Interstellar overdrive

Interstellar overdrive
Pink Floyd
publication	5th August 1967
length	9:41
Genre (s)	Avant-garde rock , psychedelic rock
Author (s)	Syd Barrett , Roger Waters , Richard Wright , Nick Mason
Publisher (s)	Columbia Graphophone Company ( UK ) - Tower Records ( US )
album	The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Interstellar Overdrive is an instrumental psychedelic rock piece by the British group Pink Floyd . In an almost ten-minute version, it introduces the B-side of the debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn ; it is in seventh position on the CD version. Two earlier and longer versions can be found on the soundtracks to the films San Francisco by Anthony Stern (1966) and Tonite Let's All Make Love in London (1967) by Peter Whitehead . On the original soundtrack for Tonite Let's all make love in London (release 1968) only the 3:02 minute opening sequence can be heard. In 1990 an LP / maxi single was released with the full version of 16:49 minutes.

structure

A version of the Farfisa Compact Duo by Richard Wright

The piece begins with a descending theme , the unison to the distorted played guitars, bass and organ. This is followed by a transition to an improvisation in a church key , embellished with percussive notes played on a Farfisa organ and with calm passages. The structure finally dissolves completely, a uniform tempo can no longer be determined. From minute 2:20 to 3:47 different noises can be heard, most of which were generated on the guitars. In the end, a common pace gradually emerges and the theme is repeated.

Pink Floyd's manager Peter Jenner , who is said to have hummed a song, is named as the originator of the topic ; it is believed that it was My Little Red Book in the cover version of Love . Syd Barrett allegedly mimicked Jenner's humming on guitar and used it as the theme of Interstellar Overdrive . Roger Waters reminded the melody of the theme of Steptoe and Son .

The album version was recorded on March 16, 1967 and is also included on the Relics and A Nice Pair compilations .

Alternatives and live versions

A first demo version of Interstellar Overdrive was recorded on October 31, 1966. Another early version includes an interview with a Canadian broadcaster in December 1966. Two approximately five-minute versions were played and recorded live at the UFO Club on January 20 and February 24, 1967. For Peter Whitehead's film Tonite Let's All Make Love In London , a 16-minute version was recorded on January 11, 1967, which can be found on the album London (1966/1967).

Until the late 1960s, the piece was part of Pink Floyd's repertoire. It was last performed live on November 21, 1970 in Montreux . Two five-minute versions appear on the 40th Anniversary Edition of The Piper at the Gates of Dawn . The bootlegs with and without Syd Barrett show that the piece was often improvised and that the arrangement therefore changed with each performance. On a BBC radio show, Syd Barrett presented a version very different from the album recording, in the middle section of which the intensity of the organ is greatly increased. David Gilmour, on the other hand, unlike Syd Barrett, often played slide guitar in performances . A live version was planned for the album Ummagumma , but it was not released.

"Interstellar Overdrive" has been covered by many musicians and bands, such as Hawkwind , Camper Van Beethoven , The Melvins , Electric Wizard , Phish , Spiral Realms , Pearl Jam and The Mars Volta .

Trivia

• John Frusciante said in an interview with The End radio station that the Red Hot Chili Peppers played "Interstellar Overdrive" live on the night of Syd Barrett's death.
• The Mars Volta played the song at a memorial concert for Syd Barrett.

literature

• Julian Palacios: Syd Barrett & Pink Floyd: Dark Globe , London, Plexus, 2010 - 443 pages. ISBN 978-0-85965-431-9 .

Web links

• Interstellar Overdrive at Allmusic (English)