn't drown in eighties ] the way the original did ... Although none of the ''Momentary Lapse'' remixes will be dramatic enough to sway the band's critics, they add clarity to what Gilmour was trying to achieve."<ref>{{Cite magazine|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-album-reviews/pink-floyd-later-years-1987-2019-album-david-gilmour-919614/|title='The Later Years 1987–2019' Chronicles Pink Floyd After it Became David Gilmour's Show|last=Grow|first=Kory|date=2019-12-12|magazine=Rolling Stone|language=en-US|access-date=2019-12-13}}</ref> | |||
==Tour== | ==Tour== | ||
{{Main|A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour}} | {{Main|A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour}} | ||
] | |||
{{Quote box |quoted=true |bgcolor=#FFFFF0 |salign=center | quote = They threatened me with the fact that we had a contract with CBS Records and that part of the contract could be construed to mean that we had a product commitment with CBS and if we didn't go on producing product, they could a) sue us and b) withhold royalties if we didn't make any more records. So they said, 'that's what the record company are going to do and the rest of the band are going to sue you for all their legal expenses and any loss of earnings because you're the one that's preventing the band from making any more records.' They forced me to resign from the band because, if I hadn't, the financial repercussions would have wiped me out completely. | source = Roger Waters, ''Uncut'' (June 2004), explaining why in 1985 he left the band<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=240}}</ref>| align = right | width = 33%}} | |||
Pink Floyd toured for ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' before it was complete. Early rehearsals were chaotic; Mason and Wright were out of practice, and, realising he had taken on too much work, Gilmour asked Ezrin to take charge. Gilmour and Mason funded the start-up costs; Mason, separated from his wife, used his ] as collateral. Matters were complicated when Waters contacted several US promoters and threatened to sue if they used the Pink Floyd name. Some promoters were offended by Waters' threat, and several months later 60,000 tickets went on sale in ], selling out within hours.<ref name="Blakep322">{{Harvnb|Blake|2008|p=322}}</ref><ref name="Poveyp243"/> | |||
As the new line-up (with Wright) toured throughout North America, Waters' ''Radio K.A.O.S.'' tour was |
As the new line-up (with Wright) toured throughout North America, Waters' ] was sometimes close by. Waters forbade the members of Pink Floyd to attend his concerts,{{refn|Mason (2005) states that "rumour had it we would not be allowed in"<ref>{{Harvnb|Mason|2005|p=300}}</ref>|group="nb"}} which were generally in smaller venues. Waters also issued a writ for copyright fees for use of the ]; Pink Floyd responded by attaching a huge set of male genitalia to the balloon's underside to distinguish it from Waters' design. By November 1987, Waters had given up, and on 23 December a legal settlement was reached at a meeting on ''Astoria''.<ref name="Poveyp241"/> | ||
The ''Momentary Lapse'' tour beat box office records in every US venue it booked, and was the most successful US tour that year. Tours of Australia, Japan, and Europe followed, before two more tours of the US. Almost every venue was sold out. A live album, '']'', was released on 22 November 1988, followed in June 1989 by a concert video. A few days later, the live album was played in orbit, on board ]. The tour eventually came to an end by closing the ], at ] on 30 June 1990, after 200 performances, a gross audience of 4.25 million fans, and box office receipts of more than £60 million (not including merchandising).<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|pp=243–244, 256–257}}</ref> The tour included a ] floating on the ] in Venice, Italy.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Blacklast |first=Johnny |date=2022-03-30 |title=The true story of the day Pink Floyd tried to sink Venice |url=https://www.loudersound.com/features/when-pink-floyd-played-venice |access-date=2023-01-21 |website=] |language=en}}</ref> | |||
] | |||
The ''Momentary Lapse'' tour was phenomenally successful. In every venue booked in the US it beat box-office records, making it the most successful US tour by any band that year. Tours of Australia, Japan, Europe and the UK soon followed, before the band returned twice to the US. Almost every venue was sold out. A live album, '']'', was released on 22 November 1988, followed in June 1989 by a concert video. A few days later, the album was played by the crew of ], making Pink Floyd the first rock band ever to be played in space. The tour eventually came to an end at ] in September 1990, after 200 performances, a gross audience of 4.25 million fans, and box-office receipts of more than £60M (not including merchandising).<ref>{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|pp=243–244}}</ref> | |||
{{-}} | |||
==Track listing== | ==Track listing== | ||
All lead vocals performed by ] except where noted. | |||
All tracks are written and co-written by ]; co-writers are listed alongside. | |||
{{tracklist | |||
| writing_credits = yes | |||
{{Track listing | |||
| total_length = 51:14 | |||
| title1 = ] | | title1 = ] | ||
| writer1 = {{flatlist| | |||
| note1 = instrumental, with spoken vocals by ] | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| length1 = 4:24 | | length1 = 4:24 | ||
| title2 = ] | | title2 = ] | ||
| writer2 = |
| writer2 = {{flatlist| | ||
* ] | |||
* Ezrin | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| length2 = 4:53 | |||
| title3 = ] | | length2 = 4:52 | ||
| title3 = ] | |||
| writer3 = |
| writer3 = {{flatlist| | ||
*Moore}} | |||
| length3 = 6:05 | | length3 = 6:05 | ||
| title4 = ] | | title4 = ] | ||
| writer4 |
| writer4 = {{flatlist| | ||
* | |||
* ] | |||
}} | |||
| length4 = 5:10 | | length4 = 5:10 | ||
| title5 = ] | | title5 = ] | ||
| writer5 = |
| writer5 = {{flatlist| | ||
* | |||
* Moore | |||
}} | |||
| length5 = 5:42 | | length5 = 5:42 | ||
| title6 = ] / ] | | title6 = ] | ||
| |
| writer6 = {{flatlist|* | ||
*]}} | |||
| length6 = |
| length6 = 6:14 | ||
| title7 = ] | | title7 = ] | ||
| writer7 = |
| writer7 = | ||
| length7 = 1: |
| length7 = 1:13 | ||
| title8 = ] | | title8 = ] | ||
| |
| writer8 = | ||
| |
| length8 = 1:46 | ||
| |
| title9 = ] | ||
| |
| writer9 = | ||
| |
| length9 = 6:17 | ||
| |
| title10 = ] | ||
| |
| writer10 = | ||
| |
| length10 = 0:38 | ||
| |
| title11 = ] | ||
| writer11 = | |||
| length11 = 8:47 | |||
}} | }} | ||
'''Note''' | |||
*Since the 2011 remasters, and the ], "Yet Another Movie" and "Round and Around" are indexed as individual tracks. | |||
*Tracks 1–5 on side one and 6–11 on side two of vinyl releases | |||
