A Brief History of Pink Floyd

I've always wondered how certain bands started. My favorite band is Pink Floyd. How did they meet? Where did they come up with Pink Floyd? Why "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn?" I think I found the answers to these questions.

Syd Barrett was born Roger Keith Barrett on January 6, 1946 in Cambridge, England and Roger Waters was born George Roger Waters on September 9, 1944 in Great Brookham, England; both grew up in the same neighborhood. While Barrett and Waters were young they became close friends. Barrett went to the Camberwell School of Arts in 1964. While attending school, Barrett met David Gilmore was born David Jon Gilmore on March 6, 1944 in Cambridge, England and later a member of Pink Floyd. During this time Waters was attending school at Cambridge's Regent ST. Polytechnic Academy and studied architecture. While attending school Waters formed a band named Sigma 6 with fellow students and friends; Nick Mason was born Nicholas Berkeley Mason on January 27, 1944 in Birmingham, England and Rick Wright was born Richard William Wright on July 28, 1943 in London, England. Sigma 6 fell apart in 1965.

Shortly after Sigma 6 fell apart Syd Barrett, Roger Waters, Nick Mason and Rick Wright got together and formed Pink Floyd. The four members were inspired by two Georgia blues artists Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. So Barrett got the idea to combine two names and came up with Pink Floyd.

The group started working at the Thompson Private Recording Company, which was very small and was located in the basement of an old house. In October 1966 Pink Floyd started playing at the U.F.O. club in London and became a house band. They soon caught the attention of EMI and got signed to their Columbia Label.

In 1967 Pink Floyd released their first two singles. The first "Arnold Layne" became a top twenty hit. Then it was banned by the BBC for depicting the life of a transvestite thief. The controversy only helped the success of Pink Floyd. The second single was, "See Emily Play," reached number six on the charts.

On August, 5 1967 they released "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn." Barrett wrote the lyrics to all the songs but one, "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk" which was written by Waters. They came up with the title for the album from the seventh chapter of Kenneth Grahames' "The Wind in the Willows", Where Ratty and Mole, while searching for a lost