One of Pink Floyd's most striking album covers was for 1977's Animals. Featuring the iconic towers of Battersea Power Station (BPS), the story behind the photo shoot has been well documented. However, alternate images from the session are few and far between, but a series of pictures have just been unearthed and one of them has been selected as a very limited edition print which is now on sale.

The photographer, Carinthia West, was present at the shoot with Pink Floyd's tour manager Robbie Williams who features in one of the outtake photos. The image on offer is very rare in that it features the inflatable pig still tethered between the chimneys of BPS, unlike the actual cover which is a composite shot.

Sold exclusively through Birmingham's St Paul's Gallery, the total print edition is 100 prints worldwide, with 5 different print sizes within the edition. Please call or email the gallery for details.

In order to save Brain Damage visitors a bit of cash on this pricey but desirable print, we've negotiated free shipping for you! To get this, ensure you use the following code at checkout: FDXID158, after entering the site through this link.

For those who have been, for a few years now, eagerly awaiting the SACD of Wish You Were Here, we have the excellent news for you that it is indeed on its way and now available to preorder! The 5.1 SACD will be released by Acoustic Sounds, on the Analogue Productions label, with the mix done by James Guthrie, and produced by Gus Skinas at the Super Audio Center.

Due to arrive on November 7th 2011, the same date as the Experience and Immersion editions of WYWH, the SACD can now be ordered direct from Acoustic Sounds who will ship internationally. At present, we don't know of any other retailers who are selling this but will update you if we hear of others.

UPDATE: There have been some grumblings over the ordering process for this disc - Acoustic Sounds have a policy that non-continental US customers (including Canada, Puerto Rico, Mexico, and the rest of the world) have to order a minimum of $50 of goods. Also, for international orders, shipping costs are not given at time of order. You can now also order it from MUSIC DIRECT, and from ELUSIVE DISC, both of which have cheaper shipping internationally.

For those in Europe, there's now another option - JPC.de, a German based retailer - which will mean you'll not face things like import taxes and will have cheaper shipping.

Many of you will be aware of "The Black Strat: A History Of David Gilmour's Black Fender Stratocaster", the superb book written by Phil Taylor, David's long-term guitar technician, studio manager, production director and much more [review here]. It takes a careful and detailed look at one of rock's most iconic instruments, very ably written by the only man to know Pink Floyd's equipment better than the band. Rather than a dry, technical manual, suited only to those who already know guitars inside and out, it is a rewarding and accessible book that Pink Floyd fans the world over will thoroughly enjoy, packed with truly rare pictures that you won't have seen before.

In September last year a fully revised (and expanded) third edition was published, containing plenty of new information as well as many more unpublished photographs, recently come to light, that further chart the Black Strat's illustrious history. Amending and elaborating on the previous edition, it also continues the story where the last one left off with David's recent live appearances, information, and photographs. More information on the third edition here.

The great news for those who have yet to buy the book, and who have a Kindle ebook reader, is that it has now been published in this format. You can buy it now for immediate electronic delivery to your device through these links: Amazon UK, Amazon.com, and Amazon Germany.

With the Roger Waters 2011 Wall tour having concluded a month ago, some of you will be missing that Comfortably Numb feeling of the shows. Others will be going through the exciting (and sometimes, quite stressful) process of getting their tickets for the 2012 tour.

The July 4th Les Nocturnes show on French radio station RTL, presented by Georges Lang, featured a bit of a treat. For those who want a reminder of just how good the vocalists are on the tour, or for those who want to hear them for the first time, click here to listen or download a special session done for RTL, featuring Venice (Kipp, Mark and Pat Lennon) along with Robbie Wyckoff [see picture to the right of them on stage in Birmingham, June 2011], presenting acoustic versions of Comfy Numb, Goodbye Blue Sky, The Show Must Go On, and Outside The Wall. To hear the songs, jump forward to the 42nd minute of the audio clip.

Our thanks to Fred Lepla for the info...