The Big Three - Pink Floyd

Good heavens, it's been a while since I've done something other than videos!  Let's fix that by diving into the second of my Big Three.

As I've mentioned before, I grew up on my father's music, and his favorite bands became mine.  Last time, I talked about Yes, so let's move on to the next of the trio: Pink Floyd.

Pink Floyd is a band that really needs no introduction to the rock world.  Their sound is iconic, their records best-sellers, and their history well-documented.  I don't know if I have any specific memories of listening to them as a child, but I do know it was one of the first bands I learned to recognize, even before Yes.  I do remember asking my father to copy some of the band's stuff to a cassette tape so I could listen to it in my room (as I didn't have a CD player yet).  He did so, giving me Dark Side of the Moon.  There was no going back.

As it turned out, my father never listened to the early, psychedelic stuff.  He pretty much started with Meddle and moved forward from there, mostly playing Dark Side, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall, generally preferring the bluesy, melancholic side of their sound.

As Pink Floyd moved into the 80s and 90s, led by Gilmour, I remember my dad picking up Momentary Lapse of Reason and Division Bell.  I also remember thinking how cool it was that the Pulse live album had a blinking light that would just keep going (provided you kept fresh batteries in it).

Later in life, I would go back and listen to the early Pink Floyd, and its definitely different. Some of those songs make me think of what Beatles records would sound like if played backwards!  While I do think they have their moments, I'm pretty much with my father in thinking the 70s stuff is where they really "shine" (pun intended).  There's just something so nostalgic and comforting about the combination Gilmour's emotional solos and Wright's textured synths that simply cannot be compared or beaten.

If, somehow, you haven't given Pink Floyd a chance, Dark Side of the Moon is probably the best starting point.  From there, it depends on what you prefer.  If you like the mellow, moody parts, then go with Wish You Were Here and Meddle.  However, if you prefer the social criticism and theatricality, then Animals and The Wall should be your next steps.

Anyways, that's another one of the Big Three down.  I'm not sure if I'll write more about Pink Floyd in the future, as I doubt I have much more to say that hasn't already been said.  Still, their music has a large place in my soul, and, like many others, I will listening to them for many years to come.