Can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em
This issue is a joke.
Or rather, the theme of this issue started out as a joke. Several years ago, during one of our theme brainstorming sessions, a long-time staffer suggested an issue about the women in the Floyd's history--wives, daughters, backing singers, and so on. He even went so far as to suggest a Rachel Fury centerfold as the Featured Image.
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We had a good laugh, and moved on to more sensible topics of discussion. But like a good packrat, I save every idea--even the silly ones. And then I thought 'why not?' and put it on the schedule, thinking someone would balk, or come up with a better idea. But no one did, and when the time came, the list of women in the Floyd's past was enormous. There were a half-dozen ex-wives (and four current ones), and another half-dozen daughters. There were nearly 30 credited backup singers from assorted recordings and tours--and that doesn't count the uncredited women in the various choirs who performed "Atom Heart Mother", or the girls in "Another Brick in the Wall", or guest performers such as Marianne Faithfull, Joni Mitchell, and Candy Dulfer.
What about women in the music itself? Unlike, for instance, the Beatles ("Michelle", "Eleanor Rigby", "Lovely Rita", "Julia", just to name a very few), the Floyds aren't known for writing songs about women. Or are they? There's Emily, Matilda (and her mother), and the mystery woman from "Apples and Oranges". There's poor Mrs. Clegg, Margaret Thatcher, and Mary Whitehouse. There are Pink's mother, wife, girlfriend (and an assortment of Dirty Women). There's Rose Pilchek (36-24-36) and Vera Lynn. There's the Fassbinder-faced hitchhiker, Billy's sister-in-law Molly, and the poor dead Chinese pastry chef. And Syd Barrett proved himself to be a much more traditional songwriter than Waters or Gilmour by writing about his romantic entanglements (and their dissolutions) again and again: "Love You", "Late Night", "Long Gone", "Here I Go", "Terrapin", "Wined and Dined", and many more.
So join us as we celebrate the Women of Pink Floyd.
Johnny Valenzuela and Sean Ellis argue the merits of Clare Torry's suit against Pink Floyd.
Christopher Hughes sits down with Venetta Fields for a frank conversation about the life of a Floyd backup singer.
Mike McInnis discusses the groupies that found their way into Floyd lyrics.
Tommy Gatton examines Roger Waters' latest songs.
John Waters reviews the Pros and Cons tour on DVD.