On Dec. 8, Pink Floyd Records will release “Atom Heart Mother” as a special two-disc package. Housed in a 7-inch gatefold sleeve, the release will include the album on CD; and a Blu-ray disc featuring footage of “Atom Heart Mother” performed at Japan’s Hakone Aphrodite Festival in August 1971.
Originally released as part of “The Early Years” box set, the film has been upgraded from a recently-discovered original tape. It includes a behind-the-scenes mini documentary.
Originally only released in Japan 2021, the set contains a photo book containing never-seen-before photos, reproductions of the pamphlet, the poster, the concert ticket, and the flier distributed at the event.
The only Floyd footage at Hakone Aphrodite that exists is the 16-minute-long “Atom Heart Mother Suite.” Details including whereabouts of the master film and how it was shot had been a mystery. However, after 50 years, the original 16mm film of the video was discovered in a fan’s garage. The processes of digitizing, restoring and remastering was undertaken, and for the first time this enhanced video is set to be released outside Japan.
More than 50 years ago, “Hakone Aphrodite,” Japan’s first international outdoor rock festival, was held at a specially-built venue beside Hakone Ashinoko Lake on Aug. 6-7, 1971. Floyd’s first concert in the country was as headliner for the festival. Aspiring to be the Japanese Woodstock, the “Hakone Aphrodite” included international artists and became the first rock festival experience for many Japanese fans.
The set contains the original live footage (with audio taken from the gig at Hakone Aphrodite); and behind-the-scenes footage of the band, travelling between the airport, the hotel, the press conference, the bullet train and the show set-up.
At the time of the concert, Pink Floyd had just released “Atom Heart Mother” (in October 1970), and were yet to release “Meddle,” which would come in November ’71. Floyd appeared as the final act of the festival. Alongside “Atom Heart Mother,” they performed another five songs including “Careful With That Axe, Eugene”; “A Saucerful of Secrets”; and “Echoes,” from the then-upcoming “Meddle.”
Official footage of those additional songs has not yet resurfaced.
Album track list:
- Atom Heart Mother:
a) Father’s Shout
b) Breast Milky
c) Mother Fore
d) Funky Dung
e) Mind Your Throats Please
f) Remergence - If
- Summer ’68
- Fat Old Sun
- Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast
a) Rise And Shine
b) Sunny Side Up
c) Morning Glory
The Blu-ray has two pieces of footage on it:
- Atom Heart Mother (Live: Hakone Aphrodite 1971) 16:08
- Scott & Watts (behind the scenes documentary clip) 3:11
Contents of Pink Floyd “Hakone Aphrodite” (Japan 1971)
7″ paper sleeve containing:
CD
- “Atom Heart Mother” studio album
Blu-ray:
- Filmed live performance of “Atom Heart Mother”
- Scott & Watts (Hakone Aphrodite B-roll)
Includes the first show in Japan by Pink Floyd
Also includes:
- 60-page photo book with unreleased photos
- Replica of Hakone Aphrodite pamphlet
- Replica of venue map flyer
- Replica of Osaka show poster
- Replica of Hakone Aphrodite ticket
Pre-order “Atom Heart Mother Hakone Aphrodite” now.
(Photos provided by LD Communications)