*The vinyl release of the 2019 mix however contain tracks 1-3 on side one, 4-5 on side two, 6-10 on side three, and track 11 on side four | |||
==Personnel== | ==Personnel== | ||
{{col-begin}} | {{col-begin}} | ||
{{col-break}} | {{col-break}} | ||
'''Pink Floyd<ref>{{Cite book | |||
| last = Guesdon | |||
*] – ], ]s, ], ] | |||
| first = Jean-Michel | |||
*] – ], ], ], ] | |||
| title = Pink Floyd All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track | |||
<!-- Richard Wright was contractually not a member of the band during production of this album - he was a contributing musician only. Please do not add his name here, it will be removed without discussion --> | |||
| publisher = ] | |||
| location = Edinburgh | |||
;Production | |||
| isbn = 978-0316439244 | |||
*] – ] | |||
| pages = 500–517 | |||
*] – producer | |||
| year = 2017 | |||
*] – ], ] | |||
| edition = 1st | |||
*] – additional re-mixing | |||
}}</ref>''' | |||
*] – vocals, guitars, keyboards, drum programming, ], ] | |||
*] – ] and ], spoken vocals, sound effects | |||
'''Additional personnel''' | |||
{{col-break}} | |||
*] – backing vocals, piano, Hammond organ, Kurzweil synthesiser <small>(credited as full group member on 2011 reissue)</small> | |||
;Additional musicians | |||
*] – keyboards, |
*] – keyboards, ], sequencers, production | ||
*] – keyboards, percussion, sequencers | |||
*] – ], ] | |||
*] – drums, percussion | |||
*Steve Forman – percussion | |||
*] – keyboards | *] – keyboards | ||
*] – ], ] | |||
*] – ] | |||
*] – drums | |||
*] – ]s | *] – ]s | ||
*] – |
*] – Hammond organ | ||
*] – guitar | *] – guitar | ||
*] – ] |
*] – bass guitar, ] | ||
* |
*] – drums | ||
* |
*] – drums | ||
*Steve Forman – percussion | |||
*] – ], ] | |||
*] – saxophone (credited as John Halliwell) | |||
*] – ] | |||
*] (credited as Darlene Koldenhaven) – backing vocals | |||
*] – backing vocals | |||
*Phyllis St. James – backing vocals | *Phyllis St. James – backing vocals | ||
* |
*] – backing vocals | ||
{{col-break}} | |||
'''Technical personnel''' | |||
*] – ], ] | |||
*Robert (Ringo) Hrycyna – assistant | |||
*Marc Desisto – assistant | |||
*Stan Katayama – assistant | |||
*Jeff Demorris – assistant | |||
*] – additional re-mixing, 2011 remastering at Das Boot Recording | |||
*Joel Plante – 2011 remastering at Das Boot Recording<ref>{{cite AV media notes |title=A Momentary Lapse Of Reason |others=Pink Floyd |year=2011 |type=Booklet |publisher=EMI (50999 028959 2 5)}}</ref> | |||
{{col-end}} | {{col-end}} | ||
== |
==Charts== | ||
{{col- |
{{col-start}} | ||
{{col- |
{{col-2}} | ||
;Album | |||
===Weekly charts=== | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" | |||
!align="left"|Chart (1987) | |||
|+Weekly chart performance for ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' | |||
!align="left"|Position | |||
!Chart (1987–2021) | |||
!Peak<br />position | |||
|- | |- | ||
{{album chart|Australia|47|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=2 May 2021}} | |||
|] | |||
|3<ref name="Poveyp349"/> | |||
|- | |- | ||
!scope="row"|Australian Albums (])<ref>{{cite book|last=Kent|first=David|author-link=David Kent (historian)|title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992|publisher=Australian Chart Book|location=St. Ives, N.S.W.|year=1993|edition=Illustrated|page=233|isbn=0-646-11917-6}}</ref> | |||
|] | |||
|align="center"|2 | |||
|3<ref name="Poveyp349"/> | |||
|- | |- | ||
{{album chart|Austria|3|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|] | |||
|47<ref name="Ultratop"/> | |||
|- | |- | ||
{{album chart|Flanders|31|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=7 November 2021}} | |||
|] | |||
|2<ref name="Ultratop">{{Citation | url = http://www.ultratop.be/en/showitem.asp?interpret=Pink+Floyd&titel=A+Momentary+Lapse+Of+Reason&cat=a | title = Pink Floyd – A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (Album) | publisher = ultratop.be | accessdate = 2010-01-25}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
{{album chart|Wallonia|8|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=7 November 2021}} | |||
|] | |||
|- | |||
|2<ref name="Ultratop"/> | |||
{{album chart|Canada|5|chartid=0886|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Netherlands|2|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Finland|48|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=7 November 2021}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|France|135|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=2 May 2021}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Germany4|2|id=599|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Hungary|11|year=2021|week=44|rowheader=true|access-date=11 November 2021}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Ireland2|86|M|url=https://www.irma.ie/index.cfm?page=irish-charts&chart=Albums|title=IRMA – Irish Charts|publisher=]|artist=Pink Floyd|rowheader=true|access-date=7 November 2021}} | |||
|- | |||
!scope="row"|Italian Albums ('']'')<ref name = "MandD">{{cite web|url=http://www.musicaedischi.it/classifiche_archivio.php|title=Classifiche|work=]|language=it|access-date=30 May 2022}} Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "A momentary lapse of reason".</ref> | |||
|style="text-align:center"|4 | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|New Zealand|1|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Norway|2|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Poland|12|id=1401|rowheader=true|access-date=11 November 2021}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Portugal|39|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=2 May 2021}} | |||
|- | |||
!scope="row"|Spanish Albums (])<ref>{{cite book|last=Salaverri|first=Fernando|title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002|edition=1st|date=September 2005|publisher=Fundación Autor-SGAE|location=Spain|isbn=84-8048-639-2}}</ref> | |||
|align="center"|12 | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Sweden|3|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Switzerland|2|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|UK|3|artist=Pink Floyd|album=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|- | |||
{{album chart|Billboard200|3|artist=Pink Floyd|rowheader=true|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
|} | |} | ||
{{col-2}} | |||
===Year-end charts=== | |||
{{col-break}} | |||
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" | |||
;Singles | |||
|+1987 year-end chart performance for ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' | |||
{| class="wikitable" | |||
!Chart (1987) | |||
!align="left"|Year | |||
!Position | |||
!align="left"|Single | |||
!align="left"|Chart | |||
!align="left"|Position | |||
|- | |- | ||
!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1987&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1987|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
