Jump to content

Pulse (Pink Floyd album)

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Pulse
Live album by
Pink Floyd
Released29 May 1995 (1995-05-29)
Recorded17 August–23 October 1994
GenreProgressive rock
Length147:59
LabelEMI
Producer
Pink Floyd chronology
The Division Bell
(1994) 		Pulse
(1995) 		London '66–'67
(1995)
Singles from Pulse
  1. "Wish You Were Here (Live)"
    Released: 20 July 1995

Pulse is the third live album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 29 May 1995 by EMI in the United Kingdom and on 6 June 1995 by Columbia in the United States.[1] It was recorded during the European leg of Pink Floyd's Division Bell Tour in 1994.[2]

Content and recording

[edit]

Pulse includes a performance of the entirety of Pink Floyd's 1973 album The Dark Side of the Moon. It also features "Astronomy Domine", a Syd Barrett song not performed since the early 1970s. "Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" features small portions of the songs "Another Brick in the Wall, Part I", "The Happiest Days of Our Lives" and "Another Brick in the Wall, Part III".[citation needed]

Unlike the previous Pink Floyd live album, Delicate Sound of Thunder, no parts were rerecorded in the studio.[3] However, the band and Guthrie fixed songs that had bad notes (as heard on some bootlegs) by lifting solos and corrected vocal lines from other performances as the band recorded most of the European leg. The album was mixed in QSound, which produces a 3D audio effect even on a two channel stereo system.[citation needed]

Packaging

[edit]
The outer packaging for Pulse with the light compartment and holder removed and placed on top.

Early CD versions came with a flashing red LED on the side of the case. This was designed by the EMI contractor Jon Kempner, who was awarded the platinum disc, using the now discontinued LM3909 LED flasher IC. The circuit was powered by a single AA battery; the battery life was stated to be over six months. Some versions were also made with two AA batteries and later editions of the CD set did not feature the blinking LED.[citation needed]

Essentially, it's a device which we thought was entertaining. It's an idea of Storm Thorgerson's which related to Dark Side and the pulse, and it's a live album so the box is "alive". After that, in terms of seriously deep meanings, one might be struggling a bit.

— Nick Mason[4]

Release

[edit]

In the United States, despite a price of $34.99 (which included flashing spine light and two AA batteries) Pulse debuted at number one on the Billboard 200 during the week of 24 June 1995 with 198,000 copies sold, it became the first multidisc album to top the Billboard 200 since the chart started using SoundScan data in May 1991.[5] The next week it fell off to number three on the chart.[6] It remained on the chart for twenty two weeks.[7] It was certified two times platinum by the RIAA on 31 July 1995 for shipments of one million units.[8]

On 1 July 1995 the video version of Pulse debuted at number one on the Billboard's Top Music Videos chart with 16,500 units sold.[9] The video was certified eight times platinum by the RIAA on 31 July 2006 for shipments of 800,000 units.[8]

The video version (on VHS and Laserdisc) also featured the song "Take It Back," and an almost complete performance from their 20 October show at Earl's Court, London. The Pulse DVD was released on 10 July 2006.[citation needed] On 16 December 2021, the band announced on social media platforms[10][11] that a re-release of "Pulse" on DVD and a first-time release on Blu-ray format was on 18 February 2022. The packaging will re-introduce the blinking LED featured with the original CD release from 1995.[12]

The vinyl version was released as a four-LP box set and included "One of These Days" (also heard on the cassette release) as well as a large version of the photo booklet. The debut of the album was highlighted by a light show from the top of the Empire State Building in New York City with music simulcasted on a New York City radio station.[citation needed]

Reception

[edit]
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[13]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[14]
NME2/10[15]
Rolling Stone[16]

Writing for NME, Paul Moody wrote that Pulse comprised "a rehash of the usual prog meanderings ... Every perfectly recorded note and every immaculately reproduced photo tells you that this is music for the sort of hand-wringing hippies who still like to think they're in tune with the cosmos even though there's a BMW in the drive."[15] He was critical of the LED on the packaging, saying it "represents the multi-million pound rehabilitation of Pink Floyd by a generation who progged out in the 70s, sold out in the 80s and started gloating about it in the 90s in the gauchest possible terms".[15]

In Rolling Stone, Rob O'Connor argued that the "studio perfection" of The Dark Side of the Moon did not translate well to live performance, and criticised the "loud, annoying" audience.[16]

