Pink Floyd are an English rock band founded in late 1965 by Syd Barrett on guitar and lead vocals, Nick Mason on drums, Roger Waters on bass and vocals, and Richard Wright on keyboards and vocals. Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour joined in December 1967, while Barrett was ousted in April 1968 due to deteriorating mental health. From the 1970s onwards, Pink Floyd were augmented by additional personnel in the studio and on stage. Following creative tensions, Wright left in 1981, followed by Waters in 1985.: O'Rourke's involvement in the settlement; : "a spent force". Wright rejoined as a session musician and, later, a member. Mason is the only member to appear on every album.
History Waters and Mason met while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic at Regent Street.: Mason meeting Waters while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic; : Waters meeting Mason while studying architecture at the London Polytechnic. They first played music together in a group formed by fellow students Keith Noble and Clive Metcalfe, with Noble's sister Sheilagh. Richard Wright, a fellow architecture student, joined later that year, and the group became a sextet, Sigma 6. Waters played lead guitar, Mason drums, and Wright rhythm guitar, later moving to keyboards.: Wright was also an architecture student when he joined Sigma 6; : The formation of Sigma 6; : Instrumental line-up of Sigma 6: Waters (lead guitar), Wright (rhythm guitar) and Mason (drums).
Guitarist Bob Klose joined during September 1964, prompting Waters to switch to bass. Sigma 6 went through several names, including the Meggadeaths, the Abdabs and the Screaming Abdabs, Leonard's Lodgers, and the Spectrum Five, before settling on the Tea Set. In September 1964, as Metcalfe and Noble left to form their own band, Klose introduced the band to singer Chris Dennis, a technician with the Royal Air Force (RAF). When the RAF assigned Dennis a post in Bahrain in early 1965, Syd Barrett became the band's frontman. After pressure from his parents and advice from his college tutors, Klose quit the band in mid-1965 and Barrett took over lead guitar.: Klose quit the band in mid 1965 and Barrett took over on lead guitar (secondary source); : Klose quit the band in mid 1965 (primary source). The group rebranded as the Pink Floyd Sound in late 1965.
In December 1967, reaching a crisis point with Barrett, Pink Floyd added guitarist David Gilmour as the fifth member. Gilmour already knew Barrett, having studied with him at Cambridge Tech in the early 1960s. Working with Barrett eventually proved too difficult, and matters came to a conclusion in January while en route to a performance in Southampton when a band member asked if they should collect Barrett. According to Gilmour, the answer was "Nah, let's not bother", signalling the end of Barrett's tenure with Pink Floyd.
For the Dark Side of the Moon Tour in 1973, the band were joined by saxophonist Dick Parry, as well as by backing singers Nawasa Crowder, Mary Ann Lindsey and Phyllis Lindsey from March – June 1973, Billy Barnum, Venetta Fields and Clydie King in October 1973, and Vicki Brown, Liza Strike and Clare Torry at "A Benefit for Robert Wyatt", 4 November 1973. Parry stayed with the band into 1974 and 1975, alongside Venetta Fields & Carlena Williams on backing vocals.
The band stopped using female singers for the In the Flesh tour in 1977, instead the band were joined by Snowy White on guitar, bass and backing vocals, alongside Parry on saxophone and keyboards.
During the recording of The Wall (1979), the band became dissatisfied with Wright's lack of contribution and fired him. Gilmour said that Wright was dismissed as he "hadn't contributed anything of any value whatsoever to the album—he did very, very little".: That's why Wright "got the boot"; : Wright, "hadn't contributed anything of any value". For The Wall tour, Wright was re-hired as a contracted musician, alongside Andy Bown on bass guitar, Snowy White on guitars, Willie Wilson on drums and percussion, Peter Wood on keyboards, and backing singers Joe Chemay, Stan Farber, Jim Haas, John Joyce.
After recording The Final Cut (1983) without Wright, Waters left the band, following tensions with Gilmour and Mason. Pink Floyd were inactive until 1986, following legal battles between members. Gilmour began recruiting musicians in 1986, for what would later become Pink Floyd. He rehired Wright, but could only add him as a contract musician.: Pink Floyd employed Wright as a paid musician with weekly earnings of $11,000; : "would make us stronger legally and musically".
