Pink Floyd History 1968 – Finding Their Feet

Picture: 968 Pink Floyd Bouton Rouge, ORTF Studios, Buttes Chaumont, Paris., 20 February 1968. Live performances of Astronomy Domine, Flaming, Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun, and Let There Be More Light. Read more about Pink Floyd World Tour 1968.

Pink Floyd did a photo session for the Saucerful of Secrets album promo that would be released in June 1968. They were possibly recording Arnold Layne (Alternative version) at Hampstead Heath and St. Michael’s Church, Highgate, London, UK

With UFO club having closed down due to police pressure and John Hoppy Hopkins being sent to prison, Middle Earth in Covent Garden was the hip place to be. Syd Barrett turned up to the gig and stood in the audience staring at David Gilmour who had replaced him in the band.

David Gilmour told Zigzag magazine, “I remember on terrible night when Syd [Barrett] came and stood in front of the stage. He stared at me all night long. Horrible!”

This moment is often remembered as emblematic of the strange and strained relationship between Barrett and the band following his departure. It’s also reflective of Barrett’s unpredictable behaviour during that period of his life.

Pink Floyd’s 1968 performance on the BBC’s ‘Omnibus,’ playing “Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun,” was a pivotal moment in their burgeoning media presence. This appearance on the respected arts program, later included in the documentary ‘All My Loving,’ offered significant exposure, showcasing their evolving psychedelic style and new material from “A Saucerful of Secrets.”

It symbolized the band’s transition in the post-Syd Barrett era, with David Gilmour, and helped broaden their audience, solidifying their influence in the rock music scene.

Pink Floyd embarked on an intriguing project, providing the soundtrack for “The Committee,” a British avant-garde film directed by Peter Sykes. This collaboration showcased the band’s early foray into film scoring, aligning with their experimental and progressive musical style. The film, known for its abstract and psychological narrative, was a perfect canvas for Pink Floyd’s unique sound, which at the time was deeply rooted in psychedelic and space rock. While the soundtrack they created for “The Committee” didn’t gain the same level of fame as their later works for films like “More” and “Obscured by Clouds,” it remains a fascinating piece of Pink Floyd’s history. This project demonstrated the band’s versatility and their ability to complement and enhance the artistic vision of a film through their music. Unfortunately, the specific pieces Pink Floyd composed for the film were not widely released, making this soundtrack a somewhat hidden gem in their discography.

Pink Floyd performed at the ‘First European International Pop Festival’ held in Rome, Italy. This event was significant as it was one of the early major international rock music festivals in Europe, signifying the expanding influence of rock and psychedelic music across the continent.

Pink Floyd’s appearance at the festival was part of their early international tours, which played a crucial role in expanding their audience beyond the United Kingdom. Their performance in Rome came during a transformative period for the band, as it was after Syd Barrett’s departure and David Gilmour had joined as his replacement. This change significantly influenced their musical style and stage presence.

The festival itself was a melting pot of various musical acts from different countries, showcasing the diverse styles emerging in rock and pop music at the time. Read about the poster on V&A website.

Syd Barrett began recording his first solo album, “The Madcap Laughs,” in 1968 at Abbey Road Studios, following his departure from Pink Floyd. The recording process, however, was spread out and somewhat erratic, extending into 1969. “The Madcap Laughs” was eventually released in January 1970.

The sessions for “The Madcap Laughs” are notable for their unstructured and spontaneous nature. Barrett, known for his innovative and whimsical songwriting with Pink Floyd, brought a similar approach to his solo work. However, his mental health issues and unpredictable behavior added a layer of complexity to the recording process. Various producers and musicians were involved in the sessions, including former Pink Floyd bandmates Roger Waters and David Gilmour, who helped produce and play on some of the tracks in an attempt to give the album some structure and coherence.

The album itself is a mixture of raw, unpolished tracks and more fully produced songs. It showcases Barrett’s distinctive style, characterized by his whimsical lyrics and unique approach to guitar playing. “The Madcap Laughs” is often seen as a poignant reflection of Barrett’s state of mind during that period, offering a window into his creative genius as well as his struggles.

Despite its fragmented production process, “The Madcap Laughs” has been embraced by fans and critics alike for its artistic authenticity and is considered a significant work in the history of psychedelic and experimental music.

Pink Floyd embarked on a 12-date tour in the Netherlands, which included a notable performance at the Paradiso in Amsterdam. The Paradiso, famous for being a central hub of hippie culture and a key venue for progressive and psychedelic music during the late 1960s, was an ideal setting for Pink Floyd’s innovative and experimental sound.

