A Saucerful of Secrets: A Deep Dive Retrospective of Pink Floyd
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Pink Floyd ranks highly in almost any consideration of their legacy, whether just in the rock realm or the broader musical universe. They are one of the best known, most widely regarded, best selling (over 250 million albums sold), and most ground-breaking rock bands of all time. Their four consecutive releases from 1973 to 1979 are among the greatest rock albums of all time. So, as I do here at Ceremony with acts of this stature, let’s take the deep dive approach and run through some of the lesser-known tunes to explore their music and history.
A Pink Floyd playlist is, admittedly, not the ideal way to explore this band. It’s a bit sacrilegious to select isolated album tracks given they were one of the most consummate album acts of all-time. So, if Pink Floyd is new to you, definitely pull up their albums and give them a complete listen, for few other acts will reward you for the effort as fully as Pink Floyd.
The poster inserts from The Dark Side of the Moon
The Playlist
Lucifer Sam
Julia Dream
Remember a Day
Cymbaline
Grantchester Meadows
Summer '68
Fearless
Wot's… Uh the Deal?
Breathe
Have a Cigar
Sheep
Young Lust
The Final Cut
The Dogs of War
What Do You Want from Me?
Side 2, Pt 1: Sum
Personally, my relationship with this band started as they were finishing, since even though I grew up surrounded by classic rock, I was a late convert to such acts. Of course, I knew of Pink Floyd from a young age – my brother had the poster inserts from the Dark Side of the Moon album on the wall in our small office (next to the four pics of The Beatles from Abbey Road) where I used to hang out with while he studied and listened to music. But it wasn’t until high school in the late 1980s when I really got into the band, spending a couple years listening to them as much or more than any other artist in my library. A couple of friends who were hard core fans also helped expose me to Floyd’s deeper catalogue, exposing me to the early albums from copies of their albums. Fortunately, I took up the band early enough to make a point of seeing them on their last two tours, catching them in Toronto at Exhibition Stadium in back-to-back nights in 1987 and then again in 1994 (where I was rewarded with a souvenir, but more on that later). So, my relationship with Pink Floyd has been long and deep, and it’s always a pleasure to take time and refresh it.
“Lucifer Sam” \ The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
The first line-up of Pink Floyd came together in 1964 with Roger Waters on bass, Syd Barrett on guitar and vocals, Nick Mason on drums, and Richard (Rick) Wright on keyboards. This was arrived at after Waters, Mason, and Wright had met while studying architecture – fitting given the grandiose structures of the band’s music later on – and had been playing in various iterations of bands since 1963, with Barrett (a childhood friend of Waters’) coming on in ’64. As other band members departed and various names for the band were cycled through, with the last being Tea Set, they settled on Pink Floyd when it was discovered another act was also calling themselves Tea Set (really?). The name was a tribute to blues players Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.
Piper at the Gates of Dawn
In 1967 the band signed with EMI and promptly released two singles over the ensuing months. “Arnold Layne” was banned on BBC radio due to references to cross-dressing, but “See Emily Play” cracked the top ten on the UK singles charts and the band was on its way. Their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, was released in August that same year. For those that only know the 1970s Pink Floyd, this album is startling to hear the band as a psychedelic, classic rock outfit. “Lucifer Sam” was a good sample of that sound. The album made the top ten in the UK.
Over the course of the album’s recording and promotion there was growing concern with Syd Barrett, who was exhibiting erratic behaviour along his regular use of LSD. Hoping it was just side-effects from his drug use or exhaustion, the issue became more pressing as the band’s tour of the US and promotional TV appearances were plagued by Barrett’s conduct and unreliability, resulting in some embarrassing performances and outright cancellations. As Syd was encouraged into counselling by Roger, the band added guitarist David Gilmour in December 1967. The plan was for Gilmour to take on Barrett’s guitar parts and leave Syd to just write and/or sing. This quickly proved impractical as his behaviour continued to hinder the band’s working capability. In January 1968, the band made a quick decision to go to a gig without Syd, effectively ending his tenure with the band.
Pink Floyd 1967 (clockwise from left): Nick Mason, Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Rick Wright, and David Gilmour
“Julia Dream” \ B-side to “It Would Be So Nice” (1968)
This song was a good example of the band’s early acoustic numbers. The echoed vocals and floating flute showed the band’s psychedelic leanings and flights of fancy with sound, drawing almost on medieval styles. “Julia Dream” was the B-side to a single released in the spring of 1968, “It Would Be So Nice.” Given the A-side has been largely omitted from subsequent collections, it has left “Julia Dream” as the better-known track from this single. It was also the first release without Barrett, being written and sung by Rick Wright (though “Julia Dream” was written by Waters). Now in its enduring line-up of Gilmour on guitar, Waters on bass, Wright on keyboards, and Mason on drums, at this point the vocals were a shared project between Waters, Gilmour and Wright as each sang their own songs.