For the A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour, which started in 1987, Gilmour, Wright and Mason were joined by Jon Carin on keyboards and vocals, Scott Page on saxophones, oboe and guitars, Guy Pratt on bass guitar and vocals, Tim Renwick on guitars and backing vocals, Gary Wallis on percussion, and backing vocalists Rachel Fury and Margaret Taylor. Durga McBroom, Lorelei McBroom and Roberta Freeman joined as extra backing vocalist midway through the first leg of the tour. Durga continued with the band while Freeman departed after a few shows, alongside Lorelei, though she returned to replace Taylor for 1989 shows.
Pink Floyd played one show in 1990, backing musicians included Pratt, Carin, Renwick, Wallis and D. McBroom, alongside keyboardist Michael Kamen, saxophonist Candy Dulfer, and backing vocalists Sam Brown, Vicki Brown and Clare Torry. They also played a one off in 1993, with members of Mike and the Mechanics as backing musicians, Mike Rutherford on bass, Renwick on guitar, Wallis on second drums, Adrian Lee on keyboards, and Paul Young on vocals. The bands final tour, The Division Bell Tour included Pratt, Carin, Renwick, Wallis, Dick Parry returning on sax, and backing vocalists Sam Brown, Claudia Fontaine, and Durga McBroom.
The band reunited in 1996, with Gilmour, Mason and Wright being joined by Billy Corgan, to perform "Wish You Were Here". Waters rejoined Gilmour, Wright and Mason at Live 8 in 2005, the band were supported by Carin on additional keys and lap steel, Renwick on guitar and bass and Carol Kenyon on additional vocals. Wright, Gilmour and Mason played at the Madcap's Last Laugh concert in Tribute to Syd Barrett who died in 2006. They were joined by Carin on keys and Oasis's Andy Bell on bass. Wright died in 2008.
Mason and Gilmour reunited in 2013 to finish an album that be been partially recorded in the 90s, this was announced to be their last. The duo again reunited in 2022, releasing "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" protesting Russian's invasion of Ukraine.
Official members ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsNick Masonall Pink Floyd releasesRoger WatersRichard Wrightall releases except for "When the Tigers Broke Free" (1982), The Final Cut (1983) and "Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" (2022)Roger "Syd" Barrett1965–1968 David Gilmourall releases from "It Would Be So Nice" (1968) onwards except for 1965: Their First Recordings (2015)
Live members ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributions/toursDavid O'List1967Substitute for Syd BarrettNawasa Crowder1973backing vocalsThe Dark Side of the Moon Tour 1973Mary Ann LindseyPhyllis LindseyBillie BarnumClydie KingVenetta Fields1973–1975Wish You Were Here (1975) – also The Dark Side of the Moon Tour 1973, French Concert Series 1974, British Winter Tour 1974 and North American Tour 1975Carlena Williams1973–1975 Liza Strike1973The Dark Side of the Moon (1973) Clare TorryVicki BrownThe Wall (1979) – also The Dark Side of the Moon Tour 1973 and Knebworth Festival Benefit Concert 1990Dick Parry Snowy White1977–1980Animals (1977) – also In the Flesh 1977 and The Wall tour Jim Haas1980–1981 backing vocalsThe Wall (1979) – also The Wall tourJoe Chemay1980–1981 Stan FarberJohn JoyceAndy Bown1980–1981 The Final Cut (1983) – also The Wall tourPeter Wood1980–1981The Wall tourWillie WilsonClive Brooks1981 The Wall tour Andy Roberts1981guitarThe Wall tour Jon CarinTim RenwickGuy Pratt1987–1994 Gary Wallis1987–1994Scott Page1987–1989A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) – also A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour 1987–1989Rachel Furybacking vocalsA Momentary Lapse of Reason tour 1987–1989Margaret