Pink Floyd formed in
1966, but the band members know each other well before that and
occasionally played a few gigs at parties. The name Pink Floyd was
adopted in 1967 the same year the first official Pink Floyd gig occurred
at Powis Square, Wll. The bands first single "Arnold Layne"
reached number 19 in the UK charts. Pink Floyd was all ways ahead of
their time, using the first quadraphonic sound system in United Kingdom
at their "Games for May" concert at Queen Elizabeth Hall.
In January of 1968,
David Gilmour asked to join the band, and for a while both Gilmour and
Syd Barrett (the bands founder-guitarist, lead singer) played in the
band. Later that year Pink Floyd perform the first free London concert
at Hyde Park.
The follow year, the
band takes a different path in the career by recording a soundtrack for
the movie "More" directed by Barbet Schroeder. The film was
debuted at the Cannes Film Festival. Furthermore, the band releases
their first live album named "Ummagumma". At the end of the
year the band works on another soundtrack to the movie "Zabriskie
Point".
In the year 1970, Pink
Floyd's album "Atom Heart Mother" is released and it reaches
number 1 in the U.K. The tour begins September 12 and ends February 3rd.
"Eclipse" is
performed for the first time by the band in 1972 later the title of the
album is changed to "The Dark Side of The Moon". Also, the
same year "Obscured by Clouds" soundtrack to the movie
"La Vallee" is available at local music stores. The early live
video of "Pink Floyd-Live at Pompeii" is banned by Rank at its
preview screening in the Rainbow Theater.
In 1973 Pink FLoyd's
"The Dark Side of the Moon" is released and ends up number 1
in the U.K. and the United States. The same year the band receives their
first and only American award, the R.I.A.A. Gold Disc Award. Later that
year "Money" and "Any Color You Like" are put out as
a single and reach as high as number 10 on the charts. Pink Floyd and
Soft Machine perform at the Rainbow Theatre in London, it is the bands
first concert together in five years. On December the 8th of the same
year, Pink Floyds next album "A Nice Pair" is released.
The next single from
the bands which includes "Us and Them" and "Time" is
released in the United States, but does not make the charts. New songs
debut this year, "Wish You Were Here", "You Gotta Be
Crazy" which later became "Dogs", and "Raving And
Drooling" which also was changed to "Sheep". Pink Floyds
concert at the Trentham Gardens is recorded and released as a bootleg
under the name "The Pink Floyd's British Winter Tour '74".
This was to believed to be the bands next official release.
In 1975, Roger Waters
comes up with the idea to build a wall between the band and the audience
during the bands "Wish You Were Here World Tour". Moreover, at
one Pink Floyd show a green pyramid filled with helium brakes away from
the stage and lands in a near car parking lot. The fans rip the material
of the pyramid to become souvenirs. "Have A Cigar" and
"Welcome to the Machine are released as a single in the US, but
again they don't make the charts.
In April of 1976, the
bands starts working on the next album "Animals". During the
year, David Gilmour's house is broken into and one of his custom guitars
were stolen later to be recover after someone was showing off with the
Fender Stratocaster at local pub, Pink Floyd fans recognized the guitar
and called the authorities.
The Animal album goes
platinum in the US the next year. The great tune Careful With That Axe,
Eugene" is performed for the last time in Oakland. On the bands
concert at the Olympic Stadium in Montreal, Canada, Roger Waters become
angry after fans start playing with firecrackers during "Pigs On
The Wings (Part 2)" and the show is stopped, follow by a couple of
words from Roger to the fans.
During 1978, Pink Floyd
stays low in the public and very little is heard about the band for the
next 18 months. Also, the bands starts to work on "The Wall".
Later EMI states that the next album by Pink Floyd will the named
"Walls", but the band deny this to be true.
The next year,
"Another Brick In The Wall (Part 2)" and "Young
Lust" single is released and it goes number one well into the next
decade and sales of the single are estimated to reach 300,000. On
December 8th (UK) and November 30th (US) the next Pink Floyd album
"The Wall" is released and goes number 1 in the US and number
3 in the UK.
In 1980, Pink Floyd
previewed "The Wall" at LA Sports Arena. "Another Brick
In The Wall" reached number one and goes gold in the USA. A Pink
Floyd billboard is build on Sunset Strip in LA, USA with an image behind
it as each brick is removed. And "The Dark Side Of The Moon"
becomes the longest running contemporary album in America.
The following year
"The Wall" is performed for the last time on June 17th and the
last time all the members played together. Rick Wright, Pink Floyds
keyboard player leaves the band soon afterwards. Filming of the movie
"The Wall" began at Pinewood Studios. The Pink Floyd greatest
song collection is released under the name "A Collection Of Great
Dance Songs".
In 1982 the world
premier of the Pink Floyd movie "The Wall" occurs at Cannes
Festival.
1983, Roger Waters gets
an BAFTA award for "Best Song From A Film" for "Another
Brick In The Wall". Also, "The Final Cut" is released on
March 21st in the UK and April 2nd in the US.
In 1984, the band
members release their own albums. David Gilmour releases "About
Face" in March and follows the release with a world tour. Roger
Waters releases "Pros And Cons Of Hitchhiking" and goes on a
world tour as well.
1985, David Gilmour
takes part in the Live Aid concert and plays with Bryan Ferry of Queen.
Nick Mason and Rick Fenn's 'Profiles' is released. Furthermore, by the
end of that year Roger Waters leaves Pink Floyd.
In 1986, Pink Floyd has
an official press conference about the future of the band and confirming
that Roger left the group.
The next year David
Gilmour call a DJ on a radio station to prove that the statements made
by the DJ that the band is dead are false. Richard Wright unofficially
rejoins the groups and "Monetary Lapse Of Reason" is released
on September the 8th in the US and UK. The world tour begins in Ottawa,
Canada on September 9th.
In 1988, Pink Floyd
plays their first concerts in Spain, New Zealand, and Norway. Later, the
band is invited to Russia for the launch of a rocket ship carrying
"Delicate Sounds Of Thunder" cassette, the album is released
the same year.
The following year,
Pink Floyd plays a concert in front of 250,000 and a worldwide TV
audience at The Lagoon (St. Marks Square), Venice. More shows follow in
Moscow for a week of 35,000 fans each day.
In 1990, Pink Floyd
performs at The Kenbworth Concert a benefit for Nordoff-Rubbins Music
Therapy. Also, Roger Waters performs in Berlin at "The Wall"
concert.
In 1992, Pink Floyd
releases the Shine On Box set with 7 albums inside and a special book on
the bands history.
In 1994, the Division
Bell World Tour begins in Miami, Florida. The tour brings with it a new
stage, more effects, and one of the best sound systems in the world.
Pink Floyd Play in Toronto, Canada for three days starting on the 5th of
July.
In 2000, Pink Floyd
released "Is There Anybody Out There - The Wall Live 1980-81"
a double CD, featuring two unreleased tracks.
