The Final Cut (album)
Encyclopedia
The Final Cut is the twelfth studio album
by English progressive rock
group Pink Floyd
. It was released in March 1983 by Harvest Records
in the United Kingdom, and several weeks later by Columbia Records
in the United States. A concept album
, The Final Cut is the last of the band's releases to include founding member and long-time lyricist Roger Waters
. It is the only Pink Floyd album on which Waters is credited for the writing and composition of every song. Most of the lyrics are sung by Waters; lead guitar
ist David Gilmour
provides vocals on only one of the album's tracks.
The Final Cut was originally planned as a soundtrack album
for the band's 1982 film Pink Floyd The Wall
. With the onset of the Falklands War
, Waters changed it to be a critique of war, and also what he considered the betrayal of his father. The Final Cut was recorded in eight studios across Britain, from July to December 1982. As with most of Pink Floyd's discography, a range of session musicians were employed as contributors, but its production was dominated by increasing tensions between Waters and his band mates, particularly Gilmour. Keyboardist Richard Wright
was at that point no longer a member of the band. The packaging was designed by Waters, and reflects the content of the album. It reached the top of the UK Albums Chart
, but received mixed reviews. An accompanying short film was later released.
Following the album's release each member of the band concentrated on solo projects, but Waters then announced that he had left the group, and later attempted to keep Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason from using the Pink Floyd name. Gilmour has since expressed his dislike for much of The Final Cut.
for the 1982 film, Pink Floyd The Wall
. Under its working title Spare Bricks, it would have featured new music or songs re-recorded for the film, such as "When the Tigers Broke Free
" and "Bring the Boys Back Home
", respectively. Bass guitarist, vocalist, and primary composer Roger Waters also planned to record a small amount of new material for the album, further expanding The Walls narrative.
As a result of the Falklands War
, Waters changed direction, and began writing new material. He saw British Prime Minister
Margaret Thatcher
's response to the invasion of the islands as jingoistic and unnecessary, and dedicated the new album—provisionally titled Requiem for a Post-War Dream—to his father, Eric Fletcher Waters (who had died in World War II
). Gilmour was unimpressed by Waters's apparent politicising, and the new creative direction prompted arguments between the two. Several pieces of music considered for but not used on The Wall, including "Your Possible Pasts", "One of the Few", "The Final Cut", and "The Hero's Return", had initially been set aside for Spare Bricks, and although Pink Floyd had often re-used older material in their work, Gilmour felt that these songs were not good enough for a new album. He wanted to write new material, but Waters remained doubtful as Gilmour had lately contributed little to the band's lyrical repertoire.
The album's working title was changed to The Final Cut, a reference to William Shakespeare
's Julius Caesar
: "This was the most unkindest cut of all". "When the Tigers Broke Free
" was issued as a single on 26 July 1982, with "Bring the Boys Back Home" on the B-side.
The Final Cut is an anti-war concept album, whose lyrics explore what Waters regards as the betrayal of fallen British servicemen—such as his father—who during World War II sacrificed their lives in the spirit of a post-war dream. This post-war dream was that their victory would usher in a more peaceful world, whose leaders would no longer be so eager to solve disputes by resorting to war. The album's lyrics are critical of Thatcher, whose policies and decisions Waters regarded as an example of this betrayal. She is referred to as "Maggie" throughout the album.
The introductory track, "The Post War Dream", opens to a recorded announcement that the replacement for a ship lost during the campaign will be built in Japan, and not the United Kingdom. Waters' lyrics refer to his dead father, the Japanese and Margaret Thatcher, before moving on to "Your Possible Pasts", a rewritten version of one of the songs rejected for The Wall. In "One of the Few", another rejected song, the schoolteacher from The Wall features as the main character, presented as a war hero returned to civilian life. He is unable to relate his experiences to his wife, and in "The Hero's Return" is tormented by the loss of one of his air crew ("The Hero's Return" was titled "Teacher, Teacher" when it was part of the demo version of The Wall). "The Gunner's Dream" discusses the post-war dream of a world free from tyranny and the threat of terrorism (a reference to the Hyde Park bombing), and is followed in "Paranoid Eyes" by the teacher's descent into alcoholism.
The second half of the album deals with various war-related issues. While "Southampton Dock" is a lament to returning war heroes, and also those soldiers heading out to a certain death, "Not Now John
" addresses the ignorance of society toward political and economical problems. "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" deals with Waters' feelings about war and invasion, and "The Fletcher Memorial Home
" (the title is a nod to Waters' lost father) reflects the fantasy of gathering together political leaders such as Leonid Brezhnev
, Menachem Begin
, and Margaret Thatcher
, and executing them all. The album's title track reveals Waters' deepest intimacies; the lyrics deal with the aftermath of a man's isolation and sexual repression, as he contemplates suicide, and struggles to reconnect with the world around him. The album ends with "Two Suns in the Sunset
", a song that portrays a nuclear holocaust, the final result of a world obsessed with war and control.
, who had contributed to The Wall, oversaw the orchestral arrangements. He also stood in for absent keyboardist Richard Wright
, co-produced, and mediated between Waters and Gilmour. James Guthrie
was employed as the studio engineer and co-producer, while Mason's drumming was supplemented by Ray Cooper
, and replaced on "Two Suns in the Sunset
" by Andy Newmark
when Mason was unable to perform the complex timing changes required of him. Mason was also responsible for the repeated reprises of the 'Maggie, what have we done?' chorus. Raphael Ravenscroft
was hired to play the saxophone. Recording took place in the latter half of 1982, using eight studios, including Gilmour's home studio at Hookend Manor
, and Waters' Billiard Room Studios at East Sheen
. The other venues were Mayfair Studios
, Olympic Studios
, Abbey Road Studios
, Eel Pie Studios
, Audio International, and RAK Studios
.
