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Pink Floyd are set to release a previously unavailable version of ‘Interstellar Overdrive’.
Released on April 15 - one week ahead of Record Store Day – the new version is an instrumental, 14-minute, 57-second version and will only be available as a one-sided, 12-inch black vinyl single. The single is being released by Legacy Recordings.
Written by the original line-up of Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason, ‘Interstella Overdrive’ was recorded in November 1966 before the band signed to EMI.
A slightly shorter version of the track – a mere 10-minutes long – appeared on Pink Floyd’s debut album, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, which was released in 1967. Fans will also have the added bonus of a fold-out poster and A6 postcard taken from a 1967 London gig.
The track possesses a particularly historical significance. An integral part of the 60s underground scene in London, Pink Floyd became, to all intents and purposes, the house band for the UFO Club. Located in London’s Tottenham Court Road, the club was a Mecca for psychedelic activity and their all-night raves were characterised by rudimentary but revolutionary light shows that paved the way for rocks shows over the coming decades.
‘Interstella Overdrive’ was the centre-piece of Pink Floyd’s live performances. The song originated after manager Pete Jenner attempted to hum Love’s ‘My Little Red Book’ to Syd Barrett who instead came up with the track’s memorable central riff. The live version of the improvised track would sometimes go on for as long as 25 minutes.
The track has since been covered by a variety of bands including T-Rex,The Mars Volta, Camper Van Beethoven and Coffin Daggers among others.
