Anniversary Special: The Dark Side of the Moon

Prepare for a week of Floydian analysis as a prog masterwork turns 40

share this article

The sound of a heartbeat. A metronomic ticking. Two men confessing that they’re mad (even if they’re not mad) as a cash register chings. Another man’s manic laughter. A harsh industrial grinding noise. Screams. And then some rock music, Olympian in its distance and instantly cinematic, but with a hint of the blues…

If you don’t know by now you’re listening to “Speak to Me” and the start of “Breathe,” the combined sound collage/song that kicks off The Dark Side of the Moon, you’ve had your head under the sand for 40 years. Unless, of course, British prog rock was never your cup of patchouli oil.

To celebrate the anniversary of the legendary Pink Floyd album, which was released on 1 March 1973, theartsdesk will present a week-long symposium of features, though not all of them will regard the 50 million-selling opus as a sacred cow. It all begins on Sunday, 24 February. You’ll wish you were here.

Add comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.

Plain text

  • No HTML tags allowed.
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
  • Web page addresses and email addresses turn into links automatically.

rating

0

share this article

the future of arts journalism

You can stop theartsdesk.com closing! 

We urgently need financing to survive. Our fundraising drive has thus far raised £33,000 but we need to reach £100,000 or we will be forced to close. Please contribute here: https://gofund.me/c3f6033d

And if you can forward this information to anyone who might assist, we’d be grateful.

Subscribe to theartsdesk.com

Thank you for continuing to read our work on theartsdesk.com. For unlimited access to every article in its entirety, including our archive of more than 15,000 pieces, we're asking for £5 per month or £40 per year. We feel it's a very good deal, and hope you do too.

To take a subscription now simply click here.

And if you're looking for that extra gift for a friend or family member, why not treat them to a theartsdesk.com gift subscription?

more new music

The former Talking Heads singer mixed old and new alike in a compelling show.
An assured third album from the acclaimed singer songwriter
Significant box-set examination of an important strand of America’s pre-grunge musical landscape
A serial and prolific collaborator finally steps into the spotlight, full of life lessons
The 'Dunboyne Diana' mixed great songs with star power and cheeky humour
After a six-year hiatus, Morrissey's still at odds with the world
London-based goth-rockers seek solace from concerns about where the world is heading
Difford and Tilbrook reanimate songs they wrote as teenagers, with mixed results
Thought-provoking primer in US pop’s varied pre-psychedelic musical landscape
A love letter to the women who changed music forever