Random Pink Floyd Tried To Make An Album That Ended Up Being Too Trippy Even For Them (12 items)

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  (#12) The Album Led To Famous Pink Floyd Stage Gimmicks

  Pink Floyd had been performing concerts for nearly a decade by the time they went on tour with Wish You Were Here in 1975. But during that winter, they first tried the sort of awe-inspiring stagecraft for which their shows are now famous.

  A 40-foot circular screen wrapped around the stage, and different animations and bits of film were projected on it for each song; a mirror ball was hit with a spotlight to provide a blinding burst of light for the band's exit. The whole thing was combined with lasers, fog, and pyrotechnics for a visual spectacular.
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  (#2) They Decided To Make An Album With Only Household Objects

  The concept Pink Floyd settled upon was to make an album using no traditional instruments at all - no guitar, no bass, and no drums. Instead, they'd employ things like aerosol cans, forks, and wine glasses. But the band didn't want the album to be a novelty, so they paid great attention to producing quality tones from the unconventional instruments.

  Roger Waters allegedly spent days getting a perfect bass-like sound out of a pencil and rubber band, while drummer Nick Mason attempted to deaden the sound of banging pots and pans so they would resemble snare drums. 
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  (#10) The Man On The Album Cover Was Actually On Fire

  Wish You Were Here's famous album art was made by esteemed design studio Hipgnosis, who had created many of Pink Floyd's previous covers. Lyrics on the album inspired the central image of the handshake, and the man on fire represents the fear of "getting burned" when you expose your real emotions.

  The photo itself was shot at Warner Bros. Studios near Los Angeles, CA, with stuntmen Ronnie Rondell and Danny Rogers dressed as businesspeople. Rondell really was on fire, and during the first take, the wind blew flames into his face and burned his mustache. 
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  (#11) The Album Was A Success, But It Changed The Band For Good

  Although Wish You Were Here wasn't the mega-hit that The Dark Side of the Moon was, it still hit #1 in the US and UK, receiving positive-to-mixed reviews from critics. Pink Floyd shows sold out night after night around the world, but the band's direction had changed completely.

  Roger Waters increasingly controlled their next three albums, and the focus fell on the lyrics before the music. The mostly neutral band was suddenly singing strong opinions about human nature, the music business, and corporate greed.
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  (#1) The Band Felt Pressured To Follow 'The Dark Side Of The Moon'

  The Dark Side Of The Moon was a breakthrough album for Pink Floyd, hitting #1 on album sales - compared to their previous peak of #46 - and eventually selling more than 15 million copies, and that was just in the United States.

  The workhorse band suddenly found themselves very rich and famous and didn't quite know how to handle it. Bassist Roger Waters even called it "the end of the road." Pink Floyd wanted to deliver an album that was just as innovative as Dark Side, and in search of the perfect idea, they decided to return to their experimental roots.
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  (#8) Half The Album Consists Of Just One Song, Which Is Dedicated To Syd Barrett

  The centerpiece track of Wish You Were Here, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond," is a nine-part epic that lasts a total of 26 minutes. The minimal lyrics refer to a person who is becoming unglued from reality, but who is beloved and unique in the world.

  Along with the psychedelic guitar, the lyrics pay homage to Syd Barrett in a special dedication by the members of Pink Floyd. And while the title track is not about any person specifically, David Gilmour said, "I can't sing it without thinking about Syd."

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