Guy Pratt: (Interview) Why we ignored 'Animals' | No memory of playing Echoes | Inflatable Pigs

[@classicalbum]

Become a Patron! - Be part of a Classic Rock Community! There is a fine body of work on there now. www.patreon.com/classicrock

[@davevasques2157]

I had the pleasure of attending a Guy Pratt performance a couple of months ago when he was was being backed up by David Gilmour.

[@syzygy21055]

Same here. November 9 at MSG. Great show!

[@nectarinedreams7208]

Literally JUST got done listening to a Rockonteurs episode, opened up KZbin and here this was 32 seconds ago. Guy is the best.

[@linara21]

And Rockonteurs is the best podcast.

[@ian-nz-2000]

A splendid interview, thank you. It must be really special touring in both of the post Floyd bands, as long as they aren't on the road at the same time!

[@ministerofdarkness]

Fantastic interview! One of my favorite bass players of all time. Nice to hear the mention of Nick Mason's tasteful drumming.

[@charlesnolan7602]

On September 11, 1987 I attended the first of 7 post Rog Pink Floyd shows. The first song was: " E C H O E S "

[@hammerecords]

They were doing Echoes in 1973 but by the time I saw them in 1977 the material was basically wish you were here and animals with a couple of dark side tracks.

[@DavidSmith-ss1cg]

Thanks for this interview; as soon as I read "Guy Pratt" I clicked on it. He went to being a seasoned pro almost right away by just playing with everyone, and by keeping busy he's had the same rewards as being in a hit recording Pop group; that is - a long and steady career. I bet he's got a bunch of stories that he WON'T share with a radio interview audience, but what I heard was mostly sublime. I will be snickering about the Joni Mitchell/Mingus anecdote for days.

[@kennethcurtis6648]

He was in a hit producing pop group, Icehouse had a few biggies while he was there.

[@TimGuitarcouk]

I met Guy backstage after a saucers gig in Ipswich in 2024. What a lovely bloke. Warm, personable and interested in YOU! Lovely fella

[@graemelyle9909]

My son and I saw Guy twice last year, first time was with Nick Mason’s Saucerful of Secrets in Glasgow then with David Gilmour in Brighton. Both gigs were fantastic.

[@jamesprestonuk]

Superb! Many thanks Barry, I really enjoyed that. It's always good to hear Guy's tales. Keep up the good work.

[@WaterShowsProd]

Saw him 4 times on Pink Floyd's 2 tours. i remember on the Momentary Lapse of Reason tour thinking what an awesome responsibility he had because people would likely give the bass playing extra scrutiny. Great shows, all of them! Loved listening to this.

[@bradyhogan6366]

Seen Guy Pratt play three times and he is fun to watch and listen to. Truly enjoys the music and what he is doing. Fun interview.

[@weehudyy]

Nick Mason and Gilmour were one of the first bands that understood playing in large arenas ... the busier everything is , the more gets lost . Gilmore plays all those long slow drawn out notes and Mason's fills are all big and simple and perfect for the reverbs encountered in large spaces . When pumped through a great PA system , instead of being a great cluttered clatter , it all sounds epic

[@TelBot]

Great interview. Guy & Lydon in quick succession. A thoroughly enjoyable Friday evenings watching. Keep up the good work. 👍🏻

[@JustinTime1991]

This channel is a treat ☝️🙌 Thank you, Sir 🙏

[@classicalbum]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@Anybloke]

Very pleasant chap and lovely interview. Thank you sir.

[@thepartimemusician65]

Great to see Guy on the channel

[@Wizardboots]

Guy and Gary are such a perfect pair on Rockonteurs. His bass playing on that Madonna track, Like A Prayer is amazing work 👏

[@b2tall239]

I've seen Guy 3 times in recent years with Nick Mason. Great gigs. Thanks, Guy.

[@chuckm4540]

Great interview, thank you Barry and what a great Guy!

[@RushfanUK]

Guy is such an interesting character, I think if you had days, you still would only scratch the surface with him as he has played with so many different artists let alone his time with David, Rick and Nick.

[@foreverpinkf.7603]

Great interview, thank both of you.

[@johnhall42]

I think David Gilmour said he would not play Echoes after Richard Wright died because Wright was such a major part of Echoes. Particularly with the call and response between guitar and keyboards towards the end.

