NPR’s Rob Schmitz interviews Nick Mason, the drummer of Pink Floyd, regarding the band’s iconic album “Wish You Were Here,” which is being re-released 50 years after its original debut.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
ROB SCHMITZ, HOST:
For half a century, the simple guitar riff has introduced one of the most well-known rock songs ever.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) So, so you think you can tell heaven from hell, blue skies from pain.
SCHMITZ: The track is the centerpiece of Pink Floyd’s 1975 album “Wish You Were Here,” a record that has become synonymous with themes of loss and yearning.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) A smile from a veil?
SCHMITZ: The drumming is the driving force behind the music.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “WISH YOU WERE HERE”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) Do you think you can tell? Did they get you to trade your heroes for ghosts, hot ashes for trees?
SCHMITZ: Nick Mason, Pink Floyd’s drummer and a founding member, contributed significantly to the band’s innovative and experimental percussion. Despite appearances, the band faced challenges as they returned to Abbey Road Studios after their successful tour and the acclaim of their previous album, “The Dark Side Of The Moon.”
NICK MASON: We weren’t at our peak when we returned to the studio. In fact, we spent a lot of time on a project called “Household Objects,” doing very little.
SCHMITZ: What was “Household Objects” about?
MASON: The concept was to create music using everyday items instead of traditional instruments.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD’S, “THE HARD WAY (FROM ‘HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS’)”)
MASON: I remember using an ax and a log of wood as a bass drum substitute.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD’S, “THE HARD WAY (FROM ‘HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS’)”)
MASON: It was a valuable exercise, but had we continued, we’d still be in the studio. In hindsight, we perhaps should have continued touring “Dark Side” for another year, but we felt the need to move forward.
SCHMITZ: So there was a sense of uncertainty?
MASON: Yes, and the answer was not much (laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD’S, “THE HARD WAY (FROM ‘HOUSEHOLD OBJECTS’)”)
MASON: The only element that survived from those sessions was the stroked glasses.
SCHMITZ: I believe they appeared in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond.”
MASON: Yes.
SCHMITZ: The opening track of the album, a 13-and-a-half-minute piece, sets the tone with its first nine minutes being instrumental—a rarity today.
MASON: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 1-5)”)
SCHMITZ: When the vocals finally emerge, it’s evident the song is about former band member Syd Barrett, who had left the band due to mental health issues.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 1-5)”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) Remember when you were young, you shone like the sun. Shine on, you crazy diamond.
SCHMITZ: Barrett’s absence impacted the band as much as his presence once did. Could you elaborate?
MASON: We didn’t start “Wish You Were Here” with Syd in mind. It was more about general absence. Then, unexpectedly, Syd visited us. I hadn’t seen him in about five years. I was shocked to find someone unrecognizable, overweight and balding, in the control room.
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 1-5)”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) Well, you wore out your welcome with random precision, rode on the steel breeze. Come on, you raver, you seer of visions. Come on, you painter, you piper, you prisoner and shine.
SCHMITZ: Regarding the band dynamics, Pink Floyd is known for its strong personalities and internal conflicts. Do you have any regrets about the tensions among the members?
MASON: Many of us prefer a peaceful life, but sometimes tension is necessary for creativity. However, it can also waste time.
SCHMITZ: The disputes, especially between Roger Waters and David Gilmore, are well-known. What was your role?
MASON: I tried to stay out of it.
SCHMITZ: (Laughter).
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “HAVE A CIGAR”)
SCHMITZ: The album’s cover art, showing two businessmen shaking hands, with one on fire, reflects themes of corporate greed, as heard in “Have A Cigar.”
(SOUNDBITE OF SONG, “HAVE A CIGAR”)
PINK FLOYD: (Singing) And did we tell you the name of the game, boy? We call it riding the gravy train.
SCHMITZ: How has the music industry evolved, in your opinion?
MASON: It’s tougher now, especially for new bands. In the ’70s, all you needed was an agent, manager, and record company. Today, labels wait for bands to prove themselves with a large following first. While making and sharing music is easier now, it doesn’t necessarily help newcomers.
SCHMITZ: Growing up in the 1980s, I remember the Pink Floyd laser light shows at planetariums. Did you ever imagine your music would reach future generations this way?
MASON: In the music industry, you always believe pop music is fleeting. Reviewing a record made 50 years ago is surreal. I left college to join a band for a year, not knowing I’d still be in it five decades later.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 6-9)”)
SCHMITZ: Thank you, Nick Mason, for joining us. The 50th-anniversary deluxe reissue of “Wish You Were Here” is now available.
MASON: You’re welcome.
(SOUNDBITE OF PINK FLOYD SONG, “SHINE ON YOU CRAZY DIAMOND (PTS. 6-9)”)
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