|1987 | |||
|align="center"|55 | |||
|"Learning to Fly" | |||
|] | |||
|70<ref name="Poveyp350">{{Harvnb|Povey|2007|p=350}}</ref> | |||
|- | |- | ||
!scope="row"|European (European Top 100 Albums)<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-12-26.pdf |title=European Top 100 Albums – 1987 |magazine=Music & Media |volume=4 |issue=51/52 |date=26 December 1987 |page=35 |oclc=29800226 |via=World Radio History|access-date=November 30, 2021}} ''Digit page 37 on the PDF archive.''</ref> | |||
|1988 | |||
|align="center"|29 | |||
|"One Slip" | |||
|- | |||
|] | |||
!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1987|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=de|publisher=]|access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
|50<ref name="Poveyp350"/> | |||
|align="center"|43 | |||
|- | |||
! scope="row" | New Zealand Albums (RMNZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://aotearoamusiccharts.co.nz/archive/annual-albums/1987-12-31|title=Top Selling Albums of 1987 — The Official New Zealand Music Chart|publisher=]|access-date=5 February 2022}}</ref> | |||
| align="center" | 24 | |||
|- | |||
!scope="row"|Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://hitparade.ch/charts/jahreshitparade/1987/alben|title=Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1987|website=hitparade.ch|access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
|align="center"|22 | |||
|} | |||
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" | |||
|+1988 year-end chart performance for ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' | |||
!Chart (1988) | |||
!Position | |||
|- | |||
!scope="row"|Dutch Albums (Album Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://dutchcharts.nl/jaaroverzichten.asp?year=1988&cat=a|title=Jaaroverzichten – Album 1988|website=dutchcharts.nl|access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
|align="center"|44 | |||
|- | |||
!scope="row"|German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/charts/album-jahr/for-date-1988|title=Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts|language=de|publisher=]|access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
|align="center"|55 | |||
|- | |||
!scope="row"|US ''Billboard'' 200<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/1988/top-billboard-200-albums|title=Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1988|magazine=Billboard|access-date=2 May 2021}}</ref> | |||
|align="center"|25 | |||
|} | |||
{|class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" | |||
|+2021 year-end chart performance for ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason'' | |||
!Chart (2021) | |||
!Position | |||
|- | |||
! scope="row"| Hungarian Albums (MAHASZ)<ref>{{cite web|url=https://slagerlistak.hu/archivum/eves-osszesitett-listak/album_db/2021|title=Összesített album- és válogatáslemez-lista - eladási darabszám alapján - 2021|publisher=Mahasz|language=hu|access-date=1 February 2022}}</ref> | |||
|align="center"|99 | |||
|} | |} | ||
{{col-end}} | {{col-end}} | ||
==Certifications and sales== | |||
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for ''A Momentary Lapse of Reason''}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Argentina|type=album|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|artist=Pink Floyd|award=Platinum|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|certref=<ref name=capif>{{cite web|url=http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=&album=&LanDesde_MM=1&LanDesde_AA=1980&LanHasta_MM=12&LanHasta_AA=2010&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP |archive-url=https://archive.today/20110706084844/http://www.capif.org.ar/Default.asp?PerDesde_MM=0&PerDesde_AA=0&PerHasta_MM=0&PerHasta_AA=0&interprete=&album=&LanDesde_MM=1&LanDesde_AA=1980&LanHasta_MM=12&LanHasta_AA=2010&Galardon=O&Tipo=1&ACCION2=+Buscar+&ACCION=Buscar&CO=5&CODOP=ESOP |archive-date= 6 July 2011 |title=Discos de oro y platino |access-date=23 June 2019 |publisher=] |language=es |url-status=dead}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|award=Platinum|relyear=1987artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|certref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.aria.com.au/charts/1988/albums-chart|title=Aria Album Charts – 1988|publisher=Aria Charts|access-date=23 June 2019}}</ref>|salesamount=200,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite magazine|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-01-28.pdf|title=Australia '89|magazine=]|author=Glenn A. Baker|via=World Radio History|volume=101|issue=4|page=A-4|date=28 January 1989|access-date=22 June 2021}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Austria|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1994|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Brazil|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|nocert=true|type=album|relyear=1984|salesamount=150,000|salesref=<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://memoria.bn.br/DocReader/DocReader.aspx?bib=030015_10&pagfis=174530|title=Floyd & Mac na arena|magazine=]|page=7|date=6 October 1988|access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|award=Platinum|number=3|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=France|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Moementary Lapse of Reason|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1987|certyear=1988|source=infodisc}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Germany|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Italy|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=2016|note=sales since 2009|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=28 October 2020}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Netherlands|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1988|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=13 September 2018}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Norway|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|salesamount=50,000|salesref=<ref name="NorwayCert"/>|certref=<ref name="NorwayCert">{{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-12-26.pdf|title=Gold & Platinum Awards 1987|magazine=]|page=44|date=26 December 1987|access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Poland|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=2022|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|date=11 May 2022|access-date=11 May 2022}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Portugal|type=album|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certref=<ref>{{cite magazine|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Music-and-Media/80s/1987/M&M-1987-12-26.pdf|title=Gold & Platinum Awards 1987|magazine=]|page=44|date=26 