Pink Floyd
Created | Updated Jan 28, 2002
Pink Floyd (Noun, modern English):A progressive rock band origniating in the late sixties. The band takes their name, which was selected by former frontman Syd Barret,from two American pop musicians, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. The original line up went through many name changes, starting with Sigma 6, and moving through such various titles as The Abdabs, The Screaming Abdabs, The Meggadeaths and T-Set.
The original line up was as follows:Syd Barret on guitar and vocals, Rick Wright on piano and keyboard, Roger Waters on bass, and Nick Mason on drums.
The bands first full album release was "Piper at the Gates of Dawn", followed by "Saucerful of Secrets". By this time, tragedy struck the band. Syd Barret, who had experimented with psychadelic drugs for a long time, lost control of himself, and suffered a nervous breakdown. The band was forced to fire their guitarist, and Waters soon took over as head man of the band. David Gilmour was hired to take over the responsibilities of guitar and most vocals.
The first several albums of the Waters era Floyd, including "More", "Meddle", and "Obscured by Clouds", sold only moderately well. Then, in 1973, the band had a breakthrough with The Dark Side of The Moon, which still remains the best selling Pink Floyd album of all time.
After the success of DSOTM, Floyd went on to release "Animals", a semi-concept album dealing with the ideas set out in George Orwell's "Animal Farm", which was overshadowed by the continued success of DSOTM.
After Animals came "Wish You Were Here", dealing with the concept of seperation and loneliness, and dedicated to the beloved Syd Barret.
Then came Roger Water's masterpiece, "The Wall". Spurred by his feelings of seperation and disillusionment from his fans and his shame and guilt over an incidence at a concert, Waters wrote the album almost entirely by himself. It is about a rock star who has had too much applause, too many drugs, and too many groupies. Mistreated by an over protective mother and an abusive school system, the singer, appropriately named Pink, hides behind his "wall" of defense mechanisms, hiding from the terrors and injustices of the real world, until something snaps, and all his emotions are dramatically let out in a climatic rush leading up the dramatic final scene, where Pink is ordered at his trial to "tear down the wall" and expose his weaknesses to his peers. A live stage show and movie followed the album.
Disagreements plagued the Floyd after "The Wall", and Water's left the after producing one last album, "The Final Cut"
Since Roger's departure, the Floyd has continued, touring and putting out such albums as "Momentary Lapse of Reason" and "The Division Bell." "The Division Bell" has the distinct honor of having it's name suggested by Douglas Adams (according to popular rumor). During the Floyd's 1994 tour promoting the album, Douglas, a friend of the band members, was given the opportunity to play guitar with the band onstage at their Earl's Court performance as a birthday present.
Waters continues touring solo, playing some of his own original work, plus all of the Floyd's old music from his era, which he gained teh rights to play after a series of bitter law suits following his split from the band.
The original line up was as follows:Syd Barret on guitar and vocals, Rick Wright on piano and keyboard, Roger Waters on bass, and Nick Mason on drums.
The bands first full album release was "Piper at the Gates of Dawn", followed by "Saucerful of Secrets". By this time, tragedy struck the band. Syd Barret, who had experimented with psychadelic drugs for a long time, lost control of himself, and suffered a nervous breakdown. The band was forced to fire their guitarist, and Waters soon took over as head man of the band. David Gilmour was hired to take over the responsibilities of guitar and most vocals.
The first several albums of the Waters era Floyd, including "More", "Meddle", and "Obscured by Clouds", sold only moderately well. Then, in 1973, the band had a breakthrough with The Dark Side of The Moon, which still remains the best selling Pink Floyd album of all time.
After the success of DSOTM, Floyd went on to release "Animals", a semi-concept album dealing with the ideas set out in George Orwell's "Animal Farm", which was overshadowed by the continued success of DSOTM.
After Animals came "Wish You Were Here", dealing with the concept of seperation and loneliness, and dedicated to the beloved Syd Barret.
Then came Roger Water's masterpiece, "The Wall". Spurred by his feelings of seperation and disillusionment from his fans and his shame and guilt over an incidence at a concert, Waters wrote the album almost entirely by himself. It is about a rock star who has had too much applause, too many drugs, and too many groupies. Mistreated by an over protective mother and an abusive school system, the singer, appropriately named Pink, hides behind his "wall" of defense mechanisms, hiding from the terrors and injustices of the real world, until something snaps, and all his emotions are dramatically let out in a climatic rush leading up the dramatic final scene, where Pink is ordered at his trial to "tear down the wall" and expose his weaknesses to his peers. A live stage show and movie followed the album.
Disagreements plagued the Floyd after "The Wall", and Water's left the after producing one last album, "The Final Cut"
Since Roger's departure, the Floyd has continued, touring and putting out such albums as "Momentary Lapse of Reason" and "The Division Bell." "The Division Bell" has the distinct honor of having it's name suggested by Douglas Adams (according to popular rumor). During the Floyd's 1994 tour promoting the album, Douglas, a friend of the band members, was given the opportunity to play guitar with the band onstage at their Earl's Court performance as a birthday present.
Waters continues touring solo, playing some of his own original work, plus all of the Floyd's old music from his era, which he gained teh rights to play after a series of bitter law suits following his split from the band.