“Remember a Day” \ A Saucerful of Secrets (1968)
A Saucerful of Secrets
The band’s second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, included the last track written and performed on by Barrett, “Jugband Blues,” while the rest of the album featured songs by Waters and Wright. Recorded at the famous Abbey Road studio, it was notable in that the psychedelic rock of the first album was explored in a more expansive and experimental format, as songs stretched out and included intriguing and fanciful interludes – most notably on “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun” and the twelve minute title track.
The band’s experimentation and lack of respect for traditional rules of song structure led their producer, Norm Smith, to quit in frustration, leaving the band to produce themselves. The album was also notable as it was the first to include art from Storm Thurgerson and Aubrey Powell of the Design company, Hipgnosis, who would be famous for coming up with some of the most infamous rock album covers of all time.
“Remember a Day” was a Rick Wright composition and sung by him. It blended the band’s psychedelic, electric instrumentation with acoustic accents and his typical, far-away vocals. Punctuated by drums, it was one of their catchier early tunes.
“Cymbaline” \ Soundtrack for More (1969)
The More soundtrack
Filmmaker Barbet Schroeder enlisted the band to provide the soundtrack to his first film, More. The movie was about heroin addiction and 1960s counterculture and was set on the island of Ibiza, Spain. The band’s music hewed to their psychedelic rock and acoustic sounds, with less flights of fancy within most songs but still present in the short tracks that likely fit better into the movie (I haven’t seen the movie but would like to). The album captured the tumult of the late ‘60s and, I assume, the spirit of the movie’s plot, while interjecting Mediterranean tinted songs that invited laying on the beach and absorbing the sun. “Cymbaline” was a nice example of how all this came together, mixing a pop sensibility with the faraway, ephemeral, psychedelic vibe.
While critics, and judging by sales, the fans too, favoured the debut album over the two subsequent releases. Yet A Saucerful of Secrets and More were more enjoyable and intriguing albums. The musical journeys and interludes made the occasional melodies and more graceful moments loom larger and elicit deeper appreciation. Floyd was showing it was more than just a drug-infused, trippy band, but one capable of greater artistic achievement, consistent with what other progressive rock acts of the time were doing.
“Grantchester Meadows” \ Ummagumma (1969)
Pink Floyd’s fourth album came out the same year, comprised of two albums in which one was live takes of songs from their prior releases and the second was new, experimental, studio recordings featuring one from each of the band’s members. Wright’s offering was a 4-part piece called, “Sysyphus,” Gilmour’s “The Narrow Way” was a 3-part composition, and Mason’s piece was also a 3-parter, “The Grand Vizier’s Garden Party.” Waters’ contribution would be one song consistent with their psychedelic and acoustic sound, “Grantchester Meadows,” and another, the intriguing, “Several Small Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict,” which wasn’t so much a song as a collection of noises and vocals – for certain, experimentation ruled the day.
Ummagumma
Ummagumma featured another cover by Storm Thorgerson from Hipgnosis and was a repeating visual of the band through a doorway, replicated via a picture on the wall (or perhaps a mirror or window?). It would also be the last to include any reference to the album or band’s name on its cover until A Momentary Lapse of Reason in 1987. The LP was well-received by critics and fans despite its many challenging elements. Rock fans of that era were embracing the experimentation and the experience of listening to an album and didn’t mind the many strange interludes. If it hadn’t yet been clear that Pink Floyd was a progressive rock band, inclined towards longer and multi-part compositions, then this album was declarative. Reaching the top 5 in the UK to be the band’s fourth top ten LP and its highest charting yet, it also showed there was commercial success to be had too. Across the ocean, rock fans were slowly warming up to the band, with the LP getting into the US top 100 for the first time.
“Summer ’68” \ Atom Heart Mother (1970)
The fifth LP, Atom Heart Mother, launched the new decade with a title track that spanned the entire length of one side, broken into 6 movements that lasted almost 24 minutes without interruption. Featuring horns, the sprawling composition revealed a newer, broader sonic palette. The second side featured the lovely acoustic numbers “If” and “Fat Old Sun,” another 3-parter, “Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast,” and the wonderful, “Summer ’68,” a song in the same spirit as side one with enthusiastic horn blasts, lovely piano, a trumpet solo, and a triumphant feel that offset Wright’s usual, faraway vocals. There was an exuberance in the track that was rarely found in Pink Floyd songs and it has become one of my favourites by them.
