Back Against the Wall: A Tribute to Pink Floyd

by Adrian Belew

Overview

One of the most popular, and analyzed, rock albums ever is undoubtedly Pink Floyd's 1979 sprawling masterpiece The Wall. Although the definitive version remains the aforementioned studio album, there has also been a 1982 movie (starring a pre-Live Aid Bob Geldof), and two separate live albums -- one by Roger Waters in 1990 (The Wall: Live in Berlin, 1990) and the other a delayed release of Pink Floyd performances from the early '80s (2000s Is There Anybody Out There? The Wall: Live 1980-1981). So you think that would be the last we heard from The Wall, right? Think again. A multitude of classic rockers/prog rockers have united to cover The Wall in its entirety, under the title Back Against the Wall. Led by producer Billy Sherwood, a rotating case of musicians was assembled to make anyone with a well-worn copy of Tales of Topographic Oceans drool with excitement -- Yes' Rick Wakeman, Chris Squire, Alan White, and Geoffrey Downes; King Crimson's Adrian Belew, Tony Levin, and John Wetton; Styx's Tommy Shaw; ELP's Keith Emerson, and Jethro Tull's Ian Anderson, among countless others. Interestingly though, it can be argued that The Wall was Pink Floyd's least "progressive" album, as the group focused on tight song structures -- obviously inspired by the then burgeoning new wave and punk movements. The performances are expectedly spot-on (and it's quite impressive how they re-created all the sound effects/spoken word bits so precisely), and stick very close to the originals -- except for a Chris Squire-led take of "Comfortably Numb," which adds a few extra bits. With an ever-increasing overabundance of versions of The Wall to choose from, you've got to wonder if Back Against the Wall was necessary at all. ~ Greg Prato

Product Details

Release Date:	11/18/2022
Label:	Purple Pyramid
UPC:	0889466310218
Rank:	52317

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Adrian Belew   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Fee Waybill   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Geoff Downes   Primary Artist,Keyboards
Jim Ladd   Primary Artist
Robby Krieger   Primary Artist,Guitar,Featured Artist
John Wetton   Primary Artist,Bass,Vocals,Featured Artist
Steve Morse   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Guitar
Steve Lukather   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist
Keith Emerson   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Organ,Soloist,Keyboards
Rick Wakeman   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Featured Artist,Piano
Ronnie Montrose   Primary Artist,Guitar,Featured Artist
Glenn Hughes   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Vocals
Alan White   Primary Artist,Drums,Featured Artist
Tommy Shaw   Primary Artist,Guitar,Vocals,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Vinnie Colaiuta   Primary Artist,Drums,Featured Artist
Tony Kaye   Primary Artist,Soloist,Keyboards,Featured Artist
Tony Levin   Primary Artist,Bass,Stick,Featured Artist
Billy Sherwood   Primary Artist,Bass,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Keyboards,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric),Vocals (Background),Orchestral Keyboards
Elliot Easton   Primary Artist,Guitar
Gary Green   Primary Artist,Guitar,Guitar (Electric)
Malcolm McDowell   Primary Artist,Vocals,Featured Artist
The Millikan Musical Theater Children's Choir   Primary Artist
Dweezil Zappa   Primary Artist,Guitar,Featured Artist
Steve Howe   Primary Artist,Featured Artist,Guitar (Acoustic)
Ian Anderson   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Flute,Vocals,Featured Artist
Larry Fast   Primary Artist,Keyboards
Chris Squire   Primary Artist,Guest Artist,Bass,Vocals,Featured Artist
Michael Sherwood   Vocals,Vocals (Background)
Alex Ligertwood   Vocals (Background)
Bob Kulick   Vocals,Guitar (Electric)
Tony Franklin   Bass
Gregg Bissonette   Drums
Jordan Berliant   Guitar (Acoustic)
Jason Chefe   Featured Artist
Leo Krubsack   Choir Conductor
Aynsley Dunbar   Drums
Mike Porcaro   Bass,Featured Artist
Steve Porcaro   Keyboards,Featured Artist
David Glen Eisley   Vocals (Background)
Jay Schellen   Bass,Drums,Vocals,Percussion,Drums (Snare),Featured Artist,Vocals (Background)
John Giblin   Bass
Del Palmer   Bass

Technical Credits

David Gilmour   Composer
Bob Kulick   Producer
Billy Sherwood   Mixing,Engineer,Producer
DJ Rad   Producer
Eric Jordan   Engineer
Giovanni Rodriguez   Art Direction
Mark Fergesen   Technician
Blackburner   Producer
Bob Ezrin   Composer
Ken Latchney   Engineer
Rob Aubrey   Engineer
Kris Solem   Mastering
Roger Waters   Composer
Jim Ladd   Narrator