Rockonteurs is a podcast all about the real stories behind real music.

Presented by Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp, who wrote and performed megahits like ‘Gold’ and ‘True’, and Guy Pratt, a bass player who shaped songs for the likes of Madonna and Pink Floyd, you’ll hear exclusive stories of life on the road, in the studio and what really happened behind the scenes from artists who wrote, performed and produced the some of the biggest classic rock and pop tracks of all time.

Rockonteurs is a podcast all about the real stories behind real music.

This weeks upcoming episode is Number 54 and features guest Pat Leonard

Available from 9th October 2021 on Itunes, Spotify and all other Listening Platforms. Click Here to be taken to Apple Musics Listening Page

Roger Waters has revealed that Pink Floyd will release a deluxe edition reissue of their 1977 album classic, “Animals.” The limited-edition 4-disc packages will feature the remixed album on LP, CD, Blu-ray and DVD, with the Blu-ray and DVD versions delivering new hi-resolution stereo and 5.1 mixes alongside the original 1977 stereo mix.

The bassist and architect of the original project confirms the reissue will feature new remixes of the UK band’s tenth studio record, while not sharing a timetable for the set’s release.

After claiming he has been “banned by Dave Gilmour from posting on Pink Floyd’s Facebook page with its 30,000,000 subscribers“, Waters goes on to explain the hurdles he has faced in dealing with his former bandmate in recent years.

“What precipitated this note is that there are new James Guthrie Stereo and 5.1 mixes of the Pink Floyd album, “Animals”, 1977,” begins Waters. “These mixes have languished unreleased because of a dispute over some sleeve notes that Mark Blake has written for this new release. Gilmour has vetoed the release of the album unless these liner notes are removed. He does not dispute the veracity of the history described in Mark’s notes, but he wants that history to remain secret.

“This is a small part of an ongoing campaign by the Gilmour/Samson camp to claim more credit for Dave on the work he did in Pink Floyd, 1967-1985, than is his due. Yes he was, and is, a jolly good guitarist and singer. But, he has for the last 35 years told a lot of whopping porky pies about who did what in Pink Floyd when I was still in charge. There’s a lot of ‘we did this’ and ‘we did that,’ and ‘I did this’ and ‘I did that.‘”

“I am agreeing to the release of the new ‘Animals’ remix, with the sleeve notes removed,” Waters continues. “Good work James Guthrie by the way, and sorry Mark Blake. The final draft of the liner notes was fact checked and agreed as factually correct by me, Nick and Gilmour.“ Waters then goes on to share Blake’s liner notes for the set, which fans can read on his Facebook page.

With the opening of the latest leg of the current Their Mortail Remains Exhibition in Los Angeles part of the exhibits featured a new printing of the updated cover with the footnote stating that it is due to be released in June 2022

Update – Please see our latest update article regarding this release dated 21st May 2022 – Click Here

Chester Kamen, Former lead guitarist with Roger Waters band and last seen playing With David Gilmour on the 2016 Rattle That Lock tour has been busy writing and working on his forthcoming album,

In early 2021, we have seen the release of “Stories” and “The Wife Of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold” which are both featured on the “Take This “ album which is currently in progress.

Now in July 2021 we have “Coat of Many Colours“

As Chester says briefly “This one relates to the fall from grace or even death of a hero/love once held in the highest esteem and is a little dark. I couldn’t find a real nun to sing the hymn like vocal so Sarah, with strangely little persuasion, had to do it. There was no one around to play the other instruments so I had to play them myself.“

The Endless River is the fifteenth and last studio album in the Pink Floyd catalogue, released in November 2014 by Parlophone Records in Europe and Columbia Records in the rest of the world. It was the third Pink Floyd album recorded under the leadership of guitarist David Gilmour after the departure of bassist Roger Waters in 1985, and the first following the death in 2008 of keyboardist Richard Wright, who appears posthumously.

The album comprises instrumental and ambient music based on material recorded during sessions for the band’s previous album, The Division Bell (1994). Additional material was recorded in 2013 and 2014 on Gilmour’s Astoria boat studio and in Medina Studios in Hove, England. It was produced by Gilmour, Youth, Andy Jackson and Phil Manzanera. Only one track, “Louder than Words“, has lead vocals.

After the death of longtime Pink Floyd artist Storm Thorgerson in 2013, the cover was created by artist Ahmed Emad Eldin, design company Stylorouge, and Aubrey Powell, co-founder of Thorgerson’s design company Hipgnosis.

Thanks to fellow site supporter and visitor Greg Hass we have been very fortunate to secure an interview with none other than Mr Ahmen Emad Eldin the creator of the front cover artwork.

AFG : First of all i would like to thank you for taking the time out of your busy schedule to participate in answering these questions, with your busy work schedule it is very much appreciated.

At what age did your interest in visual art come from, was there a certain point in your life where you realized that you wanted to become a creator.

Ahmed : I started learning Photoshop when I was 8 – 7 years old. At this time it was the first days of having internet in our home, I was watching funny videos on websites with my father and I asked him why not create one for us? he laughed (happily) and told me do it! And I started learning until I actually created my own website, I needed a lot of design work and I was young and doing this for fun so I learned Photoshop to do my own designs and everything started from here, I loved creating art and designs.

AFG : With the advancement of technology within the last ten years, what are your views within the natural aspects of using a paint brush and developing film cell photography. These methods seem to be often dismissed for the use of using computer technology, Do you feel like art can suffer because the options are now limitless, or is it a case that the creative palette so to speak has no limitations because of the technology.

Ahmed : Art is art no matter what and how it’s made. You can create art with words, brushes, water colours, computer.. literally anything! Art is something much bigger than all of that.

Different tools but at the end art is art.

AFG : Your work prior to working with Pink Floyd seems to include a lot of Cloud textures and various lighting manipulation techniques to create different mood settings. This seems to be quite a prominent theme throughout your work. Is this a subconscious choice or is it just one of your palette elements that you feel is most effective.

Ahmed : I believe it’s a subconscious choice, since I don’t plan for it only the concepts not the mood and objects.

AFG : How did your involvement with Pink Floyd come about did you send your ideas to the Hipgnosis team or did they contact you.

Ahmed : The bands representatives simply contacted me and asked if they could have my concept and artwork used as the new Pink Floyd album cover.

AFG : You created the album cover at home for your personal collection under the working title of “Beyond the sky”, Was there ever any discussion on elements that might have been changed or textures that could have been more emphasized on.

Ahmed : Well, I usually love adding details to the last moment of creating a piece but for this one I wanted to be really simple and clear! Because that’s an important part of the concept. 

AFG : Many people will make their own perception of the artwork. One can portray the narrative as mortality, with the male persona sailing through the heavens to represent someone at peace with themselves. What was your initial concept / narrative behind the sailing element.

Ahmed : Usually I’m not a fan of giving clues about any of my artworks, art is about thinking and diving into this world. If you know it you will love it, but it’s no more the same. Maybe today you will look at the artwork and thinking about a particular concept but tomorrow and in different situations you will have a totally different look at what you see.

AFG : What other projects are you currently working on ?

Ahmed : I’m currently working with Wacom as their Middle East ambassador. And working on some movie posters that will be released soon! My latest project was an album art for MONO (Japan) a great post-rock band from Japan.

AFG : Thank you very much for taking the time out for this interview and best wishes for all your future projects.

Ahmed : Thank you Liam for the interview, Ahmed E