Pink Floyd
In the late 1960s, rock and roll, like music in general, would confront something new and unusual, creating a musical universe entirely different from those that already existed. The band responsible for this feat is Pink Floyd, one of the most important bands on the planet. Psychedelia, experimentalism, and mega-shows are hallmarks of this band, which transformed the way rock was "made" and marked a new era in music with progressive rock.
The story of Pink Floyd began in 1965. Rick Wright, Roger Waters, and Nick Mason were studying architecture at Cambridge University in London and decided to form a band and venture into small shows in London pubs. The trio was named Sigma 6, and their initial repertoire consisted of blues and folk covers.
Shortly after, they decided to increase the number of members, and Waters introduced two college friends, Roger Keith (Syd Barrett) and David Gilmour. With a new group formed, the musicians decided to change the band's name to The Screaming Abdabds, at Barrett's suggestion. There were other names like just Abdabs and T-Set, before they arrived at Pink Floyd, which is nothing more than the combination of the names of two bluesmen, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, of whom Syd Barrett was a fan.
David Gilmour decided to leave the group and go to France, establishing the following Pink Floyd lineup: Roger Waters on bass and vocals, Syd Barrett on guitar and vocals, Rick Wright on keyboards and vocals, and Nick Mason on drums. The group was performing at small festivals in London.
Pink Floyd's great innovation was the use of slides in their performances. During the show, various slides were projected all over the stage, a totally innovative initiative that would later be adopted by several other bands. Syd Barrett, who was also a painter, was one of the main people responsible for the project. The quartet began to gain greater visibility in the London music scene and were soon invited to record some singles, which were released on the radio. But the big opportunity came with the band's signing by EMI Records, which took them to record at the legendary Abbey Road studios.
The band faced a huge challenge: entering a musical scene that included names like the Beatles, the Rolling Stones, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, and others. It wouldn't be an easy task. During this same period and in the same studio where Pink Floyd was recording their first album, the Beatles were recording Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (1967). The fact that they were face-to-face with the Beatles may have helped Floyd a great deal.
Then in 1967, The Piper at the Gates of Down was released, immediately reaching the top of the British charts. This work is considered by many to be the starting point of progressive rock and rivals Sgt. Pepper's for the title of the first masterpiece of rock.
The band was already enjoying success, but not everything was happiness. Barrett's mental health was deteriorating due to excessive drug use, to the point where, in one performance, the musician could only play one chord. No longer able to play, Barrett was gradually distanced from the group; a regrettable situation since he was one of the band's most creative musicians. During this period, David Gilmour returned from France and was invited to rejoin Pink Floyd.
Roger Waters begins to assume leadership of the band and soon the second album, A Saucerful of Secrets (1968), is released. The work is very well received and ends up proving that the group can move forward without Barrett.
In 1969 they composed "More," the soundtrack for the film of the same name (directed by Barbet Schroeder). Also in '69, they released "Ummagumma," a double album, one recorded in the studio and the other live. They began the 70s with "Atom Heart Mother," which has a very curious cover in relation to the title, displaying a picture of a cow. In parallel, Gilmour and Waters tried to help their friend Syd, producing the albums "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrets," both from 1970. However, Syd was unable to rehabilitate himself and his musical career came to an end. After that, he isolated himself and dedicated himself solely to painting.
In 1971, Meddle was released, and the following year Obscured By Clouds, the soundtrack to the film La Vallée (1972, again directed by Barbet Schroeder). Continuing in the cinematic vein, Live at Pompeii (1972, directed by Adrian Maben) was produced, a documentary of the group's legendary concert in the streets of Pompeii, Italy.
Despite numerous projects and releases, Pink Floyd's peak came in 1973 with Dark Side of the Moon. It's an unprecedented masterpiece that broke and created numerous records. It remained on the American charts for over 14 years, was among the 50 best-selling albums in England for more than two years, and among the top 100 for more than eight. Interestingly, EMI, the band's record label, even built factories exclusively for the production of Dark Side of the Moon, such was the demand. The album benefited from the work of the highly respected sound engineer Alan Parsons, who played a fundamental role in the production of this iconic work. Songs like 'Time' and 'Money' demonstrate the album's quality.
The next album wasn't very well received initially, due to strong criticism of the entertainment industry. However, after a while, the album received the recognition it deserved, being considered one of Pink Floyd's best. Wish You Were Here (1975) is a kind of tribute to Syd Barrett, who, according to reports, appeared dirty, bald, and wearing rags at the studio where the band was recording. Due to the state the former Pink Floyd member was in, his colleagues had difficulty recognizing him and felt sorry for the situation. The track 'Wish You Were Here', now one of the band's most famous, ended up giving the album its title, which honored the troubled Barrett.
Animals (1977) was a work based on the book Animal Farm by George Orwell, which severely criticizes the capitalist system. This album accentuates the band's protest and psychedelic phase. While the Animals tour was underway, the group members were working on side projects. David Gilmour released a self-titled album and Rick Wright released Wet Dream, both in 1978. At the time, Roger Waters was dedicating himself especially to Pink Floyd, firmly establishing himself as the band's leader.
After Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, it would be difficult to imagine Pink Floyd producing a work better than or as good as the previous two. But then, in 1979, The Wall was released, a highly emblematic work that criticized the English education system, as well as portraying human weaknesses. The album's success was overwhelming. The tour production was one of the most expensive and grandiose in music history. The work was classified as a rock opera, like Tommy (1969) by The Who, and became a film of the same name in 1982, directed by Alan Parker. Like the album, the film was a huge success and was also considered a masterpiece. Roger Waters was considered the main person responsible for this phase of Pink Floyd, and his relationship with the rest of the band was not very good.
The Final Cut (1983) is more of a solo project by Waters than a Pink Floyd album. The entire concept and compositions for the album are his own. Rick Wright was removed from the group by Waters, worsening the relationship problems between him and his colleagues. In 1985, Waters decided to leave Pink Floyd, and David Gilmour became the new leader.
From then on, a legal battle ensued between Gilmour and Waters over the ownership of the Pink Floyd name, with Gilmour emerging victorious. Wright was brought back to the group and they soon released A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987), considered one of Floyd's weakest works. Waters began his solo career and released Radio K.A.O.S and When the Wind Blows, both in 1978.
PINK FLOYD - FUTPEDIAMUSIC SELECTION
Pink Floyd
Futpediamusic Selection
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