Pink Floyd - The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (1967)

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn is Pink Floyd's debut album and the only one made under Syd Barrett's leadership, although he made some contributions to the follow-up, A Saucerful of Secrets. It has been regarded as one of the most influential LPs ever made,being a tremendous influence on the psychedelic rock scene of the time, and much of what followed. The album has whimsical lyrics about space, scarecrows, gnomes, bicycles and fairytales, along with psychedelic instrumental passages. The album celebrated its 40th anniversary on the 5th August 2007.

In January 1967, prior to recording The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, the band had produced at Sound Techniques Studio in London a single entitled Arnold Layne. The single was later released in March of that year and reached #20 in the British charts. Also in January the band had recorded a 16-minute version of Interstellar Overdrive and an improvised jam called Nick's Boogie, for Peter Whitehead's documentary film Tonite Let's All Make Love in London. (The latter track wasn't released until 1991 on the CD reissue of the film's soundtrack). The band's live show consisted mainly of instrumental numbers and blues covers, however they had started to introduce songs which were written primarily by lead Guitarist and Lead Vocalist, Syd Barrett. Many of these songs written by Barrett appeared at the Games For May concert several months before the release of the album.

The album's title comes from the title of the seventh chapter of Kenneth Grahame's The Wind in the Willows, where Water Rat and Mole, while searching for a lost animal, have a spiritual experience. "'This is the place of my song-dream, the place the music played to me,' whispered the Rat, as if in a trance. 'Here, in this holy place, here if anywhere, surely we shall find Him!'". The Piper referred to is the Greek god Pan. The title was later referenced by Stevie Wonder in the song "Power Flower" from the 1979 album Journey through the Secret Life of Plants ("Fire and air, earth water I prepare/I am the piper at the gates of dawning").

Personnel
Syd Barrett – lead guitar, rhythm guitar, lead vocals, back cover design
Roger Waters – bass guitar, vocals
Rick Wright – Farfisa Compact Duo, Hammond organ, piano, synthesizer, vibraphone, vocals, cello
Nick Mason – drums, percussion

Songs:
1-"Astronomy Domine" – 4:12
2-"Lucifer Sam" – 3:07
3-"Matilda Mother" – 3:08
4-"Flaming" – 2:46
5-"Pow R. Toc H." (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright, Nick Mason) – 4:26
6-"Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" (Roger Waters) – 3:05
7-"Interstellar Overdrive" (Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright, Nick Mason) – 9:41
8-"The Gnome" – 2:13
9-"Chapter 24" – 3:42
10-"The Scarecrow" – 2:11
11"Bike" – 3:21

Link:http://lix.in/938b70