[@adriantiley6660]

Splendid stuff Barry!! Thanks so much!!

[@makka7890]

Great interview. Guy's book is worth a read and Rockonteurs is fantastic. Well done Barry.

[@marshfly]

I could listen to Guy talk for hours. Absolute stellar bloke. Gotta say that for me Nick Mason is an amazing drummer with a great feel. Live in Pompeii is a masterpiece. You can't go wrong with Pink Floyd

[@slowmarchingband1]

I never knew Guy was in Icehouse, loved that band.

[@paulmckinstry6374]

Same here. I got into them from about 87, so just missed his stint with the band.

[@grahamhowes6904]

Best Echoes IMHO David Gilmour at Gdansk with Guy on bass and the last performance that Rick and David played. Stunning and deeply moving. And I saw almost the first performance of ECHOES and even introduced the band onstage.

[@loftlegacy]

I really enjoyed that Barry, thank you (and thank you Guy!)

[@Roadie-1963]

Nice interview. Guy seems like a lovely....guy! 😂😂😂 He's excellent on Rockonteurs, really enjoy that podcast. I saw him with Gary Kemp and Nick at a Saucers show, highly recommend if you get the chance to see them.

[@SteveMenardDesignDXM]

I was at the Ottawa (Landsdowne Park) show in September 1987, and yes, the band played Echoes. It was the first show on the tour, and they quickly dropped it, so I've heard.

[@Nazz1967]

How cool ,great interview mate . I was lucky enough to see Floyd in 88 and Nick Masons Saucerful of secrets a couple of years ago .

[@douglasstruthers8307]

DARK SIDE OF THE MOON was always my favourite Pink Floyd album but ANIMALSS has matched it in the past decade. The ATOM HEART MOTHER Suite is also one of my favourites. Enjoyed the interview. Thanks!

[@mikaelbiilmann6826]

Animals is also such a great album. A couple of years ago, I listened to it driving to and from work every day for a couple of weeks. The guitar work is wonderful. Plus Wright is always so good.

[@bizarreloverectangle]

Very enjoyable interview. On "Fat Old Sun", I saw David play it in 2002 at the RFH. Richard Wright also performed with him (but later in the set iirc). Bob Geldof too on "Comfortably Numb".

[@wokebloke7019]

Great interview!

[@wowbaggertheinfinitelyprol6262]

I never realised until recently, that Guy's dad was Mike Pratt, who played Geoff Randall in the Randall & Hopkirk (Deceased) TV series.

[@southsidejohnny5624]

Well, you’ve just enlightened me too! Cheers. Loved that show growing up in the 60s/70s.

[@wowbaggertheinfinitelyprol6262]

@@southsidejohnny5624 He died quite young IIRC. Guy would have been in his mid-teens. Very sad.

[@BibleBlack667]

Knew the name, realise I thought he was Snowy White. Have seen both at Floyd gigs. Excellent interview, glad I watched it. Very good.

[@Soundtrack-Audio]

Nick Mason has swing and groove, it's all about the feel and Nick seems to do it automatically without thinking.

[@wowbaggertheinfinitelyprol6262]

Nick's drumming is also very measured. He doesn't just hammer away at the drums, he hits them as hard as they need to be hit, for what the moment in the music requires.

[@TheKatpurz]

Way cool - congrats on the interview! Never knew about the Adam and the Ants audition....way cool

[@peterthomas22]

Great interview with Guy, thanks.

[@damncoldmusic1437]

I saw a Q & A with David and Polly, and a guy in the audience asked David why he never performed songs from his first two solo albums. His answer was, basically, "I'm not that person anymore." If I'd been the guy asking the question I'd have replied with, "But we the fans are still the same! WE still love those songs. Please reconsider."

[@oupahens9219]

Good interview. Barry learned a lot.

[@youtubemetdehalfjes8945]

This man has so many awesome stories!

[@andrewthomas3270]

WOW I was at the David Bowie Milton Keynes Bowl gig, fantastic Day 😋

[@63mckenzie]

Always thought that outro riff on Sheep would be an amazing way to close a concert.