Tensions soon became apparent, and while Waters and Gilmour initially worked together, playing the video game Donkey Kong
in their spare time, the two eventually chose to work separately. Co-engineer Andy Jackson
worked with Waters on the vocals, and Guthrie worked with Gilmour on the guitars. They would occasionally meet to discuss the work that had been completed, and while this methodology was not in itself unusual, Gilmour began to feel the strain, sometimes barely maintaining his composure. Kamen too felt pressured; Waters had never been a confident vocalist, and on one occasion, after repeated studio takes, Waters noticed him writing on a notepad. Losing his temper, he demanded to know what Kamen was doing, only to find that the pianist had been writing "I Must Not Fuck Sheep" repeatedly.
Like previous Pink Floyd albums, The Final Cut used sound effects combined with advances and innovations in audio recording technology. Mason's contributions were almost entirely limited to recording sound effects for the experimental Holophonic system, an audio processing technique used to add an enhanced three-dimensional effect to the recordings (The Final Cut is the second album ever to feature this technology). The technique is featured on "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert", allowing the sound effect of an explosion to appear to surround the listener. Sound effects from earlier Floyd albums are also evident; the wind from Meddle
(1971) is re-used, as are parts of The Dark Side of the Moon
(1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979).
After months of poor relations, and following a final confrontation, Gilmour was removed from the credit list as producer, at his own insistence. Waters later admitted that he was also under significant pressure, and that early in the production of The Final Cut he believed he would never record with either Gilmour or Mason again. Although he issued a vague threat to release the album as a solo record, Pink Floyd were contracted to EMI, and such a move was unlikely. Mason kept himself distant as he dealt with marital problems.
In a June 1987 interview, Roger Waters recalled the making of the album:
Storm Thorgerson
, a founder member of Hipgnosis
(designers of most of Pink Floyd's previous artwork), was passed over for the cover design. Instead, Waters created the cover himself using photographs taken by his brother-in-law, Willie Christie. The front cover shows a Remembrance Day
poppy
and four World War II medal ribbons laid out on a black fabric background. From left to right the medals are the 1939–45 Star, the Africa Star
, the Defence Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross
.
The poppy is a recurring design theme. The interior gatefold featured three photographs, the first depicting an outstretched hand holding three poppies, and a soldier standing in the middle of a field far off in the background. Two more photographs show a welder at work, his mask emblazoned with the Japanese Rising Sun Flag
, and a nuclear explosion—a clear reference to "Two Suns in the Sunset
". The album's lyrics are reproduced on the gatefold. Side one of the vinyl disc carries an image of a poppy field, whereas on side two a soldier with a knife in his back lies face down amongst the poppies, with a dog beside him. The back cover features a photograph of a soldier standing upright and holding a film canister, with a knife protruding from his back (the film canister and knife may reflect Waters' tumultuous relationship with The Wall
director Alan Parker
).
album charts. "Not Now John
" was released as a single and reached the UK Top 30, with its chorus of "Fuck all that" bowdlerised to "Stuff all that". Despite its success, the album received mixed reviews. Melody Maker declared it to be "... a milestone in the history of awfulness ...", but Rolling Stones Kurt Loder
viewed it as "... essentially a Roger Waters solo album ... a superlative achievement on several levels". Robert Christgau
wrote "... it's a comfort to encounter antiwar rock that has the weight of years of self-pity behind it ..." and awarded the album a C+ rating.
With over 1,000,000 units shipped in the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America
certified The Final Cut Platinum
in May 1983; the record achieved double Platinum certification in 1997. The Final Cut was however the lowest-selling Pink Floyd studio album in the United States and worldwide since Meddle. Gilmour later claimed that this relative commercial failure supported his assertion that much of the material on the album was weak. Waters made the following response:
The album's release was accompanied by a short film, The Final Cut. Based on a selection of the album's songs, it was produced by Waters and directed by his brother-in-law Willie Christie. Four songs are used: "The Gunner's Dream", "The Final Cut", "The Fletcher Memorial Home", and "Not Now John". Waters is shown revealing his innermost secrets to a psychiatrist named A. Parker-Marshall, and Alex McAvoy
, who appeared in Pink Floyd The Wall, also appears in the film.
The Final Cut was released on Compact Disc
in 1983, and a remastered and repackaged CD was released by EMI in Europe and on Capitol Records in the US in 2004; this included an extra song, the previously released "When the Tigers Broke Free
". A remastered version was made available in 2007 as part of the Oh, by the Way
boxed set, packaged in a mini-replica of the original gatefold
LP sleeve. Despite being a replica of the original LP, the album artwork was altered to include When the Tigers Broke Free.
in 1984, and used it to express his feelings on a range of topics, from the murder of musician John Lennon
, to his relationship with Waters—who also began touring his new solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
. Mason released his second solo album Profiles
in August 1985.
In 1985, Waters announced that he had left the band, and that he believed that Pink Floyd was a "spent force". He applied to the High Court
to prevent the Pink Floyd name from ever being used again. His lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed, and Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist; however, he later told a Sunday Times reporter that "Roger is a dog in the manger and I'm going to fight him …".
Waters wrote to EMI and Columbia declaring his intention to leave the group, asking them to release him from his contractual obligations. With a legal case pending, he dispensed with O'Rourke, and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs. He later contributed to the soundtrack for When the Wind Blows, and then recorded his second solo album, Radio K.A.O.S.
