London
Last weekend found me being all arty, and a little farty. I found myself in this dying nations capital city. post-terrorist outrage, post-general election London as I found it bustled like it always does. Huge swathes of people sweeping past intent on some purpose. London 2017.
I, however, had a specific purpose. The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their mortal remains. It is being curated in the V&A museum. I'd had the tickets booked since last year. I was terribly excited as Pink Floyd are, arguably, my favourite band. I have devoured all that they have given us over the last 25 years since I was first played a mix tape by my friend Duncan in the 4th year of secondary school. The same Duncan, in fact, who joined me in London to visit the exhibition. We met up at Paddington station. We have known each other for just over 30 years now; Boys to men. I am going grey; he's going bald.
The exhibition was all that I could have imagined and so, so much more. We spent about 3hrs navigating our way through the Pink Floyd Debut album, Piper at the gates of Dawn all the way to the final album (or so we believe to be the final album. One hopes not, but I doubt I'll see another in my lifetime), The Endless River. From 1967 to 2014. All in one, vast exhibition space!
I, however, had a specific purpose. The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their mortal remains. It is being curated in the V&A museum. I'd had the tickets booked since last year. I was terribly excited as Pink Floyd are, arguably, my favourite band. I have devoured all that they have given us over the last 25 years since I was first played a mix tape by my friend Duncan in the 4th year of secondary school. The same Duncan, in fact, who joined me in London to visit the exhibition. We met up at Paddington station. We have known each other for just over 30 years now; Boys to men. I am going grey; he's going bald.
The exhibition was all that I could have imagined and so, so much more. We spent about 3hrs navigating our way through the Pink Floyd Debut album, Piper at the gates of Dawn all the way to the final album (or so we believe to be the final album. One hopes not, but I doubt I'll see another in my lifetime), The Endless River. From 1967 to 2014. All in one, vast exhibition space!
The array of memorabilia was a joy to behold. The musical instruments loaned by the band members from their own collections was mind blowing. David Gilmours signature guitars, undoubtedly worth millions to a collector. Nick Mason drum sets from various albums lined up to the huge selection of Rick Wrights keyboards, some with his handwritten aide memoires stuck to parts of the machine from the wall tour. Classic nerd for Floyd Fans. They had written materials, graphic materials. You had a Keen sense that they had just emptied a warehouse of Floyd history and sorted it for display. I know the band have an enormous warehouse of things that the Drummer looks after, he's the collector in the band. He collects rare Ferrari's also, but he can afford too!
As a fan of 25 plus years it was an aladdins cave for me and Duncan. I dread to think how much money the exhibition will make, as all the tickets where timed entry and it was full of people, from young and old, which was good to see. Young people discovering Pink Floyd will invariably keep their music alive for the future generations. I for example will do this via my children.
After the eye candy of all things Floyd we headed into Kensington for a bite to eat and then walked towards Buckingham Palace and the park around the Mall. While relaxing on the grass having a drink we heard an almighty cheer and wondered what was occurring. We headed to the road to be exposed, literally, to hundreds of people in various shapes and sizes, from young and old, cycling through the mall completely naked. Britain never failing to expose its eccentricities to the world. It was quite a sight. Some sights I may never, ever be able to remove from my minds eye...
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