The Wall - Pink Floyd

Is there anybody out there? You don't have to be in a good mood to listen to this but it helps. Why? Because I can guarantee by the end of this double album about alienation, disconnection and separation you won't be.

That's not to say that it's a bad album, far from it, it just that the subject matter is hardly uplifting. Even the most upbeat song 'Comfortably Numb' tackles despair and remoteness. Mind you the Scissor Sisters managed to turn this in to a pop song so maybe there's hope.

Being a concept album the theme runs right through the two CDs and doesn't let up for a moment. But there is beauty within, such as the beautiful 'Nobody Home', Gilmour's 'Goodbye Blue Sky', the soaring guitar break at the end of 'Mother' and the closing rock opera of 'The Trial' has some of the best Floyd harmonies recorded.

So despite all the misery on offer it is surprising then that this album only contains happy memories for me.

Firstly it reminds me of Spain. Or more accurately Salou in Spain. It was here, on a lads holiday in 1988 that I decided that if i had enough money left at the end I'd buy the album on CD. And I did so I did. Mind you, after travelling of 36 hours on a coach the get there I deserved a little treat!

Secondly, it was by creating a copy of the album cover on my first file at Teesside Poly that I met a kindred spirit. He spotted the daub and we struck up a friendship. Despite the beard! Admittedly we don't see each other as much as we used to be we are still good friends.

Finally, although I was far too young to see the tour that accompanyied this album, I was daft enough to travel to Berlin by coach to see the Roger Water's star studded incarnation. Despite numerous technical issues on the night it was well worth the two day trip by bus; joining 450,000 other Floyd fans and celebrating the misery of this majestic double album.