interviews

Storm Thorgerson

phonecall on the Enigma
by Sean Heisler

Introduction

After speaking with the editor of Brain Damage magazine, Jeff Jensen, he suggested that I possibly contact Storm Thorgerson to speak with him about the Enigma. Afterall Storm produced the graphics for TDB, developed conceptual artistic directions taken in the artwork, etc. One must be informed of content to develop a concept. Moreover, it is clear to me that Storm Thorgerson must have in some way been briefed about what The Division Bell was about, any meanings within, or special conceptual concerns in the music and lyrics. A graphic designer then attempts to communicate those meanings, or translate them into the artwork for complimentary and supportive purposes. A graphic designer does attain a bit of freedom with minute things, maybe interjecting his or her view or personal associations within the artwork.

I finally got a phone number to Storm through information in London. Not thinking of the time difference, I immediately called the number. Little did I know it happened to be 4 in the morning there, and I learned this when Storm's son answered "Hello". I asked for Storm. He said. "You know what time it is mate?" I apologized frantically. His son said that Storm did not live at this number and he so kindly gave me Storm's home phone number. I called Storm the next morning, hoping to get him before he left for work. The following is a conversation I had with him.

The interview

Storm=Storm Thorgerson

Storm: "Hello."

Yes is Storm Thorgerson there?

Storm: "yes...this is."

I asked Storm if he had a few minutes to speak with me about the Enigma. I asked if he was familiar with the Enigma, in it's association with Pink Floyd and The Division Bell.

Storm : "Enigma, no I really don't, what Enigma?"

I said that I was calling as voice for the Pink Floyd newsgroup and that I had concerns about the validity of the Enigma. He still denied knowing what I was talking about. I said that a person calling themself Publius was posting anonymously to the group informing us of an Enigma in TDB music, lyrics and artwork. He was confused, and asked what the newsgroup was exactly.

Storm: "What is a newsgroup, can I just type it in on the net, I will check this out, what is it called?"

I explained that it was the Pink Floyd newsgroup, and that you could find it in usenet news. He was seemingly trying to "put me off" so to speak, but yet seemed sincere. I asked if there was an Enigma.

Storm: "What do you mean Enigma, I think you may have been starting a bad rumor here, you know that Sean"

I laughed, and he laughed, and I kept saying that this was all happening on the newsgroup and this person called Publius has validated themself by projecting a signal at a concert when we are informed to watch for one. He interrupted me suddenly and said:

Storm: "Where there is smoke, there is fire"

This brought on an odd silence. I wasn't sure what to say really, but pressed on. I asked again if there was an Enigma in the artwork.

Storm: "What do you mean Enigma, there are well....many Enigma's, not one Enigma, maybe more than one or several."

At this point he told me he had to get going to work and that I could call him later. He gave me the number to his studio. I wanted to get in one more question. I asked why the newspaper was crumpled?
Storm: (laughing)"Really I have to go, you will have to reach me at work, if you do not get me there then you will have to try again later or another day, don't call this line again it is my personal line."

After 4 or 5 days of trying to get a hold of him, I finally did and he was willing to talk this time. Storm is a character, a jokester, and was very hard to follow at times. He is very funny and witty to the point where he side tracks you and I began to lose my train of thought. So the following is maybe not as precise as the previous in terms of order or exact words, but is real close and I would not exaggerate anything. You must understand he is a very busy person and I was privileged to get any reaction from him. So out of all the million questions we all have for him it was hard to ask even a few because of time and his ability to go off on "tangents." So here is what was said. Note the profanity, Storm uses it often :)

Hello is Storm there?

Storm: "Yes, this is, who is this?"

This is Sean Heisler calling you back again from the USA.

Storm: "Sean, oh no not you again (laughing)."

I said I appreciated his time and wanted to briefly discuss the Enigma with him if I could and wouldn't be long. I asked him again if there is an Enigma, if it is valid?

Storm: "Who is this Publius person, what the fuck is Publius anyway?"

I explained the situation to him again, the signals, the Publius anonymous posts, etc. I said that there was no way that this person could project signals like that unless they were in PF or had that kind of access at a show, like Brickman perhaps.

Storm: "Well, who knows who could have done that, it doesn't mean there is an Enigma, I mean anybody could possibly have done that, well maybe Brickman or someone else."

So there is an Enigma?

Storm: "What do you mean Enigma? There is a maybe an Enigma in the artwork as I told you, but not one Enigma, but several."

