Sunday Spin # 1 : Pink Floyd - Wish You Were Here, Brunch - Egg SaladSandwiches

Sunday's a day I adore. I'm usually particularly busy throughout the day, but without the standard demands of my 9-5, there's a lot more free time to devote to my creative endeavours. Before I can do that, however, it is almost always essential to partake in a big, hearty breakfast to fuel me through the day. I agree heavily with the late Hunter S. Thompson, who was quoted having said about the meal; "Breakfast is the only meal of the day I tend to view with the same traditional reverence that most people associate with lunch or dinner."

The man really, really, liked his breakfast.

Since music and reverence go hand-in-hand for me, I often take this opportunity to listen to some records as I cook my breakfast.

This feature will stand as a chronicle of both the breakfasts I make, and the records I listen to.

So, with all that, hit the jump here, and we'll talk about some Pink Floyd and Egg salad

Sunday Spin #1: Pink Floyd Wish You Were Here, Brunch - Egg Salad Sandwiches

 Unless otherwise noted, all records are played on a Numark PT-1 Turntable into a Motu 8pre preamp, then through Logic 9, back out through the 8pre and played out of a pair of Fostex pmo.4n's.

Picture of album sleeve for the 180 gram vinyl 2011 reissue of Wish You Were here, featuring original artwork.
Record and turntable pictured in background.

Album: Wish You Were Here
Artist: Pink Floyd
Release Date: September 12 1975
Recorded: Jan. - June 1975,
Abbey Road Studios, London
Engineer: Brian Humphries
Performers: Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright, Nick Mason, Stephane Grapelli, Yehudi Menuhin
Label: Harvest, Columbia/CBS
Tracklist:

Side A:
1. Shine On You Crazy Diamond, Parts I-IV
2. Welcome to the Machine

Side B:
1. Have a Cigar
2. Wish You Were Here
3. Shine on You Crazy Diamond

Why this Record Today?

While I'd be hard-pressed to say name my favourite Pink Floyd album,  this one is most certainly a contender. I really like the early prog leanings of this album, with the huge spacey tape delays, thick synths (especially the EMS VCS on "Welcome to the Machine") and wicked long jam sessions.

It's somewhat quiet, and moody, which generally fits the tone of a Sunday morning, but not overly mournful, which is surprising, given much of its inspiration's relation to the late Syd Barrett. While only consisting of five songs, it clocks in at a healthy 44:28 - good length for making food.

Fun Facts:

- Alan Parsons, formerly an EMI Staff Audio Engineer, was at the console for Pink Floyd's previous album, Dark Side of The Moon, but due to the success of his own Alan Parsons Project, declined to work with the band on this album.

- The opening of "Wish You Were Here" was recorded and played back through David Gilmour's car radio and recorded again - the distortion throughout this part is the tuning dial being adjusted, and towards the end of the intro, the ending of Tchaicovsky's Fourth Symphony can be heard.)

- Vocals in "Have a Cigar" were predominantly provided by individuals not in Pink Floyd. Leads were done by Roy Harper, and the majority of the backups by the Blackberries. Roger Waters experienced difficulty in recording an acceptable take of the song after particularly lengthy tours intersected recording, and the recording of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond" did temporary damage to his vocal chords. Gilmour declined to record vocals himself, but instead brought in Roy Harper, who was also recording at the time in Abbey Road, and who had already collaborated with Gilmour in the past.

- The Intro for "Shine On..." is a sample of a previous, unreleased Pink Floyd project "Household Objects". In it, wine glasses filled to various degrees are played with wet fingers. These are later sampled and layered as chords to provide the intro for "Shine On..."


Brunch:

today's breakfast. toasted egg salad sandwich with a side of bacon, with pears and cheese.

Sandwich: Egg Salad

Ingredients: brown egg, sour cream, red onions, garlic, cucumber, matcha sea salt, chili powder, ground black pepper, sriracha, mustard, served on kale with hot house tomatoes

Bread: Multi-grain flaxseed

On the Side: Turkey bacon, bartlett pears, goat cheddar cheese

Drinks: Caesers, Screwdrivers, various David's Teas. (we get crunk, man)

Why this Brunch Today?

After a fairly hefty grocery run yesterday, we were left to cook to our hearts' content here chez wrrrtika. Deliberation aside, we settled on something of the hard-boiled egg variety - deviled eggs were out, they tend to be a little too sinister sometimes.

the doctor and co. may disagree

So with all the necessary ingredients in tow, a quick fabrication-du-egg-salad front arose, and the egg salad sandwich movement grew steam. Once the main was solidified, a side of bacon was quickly agreed upon, because when is bacon ever a bad idea? The bartlett pear and cheese is a common side we go with here. It's quick, easy, and makes us feel posh/healthy. Can't go wrong that way.

Fun Facts:

- The aforementioned goat cheddar was a Bandaged Goat's Milk Cheddar from Mariposa Dairy in Ontario - feel free to look for info, but i can't find any. it is available at former home of your toronto maple leafs, maple leaf gardens.

- In a move born partially from necessity and partially creativity, the eggs for our salad were "boiled" in a toaster oven. Using high technologies, holes were poked into the tops of the eggs, and they were placed onto a tin foil tray-like mechanism, then "toasted" for 10 minutes at 400 degrees. This produced tasty, firm whites and yolks.

- The matcha tea sea salt really added a nice zing to the egg salad. This was purchased through tea fantasy-land David's Tea.


All in all, I would certainly advise having a leisurely brunch and listening to some Wish You Were Here to any one that inquires. Hell, if it's egg-based, I can even give you a suggestion.