Track listing

[edit]
Disc one
No.TitleMusicLead vocalsLength
1."Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts 1-5 & 7" (20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
David Gilmour13:35
2."Astronomy Domine" (15 October 1994, Earls Court, London)Syd Barrett
  • Gilmour
  • Wright
4:20
3."What Do You Want From Me" (21 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome)
Gilmour4:10
4."Learning to Fly" (14 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
Gilmour5:16
5."Keep Talking" (17 August 1994, Niedersachsenstadion, Hanover)
  • Gilmour
  • Wright
  • Samson
Gilmour6:52
6."Coming Back to Life" (13 October 1994, Earls Court, London)GilmourGilmour6:56
7."Hey You" (13, 15 October 1994, Earls Court, London)WatersGilmour, Jon Carin4:40
8."A Great Day for Freedom" (13 September 1994, Stadio Delle Alpi, Turin, & 19 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Samson
Gilmour4:30
9."Sorrow" (20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome)GilmourGilmour10:49
10."High Hopes" (20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Samson
Gilmour7:52
11."Another Brick in the Wall, Part II" (20, 21 October 1994, Earls Court, London)Waters
 
12."One of These Days (LP and Cassette Exclusive)" (16, 17, October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
  • Wright
  • Mason
Instrumental7:05
Total length:75:50
Disc two
No.TitleMusicLead vocalsLength
1."Speak to Me" (20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome, 20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)Nick MasonInstrumental1:53
2."Breathe (In the Air)" (20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
  • Wright
  • Gilmour
2:33
3."On the Run" (20, October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
Instrumental3:48
4."Time / Breathe (Reprise)" (17 September 1994, Festa de l'Unita, Módena, 20 September 1994, Cinecettà, Rome, & 20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
  • Wright
  • Mason
  • Gilmour
  • Wright
6:47
5."The Great Gig in the Sky" (20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
5:52
6."Money" (17 September 1994, Festa de l'Unita, Modena)WatersGilmour8:54
7."Us and Them" (20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Waters
  • Wright
Gilmour6:58
8."Any Colour You Like" (19, 23 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Wright
  • Mason
Instrumental3:21
9."Brain Damage" (19 October 1994, Earls Court, London)WatersGilmour3:46
10."Eclipse" (19 October 1994, Earls Court, London)WatersGilmour2:38
11."Wish You Were Here" (20 September 1994, Cinecittà, Rome)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
Gilmour6:35
12."Comfortably Numb" (20 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
  • Wright
  • Pratt
  • Carin
  • Gilmour
9:29
13."Run Like Hell" (15 October 1994, Earls Court, London)
  • Gilmour
  • Waters
  • Gilmour
  • Pratt
8:36
Total length:71:57

Personnel

[edit]

Pink Floyd

[edit]
  • David Gilmour – lead vocals, lead guitar, acoustic guitar and lap steel guitar (on "One of These Days", "High Hopes" and "The Great Gig In the Sky")
  • Nick Mason – drums, percussion (on "Time")
  • Richard Wright – keyboards, synthesiser, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Astronomy Domine", co-lead vocals on "Time", "Us and Them" and "Comfortably Numb"

Additional personnel

[edit]
  • Guy Pratt – bass, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Run Like Hell"
  • Jon Carin – keyboards, backing vocals, co-lead vocals on "Hey You"
  • Sam Brown – backing vocals, first vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
  • Durga McBroom – backing vocals, second vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
  • Claudia Fontaine – backing vocals, third vocalist on "The Great Gig in the Sky"
  • Tim Renwick – guitar, backing vocals
  • Dick Parry – saxophone
  • Gary Wallis – percussion, additional drums
  • Doug Sax, Ron Lewter – mastering at The Mastering Lab

Charts

[edit]

Certifications and sales

[edit]
Certifications and sales for Pulse
Region Certification Certified units/sales
Argentina (CAPIF)[53] Gold 30,000^
Australia (ARIA)[54]
video 		14× Platinum 210,000^
Australia (ARIA)[55] Platinum 70,000^
Austria (IFPI Austria)[56] Platinum 50,000*
Belgium (BEA)[57] Gold 25,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[58]
video 		2× Platinum 100,000*
Brazil (Pro-Música Brasil)[58]
video - NTSC version, No Subtitles 		Diamond 100,000*
Canada (Music Canada)[59] 3× Platinum 300,000^
Canada (Music Canada)[60]
video 		Platinum 10,000^
Finland (Musiikkituottajat)[61]
video 		Gold 13,965[61]
France (SNEP)[62] Platinum 300,000*
Germany (BVMI)[63] Platinum 500,000^
Germany (BVMI)[64]
video 		7× Gold 175,000^
Italy (FIMI)[65] Gold 25,000*
Italy
Dvd 2006 sales 		— 120,000[66]
Netherlands (NVPI)[67] Gold 50,000^
New Zealand (RMNZ)[68] Platinum 15,000^
Poland (ZPAV)[69] Platinum 70,000*
Poland (ZPAV)[70]
video 		3× Platinum 30,000*
Portugal (AFP)[71]
video 		4× Platinum 32,000^
Spain (PROMUSICAE)[72] Gold 50,000^
Switzerland (IFPI Switzerland)[73] Platinum 50,000^
United Kingdom (BPI)[75] Platinum 349,428[74]
United States (RIAA)[8] 2× Platinum 1,480,000[76]
United States (RIAA)[77]
video 		8× Platinum 400,000^
Summaries
Europe (IFPI)[78] Platinum 1,000,000*

* Sales figures based on certification alone.
^ Shipments figures based on certification alone.

