When David Gilmour joined Pink Floyd in late 1967, he stepped into a whirlwind of challenges. Tasked with supporting the band amidst the mental health decline of their visionary leader Syd Barrett, Gilmour’s role quickly shifted from reinforcement to replacement. It wasn’t just a change of personnel—it was the daunting task of stepping into the shoes of one of the psychedelic era’s most revered figures.
Pink Floyd had already made their mark at London’s UFO Club and released their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, earlier that year. Led by Barrett’s unique vision, the record blended pop, improvisation, and pioneering studio effects, crafting a surreal experience that felt like stepping into a fantastical world of Barrett’s creation. However, Barrett’s mental health deteriorated shortly after its release, and by April 1968, the band made the difficult decision to move forward without him.
With Barrett gone, Pink Floyd faced an identity crisis while completing their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets. The album became a transitional piece, featuring Roger Waters stepping up as the band’s leader and the members sharing songwriting duties to ease the creative load. This shift also marked the beginning of Gilmour’s gradual emergence as a vital part of the band’s sound.
One of the album’s standout tracks, “Corporal Clegg,” highlighted the band’s evolving dynamic. Written by Waters, the song bore traces of Barrett’s influence, blending eccentricity with a noir-like guitar line from Gilmour and whimsical vocal flourishes. Most notably, it marked one of Gilmour’s first major contributions, as he sang lead vocals on much of the track. Despite its playful exterior, “Corporal Clegg” hinted at the grandeur and sophistication Pink Floyd would later achieve on albums like The Dark Side of the Moon.
For Gilmour, however, the experience of working on “Corporal Clegg” was far from comfortable. Speaking in 1983, he candidly recalled feeling out of place during those early sessions.
“I didn’t know what the hell I was trying to play at the time, to be quite honest,” he admitted. “What I was used to playing, the style I had, didn’t fit Pink Floyd at the time, and I didn’t really know quite what to do.”
He went on to describe how his style evolved over the years, blending with and shaping Pink Floyd’s sound in return. Reflecting on that period, Gilmour confessed: “I don’t think I had a style, really.”
“Corporal Clegg” may not be the most celebrated track in Pink Floyd’s discography, but it captures a pivotal moment in their journey. For Gilmour, it was the start of his evolution into one of rock’s most iconic guitarists, navigating uncertainty to find his place in the band and ultimately redefine its sound.