[@mikearchibald744]

ALL Animals makes a good outro, even the intros:) But it doesnt matter now, at least til they get those 3d animatronic AI performers in the future.

[@davescryptodays1441]

I LOVE The Saucers version of 'Green Is The Colour'!!! Amazing!

[@ArtbyJoeH]

Look forward to watching this one tonight. Fabulous bassist. And raconteur! Saw him with Stephen Tin Tin Duffy at the Tube in Newcastle in the 80s. that was some pair of curtains hanging from your head that night Guy😅!

[@leslierogers3134]

Re: No 'Echoes' in the set. I recall a conversation I had with Nick Mason backstage at Wembley in 1987. How I got there was very odd. I was an actor whose agent was also the agent of Nick Mason's girlfriend at the time - Annette Nettie Lynton. So she had a whole package of tickets and backstage passes from her - I was chosen to accompany her as she wasn't that familiar with them, and she knew I was a bit of a rocker. So after the gig - which was amazing - I'm chatting with Nick Mason. My first question was this. Why no 'Echoes' in the set? He looked at me and gave an embarrassed shrug and said ...they weren't doing it anymore as they felt the lyrics were a bit too hippyish! I was a bit stunned when he said.

[@anita3018]

I love your playing on Pulse, I have to watch more, it's funny I watch the reactors to it and everyone says how young you look

[@abritandhisbikeinpoland6802]

Saw him with Floyd at Wembley stadium in 88, Knebworth with Floyd in 90 and with Floyd at Earls court in 94, a great bassist!

[@marktrickett5081]

Great interview

[@warrenbutson349]

You gotta love Guy. Great player Warm personality and top raconteur

[@TJR-ClassicRockCorner0124]

David played Atom Heart Mother in 2008 with Ron Geesin and used his new Black Strat for the main rhythm guitar and guitar solos and the Yellow Fender Lap Steel guitar for the slide parts.

[@southsidejohnny5624]

Brief but excellent shout out to Johnny Marr from Guy 👍 “As fine a gentleman as ever existed” Nicely put, Guy.

[@kenfalloon3186]

Ric was the unsung genius of Floyd's sound. A minority taste l know but l love the earlier albums prior to darkside where Rick's spacescapes were a free trip to the stars. Guy's right. Waters especially treated him abysmally.

[@babylemonade2868]

Nick is great drummer especially the early seventies live stuff. The drums on the Ummgumma live album are amazing

[@tmcb_]

Brilliant!

[@slowmarchingband1]

Little bit of trivia - Colin Moulding from XTC was offered the Floyd bass gig before Guy

[@thevoid6818]

I would love to see The Dukes supporting The Saucers.

[@belverticale]

Alwyas loved Fat Old Sun, so nice to see it revived. Also kudos to Guy for Spanish Castles in Space.

[@stevewelsh7457]

I saw Guy Pratt do Echoes with Tony Levin in Taranaki NZ at the G Taranaki guitar festival around 2010. Can't remember which exact year. There were 2 of the festivals.

[@martinrussell6174]

Best venue in the world.

[@andrewskivington6453]

One of the promo posters for the Momentary Lapse of Reason tour had the Animals album cover on it (Meddle too) - had one up on my wall when I was a uni student - so I always assumed they played at least one of those songs on that tour.

[@steevenfrost]

I remember listening to the start of Atom Heart Mother,and thinking they've put the Pink Floyd label on a classical recording.

[@anthonyscully2998]

The documentary filth and the fury mentioned a band called bezuka Joe. The bass player was the lead singer of Adam ants

[@VagueRANT100]

Bazooka Joe!

[@goldiefish72]

Is there any music legend Guy has not played with? He's an excellent bass player, and a hell of a nice guy too.

[@garyheather6870]

Love ATM. Always underrated in my book.

[@MonkeyDLicious-u5t]

It's alright as long as you`re careful when entering your PIN. Too many wrong attempts and it'll keep your card.

[@BarrySteindel]

My introduction of Pink Floyd was DSOTM and Meddle. What I saw and heard was four equals portrayed on those albums as well as in the photos and inserts. Certainly Richard Wrights influence was as much a part of the band sound as any. In later days it was sad to see him get pushed out or treated as an add-on by both Waters and Gilmour. 0:02

[@pjtheory]

If it wasn't for Gilmour, Wright would have never played again on a big stage. During the making of AMLOR, Gilmour was quite patient with Wright's lack of confidence, he made Wright a full member of Pink Floyd during the making of TDB and he invited Wright to join his band on the OAI tour.

