Roger Waters and David Gilmour were usually at the center of Pink Floyd’s power dynamics. The band’s early years saw Syd Barrett serve as frontman, but after his mental breakdown, the other members took over. Waters produced kaleidoscope images and lectured about the state of the world beneath the band’s musical masterpieces. Gilmour acknowledged that one song nearly overcame him, even though Waters had the final say.
But for the first few years after Barrett, it wasn’t apparent if the band could produce anything more. The band was still figuring out who they wanted to be through albums like Atom Heart Mother and soundtrack albums like Obscured By Clouds. They didn’t know where they were headed until they wrote the incredible song “Echoes” for the album Meddle.
Waters started writing the next album’s lyrics, which focused on life and what drives people insane, after deciding exactly how he wanted to approach the genre. Originally one composition, The Dark Side of the Moon became a rock history icon with enduring popularity. It showcased Gilmour and Waters’ flawless virtuosity behind the microphone and on their instruments.
However, Waters used the remainder of his time with the band to make statements about the threats he perceived in the world. This came after the group experienced a taste of fame and fortune. “Welcome to the Machine” set the stage for the band’s epic, while “Wish You Were Here” paid homage to Barrett.
Waters would design The Wall as a stark examination of what the music industry does to a person, modeled after Barrett and his own life. One of the album’s key tracks nearly didn’t cut. Even though the title track, “Pink,” may experience several mood shifts throughout the rock opera.
In an attempt to get Pink on stage, his managers broke into his hotel room while he was cutting himself off from reality. This set up the epic “Comfortably Numb.” Gilmour had second thoughts about the song, almost taking it off the record despite its infectious hooks.
Years later, Ginger Gilmour’s wife recalled that the guitarist was on the verge of a violent outburst during the song. She told Louder, “It seemed like a very difficult day because Roger didn’t want Comfortably Numb to be on the record.” In a Japanese restaurant, David hit the table so hard that, had he known karate, it’d break. He declared, “That fucking needs to be on the record.”
The song featured some of Gilmour’s most brilliant lead guitar playing. It advanced the story until Pink besieged his fans and ultimately tore down the wall. It became an instant classic among Floyd fans after Waters eventually gave in. Though Roger Waters’ vision shaped The Wall, the album wouldn’t be the same without the backing performances of the other Pink Floyd members. However, Gilmour’s creative voice was essential in providing fans with a piece of rock history.