.
The Final Cut is sometimes viewed as a de facto Waters solo record due to the combination of Pink Floyd's partial breakup and Waters' lyrical dominance on the project. The personal quality assigned to the lyrics are related to Waters' struggle to reconcile his despair at the changing social face of Britain, and the loss of his father in World War II. Despite this, Gilmour's guitar solos on "Your Possible Pasts" and "The Fletcher Memorial Home" are sometimes considered equal to his best work on The Wall. More recent reviews of the album have weighed its importance alongside the band's split. Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing for Allmusic said: " …with its anger, emphasis on lyrics, and sonic textures, it's clear that it's the album that Waters intended it to be. And it's equally clear that Pink Floyd couldn't have continued in this direction… ", and Stylus Magazine
wrote: "It's about pursuing something greater even when you have all the money that you could ever want. And either failing or succeeding brilliantly. It's up to you decide whether this record is a success or a failure, but I'd go with the former every time." Mike Diver for Drowned in Sound
was less generous: "Rays of light are few and far between, and even on paper the track titles—including 'The Gunner's Dream' and 'Paranoid Eyes'—suggest an arduous listen. Q Magazine once compiled a top ten list of depressing records, and this was on it. Enough said, I think."
except "Not Now John
" by David Gilmour
and Roger Waters.
Additional musicians
Production
Studio album
A studio album is an album made up of tracks recorded in the controlled environment of a recording studio. A studio album contains newly written and recorded or previously unreleased or remixed material, distinguishing itself from a compilation or reissue album of previously recorded material, or...
by English progressive rock
Progressive rock
Progressive rock is a subgenre of rock music that developed in the late 1960s and early 1970s as part of a "mostly British attempt to elevate rock music to new levels of artistic credibility." John Covach, in Contemporary Music Review, says that many thought it would not just "succeed the pop of...
group Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd were an English rock band that achieved worldwide success with their progressive and psychedelic rock music. Their work is marked by the use of philosophical lyrics, sonic experimentation, innovative album art, and elaborate live shows. Pink Floyd are one of the most commercially...
. It was released in March 1983 by Harvest Records
Harvest Records
-References:* Harvest Records collectors guide ISBN 978-5-9622-0021-7...
in the United Kingdom, and several weeks later by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
in the United States. A concept album
Concept album
In music, a concept album is an album that is "unified by a theme, which can be instrumental, compositional, narrative, or lyrical." Commonly, concept albums tend to incorporate preconceived musical or lyrical ideas rather than being improvised or composed in the studio, with all songs contributing...
, The Final Cut is the last of the band's releases to include founding member and long-time lyricist Roger Waters
Roger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
. It is the only Pink Floyd album on which Waters is credited for the writing and composition of every song. Most of the lyrics are sung by Waters; lead guitar
Lead guitar
Lead guitar is a guitar part which plays melody lines, instrumental fill passages, guitar solos, and occasionally, some riffs within a song structure...
ist David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
provides vocals on only one of the album's tracks.
The Final Cut was originally planned as a soundtrack album
Soundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
for the band's 1982 film Pink Floyd The Wall
Pink Floyd The Wall (film)
Pink Floyd—The Wall is a 1982 British live-action/animated musical film directed by Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. The film is highly metaphorical and is rich in symbolic imagery and sound...
. With the onset of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, Waters changed it to be a critique of war, and also what he considered the betrayal of his father. The Final Cut was recorded in eight studios across Britain, from July to December 1982. As with most of Pink Floyd's discography, a range of session musicians were employed as contributors, but its production was dominated by increasing tensions between Waters and his band mates, particularly Gilmour. Keyboardist Richard Wright
Richard Wright (musician)
Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
was at that point no longer a member of the band. The packaging was designed by Waters, and reflects the content of the album. It reached the top of the UK Albums Chart
UK Albums Chart
The UK Albums Chart is a list of albums ranked by physical and digital sales in the United Kingdom. It is compiled every week by The Official Charts Company and broadcast on a Sunday on BBC Radio 1 , and published in Music Week magazine and on the OCC website .To qualify for the UK albums chart...
, but received mixed reviews. An accompanying short film was later released.
Following the album's release each member of the band concentrated on solo projects, but Waters then announced that he had left the group, and later attempted to keep Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason from using the Pink Floyd name. Gilmour has since expressed his dislike for much of The Final Cut.
Background
The Final Cut was originally planned as a soundtrack albumSoundtrack album
A soundtrack album is any album that incorporates music directly recorded from the soundtrack of a particular feature film or television program. In some cases, not all the tracks from the movie are included in the album; however there are rare cases of songs in the trailers that do not appear in...
for the 1982 film, Pink Floyd The Wall
Pink Floyd The Wall (film)
Pink Floyd—The Wall is a 1982 British live-action/animated musical film directed by Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. The film is highly metaphorical and is rich in symbolic imagery and sound...
. Under its working title Spare Bricks, it would have featured new music or songs re-recorded for the film, such as "When the Tigers Broke Free
When the Tigers Broke Free
"When the Tigers Broke Free" is a Pink Floyd song by Roger Waters, describing the death of his father, Eric Fletcher Waters, during the Second World War's Operation Shingle...
" and "Bring the Boys Back Home
Bring the Boys Back Home
"Bring the Boys Back Home" is a song from the Pink Floyd album, The Wall. The song was released as a B-side on the single, "When the Tigers Broke Free".-Overview:...
", respectively. Bass guitarist, vocalist, and primary composer Roger Waters also planned to record a small amount of new material for the album, further expanding The Walls narrative.
