In today's Mail on Sunday newspaper (UK) there's a fascinating six-page article and interview with Roger Waters, looking at the spectacular $60 million live show presenting The Wall to fans in North America and Europe.

The article talks in detail about the logistics of the tour - one of the most ambitious and complex rock shows ever staged - and also talks at length about Roger's family story, in particular his father, who died at Anzio in 1944, with Roger just months old.

‘I said I couldn’t [do The Wall],’ Roger said. ‘But it wouldn’t go away and I wondered whether we could. It was incredibly difficult to do back in 1980 and we lost a lot of money, but I thought maybe it was possible now. [Production designer] Mark [Fisher] said technology had come a long way and that people spend a lot more on tickets than they used to. He thought we’d be able to break even, maybe even come out with some gravy. So I thought, “OK, we’ll do it.”’

‘Everyone said that a show like this could never be toured,’ says Fisher, who also designed the original production. The Mail note that a year ago, when Waters asked him to get involved again, he dug out his original notes, drawings and photographs to remind him how the show had been staged back then. The animations have taken the best part of a year to devise and the wall-builders rehearsed on their own in an empty stadium for a month before they practised with the lighting, sound and video crews for a week, then with the band for another week.

Read the full article here - it's worth checking out...

Further to our recent exclusives regarding Gerald Scarfe's "The Making of Pink Floyd: The Wall", including the set of three special video interviews with Gerald, for Brain Damage, we have an interview update for you.

"The Making of Pink Floyd: The Wall" is the incredible, authorized, and definitive book about the project and includes new commentaries from the surviving members of Pink Floyd: Roger Waters, David Gilmour and Nick Mason, together with the director of the film, Sir Alan Parker. Roger Waters has written the foreword. The album imagery, stage performances and film were created in close collaboration with Gerald Scarfe, and his massive archive includes original storyboards, animation cells, concept drawings, models and other three-dimensional material together with photographs of the creation and staging of the live performances and the filming of The Wall.

In the book, Gerald also relates his own experiences of working with the band from the early days of Wish You Were Here to the Pros and Cons Of Hitchhiking with Roger Waters, after his break with the other band members, as well as his work for the new live show of The Wall.

Originally scheduled for Friday, November 5th, Gerald's interview on the BBC's Breakfast News TV programme is now airing on December 2nd. His incredible animations and drawings should wake up any sleepy people tuned in to the show! The interview may be available to view via the BBC website, following airing, and we will advise accordingly (and will also post to BD's Facebook page).

You can secure your copy of this wonderful book now, saving up to 37% off the retail price, by ordering from Amazon UK, Amazon US/International, Amazon Canada, Amazon France, Amazon Germany, or Play.com.

"Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head", the book by Rob Chapman that is in stores now, has received glowing reviews from the press and many Pink Floyd fans alike. Published by Faber and Faber in the UK (cover thumbnail far right), and Da Capo Press in the US (cover thumbnail near right), it aims to be "the first authoritative and exhaustively researched biography of Syd Barrett that fully celebrates his life and legacy as a musician, lyricist and artist, and which highlights the influence that he continues to have over contemporary bands and music fans alike."

With the book running to some 448 pages, and the help of Syd's sister Rosemary, there is plenty of information that Chapman has brought together to tell Syd's story. Thanks to our friends at Da Capo, we had two copies of this book to give away to lucky Brain Damage visitors in our latest contest...were YOU one of the lucky winners in this very popular giveaway? Read on to find out...

Somewhat delayed, the Premium Packages for the UK leg of the Roger Waters The Wall Live tour have now finally been released and are available to purchase now at Ticketmaster.co.uk. Whilst they might initially seem expensive at £220, it's not such bad value after all, bearing in mind the position of the seat, and the package of memorabilia (exclusive to these Premium Packages) that is included.

These packages have been issued in the US now for those who bought the Premium Package for early shows there, and they've already proved pretty popular (not least when compared to the individual selling prices of similar items on the merchandise stalls).

The package (click thumbnail, left, for the US configuration, which we expect to be the same in the UK) includes:
• One premium, reserved ticket located within the first 15 rows of the stage or side stage
• Specially Designed Concert Shirt
• Limited Edition Tour Poster (numbered, exclusive to ticket package)
• Official Tour Program
• Commemorative Laminate
• Collectible Pin Set
• Exclusive Roger Waters - The Wall - Tour Gift (Silver Brick Keyring)

Front row tickets are, at time of writing, available for all the Manchester shows through this package. Our thanks to Nick Waterfall for the info...