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "esounds". EMI. Archived from the original on 8 October 2007. Retrieved 8 July 2007.
  2. ^ "When Pink Floyd Celebrated Their Final Tour on 'Pulse'". 29 May 2015.
  3. ^ James Guthrie confirmed this in an interview with Pink Floyd fanzine Brain Damage.
  4. ^ Phil Sutcliffe (July 1995). "The 30 Year Technicolor Dream". Mojo Magazine. Archived from the original on 11 July 2011. Retrieved 23 July 2011.
  5. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (24 June 1995). "Between The Bullets". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 25. p. 92. ISSN 0006-2510.
  6. ^ "Top 200 Albums". Billboard 200. Billboard. 1 July 1995. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  7. ^ "Pink Floyd Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 28 January 2018.
  8. ^ a b c "American album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse". Recording Industry Association of America.
  9. ^ Mayfield, Geoff (1 July 1995). "Between the Bullets". Billboard. Vol. 107, no. 26. p. 120. ISSN 0006-2510.
  10. ^ @pinkfloyd (16 December 2021). "On 18th February 2022, the Restored & Re-Edited version of Pink Floyd's P.U.L.S.E. is released as a 2 Blu-ray/2 DVD…" (Tweet) – via Twitter.
  11. ^ https://www.facebook.com/pinkfloyd/posts/452331916264098?__cft__ [user-generated source]
  12. ^ "Pink Floyd | the Official Site".
  13. ^ Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2011). "Pulse – Pink Floyd | AllMusic". AllMusic. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  14. ^ Larkin, Colin (2007). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music (4th ed.). Oxford University Press. ISBN 978-0195313734.
  15. ^ a b c Moody, Paul (10 June 1995). "Long Play". NME. p. 47. Retrieved 25 January 2024.
  16. ^ a b O'Connor, Rob (2011). "Pulse by Pink Floyd | Rolling Stone Music | Music Reviews". rollingstone.com. Retrieved 9 July 2011.
  17. ^ "Australiancharts.com – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  18. ^ "Austriancharts.at – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  19. ^ "Ultratop.be – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  20. ^ "Ultratop.be – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." (in French). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  21. ^ "Top RPM Albums: Issue 9196". RPM. Library and Archives Canada. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  22. ^ a b c "Hits of the world". Billboard. 1 July 1995. p. 84. Retrieved 18 January 2022.
  23. ^ "Dutchcharts.nl – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." (in Dutch). Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  24. ^ "Eurochart Top 100 Albums - June 24, 1995" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 12, no. 25. 24 June 1995. p. 19. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  25. ^ "Pink Floyd: P.U.L.S.E." (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  26. ^ "Lescharts.com – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  27. ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  28. ^ "Top-75 Albums Sales Chart – Week 21/2023". IFPI Greece. Archived from the original on 1 June 2023. Retrieved 1 June 2023.
  29. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 1995. 23. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 25 November 2021.
  30. ^ a b "Classifiche". Musica e Dischi (in Italian). Retrieved 30 May 2022. Set "Tipo" on "Album". Then, in the "Titolo" field, search "Pulse".
  31. ^ "Charts.nz – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  32. ^ "Norwegiancharts.com – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  33. ^ "Top 10 Sales in Europe" (PDF). Music & Media. 24 June 1995. p. 22. Retrieved 1 May 2021.
  34. ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  35. ^ "Hits of the World – Spain". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. 24 June 1995. p. 52. Retrieved 18 February 2018. Pink Floyd Pulse.
  36. ^ "Swedishcharts.com – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  37. ^ "Swisscharts.com – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E.". Hung Medien. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  38. ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 19 November 2021.
  39. ^ "Pink Floyd Chart History (Billboard 200)". Billboard. Retrieved 9 June 2016.
  40. ^ "Album Top 40 slágerlista – 2022. 8. hét" (in Hungarian). MAHASZ. Retrieved 4 March 2022.
  41. ^ "Oficjalna lista sprzedaży :: OLiS - Official Retail Sales Chart". OLiS. Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 3 March 2022.
  42. ^ "Jahreshitparade Alben 1995". austriancharts.at. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  43. ^ "Jaaroverzichten 1995". Ultratop. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  44. ^ "Rapports Annuels 1995". Ultratop. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  45. ^ "Jaaroverzichten – Album 1995". dutchcharts.nl. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  46. ^ "Year End Sales Charts – European Top 100 Albums 1995" (PDF). Music & Media. 23 December 1995. p. 14. Retrieved 18 November 2021.