As a result of the Falklands War
Falklands War
The Falklands War , also called the Falklands Conflict or Falklands Crisis, was fought in 1982 between Argentina and the United Kingdom over the disputed Falkland Islands and South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands...
, Waters changed direction, and began writing new material. He saw British Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
's response to the invasion of the islands as jingoistic and unnecessary, and dedicated the new album—provisionally titled Requiem for a Post-War Dream—to his father, Eric Fletcher Waters (who had died in World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
). Gilmour was unimpressed by Waters's apparent politicising, and the new creative direction prompted arguments between the two. Several pieces of music considered for but not used on The Wall, including "Your Possible Pasts", "One of the Few", "The Final Cut", and "The Hero's Return", had initially been set aside for Spare Bricks, and although Pink Floyd had often re-used older material in their work, Gilmour felt that these songs were not good enough for a new album. He wanted to write new material, but Waters remained doubtful as Gilmour had lately contributed little to the band's lyrical repertoire.
The album's working title was changed to The Final Cut, a reference to William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
's Julius Caesar
Julius Caesar (play)
The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, also known simply as Julius Caesar, is a tragedy by William Shakespeare, believed to have been written in 1599. It portrays the 44 BC conspiracy against...
: "This was the most unkindest cut of all". "When the Tigers Broke Free
When the Tigers Broke Free
"When the Tigers Broke Free" is a Pink Floyd song by Roger Waters, describing the death of his father, Eric Fletcher Waters, during the Second World War's Operation Shingle...
" was issued as a single on 26 July 1982, with "Bring the Boys Back Home" on the B-side.
Concept and storyline
The introductory track, "The Post War Dream", opens to a recorded announcement that the replacement for a ship lost during the campaign will be built in Japan, and not the United Kingdom. Waters' lyrics refer to his dead father, the Japanese and Margaret Thatcher, before moving on to "Your Possible Pasts", a rewritten version of one of the songs rejected for The Wall. In "One of the Few", another rejected song, the schoolteacher from The Wall features as the main character, presented as a war hero returned to civilian life. He is unable to relate his experiences to his wife, and in "The Hero's Return" is tormented by the loss of one of his air crew ("The Hero's Return" was titled "Teacher, Teacher" when it was part of the demo version of The Wall). "The Gunner's Dream" discusses the post-war dream of a world free from tyranny and the threat of terrorism (a reference to the Hyde Park bombing), and is followed in "Paranoid Eyes" by the teacher's descent into alcoholism.
The second half of the album deals with various war-related issues. While "Southampton Dock" is a lament to returning war heroes, and also those soldiers heading out to a certain death, "Not Now John
Not Now John
"Not Now John" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1983 album, The Final Cut. The track is the only song from the album featuring the vocals of David Gilmour, found in the verses, with Roger Waters singing the refrains and interludes. The song was released as a single in modified form, with the word...
" addresses the ignorance of society toward political and economical problems. "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" deals with Waters' feelings about war and invasion, and "The Fletcher Memorial Home
The Fletcher Memorial Home
"The Fletcher Memorial Home" is a song by Roger Waters, performed by Pink Floyd. The song appears on their 1983 album, The Final Cut. It is the eighth track on the album, and is arranged between "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert" and "Southampton Dock". It was performed live by Roger Waters for...
" (the title is a nod to Waters' lost father) reflects the fantasy of gathering together political leaders such as Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Brezhnev
Leonid Ilyich Brezhnev – 10 November 1982) was the General Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union , presiding over the country from 1964 until his death in 1982. His eighteen-year term as General Secretary was second only to that of Joseph Stalin in...
, Menachem Begin
Menachem Begin
' was a politician, founder of Likud and the sixth Prime Minister of the State of Israel. Before independence, he was the leader of the Zionist militant group Irgun, the Revisionist breakaway from the larger Jewish paramilitary organization Haganah. He proclaimed a revolt, on 1 February 1944,...
, and Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Thatcher
Margaret Hilda Thatcher, Baroness Thatcher, was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1979 to 1990...
, and executing them all. The album's title track reveals Waters' deepest intimacies; the lyrics deal with the aftermath of a man's isolation and sexual repression, as he contemplates suicide, and struggles to reconnect with the world around him. The album ends with "Two Suns in the Sunset
Two Suns in the Sunset
"Two Suns in the Sunset" is the final song on Pink Floyd's 1983 concept album The Final Cut. Partway through the song, the lyric "the sun is in the east, even though the day is done" refers to the glowing fireball of a nuclear explosion....
", a song that portrays a nuclear holocaust, the final result of a world obsessed with war and control.
Recording
American composer Michael KamenMichael Kamen
Michael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
, who had contributed to The Wall, oversaw the orchestral arrangements. He also stood in for absent keyboardist Richard Wright
Richard Wright (musician)
Richard William Wright was an English pianist, keyboardist and songwriter, best known for his career with Pink Floyd. Wright's richly textured keyboard layers were a vital ingredient and a distinctive characteristic of Pink Floyd's sound...
, co-produced, and mediated between Waters and Gilmour. James Guthrie
James Guthrie (record producer)
James K.A. Guthrie is a British recording engineer and record producer best known for his work with the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, having served as a producer and engineer for the band since 1978...
was employed as the studio engineer and co-producer, while Mason's drumming was supplemented by Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper
Ray Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
, and replaced on "Two Suns in the Sunset
Two Suns in the Sunset
"Two Suns in the Sunset" is the final song on Pink Floyd's 1983 concept album The Final Cut. Partway through the song, the lyric "the sun is in the east, even though the day is done" refers to the glowing fireball of a nuclear explosion....