December 1987|access-date=7 July 2019}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Spain|type=album|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|artist=Pink Floyd|award=Platinum|relyear=1987|certref=<ref>{{cite book |last=Salaverri |first=Fernando |date=September 2005 |url=http://www.mediafire.com/view/x263f6daopkswo8/Spanish+certifications+for+1979-1990.pdf |title=Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 |language=es |edition=1st |location=Madrid |publisher=] |page=922 |isbn=84-8048-639-2 |access-date=27 June 2019}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Sweden|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=7 April 2018}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Switzerland|award=Platinum|number=2|relyear=1987|certyear=1990|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|award=Gold|relyear=1987|certyear=1987|id=218-1497-2|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|award=Platinum|number=4|relyear=1987|certyear=2001|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|note=certified sales 1987-2001|access-date=9 June 2016}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|nocert=true|salesamount=1,700,000|relyear=1987|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|note=Nielsen sales 1991-2008|salesref=<ref>{{cite news|url=http://blogs.usatoday.com/listenup/2007/02/sales_questions_1.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070218231012/http://blogs.usatoday.com/listenup/2007/02/sales_questions_1.html|title=Sales questions: Pink Floyd|last=Barnes|first=Ken|date=16 February 2007|work=]|archive-date=18 February 2007|access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Summary}} | |||
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Worldwide|nocert=true|salesamount=10,000,000|relyear=1987|artist=Pink Floyd|title=A Momentary Lapse of Reason|type=album|salesref=<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.vulture.com/2017/08/all-165-pink-floyd-songs-ranked-from-worst-to-best.html|title=All 165 Pink Floyd Songs, Ranked From Worst to Best|publisher=Vulture|first=Bill|last=Wyman|date=3 August 2017|access-date=28 October 2020}}</ref>}} | |||
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true}} | |||
==References== | ==References== | ||
'''Notes''' | |||
{{ |
{{Reflist|group="nb"}} | ||
'''Footnotes''' | |||
{{Reflist |
{{Reflist}} | ||
'''Bibliography''' | |||
{{ |
{{Refbegin}} | ||
*{{Citation | last = Blake | first = Mark | title = Comfortably |
*{{Citation | last = Blake | first = Mark | title = Comfortably Numb – The Inside Story of Pink Floyd | publisher = Da Capo Press | location = Cambridge, MA | edition = paperback | year = 2008 | isbn = 978-0-306-81752-6 | url = https://archive.org/details/comfortablynumbi00mark }} | ||
*{{Citation |
*{{Citation|editor1-last=Graff|editor1-first=Gary|editor2-last=Durchholz|editor2-first=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|isbn=1-57859-061-2|url=https://archive.org/details/isbn_9781578590612}} | ||
*{{Citation | last = |
*{{Citation | last = Mabbett | first = Andy | title = The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd | publisher = Omnibus Press | year = 1995 | isbn = 0-7119-4301-X}} | ||
*{{Citation | last = |
*{{Citation | last = MacDonald | first = Bruno | title = Pink Floyd: Through the Eyes of the Band, Its Fans, Friends and Foes | publisher = Da Capo Press | location = Cambridge, MA| edition = paperback | year = 1997 | isbn = 0-306-80780-7}} | ||
*{{Citation | last = |
*{{Citation | last = Manning | first = Toby | title = The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd | publisher = Rough Guides | edition = 1st | year = 2006 | location = London | isbn = 1-84353-575-0}} | ||
*{{Citation | last = |
*{{Citation | last = Mason | first = Nick | title = ] | publisher = Phoenix | location = London | edition = paperback | editor = Philip Dodd | year = 2005 | isbn = 0-7538-1906-6}} | ||
*{{Citation | last = Povey | first = Glenn | title = Echoes | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=qnnl3FnO-B4C | publisher = Mind Head Publishing | location = Bovingdon | year = 2007 | isbn = 978-0-9554624-0-5 }} | |||
{{refend}} | |||
*{{Citation | last = Schaffner | first = Nicholas | title = Saucerful of Secrets | publisher = Sidgwick & Jackson | location = London | year = 1991 | edition = 1st | isbn = 0-283-06127-8 }} | |||
*{{Citation | last1 = Watkinson | first1 = Mike | last2 = Anderson | first2 = Pete | title = Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett & the Dawn of Pink Floyd | url = https://books.google.com/books?id=kPJlLjf4OogC | edition = illustrated | publisher = Omnibus Press | year = 2001 | isbn = 0-7119-8835-8}} | |||
{{Refend}} | |||
==External links== | |||
* {{Discogs master|type=album|10303|name=A Momentary Lapse of Reason}} | |||
{{Wikiquote}} | |||
{{A Momentary Lapse of Reason}} | |||
{{Pink Floyd}} | {{Pink Floyd}} | ||
{{ |
{{Authority control}} | ||
{{DEFAULTSORT:Momentary Lapse Of Reason, A}} | {{DEFAULTSORT:Momentary Lapse Of Reason, A}} | ||
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Latest revision as of 14:37, 6 December 2024
For the TVB drama, see Momentary Lapse of Reason (TV series).1987 studio album by Pink Floyd
A Momentary Lapse of Reason | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Original cover | ||||
Studio album by Pink Floyd | ||||
Released | 7 September 1987 (1987-09-07) | |||
Recorded | November 1986 – March 1987 | |||
Studio |
| |||
Genre | Progressive rock | |||
Length | 51:09 | |||
Label | ||||
Producer | ||||
Pink Floyd chronology | ||||
| ||||
Singles from A Momentary Lapse of Reason | ||||
| ||||
A Momentary Lapse of Reason is the thirteenth studio album by the English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in the UK on 7 September 1987 by EMI and the following day in the US on Columbia. It was recorded primarily on the converted houseboat Astoria, belonging to the guitarist, David Gilmour.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason was the first Pink Floyd album recorded without the founding member Roger Waters, who departed in 1985. The production was marred by legal fights over the rights to the Pink Floyd name, which were not resolved until several months after release. It also saw the return of the keyboardist and founding member Richard Wright, who was fired by Waters during the recording of The Wall (1979). Wright returned as a session player.
Unlike most of Pink Floyd's preceding studio records, A Momentary Lapse of Reason is not a concept album. It includes writing contributions from outside songwriters, following Gilmour's decision to include material once intended for his third solo album. The album was promoted with three singles: the double A-side "Learning to Fly" / "Terminal Frost", "On the Turning Away", and "One Slip".
