Fifty years after its release, Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here' remains a profound exploration of absence and disillusionment. In a recent interview, founding drummer Nick Mason revealed the turbulent story behind the iconic 1975 album, detailing a band struggling with creative exhaustion, internal friction, and a haunting visit from their past.
Key Takeaways
- Following the massive success of 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' Pink Floyd felt creatively drained and initially struggled in the studio.
- The band experimented with an abandoned project called 'Household Objects,' attempting to create music without traditional instruments.
- Former frontman Syd Barrett made an unannounced and startling appearance during the recording sessions, profoundly influencing the album's themes.
- Mason reflects on the internal tensions within the band and the changing landscape of the music industry over the past five decades.
A Difficult Follow-Up
Coming off the monumental success of their 1973 album, 'The Dark Side of the Moon,' Pink Floyd faced immense pressure. The band returned to Abbey Road Studios not at the peak of their powers, but in a state of creative uncertainty. According to drummer Nick Mason, the atmosphere was far from triumphant.
"We were rather not at the top of our game by the time we went back into Abbey Road," Mason stated. The initial sessions were unproductive, leading the band down an experimental path that ultimately proved to be a dead end.
The 'Household Objects' Experiment
To break through their creative block, the band embarked on a project titled 'Household Objects.' The concept was to record an entire album using only common items instead of musical instruments. Mason recalled his part in the unconventional orchestra.
"The only thing I remember playing was instead of using a bass drum, I had an ax and a large log of wood," he said.
While the project was eventually abandoned, Mason sees it as a necessary, if strange, detour. "It was a sort of useful exercise, from our point of view because I think if we'd stuck with it, we'd still be in Abbey Road now trying to finish." A single sound from those sessions, the ethereal hum of stroked wine glasses, survived and found its way into the opening of the album's centerpiece, "Shine On You Crazy Diamond."
The Ghost of Syd Barrett
The theme of absence permeates 'Wish You Were Here,' most notably in its tribute to the band's original leader, Syd Barrett. Barrett had left the group years earlier due to a severe mental breakdown. While the album became a requiem for their lost friend, Mason explained that it didn't start with that specific intention.
"I don't think we started recording on 'Wish You Were Here' with the idea that it was related to Syd," Mason noted. "I think it was a much more general absence."
A Haunting Visitation
The album's focus sharpened dramatically following a shocking and unexpected event. During a recording session, a man who was overweight, with a shaved head and eyebrows, entered the control room. It took the band members a considerable amount of time to realize it was Syd Barrett himself.
Mason described the moment as deeply unsettling. "I hadn't seen him, I would say, for five years, something like that. And, for me, it was particularly alarming... I didn't recognize him as being Syd at all." The chance encounter solidified the album's lyrical direction, turning a general feeling of loss into a direct and poignant tribute to their former bandmate.
Tension and Creativity
Pink Floyd was famously composed of strong personalities, and by the mid-1970s, the creative friction, particularly between Roger Waters and David Gilmour, was well-documented. Mason acknowledged that while this tension could fuel great art, it also came at a cost.
When asked about his role amidst the conflicts, Mason's response was simple: "Put the tin helmet on and get down in the bunker."
Mason believes that while creative tension can be productive, it is not always efficient. "The problem with it is you waste a lot of time," he remarked, suggesting a preference for a more harmonious working environment.
A Critique of the Music Machine
Beyond personal loss, 'Wish You Were Here' also leveled a sharp critique at the music industry. Songs like "Have A Cigar" and "Welcome to the Machine" express a deep cynicism toward the corporate greed the band was witnessing firsthand. This theme was famously visualized on the album's cover, which depicts two businessmen shaking hands while one is engulfed in flames.
Reflecting on the industry today, Mason believes the challenges for new artists are even greater.
"I think it's much tougher now than it ever was, particularly for younger bands. In the '70s, you needed an agent, a manager and a record company. But now, the record companies will not pick up a starter band. They'll wait until that band is showing... it's got a hundred thousand followers."
An Unexpected Legacy
Fifty years on, the album's resonance endures, a fact that still surprises its creators. Mason recalled the prevailing attitude when the band was starting out, a belief that their work was temporary.
"If you're in the music industry and if you're making records, you're still believing that pop music is ephemeral and that any day now they can send you back to the workhouse," he said.
The longevity of 'Wish You Were Here' stands as a testament to its raw honesty and timeless themes. For Mason, it's a remarkable outcome for a journey that began with modest expectations. "I left college to spend a year in a band. How was I to know 50 years later, I'd still be in that band?"