" by Andy Newmark
Andy Newmark
Andrew "Andy" Newmark is an American musician, best known as a popular session drummer, and for playing with the funk band Sly & the Family Stone from 1972 to 1973....
when Mason was unable to perform the complex timing changes required of him. Mason was also responsible for the repeated reprises of the 'Maggie, what have we done?' chorus. Raphael Ravenscroft
Raphael Ravenscroft
Raphael Ravenscroft is a Scottish saxophonist and author on saxophone play. He now resides in Exeter, Devon, England.He is best known for his work with Gerry Rafferty, performing the saxophone solo on "Baker Street". Ravenscroft was paid £27 for the session, with a cheque that bounced...
was hired to play the saxophone. Recording took place in the latter half of 1982, using eight studios, including Gilmour's home studio at Hookend Manor
Outside Studios
Outside Studios is a recording studio located in Hook End Manor, Checkendon, Oxfordshire, England.The albums Gold Against the Soul by Welsh rock band Manic Street Preachers and The Cure's Mixed Up were both recorded here.- References :*...
, and Waters' Billiard Room Studios at East Sheen
East Sheen
East Sheen, also known as 'Sheen', is an affluent suburb of London, England in the London Borough of Richmond upon Thames. It forms part of the London post town in the SW postcode area....
. The other venues were Mayfair Studios
Mayfair Studios
Mayfair Studios is a recording studio located in Primrose Hill, London, England. The studio was originally established in Mayfair, London in the 1960s thus giving the studio its name...
, Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios
Olympic Studios was a renowned independent commercial recording studio located at 117 Church Road, Barnes, South West London, England. The studio is best known for the huge number of famous rock and pop recordings made there from the late 1960s onward....
, Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios
Abbey Road Studios is a recording studio located at 3 Abbey Road, St John's Wood, City of Westminster, London, England. It was established in November 1931 by the Gramophone Company, a predecessor of British music company EMI, its present owner...
, Eel Pie Studios
Eel Pie Studios
The Eel Pie Recording Studios, formerly Oceanic, are not actually located on the River Thames's Eel Pie Island but on the mainland in Ranelagh Drive by Twickenham Bridge. They were the venue for a number of notable rock and pop recordings. Eel Pie Studios' artists include Pete Townshend, Rachel...
, Audio International, and RAK Studios
RAK studios
RAK Studios are located near Regents Park in central London. The Studios were created by Mickie Most in late 1976 and they have been host to the recording of a number of artists for over three decades.- Artists recorded at RAK :All info from artist list....
.
Tensions soon became apparent, and while Waters and Gilmour initially worked together, playing the video game Donkey Kong
Donkey Kong (video game)
is an arcade game released by Nintendo in 1981. It is an early example of the platform game genre, as the gameplay focuses on maneuvering the main character across a series of platforms while dodging and jumping over obstacles. In the game, Jumpman must rescue a damsel in distress, Lady, from a...
in their spare time, the two eventually chose to work separately. Co-engineer Andy Jackson
Andrew Jackson (recording engineer)
Andrew Jackson is a British recording engineer famous for his work with the British band Pink Floyd. He first helped out on the film soundtrack to Pink Floyd The Wall in 1982...
worked with Waters on the vocals, and Guthrie worked with Gilmour on the guitars. They would occasionally meet to discuss the work that had been completed, and while this methodology was not in itself unusual, Gilmour began to feel the strain, sometimes barely maintaining his composure. Kamen too felt pressured; Waters had never been a confident vocalist, and on one occasion, after repeated studio takes, Waters noticed him writing on a notepad. Losing his temper, he demanded to know what Kamen was doing, only to find that the pianist had been writing "I Must Not Fuck Sheep" repeatedly.
Like previous Pink Floyd albums, The Final Cut used sound effects combined with advances and innovations in audio recording technology. Mason's contributions were almost entirely limited to recording sound effects for the experimental Holophonic system, an audio processing technique used to add an enhanced three-dimensional effect to the recordings (The Final Cut is the second album ever to feature this technology). The technique is featured on "Get Your Filthy Hands Off My Desert", allowing the sound effect of an explosion to appear to surround the listener. Sound effects from earlier Floyd albums are also evident; the wind from Meddle
Meddle
Meddle is the sixth studio album by English progressive rock group Pink Floyd. It was released in October 1971.The album was recorded at a series of locations around London, including Abbey Road Studios...
(1971) is re-used, as are parts of The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon
The Dark Side of the Moon is the eighth studio album by English progressive rock band Pink Floyd, released in March 1973. It built on ideas explored in the band's earlier recordings and live shows, but lacks the extended instrumental excursions that characterised their work following the departure...
(1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979).
After months of poor relations, and following a final confrontation, Gilmour was removed from the credit list as producer, at his own insistence. Waters later admitted that he was also under significant pressure, and that early in the production of The Final Cut he believed he would never record with either Gilmour or Mason again. Although he issued a vague threat to release the album as a solo record, Pink Floyd were contracted to EMI, and such a move was unlikely. Mason kept himself distant as he dealt with marital problems.
In a June 1987 interview, Roger Waters recalled the making of the album:
Packaging
Storm Thorgerson
Storm Thorgerson is an English graphic designer, known for his work for rock bands such as Pink Floyd, Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, 10cc, Dream Theater, The Mars Volta, Muse, The Cranberries, and Biffy Clyro.-Biography:...
, a founder member of Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis
Hipgnosis was a British art design group that specialized in creating cover art for the albums of rock musicians and bands, most notably Pink Floyd, T.Rex, The Pretty Things, UFO, 10cc, Bad Company, Led Zeppelin, AC/DC, Scorpions, Yes, The Alan Parsons Project, Genesis, Peter Gabriel, ELO and XTC...