Atom Heart Mother
Fans embraced the album and made it the band’s first #1 success in the UK (it would reach #55 in the US, their highest spot to date). Hipgnosis did the cover again and the picture of a cow was a response to the band’s desire to present a less psychedelic look that wouldn’t prime the listener to any type of music before listening. Critics and the band themselves were mixed about this contribution to their discography, but I think it was a wonderful album that might be their most fun. As my exploration of the band expanded, Atom Heart Mother was an LP I reached for as much or more than the huge albums for which they were best known.
“Fearless” \ Meddle (1971)
Meddle
Continuing to release one album per year (though the inclusion of More resulted in two in 1969), the band continued to explore long compositions on their next LP, Meddle. “Echoes” covered all of side two, this time as just one part lasting over 23 minutes and was a giant of a song, literally and figuratively. After extensive touring the band was lacking new material and the song resulted from pure experimentation and collaboration between its members, bringing many parts together into a whole. As a result, the album was less cohesive than their others though their sound continued to move in new directions and away from the pure psychedelia of the original, Barrett influenced material.
The album’s opening track, “One of These Days,” was a rip-roaring rock song propelled by reverberating bass and a searing guitar line and that exploded after a long intro. It is one of the greatest album openers you’ll find. There were also the usual acoustic numbers: “A Pillow of Winds,” “San Tropez,” and “Seamus.” “Fearless” was a clever acoustic piece that built on a repeated, climbing, electric guitar riff that hypnotized. The album was another success, reaching #3 for an unblemished run of six UK top tens.
“Wot’s… Uh the Deal?” \ Obscured by Clouds (1972)
Obscured by Clouds
In 1972, Pink Floyd again provided the music for a Barbet Schroeder film, La Vallée (the band had also provided music for other films, The Committee (1968) and Zabriskie Point (1970)). The soundtrack was released under the name Obscured by Clouds as a result of a conflict with the film’s production company. The band had already started work on their next album when asked to make the soundtrack, so the LP lacked the longer compositions that resulted from their studio experimentation and featured shorter, more traditionally structured songs.
There was a greater use of keyboards on this album and their acoustic, psychedelic, and rock sounds were combined in many lovely compositions. “Wot’s… Uh the Deal?” was a beautiful acoustic number, the first on this playlist to feature Gilmour on vocals. This album was their most pleasant listen of their psychedelic phase. Indeed, this album concluded the band’s transition from a psychedelic rock band and was the last to simply be a collection of songs. Obscured by Clouds led to new era of carefully crafted, holistic albums that relied on themes both in lyric and music.
“Breathe” \ The Dark Side of the Moon (1973)
Pulling just one song from Dark Side of the Moon, much less finding one that isn’t well-known by any rock fan, is a challenge. This was an album carefully put together from start to finish and that took you on a wondrous, impeccable musical journey. It was a musical achievement that made it one of the best-selling albums of all time (over 45 million and counting), reaching #1 all over the world (but amazingly only to #2 in the UK), and that kept it on the US charts for 741 weeks (yes, almost 15 years) and 364 weeks on the UK charts.
Circa Dark Side: Mason, Gilmour, Waters, and Wright
Roger Waters had proposed the band make an album with a unified theme, a concept album that built on the many great forebears from the prior decade such as The Beatles’ Sgt Pepper or The Who’s, Tommy. The band agreed and all members contributed songs that were loyal to the concept. However, the lyrics came exclusively from Waters, a trend that had taken hold more and more over their albums and that would remain the standard going forward.
The album’s title was a reference to mental illness, or lunacy (and an allusion to Syd Barrett), and covered related topics around life, death, conflict, and greed. Both sides were continuous with the tracks blending together. Missing were the psychedelic meanderings (though the vibe held through many parts) and flights of fancy from the prior albums, with every note measured, precise, and carefully orchestrated. The music was harmonious, lush, layered with solid R&B melodies, and flowed effortlessly from the first note to the last. The recording was aided by up-and-coming sound engineer Alan Parsons, and the result was an album that redefined the concept album.
Dark Side of the Moon was Pink Floyd’s most accessible album yet and they were rewarded thusly. It even gave them their first hit single with “Money,” which reached the top twenty in the US. Never much of a singles band, they hadn’t had a hit single in the UK since their first two, with “Seem Emily Play” being their only to crack the top ten in the UK and the last to chart at all, including the two from Dark Side…, “Money” and “Us and Them.”
