THE EDITED PRESS RELEASE: “Pink Floyd’s landmark release The Dark Side Of The Moon has been reissued as a deluxe box set to celebrate the 50th anniversary of one of the best-selling albums of all time.
One of the most iconic and influential albums ever, The Dark Side Of The Moon continues to find new audiences globally. The album was partly developed during live performances, and the band premiered an early version of the suite at London’s Rainbow Theatre several months before recording began. The Dark Side Of The Moon is the eighth studio album by Pink Floyd, originally released in the U.S. on March 1 and then in the U.K. on March 16 1973. The new material was recorded in 1972 and 1973 at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London. The iconic sleeve, which depicts a prism spectrum, was designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis and drawn by George Hardie. The Dark Side Of The Moon has sold over 50 million copies worldwide.
The new deluxe box set includes CD and gatefold vinyl of the 2023 remastered studio album, along with Blu-Ray and DVD audio featuring the original 5.1 mix and remastered stereo versions. The set also includes a Blu-Ray disc with a new Atmos mix plus the CD and LP of The Dark Side Of The Moon: Live At Wembley Empire Pool, London, 1974. Also released separately, the live album was recorded in November 1974 as part of the band’s winter tour; this is the first time it will be available as a stand-alone set, with artwork featuring an original 1973 line-drawn cover by Hardie.
The book Pink Floyd – The Dark Side Of The Moon: 50th Anniversary will also be published separately on March 24 to coincide with the box set release. Curated by photographer Jill Furmanovsky and art directed by Hipgnosis co-founder Aubrey Powell, this LP-sized volume showcases rare and previously unseen photographs taken during The Dark Side Of The Moon tours of 1972-1975 and was created with the involvement of the band members.
On Feb. 27 1973, EMI Records held a press conference for the debut presentation of The Dark Side Of The Moon at the London Planetarium. Although the planetarium dome could only show an array of stars, constellations and images of the cosmos while the music played, it was an unprecedented success. Five decades on, in recognition of the iconic album and with the help of huge strides in technology, an official full-dome experience with stunning visuals of the solar system and beyond — played out to 42 minutes of The Dark Side Of The Moon — will be released in planetariums around the world in March. The show itself will be divided between the 10 tracks off the album, in chronological order, each having a different theme; some futuristically looking forward and some a retro acknowledgment to Pink Floyd’s visual history, all relating to a time and space experience, embracing up to the minute technology that only a planetarium can offer. It promises to be immersive; an all-encompassing surround sound and visual treat that will transcend reality and take you way beyond the realms of 2D experience.”