[@BarrySteindel]

@ I do not disagree. It just wasn’t the same and nothing to be done about it. If the whole entire thing was solely Wrights lack of confidence then I guess that’s his fault. The only time it seemed correct to me was their one off reunion where everyone seemed equal again albeit brief.

[@pjtheory]

@@BarrySteindel I was simply responding to your attempt to conflate the relationship dynamics between Wright and Waters/Gilmour. The facts are that Waters bullied Wright from 1965-1979 and he fired Wright during the making of The Wall album. Waters reluctantly allowed Wright to be a glorified session musician on the Wall tour, but they did not speak to one another until the 2005 one-off reunion show. The relationship between Wright and Gilmour was in a different stratosphere. Gilmour nurtured and supported Wright from 1987-2006, he allowed Wright to provide vocals on a Pink Floyd album (e.g., The Division Bell: Wearing The Inside Out) for the first time since Dark Side Of The Moon and he asked Wright to join him on his 2006 On An Island solo tour.

[@marillion335]

Great interview. And thanks for helping to keep the Pink Floyd music alive. One question though, why do you hate people shining lights on their phones. We were at Perth and you said you hate people shining the torch on their phone, is it distracting or just annoying?

[@goport]

I love Guy. absolute ligger (back in the day) and legend. Pretty decent stand in for NWR too.

[@grelch]

I saw the Gilmour Floyd play Echoes in Cleveland in 1987, near the front end of that tour. They opened the show with it. It was largely abbreviated. Shortened solos. Shortened albatrosses, etc. Nevertheless, It was there in the set list.

[@onebadpuffin2170]

That's interesting. I saw the same tour in Syracuse but they opened with Astronomy Domine. They must have mixed things up on that tour but I wish I had seen the Echoes version like you did.

[@grelch]

@@onebadpuffin2170 I think they dropped Echoes from the set pretty early on. It was exciting to hear that 'ping' at the time. Echoes was and is my favorite song. My recollection is that they played a rushed, abbreviated version. Shortened solos, intros, mid section etc., and maybe at a much higher tempo. I remember it not sounding how I wanted it to sound, unlike the Gilmour solo versions from the OAI tour, which were wonderful. I know they opened with Astronomy Domine for much of the Division Bell tour. I never saw it on the AMLOR tour. They replaced Echoes with Shine On for the other shows I saw on that tour.

[@onebadpuffin2170]

@@grelch Actually I'm in the wrong here. They played Syracuse on the AMLOR tour and the Division Bell tour and I only saw the later. Long time ago and my brain must of gotten foggy lol.

[@greendragonreprised6885]

I was there when Guy played with Icehouse at Milton Keynes in 83. Does that mean we're both old now? The best version of Echoes has to be the version when Dave Gilmour played Pompeii and yes, Guy is there on bass.

[@oupahens9219]

Pratt said actually that the 8ties were already the start of "toys". Well, yeah, he is a real handyman playing "actual" instruments.

[@simonmatthews9771]

Loved the recent DG and NM Albert Hall shows. I saw Bowie in Rotterdam on the Serious Moonlight tour, and I remember it being UB40 who were the support. The Pink Floyd italics used at the top of the screen are from The Final Cut era.

[@lesbrook]

Talking un-played Floyd tracks, I'd love the Saucers to introduce Summer '68 into their set

[@michaelfeeney8437]

Hope the Saucers are still a going concern. But it doesn’t look as if they will be touring this year.

[@1990-t1j]

Animals is a great album. Sheep is magnificent

[@mikewilson3581]

The Smiths without Andy Rourke would be incomplete. And Marr seems like a no-nonsense professional. Hence all the artists he's worked with. The first time Morrissey would cancel a show minutes before it started or leave the stage early because he's "cold"? Why bother? Marr doesn't need the hassle.

[@theo9952]

Αfter Atom Heart Mother and Meddle, there is no Pink Floyd album I enjoy more listening to as a whole, than Animals.

