I never knew much about rock music, let alone the progressive sort of music produced by the likes of Pink Floyd. Yet, when The Wall came out in 1979, my ears perked up when some of the more intellectually savvy students in Dr. Seewer's World Lit class started talking about it.

A year later, I became absolutely transfixed to The Wall, and that without drugs! Indeed, I was at a very conservative Bible college which had a ban on even pop music such as Barry Manilow. If they knew I listened to Pink Floyd, they probably would have strapped me down to a chair and tried to exorcise demons from me. (Only part of my tongue in cheek.)

But despite this unlikely context, I managed to get deeply connected to Pink Floyd, learning intimately one album after the other. At some point, I even gave a couple of lectures on Pink Floyd, and introduced the movie The Wall at the midnight theatre. My review on Pink Floyd genius Roger Waters' opera on the French Revolution is here:  http://treasuresoldandnewbiblicaltexts.blogspot.com/search/label/Pink%20Floyd

Interestingly, in my junior or senior year, the school administration thought they'd be cool by letting students play their choice of music over the intercom. At the time, I was horrified by the the message, "We Don't Need No Education." Ironic. Now, my 14 year old probably knows Floyd better than any of us!

Thanks, you guys, for introducing Floyd to me. The band and I have now enjoyed many, many long play hours together, through vinyl, 8-track, cassette, cd, and cd remastered. Now, believe it or not, I'm here in Cambridge, at Pink Floyd's home town! Think I'll go see tribute band Think Floyd when they come to Cambridge here in a few weeks.

Jim Leonard, '80