A Momentary Lapse of Reason received mixed reviews; some critics praised the production and instrumentation but criticised Gilmour's songwriting, and it was derided by Waters. It reached number three in the UK and US, and outsold Pink Floyd's previous album, The Final Cut (1983). It was supported by a successful world tour between 1987 and 1989, including a free performance on a barge floating on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
Background
After the release of Pink Floyd's 1983 album The Final Cut, viewed by some as a de facto solo record by bassist and songwriter Roger Waters, the band members worked on solo projects. Guitarist David Gilmour expressed feelings about his strained relationship with Waters on his second solo album, About Face (1984), and finished the accompanying tour as Waters began touring to promote his debut solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking. Although both had enlisted a range of successful performers, including in Waters' case Eric Clapton, their solo acts attracted fewer fans than Pink Floyd; poor ticket sales forced Gilmour to cancel several concerts, and critic David Fricke felt that Waters' show was "a petulant echo, a transparent attempt to prove that Roger Waters was Pink Floyd". Waters returned to the US in March 1985 with a second tour, this time without the support of CBS Records, which had expressed its preference for a new Pink Floyd album; Waters criticised the corporation as "a machine".
Nick Mason, In the Studio with Redbeard (1994)At that time, certainly, I just thought, I can't really see how we can make the next record or if we can it's a long time in the future, and it'll probably be more for, just because of feeling of some obligation that we ought to do it, rather than for any enthusiasm.
After drummer Nick Mason attended one of Waters' London performances in 1985, he found he missed touring under the Pink Floyd name. His visit coincided with the release in August of his second solo album, Profiles, on which Gilmour sang. With a shared love of aviation, Mason and Gilmour were taking flying lessons and together bought a de Havilland Dove aeroplane. Gilmour was working on other collaborations, including a performance for Bryan Ferry at 1985's Live Aid concert, and co-produced the Dream Academy's self-titled debut album.
In December 1985, Waters announced that he had left Pink Floyd, which he believed was "a spent force creatively". After the failure of his About Face tour, Gilmour hoped to continue with the Pink Floyd name. The threat of a lawsuit from Gilmour, Mason and CBS Records was meant to compel Waters to write and produce another Pink Floyd album with his bandmates, who had barely participated in making The Final Cut; Gilmour was especially critical of the album, labelling it "cheap filler" and "meandering rubbish".
Roger Waters, Uncut (June 2004), explaining why he stopped his legal challengeThey threatened me with the fact that we had a contract with CBS Records and that part of the contract could be construed to mean that we had a product commitment with CBS and if we didn't go on producing product, they could a) sue us and b) withhold royalties if we didn't make any more records. So they said, 'that's what the record company are going to do and the rest of the band are going to sue you for all their legal expenses and any loss of earnings because you're the one that's preventing the band from making any more records.' They forced me to resign from the band because, if I hadn't, the financial repercussions would have wiped me out completely.
According to Gilmour, "I told before he left, 'If you go, man, we're carrying on. Make no bones about it, we would carry on', and Roger replied: 'You'll never fucking do it.'" Waters had written to EMI and Columbia declaring his intention to leave the group and asking them to release him from his contractual obligations. He also dispensed with the services of Pink Floyd manager Steve O'Rourke and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs. This left Gilmour and Mason, in their view, free to continue with the Pink Floyd name. In 2013, Waters said he regretted the lawsuit and had not understood English jurisprudence.
In Waters' absence, Gilmour had been recruiting musicians for a new project. Months previously, keyboardist Jon Carin had jammed with Gilmour at his Hook End studio, where he composed the chord progression that became "Learning to Fly", and so was invited onto the team. Gilmour invited Bob Ezrin (co-producer of 1979's The Wall) to help consolidate their material; Ezrin had turned down Waters' offer of a role on the development of his new solo album, Radio K.A.O.S., saying it was "far easier for Dave and I to do our version of a Floyd record". Ezrin arrived in England in mid-1986 for what Gilmour later described as "mucking about with a lot of demos".
At this stage, there was no commitment to a new Pink Floyd release, and Gilmour maintained that the material might become his third solo album. CBS representative Stephen Ralbovsky hoped for a new Pink Floyd album, but in a meeting in November 1986, told Gilmour and Ezrin that the music "doesn't sound a fucking thing like Pink Floyd". By the end of that year, Gilmour had decided to make the material into a Pink Floyd project, and agreed to rework the material that Ralbovsky had found objectionable.
Recording
David GilmourYou can't go back ... You have to find a new way of working, of operating and getting on with it. We didn't make this remotely like we've made any other Floyd record. It was different systems, everything.
Gilmour experimented with songwriters such as Eric Stewart and Roger McGough, but settled on Anthony Moore, who was credited as co-writer of "Learning to Fly" and "On the Turning Away". Whereas many prior Pink Floyd albums are concept albums, Gilmour chose a more conventional approach of a collection of songs without a thematic link. Gilmour later said that the project had been difficult without Waters.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason was recorded in several studios, mainly Gilmour's houseboat studio Astoria, moored on the Thames; according to Ezrin, "working there was just magical, so inspirational; kids sculling down the river, geese flying by...". Andy Jackson was brought in to engineer. During sessions held between November 1986 and February 1987, Gilmour's band worked on new material, which in a change from previous Pink Floyd albums was mostly recorded with a 32-track ProDigi digital recorder apart from the drum tracks, which were recorded with a 24-track analogue machine. This trend of using new technologies continued with the use of MIDI synchronisation, aided by an Apple Macintosh computer.
Ezrin suggested incorporating rap, an idea dismissed by Gilmour. After agreeing to rework the material that Ralbovsky had found objectionable, Gilmour employed session musicians such as Carmine Appice and Jim Keltner. Both drummers replaced Mason on several songs; Mason was concerned that he was too out of practice to perform on the album, and instead busied himself with its sound effects. Some drum parts were also performed by drum machines. In his memoir, Mason wrote: "In hindsight, I really should have had the self-belief to play all the drum parts. And in the early days of life after Roger, I think David and I felt that we had to get it right, or we would be slaughtered."
During the sessions, Gilmour was asked by the wife of Pink Floyd's former keyboardist, Richard Wright, if he could contribute. A founding member of the band, Wright had left in 1981, and there were legal obstacles to his return; after a meeting in Hampstead he was recruited as a paid musician on a weekly wage of $11,000. Gilmour said in an interview that Wright's presence "would make us stronger legally and musically". However, his contributions were minimal; most of the keyboard parts had already been recorded, and so from February 1987 Wright played some background reinforcement on a Hammond organ, and a Rhodes piano, and added vocal harmonies. He also performed a solo in "On the Turning Away", which was discarded, according to Wright, "not because they didn't like it ... they just thought it didn't fit".
