Mason plays down success of Floyd album
It has sold millions of copies around the world and its distinctive cover showing light reflected through a prism is immediately recognisable, but Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason reckons the success of Dark Side of the Moon is exaggerated.
The album, which contains tracks including Money and The Great Gig in the Sky and a cover by long-time band collaborator Storm Thorgerson, was an immediate hit upon its release in 1973.
Picking up the classic album award at the Q Awards, Mason praised the “iconic” cover art.
The drummer said: “I think it’s down to Storm that the figures say one in three households in England have a copy of this record. I think we’ve done some research and the correct figure is actually one in 50 but it’s made up of this sort of group of people who drink and use class A drugs so they lose their copies and have to buy another”.
Speaking before the awards in central London, Mason said he was an “eternal optimist” but he thought the band’s latest record, released next month, would be the last.
He said: “I think it’s unlikely there will be anything else after this.”
And he warned fans not to expect collections of unreleased tracks from the band’s back catalogue which stretches back to 1967.
He said: “I think if there is anything in the archives it’s probably not good enough to be released. In general, your legacy has a value as well so it’s rather short-term to think it’s a good idea to put out things that you’re not prepared to stand by”.
