Bob Geldof on The Wall “I don’t like the film. I think I’m really bad....I don’t like the Record

[Jose_Floydian]

mmmm interesting

[gotta_be_crazy]

I never liked the film, it lacks of dynamics, but considering it is a companion to a narrative, a story inside Roger's head, being capable of doing that, a tremendous effort. The studio album pretended to be a master piece like DSotM but it is contaminated wtih too much transitions and short songs, which would work on Tommy but here they are a bit out of place and time. The live rendition and the live album is the version to go, a fantastic theatrical piece of music and has all the dynamics that the studio album and the movie lack.

[daemonspudguy]

The Wall is, for some reason, my favorite Floyd album. I also really liked the film. I don't actually know why, and do recognize that the film in particular is very flawed, but that's how it is for me.

[umma gumma]

I think The Wall is one of the peak analog recordings ever made. Amazing mixes, sonics, and the whole concept is brilliant. Very surprised people think it sounds bad! but hey you can't please all the people, all the time.

I read an interview where Roger said the drum sounds were dated on that album, but the interview was during the late 80's when everyone was using shitty digital & crappy drum sounds! LOL I think The Wall has amazing drum sounds. Funny how every era has it's "sound" that follows the trend of popularity. Like the cheesy overdone power ballad snare hit, and the Phil Collins compressed 80's snare.

Current year it's overdone autotune on vocals. Maybe if The Wall had overdone autotuned vocals people would like it more

[DaveTheRave]

To me the film is a one-time only “must see”. To help explain the album. The problems are the movie really beats you over the head with the dreariness. And Bob’s singing totally sucks. And although in my head the “Waiting for the Worms” stuff kind of makes sense from a story perspective (telling us that isolation & fear leads to hate), seeing those fascist types brought to life on the screen is difficult to watch. I can’t relate to that at all (reminds me when some fans show off a marching hammer jacket and I think to myself “wtf would you wear that in public??? Don’t you know what it really means?”)

The animation is awesome and some of the surrealist images are interesting, but overall it’s not my cup of tea. Pink Floyd is better when the story & images are in your head, not on a screen.

[A Prick Like You]

I never liked the film, it lacks of dynamics, but considering it is a companion to a narrative, a story inside Roger's head, being capable of doing that, a tremendous effort. The studio album pretended to be a master piece like DSotM but it is contaminated wtih too much transitions and short songs, which would work on Tommy but here they are a bit out of place and time. The live rendition and the live album is the version to go, a fantastic theatrical piece of music and has all the dynamics that the studio album and the movie lack.

I heard The Wall early enough in my musical education that I saw the link pieces, effects and dialogue as essential to a masterpiece album as the actual songs. But I’ve yet to find another album that’s done it as well as The Wall.

[Floydfan2410]

I used to listen to the Wall album quite a lot, but now i very rarely spin it. Its just too heavy for me to get through somehow. There are a lot of good songs on it, like In The Flesh, The Thin Ice, Nobody Home, Hey You, Vera and Outside the Wall, I really like those.
I mostly skip Happiest Days/Another Brick 1+2.
As others have mentioned the live version af The Wall is another story, I really like that a lot. The music works much better live and I really really hope we will some day get the concert film!!
I haven't watched the film in ages, like the album I used to like it and would watch it quite often but not anymore. I will watch it again when they restore it and release it on Blu-ray/4K. Hopefully we will also get to hear the isolated songs from the film, they are quite interesting, especially Mother!

[DaveTheRave]

I used to listen to the Wall album quite a lot, but now i very rarely spin it. Its just too heavy for me to get through somehow.

The album is a bit of a slog at times, especially side 4.

Side 1 > Side 2 > Side 3 > Side 4. Side 1 being the most cohesive. Of course each side has its own awesome stand-out songs.

[Demamo]

My mix tape would be: Mother, Young Lust (full version with the drum intro and no call), What Shall We Do Now, Goodbye Blue Sky, Show Must Go On, Nobody Home, Vera, Is There Anybody There, Hey You, Comforably Numb, Outside the Wall/It's Not Easy. Done - you keep the others. OK, maybe ABITW full version with the intro and Run Like Hell.

[mark2114]

Dislike the Movie or album, Geldof had the connection to help with one last performance at Live 8.

[waterman]

I enjoyed both the album and the movie a great deal. I must say when the album was released, I don't recall that it was universally accepted. ABITW was huge but was was accepted completely out of context. Mother, Run Like Hell and Comfortably Numb were also accepted but mostly my peers at the time were confused by the album as a whole. And pretty much ignored it with the exception of those tracks. As teenagers, we had no frame of reference. It was like "Why is Pink Floyd beating us up?" The movie pretty much bombed, as I recall. Again, we weren't adults, really. I have no idea how they took The Wall but the reviews I read weren't especially glowing.

[rontoon]

Geldolf's acting in this film is pretty laughable. Reacting is more like it.

[daemonspudguy]

I think it's worth noting that Bob Geldolf, when originally asked if he wanted to be in the movie, replied with "No. I fucking hate Pink Floyd." So him not liking the film or record is not surprising, at least to me.

[A Prick Like You]

I think it's worth noting that Bob Geldolf, when originally asked if he wanted to be in the movie, replied with "No. I fucking hate Pink Floyd." So him not liking the film or record is not surprising, at least to me.

And I believe this happened in the back of a taxi cab which was being driven by Roger Waters’ brother.

[daemonspudguy]

That is correct.

[sb33334]

I heard The Wall early enough in my musical education that I saw the link pieces, effects and dialogue as essential to a masterpiece album as the actual songs. But I’ve yet to find another album that’s done it as well as The Wall.

Good point, what would it be compared to? Operation Mindcrime doesn't even come close and I am not sure what else is in that class.

[A Prick Like You]

The two most prominent earlier albums where I felt it worked as effectively (and are actually excellent) are Quadrophenia by The Who and Head by The Monkees. There’re probably others but I’ve not had enough coffee yet.

Post-Wall, apart from the masterpiece that is Welcome To The Pleasuredome, it’s mostly stuff in the electronic non-rock area, and even then there’s not so much of a narrative - Endtroducing for example.

[Floydfan2410]

Good point, what would it be compared to? Operation Mindcrime doesn't even come close and I am not sure what else is in that class.

I have recently discovered the Rush album 2112, and I really love it! It's a great concept album with lots of layers. Some of it reminds me quite a lot of early Genesis.