Pink Floyd History 1985

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In 1985, Pink Floyd experienced a significant change when Roger Waters announced his departure from the band. This decision came after growing tensions and his desire to pursue solo projects, in the belief that Pink Floyd was a spent force. Roger Waters began a second leg of his solo tour, “The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking,” in March 1985. Despite Waters’ exit, David Gilmour and Nick Mason would later continue under the Pink Floyd name, and Richard Wright re-joined the band by 1987.

19 March 1985

Roger Waters starts second leg of Pros And Cons Of Hitch Hiking in North America

Roger Waters kicked off the second leg of his “The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking” tour on March 19, 1985, at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. This tour was in support of his solo album released in 19842. Over the next few weeks, Waters performed a total of 17 dates, concluding at the Civic Center Arena in Lakeland, Florida on April 14, 1985. The tour featured a notable band line-up, including Eric Clapton on guitar, and was known for its storytelling approach, blending music with visual elements

Links – Tour Dates for the Pros and Cons 1985 Tour

13 July 1985

David Gilmour performed Live Aid in Brian Ferry’s band with Jon Carin

David Gilmour made a notable appearance at the Live Aid concert held on July 13, 1985, at Wembley Stadium in London. He performed with Bryan Ferry’s band, playing guitar on the song “Slave to Love.”

This performance was significant as Gilmour was the only member of Pink Floyd to participate in the historic event, which aimed to raise funds for the Ethiopian famine disaster.

Joining Gilmour on stage was Jon Carin, who would later become a backing musician for both Pink Floyd and Roger Waters. The performance was well-received, and Gilmour’s contribution added a touch of rock royalty to the star-studded line-up of the concert.

David Gilmour had played on a Brian Ferry album “a bit” and had phoned up David Gilmour to ask if he would play Live Aid and David said, “fine”. A man of few words!

Links – Watch David Gilmour Live Aid backstage interview and see the performance – Discuss the appearance on the Forum

October 1985

Roger Waters Leaves Pink Floyd

Roger Waters’ departure from Pink Floyd in 1985 was probably not much of a surprise to the other members of the band. Tensions had been building for years, with Waters feeling that he was the primary creative force behind the band’s success. He believed that the other members, were not contributing enough to the song writing process. This culminated in Waters announcing his departure from the band in 1985, stating that Pink Floyd had run its course and he wanted to pursue solo projects.

Roger Waters began his solo career with the release of his album “The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking” in 1984, and he embarked on a solo tour in 1985.

Despite his departure, Gilmour and Mason decided to continue with Pink Floyd, bringing back Richard Wright, who had left the band in 1979. This led to legal battles over the rights to the Pink Floyd name, which were eventually settled out of court in 1987, allowing Gilmour and Mason to continue using the band’s name.

Waters’ departure marked the end of an era for Pink Floyd, but it also paved the way for new musical directions for both Waters and the remaining members of the band.

Top Selling Albums in 1985

Here are the top ten selling albums of 1985:

1. “Born in the U.S.A.” by Bruce Springsteen: This album spent the entire year in the top 10 and ended as the top-selling album of the year. It included hits like “Dancing in the Dark” and “Born in the U.S.A.”1
2. “Purple Rain” by Prince and The Revolution: This soundtrack album was a massive success, featuring iconic tracks like “Purple Rain” and “When Doves Cry.”
3. “No Jacket Required” by Phil Collins: Collins’ third solo album topped the charts for several weeks and won the Album of the Year award at the 1986 Grammy Awards.
4. “Like a Virgin” by Madonna: Madonna’s second studio album reached number one and included hit singles “Material Girl” and “Like a Virgin,” solidifying her status as a pop icon.
5. “Make It Big” by Wham!: This album featured three number-one singles: “Wake Me Up Before You Go-Go,” “Careless Whisper,” and “Everything She Wants.”
6. “Centerfield” by John Fogerty: Fogerty’s first solo album since 1975 reached number one and included the hit single “The Old Man Down the Road.”
7. “Songs from the Big Chair” by Tears for Fears: This album spent several weeks at number one and included popular tracks like “Everybody Wants to Rule the World” and “Shout.”
8. “Agent Provocateur” by Foreigner: This album reached number one and included hits like “I Want to Know What Love Is.”
9. “Meat Loaf’s “Hits Out of Hell”: This album featured the hit single “Bat Out of Hell” and was a commercial success.
10. “The Very Best of Chris de Burgh” by Chris de Burgh: This compilation album reached the top of the charts and included popular tracks like “The Lady in Red.”