Pink Floyd Say Show Must Go On, Will Release Never-Heard Songs This Fall

Pink Floyd has been a high-school rite of passage for decades, but despite the regular influx of new fans, it's still the same old songs that soundtrack every hold-out planetarium laser light show. But this fall the walls will finally come down around the Pink Floyd vaults and fans will get to hear a host of never-released material via an extensive reissues campaign dubbed 'Why Pink Floyd...?'

According to a newly created official site and mentioned earlier today (May 10) on the band's Facebook page, the plan includes "unreleased material from the archives, collectors' box sets and complete studio recordings remastered." The idea is to offer something for everyone with newly digitally remastered versions for casual listeners to far more exhaustive multi-disc editions for diehard fans.

The comprehensive schedule rolls out Sept. 26 in Britain and the following day in North America, with an extensive array of CDs, DVDs, Blu-ray discs, SACD, various digital formats, iPhone Apps and also a new single-disc 'Best Of -- A Foot in the Door' collection.

There are five different phases starting with the 'Discovery' collection, featuring all 14 original studio albums digitally remastered by 'The Wall''s co-producer James Guthrie, with new packaging and booklets created by longtime album cover designer Storm Thorgerson. The albums will be available individually or in a box set format.

Perhaps the real prize for the diehard fans comes with the extensive 'Experience' box set editions featuring the studio albums on one disc with bonus material on the second disc and an expanded CD booklet. For example, 'Wish You Were Here' will include November 1974 live performances from London's Wembley Arena of 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Parts 1-6),' 'Raving and Drooling' and 'You've Got to Be Crazy,' which were mixed earlier this year. Also included is 'Wine Glasses' from the band's unreleased 'Household Objects' project. The 'Experience' editions are only for 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' 'Wish You Were Here' and 'The Wall.'

An 'Immersion' edition of 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' 'Wish You Were Here' and 'The Wall' will also be released to present "the complete artistic experience." These editions come in a sturdy 29cm square box containing previously unreleased and audio-visual material, reproduced memorabilia, new graphics, art prints and booklets.

For example, 'The Dark Side of the Moon' will be a six-disc affair featuring performances previously unreleased on DVD, concert films from the North American and European legs of their 1974-1975 tours, previously unreleased demos and live material from a June 1972 performance in Brighton, England, including 'The Mortality Sequence,' 'The Travel Sequence' and 'Any Colour You Like.'

The 'Immersion' editions for 'Wish You Were Here' and 'The Wall' will be five-disc and seven-disc editions respectively, featuring live material and other content yet to be announced.

In addition, the 'Best Of -- A Foot in the Door' single-disc compilation will contain 16 songs chosen by the band, including 'See Emily Play,' 'Time,' 'The Fletcher Memorial Home' and 'High Hopes.' All tracks were remastered by James Guthrie earlier this year.

Finally, a vinyl edition of each studio album is being issued with newly crafted packaging and booklets by Storm Thorgerson. There is no firm release date confirmed for the vinyl version but the release will be "in due course."