(designers of most of Pink Floyd's previous artwork), was passed over for the cover design. Instead, Waters created the cover himself using photographs taken by his brother-in-law, Willie Christie. The front cover shows a Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day
Remembrance Day is a memorial day observed in Commonwealth countries since the end of World War I to remember the members of their armed forces who have died in the line of duty. This day, or alternative dates, are also recognized as special days for war remembrances in many non-Commonwealth...
poppy
Poppy
A poppy is one of a group of a flowering plants in the poppy family, many of which are grown in gardens for their colorful flowers. Poppies are sometimes used for symbolic reasons, such as in remembrance of soldiers who have died during wartime....
and four World War II medal ribbons laid out on a black fabric background. From left to right the medals are the 1939–45 Star, the Africa Star
Africa Star
The Africa Star was a campaign medal of the British Commonwealth, awarded for service in the Second World War.The Star was awarded for a minimum of one day service in an operational area of North Africa between 10 June 1940 and 12 May 1943...
, the Defence Medal, and the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United Kingdom)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a military decoration awarded to personnel of the United Kingdom's Royal Air Force and other services, and formerly to officers of other Commonwealth countries, for "an act or acts of valour, courage or devotion to duty whilst flying in active operations against...
.
The poppy is a recurring design theme. The interior gatefold featured three photographs, the first depicting an outstretched hand holding three poppies, and a soldier standing in the middle of a field far off in the background. Two more photographs show a welder at work, his mask emblazoned with the Japanese Rising Sun Flag
Rising Sun Flag
The is the military flag of Japan. It was used as the war flag of the Imperial Japanese Army and the ensign of the Imperial Japanese Navy until the end of World War II...
, and a nuclear explosion—a clear reference to "Two Suns in the Sunset
Two Suns in the Sunset
"Two Suns in the Sunset" is the final song on Pink Floyd's 1983 concept album The Final Cut. Partway through the song, the lyric "the sun is in the east, even though the day is done" refers to the glowing fireball of a nuclear explosion....
". The album's lyrics are reproduced on the gatefold. Side one of the vinyl disc carries an image of a poppy field, whereas on side two a soldier with a knife in his back lies face down amongst the poppies, with a dog beside him. The back cover features a photograph of a soldier standing upright and holding a film canister, with a knife protruding from his back (the film canister and knife may reflect Waters' tumultuous relationship with The Wall
Pink Floyd The Wall (film)
Pink Floyd—The Wall is a 1982 British live-action/animated musical film directed by Alan Parker based on the 1979 Pink Floyd album The Wall. The screenplay was written by Pink Floyd vocalist and bassist Roger Waters. The film is highly metaphorical and is rich in symbolic imagery and sound...
director Alan Parker
Alan Parker
Sir Alan William Parker, CBE is an English film director, producer, writer and actor. He has been active in both the British cinema and American cinema and was a founding member of the Directors Guild of Great Britain.-Life and career:...
).
Release and reception
The Final Cut was released in the UK on 21 March 1983, and reached number one in the UK album charts, something that The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall had each failed to do. It was less successful upon its US release on 2 April, peaking at number six on the BillboardBillboard (magazine)
Billboard is a weekly American magazine devoted to the music industry, and is one of the oldest trade magazines in the world. It maintains several internationally recognized music charts that track the most popular songs and albums in various categories on a weekly basis...
album charts. "Not Now John
Not Now John
"Not Now John" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1983 album, The Final Cut. The track is the only song from the album featuring the vocals of David Gilmour, found in the verses, with Roger Waters singing the refrains and interludes. The song was released as a single in modified form, with the word...
" was released as a single and reached the UK Top 30, with its chorus of "Fuck all that" bowdlerised to "Stuff all that". Despite its success, the album received mixed reviews. Melody Maker declared it to be "... a milestone in the history of awfulness ...", but Rolling Stones Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder
Kurt Loder is an American film critic, author, columnist, and television personality. He served in the 1980s as editor at Rolling Stone, during a tenure that Reason later called "legendary". He has contributed to articles in Reason, Esquire, Details, New York, and Time. He has also made cameos on...
viewed it as "... essentially a Roger Waters solo album ... a superlative achievement on several levels". Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau
Robert Christgau is an American essayist, music journalist, and self-proclaimed "Dean of American Rock Critics".One of the earliest professional rock critics, Christgau is known for his terse capsule reviews, published since 1969 in his Consumer Guide columns...
wrote "... it's a comfort to encounter antiwar rock that has the weight of years of self-pity behind it ..." and awarded the album a C+ rating.
With over 1,000,000 units shipped in the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America
Recording Industry Association of America
The Recording Industry Association of America is a trade organization that represents the recording industry distributors in the United States...
certified The Final Cut Platinum
RIAA certification
In the United States, the Recording Industry Association of America awards certification based on the number of albums and singles sold through retail and other ancillary markets. Other countries have similar awards...
in May 1983; the record achieved double Platinum certification in 1997. The Final Cut was however the lowest-selling Pink Floyd studio album in the United States and worldwide since Meddle. Gilmour later claimed that this relative commercial failure supported his assertion that much of the material on the album was weak. Waters made the following response:
The album's release was accompanied by a short film, The Final Cut. Based on a selection of the album's songs, it was produced by Waters and directed by his brother-in-law Willie Christie. Four songs are used: "The Gunner's Dream", "The Final Cut", "The Fletcher Memorial Home", and "Not Now John". Waters is shown revealing his innermost secrets to a psychiatrist named A. Parker-Marshall, and Alex McAvoy
Alex McAvoy
Alex McAvoy was a Scottish actor, known for his role as Sunny Jim in the BBC Scotland adaptation of Neil Munro's Para Handy stories, The Vital Spark....
