Outside The Wall exclusive interview with Guy Pratt
First of all Guy, thank you for talking with Outside the wall. I have been a big fan of yours over the years and really appreciate you taking the time out of your busy schedule to
answer a few questions.
We are very happy your stand up shows have been such a success. We heard through the grapevine you are planning a book, is this true?
G.P: I do indeed have a book deal, apparently you can pre-order it on Amazon, which is a bit of a shock as I haven't even settled on a title! (They say it's called My Bass and other
Animals…Order one today by clicking any of the pictures on this page!)
A fan who recently seen one of your shows had said you mentioned that Rogers band and Davids band have been rehearsing in the same studios. Is this true and if so what has
that been like?
G.P: It's true and there's not much to say about it without sounding Tabloid…
Pink Floyd management has released info to fan sites claiming Your father in law Rick is going into the studio after this tour to start on another solo album. Can you confirm this
and have you been asked to do any work on it with him?
G.P: First I've heard of it..
Being a American myself and seeing the show in New York, I want to apologise on behalf of the true fans for what happened at the airport. There have been conflicting reports on
what actually happened. Can you elaborate?
G.P: It's no big deal, there were a lot of "fans" (I use inverted commas because everything we signed ended up on ebay) and our vans were late so we were stuck on the sidewalk being
hassled. Some big guy who was trying to get his album under David's nose to sign accidentally hit my son who was sitting on David's trolley. He was very apologetic, but still carried on!
What upset me was that someone on David's blog suggested that I was a bad parent for having my child so close to someone famous and should have expected something like that to
happen!!! We were travelling together for god's sake! That's why I got a bit heated on David's blog about it, although it turned out the blogger in question (Bleeding Heart Artist) just has it
in for me anyway because I'm not Roger. We had a wonderful time in NY, it was beyond brilliant having my son see this ludicrous world that I get to dip into every 12 years or so, but of
course having his Granddad there made him feel it was completely normal. There's been a lot of people from NY wanting to apologise, and I'd just like to say there's no need, and your
embarrassment just reinforces the fact that New Yorkers are good people. I love that town,and I know it's given my son some lifelong memories, so thanks, but don't take it on yourself,
we know it was a few people, it could have been anywhere, and it has no influence on how I or any of us feel about NY.
David has mentioned he had lots of material and picked a select amount of it for On an Island. Do you expect him to do more work in the future, or do you think this tour will mark
the end?
G.P: It would be speculative and discourteous for me to say anything about that. (We agree Guy, but had to ask =p)
The tour has been widely acclaimed by fans and critics alike. It seems this band have really clicked on all cylinders since the beginning. It does seem such a shame the tour was
so short. Any chance you guys might decide to give it another go next year? Whats it like to work with Phil M and Steve D in Davids band?
G.P: Phil I know well as I play with him in Roxy Music. He's never been a sideman before, he is after all a guitar hero in his own right, and his humility and teamsmanship has been a real
credit to him, I should also point out that he is the Nicest Man In Rock ™ Stevie has been amazing, as he's the new boy, none of us really thought about the fact that we've worked together
for 20 or 35 years, and it could be pretty intimidating coming into that setup. The beauty of Steve is that he has no agenda, he's (rightly) thrilled to be here, and has the same "fan" thing
that Jon and I had when we started playing with Floyd, and just wants to get it right, rather than putting his own stamp on everything. I love that guy!!
Are there any songs from the past Floyd tours you have been on that you miss playing and would like to add to the tour?
G.P: "Sorrow" of course!!
David has said in the past that he did not enjoy playing echoes without Roger as much, but it has become a staple and fan favorite on
the tour. Any idea what changed his mind, and do you enjoy playing it as much as we enjoy hearing it?
G.P: I still can't believe we play it!! I LOVE IT!!! YOU HEAR ME!!!! We tried Echoes on the 87 tour, but some of the younger players(mentioning no names) couldn't get their heads around
the free form nature of it, so we had to give it up, I don't really think it was lack of Roger that put David off. I would like to go on record as saying I think this band plays the best live Echoes
that's ever been.
Since Live 8 there has been much talk about David and Roger, but there are no reports on Ricks thoughts about the one off. Can you let us in on any of his thoughts on the day and
on Roger?
G.P: Good question. When the Live 8 thing came up it was all about David and Roger, no-one seemed to take Rick's side into account, and he was kicked out of the band by Rog
remember. Rick basically has a fantastically strong musical relationship with David and his thoughts were basically if David says do it then let's do it.
When you first stepped into the role of Pink Floyd's bassist, did it make you nervous at all to think that most of people thought of you as Rogers replacement?
G.P: I'm a Bass Player. Roger's a Songwriter and conceptualist. All I had to do was play bass and sing, that I can do at least as well as Roger.
One of my personal favorites of your playing was the version of Money you guys did in Venice in 89. Do you remember anything about
this jam and what do you think about the show that is rumoured to have helped sink the city itself?
G.P: There's a whole load of stuff about Venice but I'm afraid you'll have to wait for my book, it'll take too long to answer. I am mortified by the "Reggae" section of Money.
Other then the albums you have worked on, what is your Favorite Floyd album and why?
G.P: My Heart says WYWH but my head says The Wall, because that's the first time Roger's lyrics struck me as genius without having to make allowances for his sometimes clumsy
school boyish prose, the fact that he was actually addressing everything that punk had set out to and it features quite simply the consistently finest guitar playing I've ever heard in my life
ever. Period
Thank you very much Guy, that is all I have for you, but I gave fans the opportunity to ask you a question and have selected a few of them to ask you. The following are there
questions
Is there any certain moment that sticks out in your mind of the PULSE tour in 1994? Joe Mondo - Buffalo, NY USA
G.P: Yes. Playing Earls Court and looking down at the fans and remembering being in the front row there(on acid) seeing Pink Floyd perform The Wall
My question would be if their are any plans for a DVD of his "Guy Pratt - My Bass & Other Animals" shows. I have read rave reviews and would love to see it myself, but being
across the pond makes it nearly impossible. Dan- Sudbury, Ontario Canada
G.P: There may well be a DVD, personally I'd love to bring the show to Canada
I'd be interested in knowing how long it actually took for him to come full circle from his punk/new wave roots to settling into Floyd's
style of music. It was surely a bit of culture shock for him, if nothing else. John- Florida USA
G.P: Not at all. I fell in love with Pink Floyd and The Who to begin with, but my generation needed something that was our own, hence Punk. All we wanted was intent and purpose and
something more than a load of Millionaires 15 years older than us to relate to. One of my most profound musical experiences was going to see Sondheim's musical "Sweeney Todd" at
around the same time I saw The Wall. It turned the original story on it's head, making Sweeney the innocent wronged man out for vengeance on the establishment that had destroyed his
life. It taught me that it's the piece, not the form, that needs to be radical and I had something of an epiphany realising that Sondheim, Waters and Joe Strummer were all on the same
bus!
I would ask Guy what the difference is between playing stadiums like the AMLOR and Division Bell tour vs. The small theatres played
with DG. Being an active musician, I know how different venues can effect the show, so I am just curious! Also, if Guy ever reads this thanks for an amazing show on the 12th in
Chicago!!! Matt Decatur- Illinois USA.
G.P: It does feel a bit odd doing Comfortably Numb with people right there in front of you, although it's wonderful to see people having this
amazing experience with just the music rather than all the bells and whistles. I loved Chicago….
Thanks to all the fans for the submissions, and to Guy for answering them! We look forward to talking to Guy again in the future, he is a class act and very down to earth.
|
|
