Saturday, March 7, 2020

Pink Floyd - Pulse (Live) (1995) | Album Review, Fun Facts & Trivia

Pink Floyd - Pulse (Live) (1995)

Front and back image album covers of album Pulse

Pink Floyd – Pulse (Live) (1995)

The Monumental Live Album That Captured Pink Floyd’s Final Classic Era Tour

Released on June 5, 1995, Pulse is Pink Floyd’s third live album and the definitive document of their massively successful Division Bell Tour (1994). Recorded primarily at Earls Court, London, the album captures the band at stadium-filling peak performance — complete with elaborate visuals, pristine sound, and a full live performance of The Dark Side of the Moon.

For many fans, Pulse represents the grand finale of Pink Floyd’s touring career.

Album Overview

Artist: Pink Floyd
Album: Pulse
Release Date: June 5, 1995
Recorded: 1994 (primarily Earls Court, London)
Genre: Progressive rock, art rock
Length: ~147 minutes (2 CDs)
Label: EMI (UK), Columbia (US)
Producers: James Guthrie, David Gilmour

Background & Context

Following the enormous success of The Division Bell (1994), Pink Floyd launched one of the highest-grossing tours in music history. The tour featured:

A massive circular screen
Advanced lighting and laser systems
Iconic inflatable props
State-of-the-art stage production

Pulse was recorded across multiple 1994 shows and carefully mixed to present the ultimate live Floyd experience.

Most notably, it includes a complete live performance of The Dark Side of the Moon — something never officially released before in full.

Tracklist

Disc One

Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Astronomy Domine
What Do You Want from Me
Learning to Fly
Keep Talking
Coming Back to Life
Hey You
A Great Day for Freedom
Sorrow
High Hopes
Another Brick in the Wall (Part 2)
One of These Days

Disc Two – The Dark Side of the Moon (Live)

Speak to Me
Breathe
On the Run
Time
The Great Gig in the Sky
Money
Us and Them
Any Colour You Like
Brain Damage
Eclipse

Encore

Wish You Were Here
Comfortably Numb
Run Like Hell

Band Lineup & Credits

Pink Floyd Members

David Gilmour – Lead vocals, guitars
Nick Mason – Drums
Richard Wright – Keyboards, vocals

Touring Musicians

Guy Pratt – Bass, vocals
Jon Carin – Keyboards, vocals
Tim Renwick – Guitars
Dick Parry – Saxophone
Sam Brown, Durga McBroom, Claudia Fontaine – Backing vocals

Production

Producers: James Guthrie, David Gilmour
Engineering: James Guthrie

Commercial Performance (Grossing & Sales)

Pulse was a major commercial success:

UK Albums Chart: #1
US Billboard 200: #1
Certified 4× Platinum in the United States
Sold millions worldwide

The 1994 Division Bell Tour grossed over $250 million, ranking among the most successful tours ever at the time.

Critical Reception & Ratings

Reception was largely positive:

Praised for pristine sound quality
Applauded for the complete Dark Side of the Moon performance
Considered more polished than Delicate Sound of Thunder

Retrospective Ratings:

AllMusic: 4/5
Frequently regarded as Pink Floyd’s best live album

Fans often cite Pulse as the definitive live document of the Gilmour-era Floyd.

Musical Highlights

🎸 Standout Moments

“Comfortably Numb” – Features one of David Gilmour’s most celebrated live solos ever recorded.
“High Hopes” – Emotional performance with extended guitar outro.
“The Great Gig in the Sky” – Powerful vocal performances by the backing singers.
Full Dark Side of the Moon Suite – A historic inclusion.

The performances balance technical precision with emotional weight.

Fun Facts & Trivia

🎵 Did You Know?

The original CD case featured a flashing red LED light, mimicking a heartbeat from The Dark Side of the Moon.
The LED battery often ran out within months — making original working copies collectible.
The concert film version was later released on DVD and Blu-ray.
The Division Bell Tour marked the final tour with Richard Wright before his passing in 2008.
Some tracks were recorded across multiple shows and edited together for the final mix.