Pink Floyd has had a productive 2022. The band released a new song in April titled “Hey Hey Rise Up” in support of the people of Ukraine, marking the first new original music recorded together since 1994’s The Division Bell. On Friday, Pink Floyd will also unveil the long-delayed 2018 remix of 1977’s Animals, after years of languishing in development hell over a liner notes dispute.
Despite this recent burst of activity, co-founding drummer Nick Mason doesn’t anticipate any more music coming from Pink Floyd. “I think we’re past the point of even considering the idea of Pink Floyd doing something, to make another album,” he tells UCR.
Mason has kept busy in recent years with his new group Saucerful of Secrets, which performs early Pink Floyd material and features Spandau Ballet guitarist Gary Kemp, longtime Pink Floyd touring bassist Guy Pratt, guitarist Lee Harris and keyboardist Dom Beken. Still, Mason would like to utilize Pink Floyd’s legendary status to effect positive change.
“I think it would be great if it was possible to become a force for good. I mean, I know that sounds a bit trite, but a bit like Live 8,” he says, referring to the series of 2005 benefit concerts that raised money to help poor countries, particularly those in Africa. The supersized event, which took place almost 20 years to the date after Live Aid, marked the first time that Mason, David Gilmour, Roger Waters and Richard Wright performed onstage together in 24 years. (It would also be their last, as Wright died in 2008.)
“I thought Live 8 was terrific,” Mason says, adding that the mammoth benefit might be difficult to replicate now because “we’re bit short of Nelson Mandela figures these days.” That said, if somebody were to spearhead the organization of such an event, he’d would happily take part.
“If there was someone who was capable of assembling bands, I’d love to be part of something,” Mason adds. “I’d rather it wasn’t fighting Russia. I’d rather it was something a little more sort of humane, I suppose, the world peace or whatever it is – to use music for good or social change in the right way.”
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