Pink Floyd | Artist

Pink Floyd was an English psychedelic rock band formed 1965 in London by Roger Waters (bass, vocals), Syd Barrett (guitar, vocals), Nick Mason (drums, percussion, vocals) and Richard Wright (keyboards, vocals). They were known for their extended compositions, sonic experimentation, philosophical lyrics and elaborate live shows, becoming a leading band of the progressive rock genre, and one of the most commercially successful bands of all time. Their beginning dates back to 1963 when Waters, Mason and Wright, all architecture students at London Polytechnic, began playing in a combo called Sigma 6. They were joined by guitarist Bob Klose and changed their name to the Tea Set. Roger Waters' childhood friend Syd Barrett joined in 1964, then Klose left and they changed their name to the Pink Floyd Sound. By 1966 the group's repertoire was mainly R&B covers but they had begun to receive paid bookings, including a performance at London's Marquee Club, where Economics Lecturer Peter Jenner noticed them. Jenner was impressed by the sound Barrett and Wright created, and with his business partner Andrew King became their managers, bankrolling their instruments and equipment. It was also Jenner who convinced them to shorted their name to the Pink Floyd. By late '66 they were regulars at London's UFO Club, where they built a growing fan base and began to attract the attention of the music industry. The following year the band signed with EMI, receiving a sizeable £5,000 advance. EMI released the band's first single, the Barrett penned "Arnold Layne" b/w "Candy and a Currant Bun", on 10 March 1967 on its Columbia label. It reached #20 on the UK pop charts. The second single "See Emily Play", another Barrett composition, was released on 16 June 1967, peaking at #6 in the UK. They appeared on the BBC's Top of the Pops on three seperate occasions. By the third appearance Barrett had begun to unravel and the band noticed significant changes in his behaviour from his increasing use of LSD. Mason described him as "completely distanced from everything going on". Pink Floyd's classic debut album Piper at the Gates of Dawn was recorded at EMI London Studios and released in August 1967 on EMI-Columbia. The album peaked at #6, spending 14 weeks on the UK charts. The band then embarked on concert dates in Europe during September and their first tour of the US in October '67. As the US tour went on, Barrett's condition grew steadily worse. During appearances on the Dick Clark and Pat Boone TV shows, Barrett confounded his hosts by not responding to questions and staring off into space. He also refused to lip-synch while performing. After these embarrassing episodes, their US visit was cut short and they returned to London. Soon after they supported Jimi Hendrix on a UK tour, however Barrett's condition worsened, reaching a crisis point in December when the band acted by adding a new member to their line-up, guitarist, singer and songwriter, David Gilmour. In 1968, Pink Floyd returned to Abbey Road Studios to record their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets. The album included Barrett's final contribution to their discography "Jugband Blues". Waters, Wright and Gilmour began developing their songwriting, to make up for the loss of Barrett's compositions. Pink Floyd would, of course, go on to become one of the most popular and influential rock bands in the world, recording fifteen studio albums. Standouts in their impressive catalogue include The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, Saucerful of Secrets, Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, The Dark Side of The Moon, Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. The 1995 live album Pulse is recommended as are several excellent archival/compilation releases including Relics, Echos: The Best of Pink Floyd and The Early Years 1967—1972 Cre/ation. Pink Floyd have sold over 400 million albums worldwide and in 2013 The Dark Side of the Moon was selected for preservation in the United States National Recording Registry by the Library of Congress, being deemed "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant".

Artist Website: pinkfloyd.com

Featured Albums: Pink Floyd

Related Artists: Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Richard Wright