Fingal's Cave - A Podcast for all dedicated Pink Floyd Fans – Details, episodes & analysis

On this, our 20th episode, we speak with a person who has chosen to go by the pseudonym of "Mick the Hat", and when you listen you'll certainly understand why. 
One of our favorite things to do on this podcast is to interview people who have knowledge that no one else in the world possesses, and who can shed light on some of the most legendary events in the history of Pink Floyd. Mick the Hat is one of those people. For anyone interested in the saga of Pink Floyd live recordings and vinyl bootlegs, you won't want to miss a minute of Mick the Hat's recollections, as elicited by podcast producer and interviewer Ian Priston. His tales of BPI busts gone wrong, of taping some of the most beloved shows in Pink Floyd history, and of dealing with some of the quirkiest characters out there, are one of a kind revelations that you won't hear anywhere else.

Col Turner is an influential and significant figure amongst Pink Floyd fans across the globe who has been following Pink Floyd since 1966.

We discuss Col's UFO Club experiences and the London scene. Col emigrated after the Hyde Park 1970 concert and reconnected to the band in Australia in 1971 and 1988. 

Perhaps best known for 'A Fleeting Glimpse' (www.pinkfloydz.com), Col's website was created 25 years ago and features countless stories, interviews and fascinating Pink Floyd insights.

Col has met Roger Waters on four occasions and, as you will hear, it hasn't always gone smoothly.

Join us to hear Col, Nils and Ian enjoy a warmhearted conversation and stories from this superfan's 57 year Pink Floyd journey.

Facebook ' A Fleeting Glimpse': https://www.facebook.com/PinkFloydAFleetingGlimpse/

Syd Barrett: “An amazingly attractive, energetic, sparkly boy goes the wrong way in life and is lost”

Rosemary Breen knew her brother Syd Barrett better than anyone. They were inseparable as children, and in later years, Rosemary cared for Syd between the early 1980s and his untimely death in 2006. A "bright cookie" and kind, Syd had an unusual brain, and Rosemary became the single individual he could cope with.

Rosemary spoke to Ian Priston on 16 September 2023 to get things on record and encourage youngsters who look up to Syd to carefully think about why and how things happened to him. 

Rosemary eloquently sums up how Syd wanted to play with the other members of Pink Floyd and with sound. He neither sought celebrity nor understood it. When being in the band ceased to be fun, Syd left.

Syd Barrett expressed his true self through his art. After he returned to Cambridge, Syd produced some memorable artworks when he was in a good frame of mind. He had many ideas and would paint enormous canvases, and there was often one in progress when Rosemary visited.

The two used to go on days out. On one occasion, Rosemary and Syd were in central Cambridge, and Syd stopped and feared crossing a road because he felt compelled to get a painting out of his head and onto a canvas. For Syd, art was about much more than simply being creative; according to Rosemary, the process fulfilled a need and was vital.

The interview covers some serious topics, but there is also humour. For example, Rosemary explains how Syd was “Mr. DIY”. Talking about Syd Barrett’s lyrics, Rosemary says, "They make me giggle. He was a clown and was joking. Life was a joke. If anybody took him seriously, he just would giggle away."

It's episode number 8, and we return to the 1977 Animals Tour with our guest David Fidler. David was a good friend of Chris Cockram, whom we had the privilege of interviewing for episode 5. It's David's first-ever interview about his sound engineering work with Pink Floyd. David was primarily responsible for Pink Floyd's quad system, and his memories provide invaluable insights into the challenges Pink Floyd's crew faced as they supported 56 dates in Europe and North America.

Unedited Video here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gYcb-0L_KrI

“An amazingly attractive, energetic, sparkly boy goes the wrong way in life and is lost.” 
Rosemary Breen, Syd Barrett’s sister, knew him better than anyone and has given a detailed interview to Ian Priston for the Fingal’s Cave podcast. Go to https://fingalscavepodcast.com/ to subscribe and never miss an episode.

In this episode, we are very pleased to be joined by composer and author Ron Geesin. Known to Pink Floyd fans for his collaboration on Atom Heart Mother and Music from the Body, Ron has an extensive discography, a massive collection of adjustable spanners, and nearly eight decades' worth of stories, aphorisms, insights, and witticisms. In a wide-ranging conversation with Phil Salathé and Nils Zehnpfennig, Ron discusses the past and future of Atom Heart Mother, his work for film and television, and the role of the subconscious and humor in art. Along the way Ron speaks of his love for Coleman Hawkins and Edgard Varèse, and recounts how "unintentional brinksmanship" had him facing the wrath of two thousand Scots.

Please find the unedited video here: https://youtu.be/AqGtp7rcT_g

Today we talk to Ian Priston and Phil Salathé about their work on the bestselling book "Pink Floyd BBC Radio 1967-1971". Phil explains how this collaboration came about and Ian talks about surprising finds in the BBC archives and the immense help from the fan community.
Book: https://www.floydstuff.com/product/7245714/pink-floyd-bbc-radio-1967-1971-hardcover-edition

The 1977 Animals “Veterans Tour” – life on the road with Pink Floyd
 
We are delighted to introduce Chris Cockram in this episode of Fingals Cave.
Chris worked as a tour technician and tour manager for super bands such as U2, Queen, Rolling Stones, Elton John, and Pink Floyd in 1977.
 
Chris tells some great new stories about working closely with David Gilmour and Nick Mason and gives a vivid sense of what became infamously known amongst the roadies as the “Veterans Tour”.

We discuss increasing tension in the band, Roger and David’s audio recordings, technical problems that almost led to catastrophic consequences, and the famous Montreal 1977 spitting incident. Chris is additionally the author of the fascinating book, ‘We Skipped the Lite Fandango’.
 
Info: we had technical difficulties with our guest’s audio channel and have tried our best to remove most artifacts.

Book Link: https://www.amazon.com/-/de/dp/B0747M5VYG/ref=sr_1_1?__mk_de_DE=%C3%85M%C3%85%C5%BD%C3%95%C3%91&crid=1VW8CL52TOYJ1&keywords=we+skipped+the+lite+fandango&qid=1691669979&sprefix=we+skipped+the+lite+fandango%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-1
Please find the unedited video here: https://youtu.be/15J5LneNja0

In this episode, Nils Zehnpfennig meets the highly respected documentary filmmaker and producer John Edginton, who has an excellent reputation among Pink Floyd fans for his two documentaries "The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story" and "The Story of Wish you Were Here". We talk about the motivation to produce a documentary about Syd Barrett and discuss John's band member interviews in detail.

John explains how he encountered Syd Barrett’s former landlord who had a surprise waiting for him. 

Finally, we talk about John's enormously successful YouTube channel and the treasures in his archive that will be released in the near future.

A full length version of this interview can also be found  on John's YouTube Channel: https://www.youtube.com/@JOHNEDGINTONDOCUMENTARIES 

Please find the unedited video version here: https://youtu.be/nZAAF6u6zXg