Wish You Were Here was conceived as a multi-track masterpiece and finally, technology has caught up with the pioneering band Pink Floyd. This new, deluxe SACD reissue from APO was mixed for both 5.1 surround sound and 2-channel stereo from the original analog master tapes by Pink Floyd's Producer/Engineer James Guthrie. On its release in 1975, Wish You Were Here topped the album charts in both the UK and the U.S. Reflecting the band's thoughts of the time on the music business and exploring themes of absence, the album contains the classic cut "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," a tribute to founding band member Syd Barrett. In fact, Barrett, who'd long been absent from the lives of Pink Floyd's band members, stopped by the recording sessions at London's Abbey Road Studios unannounced. The reunion - with Barrett reportedly appearing in poor mental condition - is said to have been an emotionally stirring event for the band, and apparently that encounter would be the last any of the band members were ever to see of Barrett, who died in 2006. As they did with their previous release, Dark Side of the Moon, Pink Floyd made great use of studio effects for this, their ninth album overall. The record's winding soundscapes are perfect for the canvas of multichannel SACD. Wish You Were Here was selected by Rolling Stone for their list of "The 500 Greatest Albums of All Time."