Gilmour later said: "Both Nick and Rick were catatonic in terms of their playing ability at the beginning. Neither of them played on this at all really. In my view, they'd been destroyed by Roger." Gilmour's comments angered Mason, who said: "I'd deny that I was catatonic. I'd expect that from the opposition, it's less attractive from one's allies. At some point, he made some sort of apology." Mason conceded that Gilmour was nervous about how the album would be perceived.
"Learning to Fly" With frequent use of samplers and drum machines, A Momentary Lapse of Reason demonstrates a significant change in style over the more traditionally recorded Final Cut. "Learning to Fly" was heavily influenced by Gilmour's flying lessons.Problems playing this file? See media help.
"Learning to Fly" was inspired by Gilmour's flying lessons, which occasionally conflicted with his studio duties. The track also contains a recording of Mason's voice during takeoff. The band experimented with samples, and Ezrin recorded the sound of Gilmour's boatman Langley Iddens rowing across the Thames. Iddens' presence at the sessions became vital when Astoria began to lift in response to the rapidly rising river, which was pushing the boat against the pier on which it was moored.
"The Dogs of War" is a song about "physical and political mercenaries", according to Gilmour. It came about through a mishap in the studio when a sampling machine began playing a sample of laughter, which Gilmour thought sounded like a dog's bark. "Terminal Frost" was one of Gilmour's older demos, which he decided to leave as an instrumental. Conversely, the lyrics for "Sorrow" were written before the music. The song's opening guitar solo was recorded in the Los Angeles Memorial Sports Arena. A 24-track mobile studio piped Gilmour's guitar tracks through a public address system, and the resulting mix was then recorded in surround sound.
Legal disputes
The sessions were interrupted by the escalating disagreement between Waters and Pink Floyd over who had the rights to the Pink Floyd name. O'Rourke, believing that his contract with Waters had been terminated illegally, sued Waters for £25,000 of back-commission. In a late-1986 board meeting of Pink Floyd Music Ltd (Pink Floyd's clearing house for all financial transactions since 1973), Waters learnt that a bank account had been opened to deal exclusively with all monies related to "the new Pink Floyd project". He immediately applied to the High Court to prevent the Pink Floyd name from being used again, but his lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed. Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist; however, Gilmour told a Sunday Times reporter: "Roger is a dog in the manger and I'm going to fight him, no one else has claimed Pink Floyd was entirely them. Anybody who does is extremely arrogant."
Waters twice visited Astoria, and with his wife had a meeting in August 1986 with Ezrin, who later suggested that he was being "checked out". As Waters was still a shareholder and director of Pink Floyd Music, he was able to block any decisions made by his former bandmates. Recording moved to Mayfair Studios in February 1987, and from February to March – under the terms of an agreement with Ezrin to record close to his home – to A&M Studios in Los Angeles: "It was fantastic because ... the lawyers couldn't call in the middle of recording unless they were calling in the middle of the night." The bitterness of the row between Waters and Pink Floyd was covered in a November 1987 issue of Rolling Stone, which became the magazine's best-selling issue of that year. The legal disputes were resolved out of court by the end of 1987.
Packaging and title
Careful consideration was given to the album's title, with the initial three contenders being Signs of Life, Of Promises Broken and Delusions of Maturity. The final title appears as a line in the chorus of "One Slip".
For the first time since 1977's Animals, designer Storm Thorgerson was employed to work on a Pink Floyd studio album cover. His finished design was a long river of hospital beds arranged on a beach, inspired by a phrase from "Yet Another Movie" and Gilmour's vague hint of a design that included a bed in a Mediterranean house, as well as "vestiges of relationships that have evaporated, leaving only echoes". The cover shows hundreds of hospital beds assembled in July 1987 on Saunton Sands in North Devon, where some of the scenes for Pink Floyd – The Wall were filmed. The beds were arranged by Thorgerson's colleague Colin Elgie. A hang glider in the sky references "Learning to Fly". The photographer, Robert Dowling, won a gold award at the Association of Photographers Awards for the image, which took about two weeks to create. Some versions of the cover do not feature the hang glider, and other versions feature a nurse making one of the beds.
To emphasise that Waters had left the band, the inner gatefold featured a photograph of just Gilmour and Mason shot by David Bailey. Its inclusion marked the first time since Meddle (1971) that a group photo had been used in the artwork of a Pink Floyd album. Wright was represented only by name, on the credits. According to Mason, Wright's leaving agreement contained a clause that prevented him rejoining the band, and "consequently we had to be careful about what constituted being a member".
Release and reception
Review scores | |
---|---|
Source | Rating |
AllMusic | |
The Daily Telegraph | |
Encyclopedia of Popular Music | |
MusicHound Rock | 2/5 |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | |
The Village Voice | C |
A Momentary Lapse of Reason was released in the UK and US on 7 September 1987. It went straight to number three in both countries, held from the top spot in the US by Michael Jackson's Bad and Whitesnake's self-titled album. It spent 34 weeks on the UK Albums Chart. It was certified silver and gold in the UK on 1 October 1987, and gold and platinum in the US on 9 November. It went double platinum on 18 January the following year, triple platinum on 10 March 1992, and quadruple platinum on 16 August 2001, greatly outselling The Final Cut.
Gilmour presented A Momentary Lapse as a return to an older Pink Floyd sound, citing his belief that under Waters' tenure, lyrics had become more important than music. He said that their albums The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here were successful "not just because of Roger's contributions, but also because there was a better balance between the music and the lyrics ". Waters said of A Momentary Lapse: "I think it's very facile, but a quite clever forgery ... The songs are poor in general; the lyrics I can't quite believe. Gilmour's lyrics are very third-rate." Wright said Waters' criticisms were "fair". In a later interview, Waters said the album had "a couple of really nice tunes" and chord sequences and melodies he would have retained had he been involved.
In Q, Phil Sutcliffe wrote that it "does sound like a Pink Floyd album" and highlighted the two-part "A New Machine" as "a chillingly beautiful vocal exploration" and a "brilliant stroke of imagination". He concluded: "A Momentary Lapse is Gilmour's album to much the same degree that the previous four under Floyd's name were dominated by Waters … Clearly it wasn't only business sense and repressed ego but repressed talent which drove the guitarist to insist on continuing under the band brand-name." Recognising the return to a more music-oriented approach, Sounds said the album was "back over the wall to where diamonds are crazy, moons have dark sides, and mothers have atom hearts".
