Every artist has those tracks that stick with them—for better or worse. Whether it’s a technical triumph or a creative leap, some songs stand out as personal milestones. But when you’ve spent decades in a band like Pink Floyd, not every experiment lands the way you hoped. For David Gilmour, some moments in the band’s catalog are better left in the past.
Pink Floyd was never one to stay still creatively. From the post-Syd Barrett years onward, the group evolved dramatically with each release. They pushed boundaries, shed old skins, and continually redefined what rock music could sound like. But not every record is a masterpiece—and Gilmour is the first to admit it.
Take Ummagumma, for instance. The 1969 album features flashes of brilliance, but also descends into long stretches of unlistenable chaos. While some avant-garde experiments paid off later in tracks like “Echoes” or “On the Run,” Ummagumma’s more abstract moments—like Roger Waters’ infamous “Several Species…”—tested even the most patient listeners.
Of all the divisive material in Pink Floyd’s early discography, few songs have aged as awkwardly as “Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast” from Atom Heart Mother. A quirky blend of musique concrète and pastoral ambiance, the piece features their roadie Alan making breakfast and mumbling about cereal. It was a bold choice, but not one Gilmour looks back on fondly.
“We were fairly brave, and would put anything on a record that amused us one way or another,” Gilmour once reflected. “But in some of those moments, we were floundering about… inspiration might have been a bit thin.
Moving on from our ‘Psychedelic Breakfast’ moments—which is great in its way, but I’d never want to listen to it really—to something more concrete like ‘Echoes’ was much more satisfying.”
Even fans often skip over the track. It’s less a song than a sound collage—interesting in theory, but ultimately lacking the cohesion and emotional pull found in Pink Floyd’s stronger work. Still, it’s not without merit. The use of ambient effects and environmental sounds would eventually resurface in more refined ways on Animals and The Wall.
As for the title suite from Atom Heart Mother, Gilmour and Waters have both expressed mixed feelings. While the orchestral piece has its moments, they’ve long since retired it from their live repertoire. The Western-style brass sections and inconsistent pacing have led many to view the track as more of an oddity than a staple.
Pink Floyd’s legacy is filled with daring experiments, and their willingness to take risks is part of what made them iconic. But for Gilmour, “Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast” is a reminder that not every experiment needs to be revisited. Sometimes, growing as an artist means knowing when to leave breakfast behind.