, who appeared in Pink Floyd The Wall, also appears in the film.
The Final Cut was released on Compact Disc
Compact Disc
The Compact Disc is an optical disc used to store digital data. It was originally developed to store and playback sound recordings exclusively, but later expanded to encompass data storage , write-once audio and data storage , rewritable media , Video Compact Discs , Super Video Compact Discs ,...
in 1983, and a remastered and repackaged CD was released by EMI in Europe and on Capitol Records in the US in 2004; this included an extra song, the previously released "When the Tigers Broke Free
When the Tigers Broke Free
"When the Tigers Broke Free" is a Pink Floyd song by Roger Waters, describing the death of his father, Eric Fletcher Waters, during the Second World War's Operation Shingle...
". A remastered version was made available in 2007 as part of the Oh, by the Way
Oh, by the Way
Oh, by the Way is a compilation box set by Pink Floyd released on 10 December 2007, by EMI Records in the United Kingdom and the following day in the United States through Capitol Records. The box set includes all fourteen of their standard studio albums, packaged as mini-vinyl replicas...
boxed set, packaged in a mini-replica of the original gatefold
Gatefold
A gatefold is a type of fold used for advertising around a magazine or section, and for packaging of media such as vinyl records.- LP covers :...
LP sleeve. Despite being a replica of the original LP, the album artwork was altered to include When the Tigers Broke Free.
Legacy
With no plans to tour the album, Waters and Gilmour instead turned to separate solo projects. Gilmour recorded About FaceAbout Face (album)
About Face is the second solo album by the Pink Floyd guitarist David Gilmour, released in March 1984. The album was co-produced by Bob Ezrin and David Gilmour. Two songs, "All Lovers Are Deranged", and the more radio-friendly "Love on the Air" were co-written by Gilmour, who composed the music,...
in 1984, and used it to express his feelings on a range of topics, from the murder of musician John Lennon
John Lennon
John Winston Lennon, MBE was an English musician and singer-songwriter who rose to worldwide fame as one of the founding members of The Beatles, one of the most commercially successful and critically acclaimed acts in the history of popular music...
, to his relationship with Waters—who also began touring his new solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking
The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking is a 1984 concept album and the first solo album by English musician Roger Waters. The album was certified gold in the United States by the Recording Industry Association of America in April 1995.-Concept history:...
. Mason released his second solo album Profiles
Profiles
Profiles is an album by Pink Floyd's drummer Nick Mason and 10cc's guitarist Rick Fenn, released in 1985. It is almost entirely instrumental, save for two songs: "Lie for a Lie," featuring Pink Floyd singer and guitarist David Gilmour and Mike Oldfield's early 80s singer Maggie Reilly; and...
in August 1985.
In 1985, Waters announced that he had left the band, and that he believed that Pink Floyd was a "spent force". He applied to the High Court
High Court of Justice
The High Court of Justice is, together with the Court of Appeal and the Crown Court, one of the Senior Courts of England and Wales...
to prevent the Pink Floyd name from ever being used again. His lawyers discovered that the partnership had never been formally confirmed, and Waters returned to the High Court in an attempt to gain a veto over further use of the band's name. Gilmour's team responded by issuing a press release affirming that Pink Floyd would continue to exist; however, he later told a Sunday Times reporter that "Roger is a dog in the manger and I'm going to fight him …".
Waters wrote to EMI and Columbia declaring his intention to leave the group, asking them to release him from his contractual obligations. With a legal case pending, he dispensed with O'Rourke, and employed Peter Rudge to manage his affairs. He later contributed to the soundtrack for When the Wind Blows, and then recorded his second solo album, Radio K.A.O.S.
Radio K.A.O.S.
Radio K.A.O.S. is a 1987 concept album by former Pink Floyd bassist, singer songwriter Roger Waters. It is his second solo album.-Storyline:The concept is based around a 23-year-old disabled man from Wales named Billy....
.
The Final Cut is sometimes viewed as a de facto Waters solo record due to the combination of Pink Floyd's partial breakup and Waters' lyrical dominance on the project. The personal quality assigned to the lyrics are related to Waters' struggle to reconcile his despair at the changing social face of Britain, and the loss of his father in World War II. Despite this, Gilmour's guitar solos on "Your Possible Pasts" and "The Fletcher Memorial Home" are sometimes considered equal to his best work on The Wall. More recent reviews of the album have weighed its importance alongside the band's split. Stephen Thomas Erlewine writing for Allmusic said: " …with its anger, emphasis on lyrics, and sonic textures, it's clear that it's the album that Waters intended it to be. And it's equally clear that Pink Floyd couldn't have continued in this direction… ", and Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine
Stylus Magazine was an online music and film magazine launched in 2002. It featured long-form music journalism, four daily music reviews, movie reviews, a number of different podcasts, an MP3 blog, and a text blog....
wrote: "It's about pursuing something greater even when you have all the money that you could ever want. And either failing or succeeding brilliantly. It's up to you decide whether this record is a success or a failure, but I'd go with the former every time." Mike Diver for Drowned in Sound
Drowned in Sound
DrownedinSound.com or DiS is a UK based music webzine financed by artist management company Silentway . The site is an editorially independent music website.-History:...
was less generous: "Rays of light are few and far between, and even on paper the track titles—including 'The Gunner's Dream' and 'Paranoid Eyes'—suggest an arduous listen. Q Magazine once compiled a top ten list of depressing records, and this was on it. Enough said, I think."