Conversely, Greg Quill of the Toronto Star wrote: "Something's missing here. This is, for all its lumbering weight, not a record that challenges and provokes as Pink Floyd should. A Momentary Lapse of Reason, sorry to say, is mundane, predictable." Village Voice critic Robert Christgau wrote: "You'd hardly know the group's conceptmaster was gone – except that they put out noticeably fewer ideas." In 2016, AllMusic critic William Ruhlmann described it as a "Gilmour solo album in all but name".
In 2016, Nick Shilton chose A Momentary Lapse of Reason as one of the "Top 10 Essential 80s Prog Albums" for Prog. He wrote: "While it's not a patch on the Floyd masterworks of the 70s, it merits inclusion here. The ironically titled 'Signs of Life' is an instrumental prelude for 'Learning to Fly' which showcases Gilmour's guitar, while the pulsating 'The Dogs of War' is considerably darker, and the uplifting 'On the Turning Away' simply sublime."
Reissues
A Momentary Lapse of Reason was reissued in 1988 as a limited-edition vinyl with posters and a guaranteed ticket application for Pink Floyd's upcoming UK concerts. It was digitally remastered and rereleased in 1994. A tenth-anniversary edition was issued in the US in 1997.
In December 2019, A Momentary Lapse of Reason was reissued again as part of the Later Years box set. It was updated and remixed by Gilmour and Jackson, with restored contributions from Wright and newly recorded drum tracks from Mason to "restore the creative balance between the three Pink Floyd members". Rolling Stone described this version as "more tasteful ... doesn't drown in eighties reverb the way the original did ... Although none of the Momentary Lapse remixes will be dramatic enough to sway the band's critics, they add clarity to what Gilmour was trying to achieve."
Tour
Main article: A Momentary Lapse of Reason TourPink Floyd toured for A Momentary Lapse of Reason before it was complete. Early rehearsals were chaotic; Mason and Wright were out of practice, and, realising he had taken on too much work, Gilmour asked Ezrin to take charge. Gilmour and Mason funded the start-up costs; Mason, separated from his wife, used his Ferrari 250 GTO as collateral. Matters were complicated when Waters contacted several US promoters and threatened to sue if they used the Pink Floyd name. Some promoters were offended by Waters' threat, and several months later 60,000 tickets went on sale in Toronto, selling out within hours.
As the new line-up (with Wright) toured throughout North America, Waters' Radio K.A.O.S. tour was sometimes close by. Waters forbade the members of Pink Floyd to attend his concerts, which were generally in smaller venues. Waters also issued a writ for copyright fees for use of the Pink Floyd flying pig; Pink Floyd responded by attaching a huge set of male genitalia to the balloon's underside to distinguish it from Waters' design. By November 1987, Waters had given up, and on 23 December a legal settlement was reached at a meeting on Astoria.
The Momentary Lapse tour beat box office records in every US venue it booked, and was the most successful US tour that year. Tours of Australia, Japan, and Europe followed, before two more tours of the US. Almost every venue was sold out. A live album, Delicate Sound of Thunder, was released on 22 November 1988, followed in June 1989 by a concert video. A few days later, the live album was played in orbit, on board Soyuz TM-7. The tour eventually came to an end by closing the Silver Clef Award Winners Concert, at Knebworth Park on 30 June 1990, after 200 performances, a gross audience of 4.25 million fans, and box office receipts of more than £60 million (not including merchandising). The tour included a free performance on a barge floating on the Grand Canal in Venice, Italy.
Track listing
All tracks are written and co-written by David Gilmour; co-writers are listed alongside.
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
---|---|---|---|
1. | "Signs of Life" | 4:24 | |
2. | "Learning to Fly" |
| 4:52 |
3. | "The Dogs of War" |
| 6:05 |
4. | "One Slip" | 5:10 | |
5. | "On the Turning Away" |
| 5:42 |
6. | "Yet Another Movie" | 6:14 | |
7. | "Round and Around" | 1:13 | |
8. | "A New Machine (Part 1)" | 1:46 | |
9. | "Terminal Frost" | 6:17 | |
10. | "A New Machine (Part 2)" | 0:38 | |
11. | "Sorrow" | 8:47 |
Note
- Since the 2011 remasters, and the Discovery box set, "Yet Another Movie" and "Round and Around" are indexed as individual tracks.
- Tracks 1–5 on side one and 6–11 on side two of vinyl releases
- The vinyl release of the 2019 mix however contain tracks 1-3 on side one, 4-5 on side two, 6-10 on side three, and track 11 on side four
Personnel
Pink Floyd
Additional personnel
|
Technical personnel
|
Charts
Weekly charts
|
Year-end charts
|
Certifications and sales
Region | Certification | Certified units/sales |
---|---|---|
Argentina (CAPIF) | Platinum | 60,000 |
Australia (ARIA) | Platinum | 200,000 |
Austria (IFPI Austria) | Gold | 25,000 |
Brazil | — | 150,000 |
Canada (Music Canada) | 3× Platinum | 300,000 |
France (SNEP) | Platinum | 300,000 |
Germany (BVMI) | Gold | 250,000 |
Italy (FIMI) sales since 2009 |
Gold | 25,000 |
Netherlands (NVPI) | Gold | 50,000 |
Norway (IFPI Norway) | Gold | 50,000 |
Poland (ZPAV) | Gold | 10,000 |
Portugal (AFP) | Gold | 20,000 |
Spain (PROMUSICAE) | Platinum | 100,000 |
Sweden (GLF) | Gold | 50,000 |
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland) | 2× Platinum | 100,000 |
United Kingdom (BPI) | Gold | 100,000 |
United States (RIAA) certified sales 1987-2001 |
4× Platinum | 4,000,000 |
United States Nielsen sales 1991-2008 |
— | 1,700,000 |
Summaries | ||
Worldwide | — | 10,000,000 |
Sales figures based on certification alone. |
References
Notes
- Two alternate covers were also released for streaming platforms and other reissues: one excludes the overlay and features a lady cleaning the land, while the other shows a close-up of the man sitting on a bed and excludes the title
- Photographs of the band on stage were used on a poster that was included in copies of 1973's The Dark Side of the Moon.
- Thorgerson also worked on the cover of the 1981 compilation A Collection of Great Dance Songs.