Publius has informed us that there is a defined solution and a prize to be had. Beyond multiple interpretations, there is supposed to be one defined solution in the lyrics, music, and artwork. We have been given clues in Publius's posts, clues to help us find this solution. In an attempt to assume he knew what I was talking about I asked him Enigma related questions. I asked if the artwork was connected to the concert films, and stated that obviously that the HH film was a extension of the artwork in TDB.

Storm: "Well yes, maybe."

I then kept asking what seemed to be obscure questions to him. I asked why the newspaper was crumpled?

Storm: "Why do you ask that?"

I said that it was a clue from Publius, to why the newspaper was crumpled in the AGDFF artwork.

Storm: "Well, I guess the heads were formed that way....you know to make them three dimensional to look like heads, they were facing each other........the name of the song is on the newspaper, well it is a love song."

I could sense that Storm was revealing the meaning of the song, he seemed sincere, as if there was no "clue" to any sort of Enigma.

Storm: "If Publius is so fucking smart then ask him what the meaning of the back of the TDB cd booklet means, ask him why there is only two hands and and three banners? Ask Publius what the fucking meaning of the cover of Pulse is if he is so fucking smart?"

At this point Storm was seemingly "pissed" at Publius and was challenging Publius to answer these questions. Draw your own conclusions here. I complimented him on the cover of Pulse and asked again if it had a definite meaning to it, and he said yes. I asked what the objects in the iris represented but he would not tell unfortunately. I kept pressing, asking why Right One was capitalized in the Lost For Words lyrics?

Storm: "Well it's easy really....ah it's easy."

I asked if it related to the boxing gloves, in which the right glove was laced four times and the left three times- hence the symbolism of the 3 members of PF now, was once four?

Storm: (With a serious tone, and mindful of my technical questions, with a "eureka" tone in his voice) "Ahhhhhhhhh....well maybe."

I said that I could see this refer to Roger, and that a lot of TDB seems to reference Roger and that I could almost sense a reference to him in practically all the songs.

Storm: "Well maybe, but not all the songs, I can't anyway"

At this point I wanted ask about the cover of the booklet, the two heads. I mentioned to him that I had tried to get a hold of him earlier and got his answering machine- in which at the end of the recorded message it said (in Storms humorous and witty english voice) "...and today's trivia question is: what is the meaning of the third eye?" I asked if he was referencing the cover of TDB and the two heads. He had explained this before in an interview, what the concept of the heads were.

Storm: "Well what do you think it may represent Sean?"

Flabergasted, I explained that I heard that it represented an "interruption" between the communicating heads, or at least a presence, maybe a spirit so to speak of maybe Pink Floyd? A third face?

Storm: "Ahhhh, well yes. The third eye is created. How about absence."

I said, absence? As in maybe Roger, or possibly Syd. First there was Syd who was absent and addressed in WYWH now maybe the absence is Roger? First Syd then Roger? And that when TDB was written there was that influence, that spritual presence of Roger and maybe Syd, because the sum of the original parts, now an absence? After all Gilmour said that TDB harks back to WYWH from a musical standpoint, but maybe he meant more?

Storm: "Ahhhh....Yes, yes maybe. But there is a reference to absence in the artwork."

At this point I was ready to ask the 50 million dollar question: Why the words Publius and Enigma were printed clearly in the AMLOR minidisc artwork. BUT: Storm began interrupting me saying he had to go. Started bringing up Publius again, and affirmed that there was no Enigma and that I was to ask Publius those questions. He asked me where I was calling from, I said from Iowa. He said "Iowa, you mean people actually live in Iowa?" We laughed. I commented that I was graphic designer myself and we exchanged a few comments on graphics. He then said he really had to go. I asked for his Email address or fax number. He told me to call later and ask for Bill to get the address because he did not know it. I told him I appreciated his time and hoped we could exchange some email in the future. So, as of now I am still banging my head against the wall for not asking him that 50 million dollar question about the AMLOR minidisc.

Incidentally, I did get his email address later that day. He apparently goes through his son's account (Bill Thorgerson- the one I called at 4 in the morning) so anything he does on the net, business wise, etc. is directed through his son. I have wrote Storm twice now, the first time asking him the 50 million dollar question and the second time I sent him the entire damn Publius history file with one line from me: "Read this Storm, and maybe you could figure out who Publius is". I have not received any reply from him as of yet, but I am going to keep trying for a response. And if one does not come, then another phone call is in order I guess :)

Fisher: Yes Storm: aaahhhhh....no

Draw your own conclusions. It seems there is an Enigma, to me any way. But is Storm acting stupid here, covering up? If he didn't put little Enigma related things into the artwork, then how "tight" is the Enigma? Could Storm be "out of the circle".

M. Brickman 12/5/95