The Dark Side of the Moon
Hipgnosis again gave them a unique and iconic album cover, this time designed by George Hardie. The prism with the ray of light going through it and into a rainbow, which extended from the front to the back of the gatefold sleeve, became ubiquitous across record stores and bedrooms, and fulfilled a request from Wright to give them an album cover that was smarter and simpler than their prior covers. Inside the album were two posters, one of the band performing and another of the pyramids in Giza, Egypt – the same two I would stare at in the family office while my brother studied.
“Breathe” was the second track on the album, picking up from the instrumental opener, “Speak to Me,” and leading into the instrumental, “On the Run,” which then propelled the album into its first the epic tune, “Time.” The first side was concluded by the soulful, “Great Gig in the Sky,” that led to a lawsuit in 2004 by Clare Torrey, who claimed her improvised vocal contribution deserved a writing credit and associated royalties. It was settled in 2005 for an undisclosed amount in Torrey’s favour and all future releases of the album includes a credit to her for ‘vocal composition’ on the song. The second side featured the singles, “Money,” and “Us and Them,” and was then bridged by the instrumental, “Any Colour You Like,” before sliding into the fantastic and wondrous final pairing of “Brain Damage” and “Eclipse,” both of which referenced the title of the album in their lyrics.
The arrival and success of The Dark Side of the Moon was surprising only in the heights of success it achieved; that the band was talented and capable of incredible music had already been established. The prior albums had lulls, moments of insularity, self-absorption, and inaccessibility, but this album swept all that aside and provided a more mature, refined, and holistic vision of their music that achieved perfection. The status of this album in the annals of rock music is bona fide, and even today, 43 years after its release and after having heard it hundreds of times, it is as enjoyable a listen as the first time.
“Have a Cigar” \ Wish You Were Here (1975)
The success of Dark Side of the Moon made Pink Floyd one of the biggest rock acts in the world. No longer a niche, prog rock act adored by a loyal fan base, they now had fans of all stripes in every part of the world. Following up such a monumental musical feat would be a challenge. The band decided to stick to the recipe and again produced a concept album with continuous, flowing music rich with blues rifts and achingly beautiful melodies. Again, it was led by Roger Waters, who wrote all the lyrics. And though it has sold less (only a mere 20 million copies), it can be argued that Wish You Were Here has equalled Dark Side in stature among the band’s fans. The LP went to #1 around the world and was the first of their LPs to reach #1 in both the UK and the US, only to be achieved once more in their career with The Division Bell, twenty years later.
The album cover for Wish You Were Here
The album was book-ended by the long compositions, “Shine on You Crazy Diamond,” opening with parts I-V and closing with parts VI-IX, and which was another tribute to Syd Barrett. It was a beautiful, slow song structured around simple keyboards from Wright and Gilmour’s exquisite guitar playing. Gilmour was establishing himself as a distinctive and accomplished player, essential to the band’s sound and able to create solos and accents that would become some of the most famous and repeated riffs in the history of rock ‘n’ roll. When you think of the classic rock guitar solo, wind blowing the hair, eyes closed and head tilted back, it is Gilmour’s sound that comes to mind. In the middle of the album were three others, they keyboard heavy, “Welcome to the Machine,” on side one and “Have a Cigar” and the title track on side two. “Wish You Were Here” was another acoustic gem and has become one of their best known and most covered songs.
The postcard insert to Wish You Were Here. I had this pinned to a corkboard in my bedroom during high school.
The themes of the album reflected on the success the band had achieved and associated challenges in dealing with record labels. Waters seemed especially affected by this and as the lyricist, the album reflected his increasing distress towards the fame, money, and the demands they were now facing on all sides. “Welcome to the Machine” in particular covered this, using the cold, mechanical effects that reflected the business of music and how the band was expected to produce songs and shows like lifeless automatons, where sales trumped art and creativity. “Wish You Were Here” was a lament for Barrett’s absence as Waters faced these challenges. “Have a Cigar” was again a complaint against the music industry, providing vivid scenes of music executives showering the band with accolades and rewards without any regard for the musicians or their craft. The album cover, again from Hipgnosis, revealed the themes of the album as two men in suits shook hands in a soulless, industrial environment, while one of them was literally getting burned.
