Post by Nikko on Feb 4, 2006 17:35:27 GMT
The Publius Enigma is named after a messenger calling himself Publius who posted clues on the Pink Floyd newsgroup alt.music.pink-floyd soon after the launch of The Division Bell world tour in 1994. These cryptic posts claimed that there was an enigma hidden within the album, and that a reward awaited the person or persons to solve the puzzle.
Many Pink Floyd fans were skeptical, so Publius agreed to provide proof of his authenticity. On 16 July 1994 he delivered a prediction:
On the night in question, during the concert, white lights in front of the stage spelled out the words PUBLIUS and ENIGMA while the band performed, at the time predicted by Publius. Confirmation of the Enigma was again given nearing the end of the tour, this time to a much larger audience. On 20 October 1994, during a televised concert at Earl's Court, London, the word ENIGMA was projected in large letters on to the backdrop of the stage. The projection can bee seen on the P*U*L*S*E concert video (during the song Another Brick in the Wall, part II).
After the last Publius message, another anonymous messenger calling himself Genesis appeared, claiming to be Publius' successor. From 1997 to 2005, Genesis delivered upwards of sixty cryptic messages to the newsgroup alt.music.pink-floyd. He claimed that his messages contain clues to solving the Enigma.
The Genesis posts are much more complex and contain hidden words and codes to be deciphered, as well as obscure cryptic phrases, and rather than focusing on just The Division Bell, they point to various Pink Floyd albums.
The band have acknowledged the existance of the Enigma, but publicly state that it was a puzzle concocted by the record company, EMI. However, signs to the existence and validity of the Enigma have appeared in releases of Pink Floyd related media up to 2005, including some releases unconnected to EMI:
Since 1994, many Pink Floyd fans have puzzled over the clues, but to date the Publius Enigma remains unsolved.
The Division Bell is not like its predecessors. Although all great music is subject to multiple interpretations, in this case there is a central purpose and a designed solution. For the ingenious person (or group of persons) who recognizes this - and where this information points to - a unique prize has been secreted.
- Publius, 8 July 1994. The Publius Posts
Many Pink Floyd fans were skeptical, so Publius agreed to provide proof of his authenticity. On 16 July 1994 he delivered a prediction:
Monday, July 18, East Rutherford, New Jersey. Approximately 10:30pm. Flashing white lights. There is an enigma.
On the night in question, during the concert, white lights in front of the stage spelled out the words PUBLIUS and ENIGMA while the band performed, at the time predicted by Publius. Confirmation of the Enigma was again given nearing the end of the tour, this time to a much larger audience. On 20 October 1994, during a televised concert at Earl's Court, London, the word ENIGMA was projected in large letters on to the backdrop of the stage. The projection can bee seen on the P*U*L*S*E concert video (during the song Another Brick in the Wall, part II).
After the last Publius message, another anonymous messenger calling himself Genesis appeared, claiming to be Publius' successor. From 1997 to 2005, Genesis delivered upwards of sixty cryptic messages to the newsgroup alt.music.pink-floyd. He claimed that his messages contain clues to solving the Enigma.
The Genesis posts are much more complex and contain hidden words and codes to be deciphered, as well as obscure cryptic phrases, and rather than focusing on just The Division Bell, they point to various Pink Floyd albums.
The band have acknowledged the existance of the Enigma, but publicly state that it was a puzzle concocted by the record company, EMI. However, signs to the existence and validity of the Enigma have appeared in releases of Pink Floyd related media up to 2005, including some releases unconnected to EMI:
- The artwork for the MiniDisc release of A Momentary Lapse of Reason contains the words PUBLIUS and ENIGMA.
- The words Publius Enigma can be heard spoken just before the song One of These Days on the 2003 DVD release of Pink Floyd: Live at Pompeii (Universal).
- Storm Thorgerson's cover for John Harris' book The Dark Side of the Moon, published by HarperCollins in 2005 prominently includes the word ENIGMA alongside an ellipsis (a regular feature of Genesis' clues).
Since 1994, many Pink Floyd fans have puzzled over the clues, but to date the Publius Enigma remains unsolved.
What would Bender do?