Track listing
All lead vocals performed by Roger WatersRoger Waters
George Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
except "Not Now John
Not Now John
"Not Now John" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1983 album, The Final Cut. The track is the only song from the album featuring the vocals of David Gilmour, found in the verses, with Roger Waters singing the refrains and interludes. The song was released as a single in modified form, with the word...
" by David Gilmour
David Gilmour
David Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
and Roger Waters.
Personnel
Pink Floyd- David GilmourDavid GilmourDavid Jon Gilmour, CBE, D.M. is an English rock musician and multi-instrumentalist who is best known as the guitarist, one of the lead singers and main songwriters in the progressive rock band Pink Floyd. In addition to his work with Pink Floyd, Gilmour has worked as a producer for a variety of...
– guitar, vocals on "Not Now JohnNot Now John"Not Now John" is a song from Pink Floyd's 1983 album, The Final Cut. The track is the only song from the album featuring the vocals of David Gilmour, found in the verses, with Roger Waters singing the refrains and interludes. The song was released as a single in modified form, with the word...
" - Nick MasonNick MasonNicholas Berkeley "Nick" Mason is an English drummer and songwriter, best known for his work with Pink Floyd. He was the only constant member of the band since its formation in 1965...
– drums, percussion, sound effects (with holophonicsHolophonicsHolophonics is a binaural recording system created by Hugo Zuccarelli that is claimed to be based on the claim that the auditory system acts as an interferometer. The sound characteristics of Holophonics are most clearly heard through headphones, though can be demonstrated to be effective with 2...
) - Roger WatersRoger WatersGeorge Roger Waters is an English musician, singer-songwriter and composer. He was a founding member of the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, serving as bassist and co-lead vocalist. Following the departure of bandmate Syd Barrett in 1968, Waters became the band's lyricist, principal songwriter...
– lead vocals, bass guitar, synthesiser, sound effects, acoustic guitar, album cover artwork
Additional musicians
- Andy BownAndy BownAndy Bown is an English musician, who has specialised in keyboards and bass guitar. He is a member of the rock band Status Quo.-Career:...
– HammondHammond organThe Hammond organ is an electric organ invented by Laurens Hammond in 1934 and manufactured by the Hammond Organ Company. While the Hammond organ was originally sold to churches as a lower-cost alternative to the wind-driven pipe organ, in the 1960s and 1970s it became a standard keyboard...
organ - Ray CooperRay CooperRay Cooper is an English musician. He is a session and road-tour percussionist, and occasional actor, who has worked with several musically diverse bands and artists including George Harrison, Billy Joel, Eric Clapton, and Elton John. Cooper is commonly regarded by music fans, critics and fellow...
– percussion - Michael KamenMichael KamenMichael Arnold Kamen was an American composer , orchestral arranger, orchestral conductor, song writer, and session musician.-Background:...
– piano, harmoniumHarmoniumA harmonium is a free-standing keyboard instrument similar to a reed organ. Sound is produced by air being blown through sets of free reeds, resulting in a sound similar to that of an accordion...
, conducting and arrangingArrangementThe American Federation of Musicians defines arranging as "the art of preparing and adapting an already written composition for presentation in other than its original form. An arrangement may include reharmonization, paraphrasing, and/or development of a composition, so that it fully represents...
of the National Philharmonic OrchestraNational Philharmonic OrchestraThe National Philharmonic Orchestra was a British orchestra created exclusively for recording purposes. It was founded by RCA producer Charles Gerhardt and orchestra leader / contractor Sidney Sax due in part to the requirements of the Reader's Digest-History:... - National Philharmonic OrchestraNational Philharmonic OrchestraThe National Philharmonic Orchestra was a British orchestra created exclusively for recording purposes. It was founded by RCA producer Charles Gerhardt and orchestra leader / contractor Sidney Sax due in part to the requirements of the Reader's Digest-History:...
- Andy NewmarkAndy NewmarkAndrew "Andy" Newmark is an American musician, best known as a popular session drummer, and for playing with the funk band Sly & the Family Stone from 1972 to 1973....
– drums on "Two Suns in the Sunset" - Raphael RavenscroftRaphael RavenscroftRaphael Ravenscroft is a Scottish saxophonist and author on saxophone play. He now resides in Exeter, Devon, England.He is best known for his work with Gerry Rafferty, performing the saxophone solo on "Baker Street". Ravenscroft was paid £27 for the session, with a cheque that bounced...
– Tenor saxophoneTenor saxophoneThe tenor saxophone is a medium-sized member of the saxophone family, a group of instruments invented by Adolphe Sax in the 1840s. The tenor, with the alto, are the two most common types of saxophones. The tenor is pitched in the key of B, and written as a transposing instrument in the treble...
Production
- Willie Christie – photography
- James GuthrieJames Guthrie (record producer)James K.A. Guthrie is a British recording engineer and record producer best known for his work with the progressive rock band Pink Floyd, having served as a producer and engineer for the band since 1978...
– remasteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
, record production, engineeringAudio engineeringAn audio engineer, also called audio technician, audio technologist or sound technician, is a specialist in a skilled trade that deals with the use of machinery and equipment for the recording, mixing and reproduction of sounds. The field draws on many artistic and vocational areas, including...
, remastering on 2004 and 2011 re-issues - Andrew Jackson – engineering
- Doug Sax – masteringAudio masteringMastering, a form of audio post-production, is the process of preparing and transferring recorded audio from a source containing the final mix to a data storage device ; the source from which all copies will be produced...
, remastering on 1994 and 1997 re-issues