Though Syd Barrett was gone from the band, he had continued with a solo career. After a year out of the spotlight after Floyd, he came back with label EMI and released two solo albums in 1970, The Madcap Laughs and Barrett. A single from the first LP, “Octopus,” reached #11 on the UK singles chart. The albums were recorded sporadically with Barrett spending time in psychiatric care in between sessions. David Gilmour played bass on the first and produced the second, and Rick Wright and Nick Mason played on the second LP. Many notable artists of other bands from the era also contributed. After a brief spell in a band called, Stars, Barrett quit the band and also signed a deal to sever his ties to Pink Floyd in 1972. He visited the band during the recording of Wish You Were Here, at that point overweight and with a shaved head and eyebrows. It was the last time he’d visit Pink Floyd. And though the enduring legacy of Syd Barrett was one of a creative artist plagued by mental health issues and erratic behaviour, his family denied he had any specific mental health conditions (schizophrenia and Asperger’s being popular theories) nor had ever been diagnosed or treated medically for such, only utilizing therapy various times to address his depression and reclusiveness. Barrett passed away in 2006 from cancer.
“Sheep” \ Animals (1977)
Now settled into their immensely successful formula, Waters designed their next concept album around George Orwell’s satirical novella, Animal Farm. Their tenth album in ten years would be another raving success, reaching #1 in many parts of the world though only #3 in the US and #2 in the UK. This was likely a result of waning interest in prog rock music with its long format song structures, guitar solos, and musician focused styles. As punk and disco took hold, acts such as Pink Floyd would face direct challenges to their pre-eminence in the music world. Case in point, when Johnny Rotten auditioned for The Sex Pistols, he arrived wearing a Pink Floyd t-shirt in which he’d scrawled “I hate” before the band name, a look that endeared him to manager, Malcolm McLaren.
Animals
Animals was again book-ended by two versions of the same song, “Pigs on the Wing.” This time they were short, acoustic tunes that provided hopeful notes in contrast to the darkness of the rest of the album. In between were three songs, each of which were more than ten minutes in length. Given the album’s title and Orwellian theme, it was not surprising all the titles referenced animals. “Dogs,” “Pigs (Three Different Ones),” and “Sheep,” impeccably blended the band’s melodies, Gilmour’s fantastic acoustic and electric playing, and layered keyboards from Wright. The vocals, as with their recent albums, were handled mostly by Waters with some contributions from Gilmour. It was another commercial success, reaching the top ten in both the UK and US.
Waters wrote all the songs on the album this time except for “Dogs,” which was co-authored by Gilmour. It was the first album in which Wright received no writing credit, reflective of the band’s gradual distancing from each other and the assertiveness in which Waters was taking creative control over the band. Gilmour would note that he fought for his input but it seemed that Mason and Wright were more inclined to sit back. Given the success achieved under Waters’ concepts, perhaps it was a commendable strategy. The album’s topics focused on capitalism and its problems, in particular classism, which Waters represented via the different animals.
The cover was designed again by Hipgnosis though this time with input from Waters, who asked that a local power plant be used for the photo. A giant, inflated pig was floated over the power station, which of course broke free and floated over London and Heathrow airport creating havoc. It was an unintended publicity stunt for the band. The pig ended up inserted into the photo afterward rather than photographed live. It was yet another iconic image for a Pink Floyd album.
The inflatable pig
The band was increasingly recognized for their concerts, which from the early days would be long and rich with their incredible musicianship and, increasingly, showmanship. However, this came not from the band members, who were definitely not showy, but through lighting, props, and other visual aids that gave the audience an incredible eyeful to watch that complemented the music. As rock music – and Pink Floyd – had progressed from halls to arenas to stadiums, the shows had grown in spectacle. The tour for Animals, titled ‘In the Flesh,’ brought Pink Floyd’s shows to a new level, this time including the inflated pig which was floated over the audience during the album’s performance.
The large and elaborate shows, ironically, were a source of pain for the band, especially Waters and Gilmour, who felt increasingly distanced from their massive audiences. They also were fighting with promoters, who in one case severely under-represented sales for the show to create a shortfall in payment to the band. By the end of the tour the band members were travelling separately, Wright was threatening to leave, Gilmour was refusing to do encores, and Waters fought with rowdy fans at the tour’s final show in Montreal, resulting in him spitting on them. Gilmour felt the band had achieved all it had wanted and there was nothing left for them to do, but Waters would prove him wrong.
“Young Lust” \ The Wall (1979)
In 1978, Waters presented two concepts to the rest of the band for their next album. They would select ‘Bricks in the Wall,’ an idea developed with Canadian producer Bob Ezrin and inspired by that altercation between Waters and fans at the end of their past tour. The other, unselected concept would result in Waters’ first solo album in 1984, The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking.
