Pink Floyd ‘Later Years’ Box: That Thunder!

Pink Floyd Records has released Pink Floyd: The Later Years, a 16-disc set covering the material created by David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Richard Wright from 1987 onward.

The box, which arrived on Dec. 13, is certain to be one of the most coveted classic rock entries in the 2019 holiday gift-giving season.

It’s hefty by any measure. The deluxe package holds 5 CDs, 6 Blu-rays, 5 DVDs and a 60-page photo book among its treasures, and weighs in at over 10 pounds. The eye-catching collection carries an equally hefty price. (There is also a 2-LP/1-CD “Highlights” package in a gatefold sleeve with a 24-page booklet.)

The band’s later period generated three studio albums—A Momentary Lapse of Reason, The Division Bell and The Endless River—as well as two live albums: Delicate Sound of Thunder and Pulse. With additional production from David Gilmour and Andy Jackson, over 13 hours of unreleased audio and audiovisual material, the set also includes the 1989 Venice and 1990 Knebworth concerts.

Watch “Wish You Were Here” Live at Knebworth 1990

A multi-media, deluxe boxed set, Pink Floyd: The Later Years presents an expanded view of the Pink Floyd story from 1987 to the present and kicks off with A Momentary Lapse of Reason. The album, presented for the first time in 5.1, has been updated and remixed by Gilmour and Jackson. Says a press release, “By returning to some of Richard Wright’s keyboard parts and recording new drum tracks with Nick Mason, producers David Gilmour and Bob Ezrin have restored the creative balance between the three Pink Floyd members.”

Listen to the 2019 remix of “One Slip” from A Momentary Lapse of Reason

As the boxed set’s announcement notes: “Throughout 1987 and 1988 the band’s live shows became the largest-grossing concert tour ever to that date and produced the critically acclaimed, Grammy Award nominated Delicate Sound of Thunder. Filmed at the Nassau Coliseum in New York, the concert shows the band on the top of their form. The concert has been fully upgraded and re-edited from the original 35mm film negatives by Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell and Benny Trickett and the sound remixed to 5.1.”

Watch two performances from the upgraded Delicate Sound of Thunder

It also includes “Terminal Frost” and “Welcome to the Machine,” two tracks that were not included on the original concert film release. For the first time the concert is available in 5.1 on Blu-ray and DVD.

Two of the most sought-after additions to Pink Floyd: The Later Years are the 1989 Venice Concert, performed on a floating stage in front of St Mark’s Square, and the 1990 Silver Clef Winners performance at Knebworth. Both concerts, previously unreleased, are now available on both DVD and Blu-ray (145 mins). The Knebworth concert saw Pink Floyd topping the all-star bill (that included Paul McCartney, Dire Straits, Genesis, Phil Collins, Eric Clapton and Tears For Fears), in aid of the Nordoff Robbins charity, profits from which went toward setting up the BRIT School. Gilmour and Jackson have remixed the audio from this iconic concert and all seven tracks performed on the day (with guest musicians including sax player Candy Dulfer, the original “The Great Gig in the Sky” vocalist Clare Torry, keyboard player Michael Kamen and Sam Brown with her mother, Vicki, on vocals), are released here as well as for the first time ever on CD.

Watch the official unboxing video for the set

The 1994 album The Division Bell, says the release, sold over 12 million copies, having debuted at #1 in the U.K., the U.S., Australia and New Zealand. (It stayed at the top of the U.S. charts for four weeks, and also went to #1 in six other countries.)

The resulting tour was captured and recorded for the 1995 concert album, Pulse. This release contains the entire Pulse live concert film, re-edited and upgraded from the original masters, from the October 1994 gigs at London’s Earl’s Court, and available for the first time on Blu-ray. The spectacular concert includes the entire Dark Side of the Moon album, which was performed midway through their set.

Also uncovered for the first time is footage of the band in rehearsals on October 20, 1994, performing “A Great Day for Freedom” and “Lost for Words.”

Listen to audio of the latter

In 2014, Pink Floyd released The Endless River, comprising mostly instrumental and ambient music based on material recorded during The Division Bell sessions. Featuring Gilmour, Mason and Wright, additional material was recorded in 2013 and 2014, with one song, “Louder than Words,” with lyrics by author and novelist Polly Samson (the primary lyricist for The Division Bell album). Included here for the first time is the never previously seen specially commissioned full 52-minute The Endless River film by Ian Emes, famed for his work with Pink Floyd, including his animations for “One of These Days,” “Speak to Me,” “Time” and “On the Run.”

Rounding out the package are hours of unreleased bonus materials including music videos, documentary footage, bonus live tracks, upgraded tour screen films and documentaries. It includes the first-ever release, on Blu-ray, DVD and 7” vinyl, of the last live performance of Pink Floyd with Gilmour, Mason and Wright together in 2007. This special performance of “Arnold Layne” took place at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert at the Barbican on May 10, 2007.

The full set boasts previously unreleased or remixed audio, plus restored, remastered and re-edited audio-visuals including unreleased concert footage and promo clips.

With the help of Mason and the Pink Floyd archive, the boxed set comes with reproductions of tour artwork, posters, programs, tour laminates, lyric book and much more including two 7” vinyl singles (the live version of “Arnold Layne” performed at the Syd Barrett Tribute Concert in 2007 and “Lost for Words” from the Pulse tour rehearsals at Earl’s Court), in new picture sleeves and etched image B-sides. Also included is a brand new 60-page hardback book of photos, designed by Aubrey Powell of Hipgnosis and Peter Curzon of StormStudios, including many previously unseen images.

The five CDs are encased in their own 40-page hardback book with an extensive guide to all content, tracklists and credits.

Related: This collection is included in our 2019 box set gift guide

There is also a 2-LP/1-CD “Highlights” package in a gatefold sleeve with a 24-page booklet containing previously unseen and rare photos.

Listen to the 2019 remix of “Comfortably Numb” from Delicate Sound of Thunder

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