During this tour, Pink Floyd was transitioning into a new phase of their musical journey. With David Gilmour now a full member, replacing Syd Barrett, the band’s sound and style were evolving. The setlist for these shows included tracks from “A Saucerful of Secrets,” which marked a departure from their earlier, Barrett-led psychedelic style to a more structured, yet still experimental, form of progressive rock.

Songs like “Let There Be More Light” and the title track “A Saucerful of Secrets” were significant inclusions. “Let There Be More Light” opens the “A Saucerful of Secrets” album and showcases the band’s developing style, featuring extended instrumental passages and a more complex musical structure. The title track, an extended, multi-part instrumental, was emblematic of the band’s direction towards more elaborate compositions and would become a staple and highlight of their live performances.

This tour, and particularly the shows at The Paradiso, were crucial in establishing Pink Floyd’s reputation in the burgeoning European rock scene. They were not only promoting their latest album but also testing new musical ideas in front of live audiences, a practice that would become a hallmark of their approach to album creation and live performances.

On 28 June 1968, Pink Floyd released “A Saucerful of Secrets,” an album that reached No. 9 in the UK charts, underscoring their continued success in the music industry. This release was pivotal as it was the first album to feature David Gilmour and the last with Syd Barrett, marking a significant transition in the band’s line-up and musical style. The album’s chart success demonstrated Pink Floyd’s ability to evolve and maintain popularity amidst changes, solidifying their position as a leading force in the psychedelic rock scene.

The album sleeve is particularly notable because it was designed by Hipgnosis, a new company formed by the band’s friends Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell. They knew them from Cambridge. They were paid £110 for their efforts.

The ‘Midsummer High Weekend’ concert in London’s Hyde Park, where Pink Floyd headlined over acts like Tyrannosaurus Rex (later known as T. Rex), Jethro Tull, and Roy Harper, was a landmark event. This concert, held on June 29, 1968, was part of a series of free concerts in Hyde Park that became famous during the late 1960s and early 1970s.

For Pink Floyd, their performance at the Midsummer High Weekend was a showcase of their new material from “A Saucerful of Secrets” and a demonstration of their evolving musical direction. The concert was an opportunity for the band to connect with a broader audience and display their innovative live performance style.

Nick Mason, “The one in ’68 was wonderful because it was much more a picnic in the park than a mini-Woodstock. A lovely day. It was important for us too because it reminded us of our, uh, roots — whether spurious or not. They were our roots — not personally, but as an enterprise. We were the house band.”

“Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London” is a documentary film released in 1967, directed by Peter Whitehead. This film is a vivid portrayal of the swinging London scene during the 1960s, capturing the cultural and social revolution that was taking place in the city at that time. The title of the film is a reflection of the free-spirited, progressive, and somewhat hedonistic atmosphere that characterized London during this era.

Pink Floyd’s involvement in the documentary is particularly noteworthy. They contributed to the soundtrack, which included their early psychedelic sound that was emblematic of the period. The film features live performances and interviews with key figures from the music, art, and literary scenes of 1960s London, with Pink Floyd being a significant representative of the music scene.

The soundtrack, including Pink Floyd’s contributions, is an essential element of the film, encapsulating the mood and spirit of the time. Their music added an atmospheric and immersive quality to the documentary, aligning well with its exploration of the youth culture and the burgeoning counterculture movement in London.

“Tonite Let’s All Make Love in London” serves as a historical document of a pivotal moment in cultural history, and Pink Floyd’s participation in the project highlights their role as one of the leading voices in the psychedelic music movement of the 1960s.

See photos from Tonite Let’s All Make Love In London

Pink Floyd performed 10 dates in the UK and France, commencing at Mothers in Birmingham and ending at London’s Middle Earth on 26 October.

Pink Floyd played London’s Regent Street Polytechnic, the alma mata of Roger Waters, Richard Wright and Nick Mason.

28 December 1968
The “Flight To Lowlands Paradise II” festival, a predecessor to the modern-day Lowlands festival, took place on 28 December 1968. Pink Floyd replaced advertised headliners The Jimi Hendrix Experience in Utrecht, Netherlands. The festival, held in Utrecht, was sold out with a capacity of 18,000 visitors. However, this popularity led to a situation where many attendees could not get inside, resulting in unrest and requiring police intervention.

This was the final concert in 1968 for Pink Floyd