- UK EMI EMD 1003 (vinyl album), EMI CDP 7480682 (CD album). US Columbia OC 40599 (vinyl album released 8 September 1987), Columbia CK 40599 (CD album)
- UK EMI EMDS 1003
- UK EMI CD EMD 1003
- US Columbia CK 68518
- Mason (2005) states that "rumour had it we would not be allowed in"
Footnotes
- "Music Week" (PDF). p. 35.
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- Jon Pareles (15 September 2008). "Richard Wright, Member of Pink Floyd, Dies at 65". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331.
- Watkinson & Anderson 2001, p. 133
- Mabbett 1995, p. 89
- Blake 2008, pp. 302–309
- Schaffner 1991, pp. 249–250
- Schaffner 1991, pp. 256–257
- ^ In the Studio with Redbeard, A Momentary Lapse of Reason (Radio broadcast), Barbarosa Ltd. Productions, 2007
- ^ Blake 2008, pp. 311–313
- Schaffner 1991, p. 257
- Schaffner 1991, pp. 258–260
- Schaffner 1991, pp. 262–263
- Jones, Peter (22 November 1986), "It's the Final Cut: Pink Floyd to Split Officially", Billboard, p. 70, retrieved 22 September 2009
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- "Pink Floyd star Roger Waters regrets suing band". BBC News. 19 September 2013. Retrieved 10 March 2016.
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- Blake 2008, pp. 315, 317
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- ^ Blake 2008, p. 318
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- ^ Schaffner 1991, p. 269
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- Mason 2005, pp. 284–286
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- ^ Mason 2005, p. 287
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- ^ Manning 2006, p. 134
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- ^ Mabbett, Andy (2010). Pink Floyd - The Music and the Mystery. London: Omnibus. ISBN 978-1-84938-370-7.
- ^ Blake 2008, p. 322
- Pink Floyd's Facebook post on 7 September 2020 titled "Here's a look at the creation of the cover of the #PinkFloyd album A Momentary Lapse of Reason, with footage taken from The Later Years boxset" featuring the video excerpt "Cover shoot for Pink Floyd's A Momentary Lapse of Reason" (1:00)
- Mason 2005, p. 290
- ^ Povey 2007, p. 243
- Schaffner 1991, p. 273
- Blake 2008, p. 323
- ^ Blake 2008, pp. 326–327
- ^ Povey 2007, p. 349
- Mason 2005, p. 397
- ^ Ruhlmann, William. "Pink Floyd A Momentary Lapse of Reason". AllMusic. Retrieved 5 October 2013.
- McCormick, Neil (20 May 2014). "Pink Floyd's 14 studio albums rated". The Daily Telegraph. London. Archived from the original on 12 January 2022. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
- Larkin, Colin (2011). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Omnibus Press. ISBN 9780857125958.
- Graff & Durchholz 1999, p. 874
- "Pink Floyd: Album Guide". rollingstone.com. Archived from the original on 17 February 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2014.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (29 December 1987). "Consumer Guide". The Village Voice. Retrieved 24 February 2020.
- David Roberts, ed. (2006). British Hit Singles and Albums. Guinness World Records Limited. p. 427. ISBN 978-1904994107.
- Povey 2007, pp. 349–350
- Povey 2007, p. 230
- Schaffner 1991, p. 274
- Fricke, David (19 November 1987). "Pink Floyd: The Inside Story". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 9 October 2022.
- Manning 2006, p. 144
- Sutcliffe, Phil (October 1987), "Pink Floyd: A Momentary Lapse of Reason", Q; available at Rock's Backpages (subscription required)
- Manning 2006, p. 136
- Quill, Greg (11 September 1987), "Has Pink Floyd changed its color to puce?" (Registration required), Toronto Star, retrieved 24 January 2010 – via infoweb.newsbank.com
- Shilton, Nick (7 August 2016). "The Top 10 Essential 80s Prog Albums". Louder. Retrieved 5 October 2019.
- ^ Povey 2007, p. 350
- Kreps, Daniel (29 August 2019). "Pink Floyd Ready Massive 'The Later Years' Box Set". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 30 August 2019.
- Grow, Kory (12 December 2019). "'The Later Years 1987–2019' Chronicles Pink Floyd After it Became David Gilmour's Show". Rolling Stone. Retrieved 13 December 2019.
- Mason 2005, p. 300
- Povey 2007, pp. 243–244, 256–257
- Blacklast, Johnny (30 March 2022). "The true story of the day Pink Floyd tried to sink Venice". Loudersound. Retrieved 21 January 2023.
- Guesdon, Jean-Michel (2017). Pink Floyd All the Songs: The Story Behind Every Track (1st ed.). Edinburgh: Black Dog & Leventhal. pp. 500–517. ISBN 978-0316439244.
- A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (Booklet). Pink Floyd. EMI (50999 028959 2 5). 2011.
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Bibliography
- Blake, Mark (2008), Comfortably Numb – The Inside Story of Pink Floyd (paperback ed.), Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, ISBN 978-0-306-81752-6
- Graff, Gary; Durchholz, Daniel, eds. (1999), MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide, Farmington Hills, MI: Visible Ink Press, ISBN 1-57859-061-2
- Mabbett, Andy (1995), The Complete Guide to the Music of Pink Floyd, Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-4301-X
- MacDonald, Bruno (1997), Pink Floyd: Through the Eyes of the Band, Its Fans, Friends and Foes (paperback ed.), Cambridge, MA: Da Capo Press, ISBN 0-306-80780-7
- Manning, Toby (2006), The Rough Guide to Pink Floyd (1st ed.), London: Rough Guides, ISBN 1-84353-575-0
- Mason, Nick (2005), Philip Dodd (ed.), Inside Out: A Personal History of Pink Floyd (paperback ed.), London: Phoenix, ISBN 0-7538-1906-6
- Povey, Glenn (2007), Echoes, Bovingdon: Mind Head Publishing, ISBN 978-0-9554624-0-5
- Schaffner, Nicholas (1991), Saucerful of Secrets (1st ed.), London: Sidgwick & Jackson, ISBN 0-283-06127-8
- Watkinson, Mike; Anderson, Pete (2001), Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett & the Dawn of Pink Floyd (illustrated ed.), Omnibus Press, ISBN 0-7119-8835-8
External links
- A Momentary Lapse of Reason at Discogs (list of releases)
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