Gilmour was also at work, releasing his first, self-titled album in 1978. It was a fantastic album that could easily fit as another Pink Floyd album. In fact, many of the unused songs from that album found their way onto The Wall, not the least of which was, “Comfortably Numb.” It made it clear that Gilmour was the musical force in the band, which when paired with Waters’ conceptual creativity had made for Pink Floyd’s unique brand. Further, the recording of the next album received such a lacklustre and minimal effort from Wright that by the end of the recording the keyboardist and band decided to part ways, though he participated in the tour as a hired player.
Ezrin took Waters’ concept and storyline and would expand it into a 40-page back story to go with the music, about a musician named Pink who grew famous and increasingly isolated, walling himself off from the world. The album was rife with criticisms about British society, especially the education system and the stiff, judgmental British upper class. Pink was a character modelled after Syd Barrett and Waters who grew up with an overprotective mother and without a father, who had been killed in WWII.
The original album cover for The Wall, on left, with the later versions on right including Scarfe’s written styling of the band and album title
After a falling out between Roger and Storm Thorgerson, The Wall was the first album since their first to not feature artwork from Hipgnosis. Instead, they commissioned cartoonist Gerald Scarfe to provide animated visuals to accompany the music during their concerts (an early example of the coming video age), and it was his minimalist rendering of the wall that would become the album’s cover. The release thus required a sticker applied to the wrapping or the album itself, with Scarfe’s distinctive writing of the band and album name, to identify it to buyers. Eventually the title would be printed directly on the album in red or black.
The concert tour was their biggest production, an ironic twist given the album’s theme and the feelings of the band after their last tour. However, its complex presentation limited it to just four cities, where thirty-one performances were played. Gilmour and Mason encouraged a bigger tour, but Waters refused in the spirit of the album’s themes. Inflatables were again used, this time of some of the album’s characters, and Scarfe’s incredible and sometimes disturbing animations were shown behind the band to tell the story of Pink. During the show a wall was built in front of the band, eventually walling them off from the audience only to be broken down during the album’s climactic, court scene.
The shows were such a fulsome staging of this rock opera that it begged to be recorded for posterity, and thus Alan Parker was recruited to make a movie of the tour. However, the live performances didn’t mix well with the animations, so it was decided to fill the movie with acted scenes without dialogue, letting the music tell the story. Though reluctant at first, Bob Geldof from The Boomtown Rats was convinced to play Pink in the movie, which was released to much success in 1982. The album’s themes of war and conflict, authoritarianism and Nazis were brought to greater fruition in the movie. The haunting, marching hammers and faceless children marching into the meat grinder have become an iconic images of Pink Floyd and this album.
The music on The Wall, twenty-six songs in all, was both a departure and an evolution of the band’s sound. Lacking the long, multi-part compositions of their recent albums, it was instead a collection of short songs strung together without breaks on each side of the album’s four sides. There were songs on the album that were more accessible and recognizable as standard rock tunes, and more pop oriented than any they had released to date. “Comfortably Numb” was recognized as a giant of a song, becoming one of rock’s all-time greats, while “Another Brick in the Wall, Pt 2” became the band’s first #1 hit in both the UK and US. “Hey You,” “Mother,” “Young Lust,” and “Run Like Hell” were also notable songs that accompanied pivotal moments in the story. Even the shorter, filler-type songs were intriguing and eminently listenable. Like any Floyd album, and especially for a double album, it was a true delight to listen to from start to end. The album reached the top ten in the UK and #1 in the US, along with many other countries around the world.
Released in November 1979, The Wall marked an incredible conclusion to an incredible decade for Pink Floyd. From The Dark Side of the Moon through to The Wall, they had a run in which they’d released four of the biggest selling, critically acclaimed, and beloved albums of the rock genre. Their tours were momentous events that sold out huge stadiums around the world. Despite the rise and quick demise of punk and disco and the resulting expansion of rock and pop into many new and diverse sounds, it seemed Floyd was going to be impervious to these trends and continue to stride across the landscape as the colossus that it was. However, the ‘80s were a cruel time to the mega bands of the ‘70s. Pink Floyd would not escape the changing tides and, despite initial success, would have their feet swept out from them same as others such as Led Zeppelin, Queen, Yes, and Rush. However, a band of Floyd’s stature couldn’t be set aside entirely, and there would be some encores that didn’t quite yet relegate it to the dust bin.