Taylor1987–1988A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour 1987 and World Tour 1988Durga McBroom1987–1994 Lorelei McBroomA Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour 1987 and Another Lapse 1989Roberta Freeman1987A Momentary Lapse of Reason Tour 1987Sam Brown1990–1994The Division Bell (1994) – also Knebworth Festival Benefit Concert 1990 and The Division Bell Tour 1994Candy Dulfer1990saxophoneKnebworth Festival Benefit Concert 1990Michael Kamen1990 keyboardsMike Rutherford1993bassKing Edward VII Hospital Benefit Concert 1993 – with Mike and the MechanicsAdrian LeePaul Young1993 Claudia Fontaine1994 backing vocalsThe Division Bell Tour 1994Billy Corgan1996guitarRock and Roll Hall of Fame 1996Carol Kenyon2005 backing vocalsThe Division Bell (1994) – also Live 8 Concert 2005Andy Bell2007bassThe Madcap's Last Laugh: Syd Barrett tribute concert 2007
Session members ImageNameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsDoris Troy1972–1973 backing vocalsThe Dark Side of the Moon (1973)Lesley Duncan1972–1973 Barry St. John1972–1973 Roy Harper1975vocalsWish You Were Here (1975)Bob EzrinJeff Porcaro1979 drumsThe Wall (1979)Joe Porcaro1979 Bruce Johnston1979backing vocalsToni TennilleJames GuthrieChildren of Islington Green SchoolvocalsLee RitenourguitarJoe (Ron) di BlasiFred MandelHammond organBobbye Hallcongas and bongosLarry WilliamsclarinetTrevor VeitchmandolinNew York OrchestraorchestraNew York Operachoral vocalsHarry WatersvoiceChris FitzmorrisTrudy YoungPhil Taylorsound effectsFrank Marocco1979 concertinaAndy Newmark1982drumsThe Final Cut (1983)Ray CooperpercussionDoreen Chanterbacking vocalsIrene ChanterNational Philharmonic OrchestraorchestraRaphael Ravenscroft1982 tenor saxophonePatrick Leonard1986–1987synthesizersA Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987)Bill PayneHammond organMichael LandauguitarTony LevinJim KeltnerdrumsCarmine AppiceSteve FormanpercussionTom ScottsaxophoneJohn HelliwellDarlene Koldenhovenbacking vocalsCarmen TwilliePhyllis St. JamesDonny Gerrard1986–1987 Jackie Sheridan1993–1994The Division Bell (1994)Rebecca Leigh-WhiteAndy Jackson2013–2014The Endless River (2014)Damon IddinskeyboardsAnthony MooreGilad AtzmonLouise Marshalbacking vocalsTidaya SharimYouthEddie BanderMichael RendallEscalastringsNitin Sawhney2022keyboards"Hey, Hey, Rise Up!" (2022)Veryovka Ukrainian Folk Choirchoir
Timelines
Official member timeline
Touring timeline
Members of early antecedents In addition to the official members of Pink Floyd, there were several members of bands that preceded it. These bands performed at various times as Sigma 6, the Meggadeaths, the Abdabs (or the Screaming Abdabs), Leonard's Lodgers, the Spectrum Five, and the Tea Set. NameYears activeInstrumentsRelease contributionsMike Leonard1963keyboardsNoneClive Metcalfe1963–1964bassKeith Noble1963–1964 (died 2014)vocalsSheilagh Noble1963Vernon ThompsonguitarJuliette Gale1964vocals1965: Their First Recordings (2015) Bob Klose1964–1965guitarChris Denis1965vocalsNone
Line-ups PeriodMembersReleasesSeptember 1963 – August 1964 (Sigma 6)Nick Mason – drums Roger Waters – lead guitar Richard Wright – rhythm guitar Clive Metcalfe – bass Keith Noble – vocals Sheilagh Noble – vocals rowspan="2" September 1964 – Early 1965 (The Tea Set)Nick Mason – drums Roger Waters – bass Richard Wright – keyboards Bob Klose – guitar Chris Dennis – vocalsEarly – Mid 1965 (The Tea Set)Nick Mason – drums Roger Waters – bass, vocals Richard Wright – keyboards Bob Klose – guitar Syd Barrett – vocals, guitar1965: Their First Recordings (2015)Mid 1965 – December 1967 (The Tea Set until late 1965, Pink Floyd from late 1965 onwards) Nick Mason – drums Roger Waters – bass, vocals Richard Wright – keyboards, vocals Syd Barrett – guitar, vocals"Arnold Layne" single (1967)