Pink Floyd's The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) is one of the most acclaimed albums of all time. A stunning exploration of madness, death, anxiety, and alienation, it remained on the Billboard charts for 724 weeks--the longest consecutive run for an LP ever--and has sold 30 million copies worldwide. It still sells some quarter million copies every year. Besides being perhaps rock's most fully realized and elegant concept album, The Dark Side of the Moon was among the most technically advanced records of its time, perfectly blending studio wizardry and fearless innovation. The rich story behind The Dark Side of the Moon is now skillfully illuminated by acclaimed journalist John Harris's exploration of the album's many secrets and the band's fractured history, including the mental collapse of group founder Syd Barrett. Drawing on original interviews with bassist and chief lyricist Roger Waters, guitarist Dave Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason, keyboardist Richard Wright, and the album's supporting cast, The Dark Side of the Moon is a must-have for the millions of devoted fans looking for the definitive story of one of the most timeless, compelling, and mysterious albums ever made.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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"Harris's book is an indispensable, exciting read for anyone who's ever wanted to fully understand this enduring, mystifying album."
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Amazon.com:
3.6 out of 5 stars
9 reviews
8 of 9 people found the following review helpful
3.0 out of 5 stars
OK for the diehard Fan, but this Band and this Complex Concept Album Deserves Better
31 Dec 2005
By Roger D. Launius
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
Like most kids of the latter 1960s and early 1970s I grew up listening to Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Deep Purple, Black Sabbath, and others when I wanted to be "cool." That was more often than I like to admit now, however; and I also went to the concerts, got stoned there (if only from the second-hand smoke wafting through the halls), and tried to act like I understood what the bands were trying to communicate. On the other hand, I was never as much of a fan of these groups and their style of music as some of my friends, but I had all of their albums and listened to them regularly, including "The Dark Side of the Moon." This book tells about the making of this extraordinary album and a little about its significance since its release more than three decades ago.
Of course, the remarkable thing about "The Dark Side of the Moon" is its popularity over such a long time, since it is a complex concept album dealing with greed and insanity and very much anchored to its time and place. I haven't listened to it in years, but had to do so after reading this book. That may be the greatest compliment I can pay to this book, for John Harris's work, unfortunately, is very much once over lightly and both Pink Floyd as a band and their classic album deserve better. There are some fascinating interviews that interlace the book, a good biographical appendix of what happened to the people associated with the album, and a set of photos that are interesting, but as a whole this is a book for fans of the album. As such it is worthwhile. For those seeking a serious consideration of the place of "The Dark Side of the Moon" in American culture they will want to read "Speak To Me: The Legacy Of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon," edited by Russell Reising, released in March 2006 from Ashgate Publishing.
Of course, the remarkable thing about "The Dark Side of the Moon" is its popularity over such a long time, since it is a complex concept album dealing with greed and insanity and very much anchored to its time and place. I haven't listened to it in years, but had to do so after reading this book. That may be the greatest compliment I can pay to this book, for John Harris's work, unfortunately, is very much once over lightly and both Pink Floyd as a band and their classic album deserve better. There are some fascinating interviews that interlace the book, a good biographical appendix of what happened to the people associated with the album, and a set of photos that are interesting, but as a whole this is a book for fans of the album. As such it is worthwhile. For those seeking a serious consideration of the place of "The Dark Side of the Moon" in American culture they will want to read "Speak To Me: The Legacy Of Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon," edited by Russell Reising, released in March 2006 from Ashgate Publishing.
13 of 17 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Best Floyd book to date
31 Oct 2005
By A Reader
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
I'm very baffled by the negative reviews below. One fellow seems irritated that Harris doesn't like certain albums as much as he does, and another mistakedly states that there's nothing new in this book, which couldn't be further from the truth. John Harris' "Dark Side.." is bursting with previously unpublished photos, and the bulk of the quotes from the band are exclusive to the book, from interviews conducted in 2003. Further, it's the most clear and succinct account of the creation of this album I've ever read, and I've read every book about Floyd. Harris places the album in context with the band's orgins expertly, and I left with an even clearer understanding of how it all fits together. Any Floydian will dig this.
15 of 20 people found the following review helpful
2.0 out of 5 stars
Nothing New Here
29 Oct 2005
By R. Herbert
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Taken from the premise that this book will likely just be picked up by fans who already know much of the Floyd story, I'm puzzled about what the author was trying to achieve. There's no real revelations here, nothing that hasn't been said or published before. In fact, looking at the sources he draws from, it's primarily a collection of previously published works and even a few DVD's! My - what strenuous research Mr. Harris must have done.
Unless you're completely new to the material, this book will do very little to help further your knowledge of the subject. It appears the author just cobbled together a bunch of already known facts and anicdotes in an attempt to make a few bucks off a great creative work that has stood the test of time. Save your money.
Unless you're completely new to the material, this book will do very little to help further your knowledge of the subject. It appears the author just cobbled together a bunch of already known facts and anicdotes in an attempt to make a few bucks off a great creative work that has stood the test of time. Save your money.
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3.6 out of 5 stars
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