“The Final Cut” \ The Final Cut (1983)
The Final Cut
Given the schisms in the band, the departure of Wright, the assumption of Waters as the primary creative member, and the exhausting endeavour of their tours, it was not surprising that Pink Floyd was due for a stumble. The Final Cut, in every respect, was just that. Waters wanted to continue with the themes of The Wall, using leftover music to create a soundtrack for the coming film and to add new reflections on Margaret Thatcher’s invasion of the Falkland Islands. Gilmour wanted to move on and record all new material, while Mason was practically non-existent, tending to his failing marriage. Arguments persisted over who had control over the band, who was contributing or not, and what musical direction the band should go.
Concessions were made and the resulting album was mostly Waters’ vision, releasing an uninspired retread of The Wall. Listening to the title track, it was a blatant remake of “Comfortably Numb.” Despite the LP going to #1 in the UK – the first of theirs to do so since Wish You Were Here, though likely driven by the success of the movie from the previous year – The Final Cut wasn’t well received by critics and fans quickly moved on. Pink Floyd quickly fell aside as yesterday’s band, a relic from the past decade, and the band members turned their focus to solo work, with Gilmour releasing his second so LP, About Face, and Waters issuing his first, The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking, both in 1984. Mason released his second LP, Profiles, in 1985, this time joined by 10cc guitarist, Rick Fenn.
“The Dogs of War” \ A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)
Gilmour’s and Waters’ albums had taken shots at each other and only seemed to distance themselves from their legendary band. In 1985, Roger Waters announced he was leaving Pink Floyd and that this effectively dissolved the band, which he declared “a spent force.” This triggered a period of legal battles between him and the label, Gilmour, and Mason over royalties and future use of the Pink Floyd name. The band was still contracted to release more albums.
In 1986, Gilmour started writing and recording music for a new album with Nick Mason and Rick Wright, bringing the keyboardist back into the band and solidifying the idea that, even without Roger Waters, this was a Pink Floyd project. Gilmour acknowledged that it was difficult writing without the strong vision that Waters had brought to their albums. Even amongst fans and journalists there were criticism of the band carrying on and accusations that they were struggling to create an album that sounded like Pink Floyd. I think this was hogwash, given that musically it had always been Gilmour that led the way.
A Momentary Lapse of Reason was, understandably then, a release fraught with anxiety for everyone associated with the Pink Floyd name, including fans. It was not a concept album, there were (mostly) breaks between the songs (though they flowed very well one to the other), there were no long and winding compositions and interludes, and it was not a prog rock album. It was a very strong LP in which Pink Floyd’s distinctive sound was melded into traditional and recognizable rock and pop formats, made listenable for modern audiences and, while still perfect for an end-to-end listen, also worked for radio and compilations. Indeed, three of the five songs on side one would be released as singles, achieving minor success on the singles charts. The album, however, would still reach #3 in both the UK and the US and top five in many other countries.
The album also marked the return of Hipgnosis and Storm Thurgerson to the design of the album cover. They literally covered a beach in hospital beds to shoot the picture. The gurney was a theme repeated in the accompanying videos on the tour. It was also the first album design to include the band and album’s name on the cover since Ummagumma (only later variations of The Wall and The Final Cut would also include them).
“Dogs of War” was one of the songs on side one not released as a single, but was still a standout track. It showed the band’s modern sound with strong keyboards, aggressive vocals and guitar from Gilmour, and a booming drum track not often heard in Floyd’s music. The band embarked on a worldwide tour (with Waters trying to stop it all along the way), once again featuring fantastic light and laser shows, videos, and props that included the return of the inflatable pig and a plane that flew across the stadium and exploded in the corner timed to the ending of The Wall’s “On the Run.” I saw the show in Toronto on back to back nights, seeing firsthand what I had read and heard so much about. In many respects, freed from the concept album that demanded full performances on tour, the band was able to fashion a greatest hits style show that gave fans, new and old, a great set list with a little something for everyone. The tour was captured in the live album and video, Delicate Sound of Thunder.
So, while the new iteration of Pink Floyd would not quite achieve the success and stature of its ‘70s incarnation, this was still a success and a continuance of the band’s career.
“What Do You Want from Me?” \ The Division Bell (1994)
Wright, Gilmour, and Mason
It would be seven years before the next album, the longest gap since the band’s first release twenty-seven years prior. The three remaining members teamed once again with Bob Ezrin, and once again with Gilmour as the primary song writer, though Wright received credit on five songs, though he was only a member of the band as a contractor.