  47. ^ "Top de l'année Top Albums 1995" (in French). SNEP. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  48. ^ "Top 100 Album-Jahrescharts" (in German). GfK Entertainment. Retrieved 13 August 2018.
  49. ^ "Top Selling Albums of 1995". The Official NZ Music Charts. Retrieved 16 November 2021.
  50. ^ "Schweizer Jahreshitparade 1995". hitparade.ch. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  51. ^ "End of Year Album Chart Top 100 – 1995". Official Charts Company. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  52. ^ "Top Billboard 200 Albums – Year-End 1995". Billboard. 2 January 2013. Retrieved 30 January 2021.
  53. ^ "Gold & Platinum Certifications". CAPIF (in Spanish). Archived from the original on 6 July 2011.
  54. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 2019 DVDs" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 27 November 2019.
  55. ^ "ARIA Charts – Accreditations – 1995 Albums" (PDF). Australian Recording Industry Association. Retrieved 16 July 2021.
  56. ^ "Austrian album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse" (in German). IFPI Austria. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  57. ^ "Ultratop − Goud en Platina – albums 1995". Ultratop. Hung Medien. Retrieved 20 September 2018.
  58. ^ a b "Brazilian video certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse" (in Portuguese). Pro-Música Brasil. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  59. ^ "Canadian album certifications – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." Music Canada. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  60. ^ "Canadian video certifications – Pink Floyd – P.U.L.S.E." Music Canada. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  61. ^ a b "Pink Floyd" (in Finnish). Musiikkituottajat – IFPI Finland. Retrieved 20 February 2020.
  62. ^ "French album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse" (in French). Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  63. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Pink Floyd; 'Pulse')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  64. ^ "Gold-/Platin-Datenbank (Pink Floyd; 'Pulse')" (in German). Bundesverband Musikindustrie. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  65. ^ "Italian album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse" (in Italian). Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana. Retrieved 10 January 2015. Select "2015" in the "Anno" drop-down menu. Type "Pulse" in the "Filtra" field. Select "Album e Compilation" under "Sezione".
  66. ^ "LE CIFRE DI VENDITA 2006" (PDF). Musica e dischi. Archived from the original (PDF) on 6 January 2014.
  67. ^ "Dutch album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse" (in Dutch). Nederlandse Vereniging van Producenten en Importeurs van beeld- en geluidsdragers. Retrieved 13 September 2018. Enter Pulse in the "Artiest of titel" box. Select 1995 in the drop-down menu saying "Alle jaargangen".
  68. ^ "New Zealand album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse". Recorded Music NZ. Retrieved 11 June 2019.
  69. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty CD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2003 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  70. ^ "Wyróżnienia – Platynowe płyty DVD - Archiwum - Przyznane w 2007 roku" (in Polish). Polish Society of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  71. ^ "Portuguese video certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse" (in Portuguese). Associação Fonográfica Portuguesa. Archived from the original on 6 April 2007. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
  72. ^ Salaverri, Fernando (September 2005). Sólo éxitos: año a año, 1959–2002 (PDF) (in Spanish) (1st ed.). Madrid: Fundación Autor/SGAE. p. 938. ISBN 84-8048-639-2. Retrieved 27 June 2019.
  73. ^ "The Official Swiss Charts and Music Community: Awards ('P.u.l.s.e.')". IFPI Switzerland. Hung Medien. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
  74. ^ Jones, Alan (14 August 2006). "Shakira holds on slow singles chart". Music Week. Intent Media. Archived from the original on 1 February 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  75. ^ "British album certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse". British Phonographic Industry.
  76. ^ "DVD Chronicles Final Pink Floyd Tour". Billboard. Prometheus Global Media. 11 October 2005. Archived from the original on 29 January 2014. Retrieved 16 October 2020.
  77. ^ "American video certifications – Pink Floyd – Pulse". Recording Industry Association of America. Retrieved 28 May 2020.
  78. ^ "IFPI Platinum Europe Awards – 1996". International Federation of the Phonographic Industry. Retrieved 10 January 2013.
[edit]
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Pulse_(Pink_Floyd_album)&oldid=1252502060"