Dec 31st, 2017: Astoria

xoxoxoBruce • Dec 30, 2017 10:56 pm
Astoria is a boat, a houseboat, a houseboat & studio owned by David Gilmore.
Shows what you can have when you get money for nothing and chicks for free.

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It was built in 1911 for 20,000 ($2,649,863 in 2017 US dollars) for Fred Karno, a vaudeville comedian who is credited with the
pie in the face gag. A 90 foot long steel hull (which was just replaced), Mahogany framed, Crittall windows, and a deck large enough
for a 90 piece orchestra.
Of course being on even protected water during exceptional storms extra measures (read tying off to big trees) must be taken.

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Gilmore bought it in 1986.
He added the recording studio’s 20x30 foot control room to the three bedrooms, kitchen, bathroom, a big lounge.

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Parts of each of the last three Pink Floyd studio albums, A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), The Division Bell (1994), and The Endless River (2014), were recorded on the boat, as were parts of Gilmour’s solo album, On an Island (2006). His most recent solo album, Rattle That Lock (2015) was mixed and had partially been recorded there. It was also used for mixing the Pink Floyd live albums Delicate Sound of Thunder (1988) and Pulse (1995) as well as the Pulse film (1995), Gilmour’s Remember That Night DVD/Blu-ray (2007) and his Live in Gdańsk (2008) live album/DVD.
I guess that qualifies it as a tax write off. :rolleyes:

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For you music tech nerds…
According to an interview with Phil Taylor (Gilmour’s guitar technician), the Astoria was originally equipped with a DDA AMR 24 mixer console and UREI 813 studio main monitors with Phase Linear amps. The UREI 813s were replaced around 1990 by ATC main monitors. Customized ATC SCM150ASL active speakers are used for the main left and right channels with a standard ATC SCM150ASL active speaker used as the centre channel. The centre channel sits above an ATC SCM0.1-15 subwoofer. The surround monitors are two ATC SCM50ASLs. A variety of near-field monitor speakers are used including Yamaha NS-10s and Auratones depending on who happens to be working at the studio. The acoustic design was done with the assistance of Nick Whitaker, an independent acoustician, and much of the equipment was recommended by James Guthrie and Andrew Jackson. Nowadays the Astoria includes a Neve 88R mixing console, as well as three Studer A827 multi-tracks and Ampex ATR-100 tape recorders, which were modified by Tim de Paravicini, Esoteric Audio Research’s (EAR) founder. The conversion to a studio also required 23 kilometres of cables, which were sourced from Van den Hul cables of Holland. There are various compressors from Pye and EAR 660 tube designs, as well as EAR 825s for EQ.


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… you know, for when you build your studio.

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Griff • Dec 31, 2017 10:51 am
How can Gilmore be cooler? Buy this f'in boat and record on it. Dang. Does this have a power plant or does it just get towed?
Gravdigr • Dec 31, 2017 11:17 am
I've been listening to David Gilmour (<--just sayin':cool:) lately. I just heard High Hopes for the first time the other night. This was right on time.:cheerldr:

Boat is vurry niiize.
xoxoxoBruce • Dec 31, 2017 11:48 am
Griff;1001222 wrote:
How can Gilmore be cooler? Buy this f'in boat and record on it. Dang. Does this have a power plant or does it just get towed?
I don't think it goes anywhere normally. Like Jaba the Hutt, it's so cool it doesn't have to go on tour. :D
Gravdigr • Dec 31, 2017 11:55 am
Neither of Bruce's links, nor Wiki mentions motorvation.
Undertoad • Dec 31, 2017 12:18 pm
you know, for when you build your studio


For the price of a few of the parts in the tape machine, 90% of the above is replaced with a computer, audio interfaces, and software. Keep the monitors and mics...
Diaphone Jim • Dec 31, 2017 1:08 pm
Money for nothing? David Gilmour?
This beautiful boat was never intended to go anywhere.
Undertoad • Dec 31, 2017 2:34 pm
https://www.google.com/maps/@51.411232,-0.3591667,3a,84.3y,1.62h,96.19t/data=!3m8!1e1!3m6!1sAF1QipNkQsiGBnG-ytMmto2SDv4JxicXjFhXnJ2T48XP!2e10!3e11!6shttps:%2F%2Flh5.googleusercontent.com%2Fp%2FAF1QipNkQsiGBnG-ytMmto2SDv4JxicXjFhXnJ2T48XP%3Dw203-h100-k-no-pi4.809677-ya254.27313-ro-2.6982636-fo100!7i5376!8i2688


[YOUTUBE]UqP32CeQuUw[/YOUTUBE]
xoxoxoBruce • Dec 31, 2017 3:00 pm
I wonder if he owns the white building behind it?
captainhook455 • Dec 31, 2017 10:00 pm
Nice deck for parties and you can piss over the railing.
BigV • Dec 31, 2017 10:22 pm
I'M ON A BOAT!!!
glatt • Jan 1, 2018 11:45 am
Enjoyable video, UT.
Griff • Jan 1, 2018 12:50 pm
It was.
Glinda • Jan 1, 2018 10:30 pm
Holy shiznit. The vessel and its history are amazing.

Also: Crittall windows. Learned something new today. Thanks xo!
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 1, 2018 10:53 pm
Heh heh, I've seen hundreds of Crittall windows and never knew they had a name, no less they are a "school" of window design and architecture. I learn too. :blush:
Carruthers • Jan 2, 2018 5:28 am
Crittall windows? Heavens, that's a blast from the past. I didn't realise that the firm was still going.
My grandparents' house had them and my recollection is that condensation was always a problem due to their steel construction.
I've always viewed them as yet another architectural abomination from the twenties and thirties.
limey • Jan 2, 2018 5:49 am
Carruthers;1001394 wrote:
Crittall windows? Heavens, that's a blast from the past. I didn't realise that the firm was still going.
My grandparents' house had them and my recollection is that condensation was always a problem due to their steel construction.
I've always viewed them as yet another architectural abomination from the twenties and thirties.




Keep up, Carruthers! All of that 30s stuff is back in style big time. (And it is possible to double glaze Crittall windows nowadays, too!).


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk
Carruthers • Jan 2, 2018 5:55 am
limey;1001395 wrote:
Keep up, Carruthers! All of that 30s stuff is back in style big time. (And it is possible to double glaze Crittall windows nowadays, too!).


Has that nice Mr Chamberlain returned from Munich yet? ;)
xoxoxoBruce • Jan 2, 2018 6:54 am
You can relax he settled everything, peace is assured.