It was another solid album, firmly ensconced in the Pink Floyd sound, though lacked the moments in which you were drawn in or made weak in the knees the way their past works did with regularity. In some respects, it was an LP you would think a Pink Floyd tribute band might have recorded, something that Roger Waters fans would be sure to point out. Gilmour might have done better to have gone solo, though with Mason and Wright on board I suppose it had to be a Pink Floyd album, perhaps also due to contractual obligations. Certainly, it got more attention with the Floyd name attached and seemed to tap into a nostalgic strain for the band, propelling the album to #1 around the world. It would be the best charting album of their career, though far short of the sales of their ‘70s output. Musically, I would put it ahead of The Final Cut but it ranked as one of their weakest and least interesting releases.
The Division Bell
Hipgnosis erected two statues in a farm field to shoot the cover, which again went back to not showing the band or album title. “Take it Back” and “High Hopes” did well as singles, but it was the song, “What Do You Want from Me?” that stood out, displaying the band’s strength in bending their sound into a modern rock production, driven by Gilmour’s always entrancing guitar work.
Nick Mason’s drumstick, with nicks from his playing at the far end and the fracture that caused him to abandon it and throw it into the crowd and off my chest
The album provided the basis for another great tour, in which I was able to see them again. This time, since I had sworn off seeing stadium shows since I hated sitting far away, I bought tickets from a scalper to score 6th row seats. Blissed out on the show (and well into the intoxicants), at one point I was stirred by the people around me scrambling and searching the floor. I had no idea what was going on and my friend, Jorge, elbowed me and said, “look for it,” pointing to the ground. I shrugged at him, not comprehending. He explained, “the drumstick! The drummer threw it near hear.” At this point I recalled having felt something strike my chest moments before but hadn’t thought anything of it, assuming it was a hand from someone else as everyone was dancing. I looked down and saw the drumstick laying across my feet. I quickly bent down and picked it up and was then seized with anxiety and panic, worried I would be accosted by others to retrieve this prize. I slipped the stick up my sleeve to hide it, though gave Jorge a peek so he knew I had it. It was a lovely souvenir to pick up and one I have to this day, though my cats like to try and get at it for a chew occasionally.
“Side 2, Pt 1: Sum” \ The Endless River (2014)
After the tour for A Momentary Lapse of Reason, the band again went their separate ways, not to reconvene until eleven years later to perform at the 2005 Live 8 concert in London. The reunion was notable in that Roger Waters rejoined for the performance of five songs, the last time the original line-up would appear together.
The Endless River
Twenty years after releasing The Division Bell the band put out a new LP in 2014, The Endless River, fashioned from outtakes from The Division Bell’s recordings. It was inspired as a tribute to Rick Wright, who died of cancer in 2008, and of a desire by Gilmour to release the material Wright had recorded but had not been used. Given that Gilmour had complained about The Final Cut being leftovers from The Wall, it was odd to see him repeat the process. While the album was pleasant enough, there was nothing about the outtakes that the original work had not fully explored. The Endless River was all instrumental and was a bland, boring continuation of the generally listless music from the original album. Why they would tarnish the Pink Floyd name by putting out what is essentially a New Age album was beyond me. Of course, it went to #1 around the world, though only #3 in the US (in today’s music world though, chart positions are meaningless). Gilmour has stated it is most certainly the last Pink Floyd release.
Roger Waters has put out additional solo albums and now tours incessantly, putting on grandiose shows of Pink Floyd music and albums, mining his legacy repeatedly to the delight of aging Baby Boomers. David Gilmour has also put out albums and toured last in 2016, the first in nine years and was well-received by his legion of fans. Gilmour and Waters have performed together for charities and Gilmour guested in a Waters’ concert to play “Comfortably Numb” in 2011, but otherwise there are no signs they will get together to make music again.
Pink Floyd was a giant of rock music, forging a unique and exquisite sound born of psychedelia and woven into a high form of conceptual art. Their willingness to ignore the rules of traditional song structure and explore their sound in long-format compositions and albums created some of the most breathtaking and original music of their generation. Perhaps no other act has equalled their creation of the comprehensive album as well and as often as Pink Floyd. Every one of their fifteen LPs reached the top ten in the UK, with five hitting #1. In the US, every album since Dark Side of the Moon has reached the top ten with four at #1. Through the creative and conceptual inspiration of Roger Waters, himself inspired by friend and original member, Syd Barrett, the iconic guitar work and song writing of David Gilmour, and the critical contributions of Rick Wright and Nick Mason, Pink Floyd holds one of the most distinguished places in rock history.
