PINK FLOYD - UK
Psychedelic & Space/Symphonic Rock

PINK FLOYD is not simply one of the progenitors of progressive rock, but is probably the most popular group in the entire genre. The band’s name (chosen by original founder/lyricist Syd Barrett) refers to the first names of two bluesmen (PINK Anderson and FLOYD Council), and the joining of the two names is translated into English as “Pink Flamingo.” The first line-up consisted of guitarist/vocalist Syd Barrett, bass player/vocalist Roger Waters (who left the group in 1983), drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Rick Wright. Guitarist and vocalist David Gilmour (who was partly responsible for the group's change of direction) joined PINK FLOYD in 1968. Four months later, Syd Barrett left the group to play in solo career then to disappear from the public eye. The band originally formed in the mid-1960s during the “psychedelic” rock period, but then helped to develop what we now know as “progressive rock” - and particularly “space rock” - through the use of sound textures, effects, and emerging recording studio tricks and techniques.

It is necessary to distinguish three great periods in the career of the group:
o 1967-1971: psychedelic progressive music, space rock and very cosmic
o 1972-1984: music mixing rock, symphonics, and darker progressive, starting with ''Animals'' (77).
o 1987-1995: David Gilmour’s period (or "The post Waters, David Gilmour led period", as he was of course in the band prior to this), which produced more commercial progressive music while still keeping very melodic and symphonic aspects.

Personally, I have always believed that PINK FLOYD is an overrated group. They have some good albums, but also some very average albums. For me, PINK FLOYD is not as good as GENESIS or JETHRO TULL, yet they are undoubtedly more popular, better recognized, and more respected by the masses and critics. “Dark Side of the Moon” is one of PINK FLOYD’s more famous albums, and was a big turning point in their career. They established many more fans after releasing the album, and became literally exhausted for quite a while. All together, they have sold over 140 million records worldwide, perhaps earning them the title of being one of the best classic rock bands of the latest century.

IN MEMORIAM: Syd Barrett (1946-2006)

7^th July 2006
Roger ‘’Syd’’ Barrett, co-founded the seminal psychedelic rock band PINK FLOYD, has died at the age of 60 from complications related to diabetes. The guitarist/singer was the architect of PINK FLOYD’s influential early sound. He was an inspiration to many people…. ‘’Shine on Roger… Shine on you crazy diamond…”

BEST ALBUM
	The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn - 1967 - The first PINK FLOYD album is more psychedelic than progressive, though british psychedelia was always close to progressive rock and probably it was the british psychedelia that opened the path to the progressive rock, because most of the progressive rock early bands were psychedelic oriented (The MOODY BLUES, PROCOL HARUM, DEEP PURPLE, YES, GENESIS, KING CRIMSON and etc all had psychedelic influences in their early albums).
	Meddle - 1971 -
	Dark Side Of The Moon - 1973 -
	Wish You Were Here - 1975 -
	Animals - 1977 -
	The Wall - 1979 -

DISCOGRAPHY:
The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn (67) / A Saucerful Of Secrets (68) / More O.S.T. (69) / Ummagumma (69) / Atom Heart Mother (70) / Meddle (71) / Relics (71) / Obscured By Clouds OST (72) / Dark Side Of The Moon (73) / Masters Of Rock Vol. 1 (74) / Wish You Were Here (75) / Animals (77) / The Wall (79) / A Collection Of Great Dance Songs (81) / The Final Cut (83) - Works (83) / A Momentary Lapse Of Reason (87) / The Delicate Sound Of Thunder (88) / Shine On (92) / Division Bell (94) / P-U-L-S-E (95) / Is There Anybody Out There? (00) / Echoes - The Best Of Pink Floyd (01) / Dark Side Of The Moon (30th anniversary edition) (03)

PAATOS - SWEDEN

LANDBERQ offshoot and in the same melancholy style, with female vocals and belowed mellotron
 

BEST ALBUM

Timeloss - 2002 - This album, called “Timeloss” was their amazing debut. I think it is the perfect example of how modern prog should or could sound like. There are some people who are in doubt about modern prog, maybe not knowing that there really are bands keeping the genre alive. PAATOS demonstrate arrestingly how it may sound like, the future of prog.

DISCOGRAPHY:
Timeloss (02), Kallocain (04), Silence Of Another Kind (05)