Pink Floyd

Vocals/guitar: Dave Gilmour
Drums: Nick Mason
Keyboards: Richard Wright
Bass Guitar: Roger Waters
Guitar: Syd Barrett (Roger Keith Barrett)
Bob Klose

In 1960s Pink Floyd formed as a psychedelic concept band featuring founder members Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason. Syd Barrrett took command over most of the creative duties and the singing.

Creating wild, science fiction soundscapes and concepts alien to much of the other music at the time Pink Floyd became a creative force to be reckoned with. Experimenting with different instrumental techniques and eery sounds  they pushed the boundaries of music at the time.

1967 single ‘Arnold Layne’ represented their first foray into the charts, with album ‘Piper At The Gates of Dawn’ following soon after. Often regarded as being their ‘Sergeant Pepper’ it contains strange mythical characters and tales of childhood in a pop style that Pink Floyd never returned to.

Barrett’s mental instability began to take its toll soon after ‘Piper’s’ release and he ousted from the band, replaced by singer and guitarist Dave Gilmour. Roger Waters took over songwriting duties and the band went on to create records of a more operatic scale. Barrett went solo for a time, releasing several albums before disappearing from public view.

In March 1973 they went on to release arguably one of the greatest records of its time ‘The Dark Side of The Moon’. Its dark psychological themes of fear and despair at times made for uneasy listening, the album is still loved to his day, selling around 30 million copies worldwide.

Following it up with 1975’s ‘Wish You Were Here’ and Animal in 1977 their next tuly seminal album was ‘The Wall’ released in 1979. Presenting them with the new challenges of growing capitalism under Thatcher iron rod songs like ‘Money’ and ‘Another Brick In The Wall’ show their disillusionment with society. Performances were done in their particular flamboyant style with flying pig and the band playing inside an actual wall.

The band split up following the release of ‘The Final Cut’ in 1983 as Dave Gilmour and Roger Waters went on to pursue solo careers. Gilmour, Mason and Wright carried on touring as a group, having some success with 1994 album ‘The Division Bell’.

The band reformed with Waters to play a shock Live8 performance, with possibility of a reconciliation.  Early guitar player and lyricist Syd Barrett died in 2006, his legend as a fallen genius still firmly intake. Although they lost some of their innovation in the later years, Pink Floyd are still a band who forever changed the face of music.