Over 50 years ago, Pink Floyd would release what many consider their magnum opus, “Dark Side of the Moon.” An epic album that showed how massive the sound of an album could be without really having any clear front man or face. The album was conceived as a concept album surrounding the struggles of the band members at the time and the loss of their original front man Syd Barret. In their live show they Instead relied on their lights, images, and the music itself to give people a completely new live experience. Since then the album has gone on to sell over 45 million copies and has inspired countless bands.
One band that clearly took influence was Pink Talking Fish. Started 10 years ago by founding member Eric Gould, PTF is an ode to three of the greatest live performing bands of all time. Pink Floyd, The Talking Heads, and Phish. Now the band is on tour celebrating the classic Floyd album and performing the album in its entirety during their first set.
CincyMusic got to sit down with Gould before they took the stage at The Madison Theater tonight and discuss what this tour has been like for them.
Talk about what this tour means for you guys. Clearly one of the pillars of influence but why is this tour important?
We are touring the country in celebration of one of the greatest albums in music history. It doesn't get more special than that. Oftentimes, bands tour just to tour, This one has a deep meaning and every show is a gem in our eyes.
What has it been like so far playing this classic album every night? Do you find new things about it you never noticed?
It's interesting, when this tour started we were asking ourselves "are we going to get tired of playing Dark Side by the end of this?" Well we are deep into the tour now and the answer is NO! Every time we play this album is an incredible experience and we just love it. We definitely are finding nuances and tightening up each night. The spirit of the album and the energy of the audience just takes this show so incredibly high.
What has the response been from the crowd like? Are they excited to hear Dark Side of the Moon in its entirety? Are they new fans coming to see you?
There are definitely some Pink Floyd fans who have never seen us before coming out for this tour. The general feel of every show is that we are here for a reason...a celebration...an experience that means so much. The audience shows this to us every night.
In your opinion, what’s the connecting through like between Phish, Pink Floyd, and the Talking Heads? Clearly, Phish are big fans of each band but why did you guys choose to focus on them?
I started this band about 10 years ago. I was performing a Pickin' On series in Kansas City and diving into different bands' catalogs every week. I had the idea to pick three of my favorite bands that would be compatible and connect them. I wrote a mock setlist for fun and, once seeing it on paper, knew that this had to be realized.
How long is this tour going to last and will you guys be honoring many more albums like “Wish You Were Here” “Animals” “The Wall” etc. for years to come?
We honor these three bands throughout PTF's career. I'm sure there will be more album tours. We are really loving this experience. We are performing Dark Side every show through May and there will likely be a handful more through the rest of the year. It's funny, we keep on saying we would love to just keep on doing this but everyone knows that we are in a moment right now and, like all great things, it burns bright and is fleeting. We are embracing this moment and excited for whatever is to come in the future.
Pink Talking Fish will be playing all of “Darkside of the Moon,” Tuesday night at The Madison Theater. Tickets are still available online or at the box office.