[@jublaim]

Hi Barry, I very much enjoyed this! Guy is very entertaining! One other thing: can you please tell me about the flower painting you've got behind you? The motif looks very similar to what is painted onto an old, probably late 19:th century, metal fireplace screen of my late wife parents house here in Sweden!

[@grahamhowes6904]

Van Gogh Sunflowers in a copy

[@jublaim]

@@grahamhowes6904 Thanks Graham! A "Fun Gogh" painting.

[@lucasoheyze4597]

Heard him say all of this before several times, I guess some people have just interviewed themselves dry.

[@TheD4VR0S]

I always wondered. I saw Floyd on the momentary lapse tour and what surprised me was 2 drummers I've seen video's from the Roger days and there wasn't 2 drummers nothing off momentary lapse seemed to require 2 drummers at the time I thought it's maybe because Mason is getting old and cant hack it anymore

[@mikaelbiilmann6826]

Oh, didn’t know Mason didn’t play on “A Momentary Lapse of Reason”.

[@GriefTourist]

Guy is great.....sometimes the good guys win! Guy must have been competing with Gary Tibbs for quite a few things back then.

[@mikearchibald744]

Pink Floyd wasnt so much a group as four very individual players perfecty synchronized when they met on the bus. NONE have ever been technical geniuseseses but each is SO individualistic that anything Roger wrote immediately became something else. I think thats why he was so pissed when they dried up. His stuff after that is lyrically good, even melodically good, but, you know, its not Pink floyd.

[@FrankChalykoff]

HEY GUY, as the Stranglers put, Tell me what you've got to look so pleased about. Change the photo.

[@ThePhilmaywalt]

Animals was EASILY Pink Floyd's finest work by far IMHO!! The inflatable pigs were over the Garden when they played there!!

[@EddieG1888]

Independiente was started by Andy McDonald, with Rik Blaxill coming on board as head of A&R, and McDonald promising him carte blanche on who he could sign. Unfortunately, Rik left fairly quickly because he wanted to sign my band, McDonald didnt, and he and McDonald fell out!🤣🤣

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Richard Wright was badly treated by the band and seemed to have been left isolated due to the band politics. Yes it was Gilmour vs Waters but what was Mason doing?

[@Compliment_Thief]

Whos the guy screen right?

[@tho2295]

I think the MLOR remix was a disimprovement. Drummers like Carmine Appice on The Dogs Of War brought flesh blood to the band, I think the musicians Bob Ezrin chose fitted the album very well. The 80s sound was intended, it’s a piece of that period and hasn’t aged badly. They shouldn’t have messed with it, since we have tons of versions of these songs with Nick on drums on the live recordings from the tour anyway.

[@eclectic6070]

‘a kind of proto Hooky’ - delicious

[@cinemar]

I never got to see Beethoven.

[@gdodson69]

Excellent interview!

[@commonwunder]

Mike Pratt's son!

[@oupahens9219]

Adam ffen Ant? Yeah, he was great at the 100 Club, before he put on his Indiana Jones costumes. After that show somebody's bass was stolen and the hectic search started going to the backrooms as well. Seems they got away with it.

[@virtualobject]

Probably a really nice guy, and he did become a fixture so a skilled player, but am I alone in thinking the slap bass with Pink Floyd just never sounded right.? Pulse etc by e,g

[@cinemar]

David Gilmour didn't play Guitar on Momentary Lapse Of Reason? That sounds like some serious BS.

[@Ontariosound]

Saw the 87 and 94 Floyd tours many times. Never thought Guy was the right choice. Playing style and on-stage look did not vibe for me.

[@patrickneylan]

Animals isn't a PF album. In fact, it isn't any kind of album at all. It's two great older tracks, Sheep and Dogs (put on hold while they did WYWH), fleshed out by some lightweight filler, motivated by Waters' spiteful political hatreds. The rest of the band just shrugged and joined in because they couldn't be bothered any more.

[@Бөйөккитте]

Don't worry, you'll get over it. Just remember to keep taking your medication.

[@onebadpuffin2170]

I love Annie Haslams parts on Atom Heart Mother.

[@andrewarthurmatthews6685]

Well this was such a boring interview and I couldn’t listen to Pratt anymore as I found him irritating