What people said about the conference:
Date: April 15, 2014
Gilad, Dave, Ryan, and the rest of the gang…and of course Roger, David, Richard and Nick,
Thank you so much for your inspiration to put together such a wonderful event. Not only was it just flat-out fun, it really validated my deeply held but mostly somewhat sheepishly and privately held view that there really was something magical about Pink Floyd – something that was more than the sum of the parts. Like James, I grew up with music being something that WAS the moment, not just something that added to the moment, and Pink Floyd was one of the bands that completely justified such attention. There was always more to glean from their music, should one choose to pay attention deeply enough. The conference was great in how it validated – and even to a degree – explained that aspect of them.
All the talks and performances were terrific…and I picked up enough Pink Floyd trivia to last a lifetime. . .
Mark
—————————-
From: Craig Bailey
Great job guys! I’d give the past couple days an A+…
Shine on,
Craig
Host, Floydian Slip
—————————-
From: Loïc Darques
Date: April 16 2014
. . . This past weekend went so fast . . . I just wanted to thank you both and the people who assisted you for this extraordinary Pink Floyd conference.
The listening session was great, and the new 5.1 mix of Amused to Death was amazing.
All the lectures on Sunday also brought forward some very interesting elements.
I particularly enjoyed the talk on the early Floyd material and the comparison with pastoral poetry. It was nice to have this period mentioned at the conference because, as pointed out it is easily overlooked in favor of the “Classic Floyd” of 1973-1979.
And also the analysis of the stages of grief in Shine On You Crazy Diamond, which Mr. Cohen made so lively with his passion and enthusiasm. As I said in a previous email it’s one of my favorite Pink Floyd pieces so I was very interested by this lecture and it was a double treat for me to hear the original in surround sound on Saturday and the acoustic cover on Sunday!
The live musical interludes offered nice breaks and illustrations, and it was nice to hear lesser known pieces (not to fans, of course) such as Don’t Leave Me Now. (By the way, is there a way to listen again to the performances?)
Opening and closing the weekend with Pigs on the Wing 1 and 2 was also a very nice touch, as I found it humorous, and the lyrics fitted well with the care given to organizing this conference.
Mr. Guthrie’s keynote was insightful, and through his humbleness and diplomacy he demonstrated that he is a great man as well as a great technician and artist.
So thanks again for organizing this memorable event. All in all, it wasn’t just another brick in the wall but a great addition, from an unusual, academic, formal (but relaxed) standpoint, to the contributions fans make to the appreciation of Pink Floyd’s art.
Best regards,
Loïc Darques
—————————-
From: Tomacz Imielinskyi
Congratulations on great symposium! I spoke briefly with you after your *amazing* lecture – which you presented with so much energy and love for the subject – it was totally contagious. I love your analysis of that critical riff in the song and I am wondering if your talk will be available as video/power points?
My wife and I also attended very entertaining keynote by James – what a great sense of humor, timing and message – plus the movie and fantastic experience listening to the 5.1 surround sound.
But all in all it was your energy and dedication and leadership which made it such success and we are cannot stop telling our friends about this wonderful weekend.
Thank you!
Tomasz Imielinskyi (and Celina)
Professor, Department of Computer Science, Rutgers University
———————————
From: David Disanzo
Date: April 14 2014
I just wanted to thank you both once more for having me this weekend and also congratulate you both on a job well done. Everything was five star, the presentations, the music, the keynote, etc. I can’t believe how impressive it was. I consider myself somewhat of a Floyd historian, having followed and collected their music since 1975 (at the age of 9), and also having worked for them in the past on reissue campaigns, and even helping others in the writing of books on the band (Vernon Fitch), and I always tend to disagree with others when I hear conversations on the band’s impact. This was a nice exception to that! Everything this weekend was well spoken, well versed, and well presented….and also a ton of fun.
. . .
Dave
—————————-
From: James Ryan
Date: April 14 2014
. . .
I wanted to say again, THANK YOU, for an outstanding weekend! Your Pink Floyd Conference was a smashing success! . . .
James Ryan
—————————-
From: Mike Mettler
Hey guys,
Thanks again for having me this weekend. You did a fabulous job organizing the event, and it was a privilege to partake in it…
Shine on,
Mike
Music Editor, Sound and Vision
—————————-
From: Andrew Collins
Thanks for a wonderful day yesterday. From the opening to the closing with the bookends of Pigs on the Wing Parts 1 and 2; your Conference was eye-opening and inspiring. I was provided with so much to think about throughout the day and will be processing my learnings for the immediate future. Your attention to detail and passion for music in general and PF in particular were evident in abundance. Floyd was my first concert in ’77 with Animals at the Garden. Attending your event was quite emotional for me. Thanks again for a day to remember. I wish you both the best in the future and appreciate your drive to bring this project to life.
Regards,
Andrew Collins
—————————-
From: Tom DeStefano
Great job!
I had an excellent time on Sunday listening to James and the other presenters. I wanted to say thank you for putting this all together.
Tom DeStefano
—————————-
From: Diana Moore
Hello,
THAT WAS AMAZING!!!!
What a fantastic conference — conceptually unique, beautifully done, terrific lecturers, tremendous insights into the music and graduate-level explanations of why exactly we all love Pink Floyd so much!
I have been playing the guitar solo from Time on repeat since Sunday. No signs of stopping!
Thank you thank you thank you!
Diana Moore
—————————-
From: Ken Weingarten
Thank you for a GREAT conference! Definitely renewed my interest in Pink Floyd and will begin exploring their earlier recordings.
Best regards,
Ken
—————————-
From: Colin Moore
…
Just wanted to let you guys know that I had a great time at the conference. Many thanks for all your hard work!
Regards,
Dr. Colin Moore, GRSC