FAQ of Pink Floyd

Pink Floyd Trivia Facts and Questions answered

 Who is Pink Floyd  

Pink Floyd is, or was a group playing "space Rock" between 1965 and lasted until 1994 one of the biggest and influential groups of all time. 

 How many members are there in Pink Floyd? 

Originally there were 4 members which became five when Syd Barrett became unreliable. This lasted a very short time and became four again until The Wall was made and the group became three members. Richard Wright had left during the recording sessions. 

Roger Waters left after the Final Cut leaving just 2 members David Gilmour and Nick Mason. Richard Wright was reinstalled as a band member for Pink Floyds last album. 

 How many albums have Pink Floyd Recorded?

Pink Floyd catalogue is as deep (17 studio and live albums, seven compilations, three box sets, 35 singles, an EP, 25 music videos and eight video albums) as it is wide (movie soundtracks, concept albums, progressive, psychedelic.) 

Original material 14 plus 7 greatest hits plus 3 live. 

Full list here. 

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Which is the biggest selling album by Pink Floyd 

Depends who you believe but its generally considered to be Dark Side of the Moon at approximately 45 million followed by The Wall 30 million.  

Although The Wall is sometimes considered as 2 albums as it was original released as a double vinyl album, therefore the answer is The Wall. 

 Pink Floyd was given their name by Syd Barret who loved Blues music. Two of his favourite Blues muscians were Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, and so the name Pink Floyd.

INTERESTING FACTS

 While Pink Floyd was recording Piper at the Gates of Dawn the Beatles were recording Sgt Pepper. They popped in to see the Floyd and Roger in particular was impressed as he later described the incident "as if royalty had arrived." 

 When Syd Barret left the group Jeff Beck was first considered as a replacement but in the end David Gilmour go the job. Mmmm, how things would have been different if he had. 

 The Italian authorities gave Pink Floyd permission to play amongst the ruins of Pompeii on the condition that there were to be no audience. 

 Stanley Kubrick wanted to use some of Atom Heart Mother for the film Clockwork Orange. But the group refused as Kubrick wanted to alter the arrangements etc to the piece. 

 A Saucerful of Secrets is the only Pink Floyd album to have all 5 members as vocalists. 

 Nick Mason is vocalist on 2 tracks, Corporal Clegg from Saucerful of Secrets and One of these days from Meddle.  

 Roger Waters is tone deaf and as a consequence and ironically Richard Wright (They never did get on well) had to tune his bass in. He was chosen as the others considered Richard Wright as the only real musician in the group. 

During one rehearsal David Gilmour brought into the studio a small tune he wrote called "Theme for an Imaginary Western". The rest of the band thought it was a great tune and they developed it into Atom Heart Mother. 

 Rick Wright and Richard Wright are one of the same. He was known as Rick but later insisted he was to be known as Richard.  

 On the track "Hey You” from the Wall David Gilmour played bass. Something he did quite often. 

 Roger Waters on tour with Pink Floyd became so frustrated etc that he spat into a fans face in Montreal in 1977. 

 During the recording of the Wall Rick or Richard Wright was sacked by Roger Waters. He was employed to tour the Wall and was the only member to make money as he was paid session musician rates. The others lost loads of money as the 31 gig tour was so expensive to put on.  

 David Gilmour’s car radio can be heard on the beginning of Wish you were here. 

 Eclipse was the original title to the Dark Side of the Moon album. 

 David Gilmour was in a band called Jokers Wild before being asked to join Pink Floyd. 

 David Gilmour and Syd Barrett were best of friends. One summer they went around France busking. 

 Nick Mason is the onlymember of Pink Floyd who has been on every album that Pink Floyd have recorded.

 Nick Mason and Richard Wright are the only two members who have been on every Pink Floyd Tour. In the case of Richard Wright he was hired on the The Wall tour.

 The first rock album to be played in space is Pink Floyds Delicate Sound of Thunder in a Russian space craft.

David Gilmourappeared on the Radio4 program dessert Island Discs. He has to choose 8 favourite songs, one book and a luxury item. The songs

1.The Kinks  Waterloo Sunset  

2.Bob Dylan  Ballad in Plain D 

3.Tom Waits  I'm Still Here 

4.Martha and The Vandellas  Dancing in the Street 

5.Leonard Cohen  Anthem 

6.Neil Young  A Man Needs A Maid 

7.Joni Mitchell  For Free 

8.The Lemonheads  Rudi With a Flashlight 

  The book an English version of the Kran and the luxury item an Acoustic Martin D.35 guitar.

Roger Waters also appeared on the same show but more recently in May 2011.

 His 8 songs were

1. Neil Young Helpless  

2.Ryuichi Sakamoto, Jaques Morelenbaum & Everton Norton Endless Flight 

3.Leonard Cohen  Bird on a Wire 

4.Chet Baker My Funny Valentine 

5.Ray Charles  Georgia On My Mind 

6.Giacomo Puccini  E Lucevan le Stelle – How the stars seemed to Shimmer from Tosca 

7.Billie Holiday  God Bless the Child 

8.Gustav Mahler   Symphony No 5 in C Sharp Minor -4th movement 

Roger Waters chosen book was All the Pretty Horses (The Border Trilogy, Book 1)

 And his luxury item is A Grand Piano.

Pink Floyd Trivia Facts and Questions answered