Inner sleeve art for Pink Floyd's 'Wish You Were Here'. © Storm Thorgerson
Pink Floyd’s 1975 album Wish You Were Here is an undisputed rock classic. With the cover—two businessmen shaking hands, one of them on fire—designed by the legendary Hipgnosis (founded by Aubrey Powell and Storm Thorgerson) it explored themes around fame, absence, greed, ambition, the music business, and featured a homage to departed founding member Syd Barrett and the demons that plagued him.
It topped the record charts on its release in both the UK and US and was recorded at the famous Abbey Road Studios across various recording sessions. One of which even included a visit from Barrett himself who turned up unannounced and unrecognisable. (In the recent V&A exhibition Their Mortal Remains a polaroid of the incident is on show along with a quote from Nick Mason stating, “David [Gilmour] asked me if I knew who he was… even then I couldn’t place him, and had to be told. It was Syd.”
Syd Barret photographed at his flat in Earls Court, 1969. © Mick Rock
And it’s this record, imbued with near mythical status, that YouTube channel Polyphonic tackles in its latest video. Titled ‘Understanding Pink Floyd’s Wish You Were Here’ it follows on from the channels previous exploration of musicians like the Red Hot Chili Peppers band member Flea’s bass playing and its video on why Led Zeppelin’s John Bonham is one of the greatest drummers ever.
As the video notes, Wish You Were Here was the followup album to Dark Side of the Moon, a huge success that gave the band international fame. Initially for WYWH they recorded sounds using household objects, making songs that were then discarded. So instead, due to the recognition that came with Dark Side of the Moon, WYWH became a more melancholic and reflective record, looking back at their success and what they’d lost along the way.
“[The result] was one part lament for their fallen comrade Syd Barrett,” notes the video. “And one part vitriolic takedown of the industry that they blame for their strife.”
The band in Abbey Road Studios during recording of 'Wish You Were Here'. © Jill Furmanovsky
Along with looking at Barrett’s backstory, the video also looks at how the song that became his dedication “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” bookends the album. This idea to split it into two parts and build it out from a four note guitar theme was Roger Waters’. He thought it made the music sound like the lingering ghost of Barrett.
Elsewhere the video essay notes how in “Welcome to the Machine” the ominous, imposing music and mechanical sounds reflect the cold, inhuman aspect of the music biz. This takedown of the industry is also felt in “Have a Cigar” where the song is written from the perspective of a music executive who cynically woes the band with money and success and asks the now famous lyric ""Oh, by the way, which one's Pink?".
This critique is also reflected in the imagery by Hipgnosis and the famous cover, which saw them set fire to a stuntman no less than 15 times to get the perfect shot, with assistants on standby with fire extinguishers.
![Cover art for the live single of 'Wish You Were Here'. Storm Thorgerson recalled "What you see is what you get - 'Two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl'. A dour couple, their faces trapped in a world of their own, confined within the fish bowls, intense and distorted in their separateness. No retouching here, no clever tricks, no pretence. Like the words of the song." © Storm Thorgerson](/media/2741/wish-you-were-here-01.jpg?width=1200&height=0&upscale=false&slimmage=true¢er=0.5,0.5&mode=crop "Cover art for the live single of 'Wish You Were Here'. Storm Thorgerson recalled "What you see is what you get - 'Two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl'. A dour couple, their faces trapped in a world of their own, confined within the fish bowls, intense and distorted in their separateness. No retouching here, no clever tricks, no pretence. Like the words of the song." © Storm Thorgerson")
Cover art for the live single of 'Wish You Were Here'. Storm Thorgerson recalled "What you see is what you get - 'Two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl'. A dour couple, their faces trapped in a world of their own, confined within the fish bowls, intense and distorted in their separateness. No retouching here, no clever tricks, no pretence. Like the words of the song." © Storm Thorgerson
“Everything had sort of come our way, and you had to reassess what you were in it for thereafter.” the video quotes Gilmour as saying about the album. “And it was a pretty confusing and sort of empty time for a while.”
You can check out the fascinating video below. And head to Polyphonic’s YouTube channel for more video essays.
A unique collection of images of Pink Floyd, one of the worlds most successful and influential rock bands.
The idea of beds for the Momentary Lapse cover came from a line of lyric - ‘Visions of an empty bed’ (Yet Another Movie)
This was taken on the Division Bell Tour. The sound and lighting people in their headsets look like the crew of a space ship.
Roger Waters eating a fairy cake in Abbey Road Studios, 1975, during the making of 'Wish You Were Here'
Version of the Interstellar poster art devised for the 2003 Pink Floyd exhibition in Paris
Roger and Nick on a train to Edinburgh, Dark Side of The Moon tour 1974. The band preferred to travel by train rather than bus or plane.
Cover art for the live single of Wish You Were Here. 'What you see is what you get - two lost souls, swimming in a fish bowl'
This stark image was a poster designed to promote the Pink Floyd exhibition, Interstellar, at the Paris Cité De La Musique in October 2003.
David Gilmour Dark Side Of The Moon tour 1974. Those Guinness t-shirts were popular on that tour. Roger had one too.
This is what The Wall looked like during an interval of the The Wall Tour at the The Coliseum in Uniondale, Nassau County, New York.
The design team Hipgnosis, had two main players - Storm Thorgerson and Aubrey Powell. Po pictured here with David Gilmour and Roger Waters
David Gilmour playing backgammon (with Storm and Rick Wright) in his hotel room during the Dark Side of the Moon tour 1974.
David Gilmour taking a quiet moment backstage, during the Dark Side of the Moon tour 1974.
David Gilmour in Studio 3, at Abbey Road Studios. The band were recording Have a Cigar that day for their new album Wish You Were Here .
Nick Mason, David Gilmour & Roger Waters during a sound-check for the Dark Side of the Moon UK tour.
Dick Parry has played some of the most unforgettable and sublime saxophone solos in the history of rock music - mostly with Pink Floyd.
Two consecutive frames joined together from a shoot of The Wall tour in New York in 1980
David Gilmour’s superb guitar solo during ’Comfortably Numb’ on PinK Floyd's The Wall Tour
This was the first time Tony Collins ever saw Pink Floyd live. They played numbers from their new album 'Atom Heart Mother'.
Alternative version of the image designed to advertise the Pink Floyd back catalogue in 1997 designed by Storm Thorgerson
Jill Furmanovsky was the official photographer on the Dark Side of the Moon/Wish You Were Here UK tour, taking pictures over c.5 weeks
Roger Waters, Roy Harper and Roy's son listen to a playback at Abbey Road Studios. Roy was guest vocalist on Have a Cigar.
Storm Thorgerson with Dave Gilmour whilst rehearsing during the Dark Side of the Moon UK Tour.
A rare band shot from this period taken by a young Jill Furmanovksy at the start of her photography career
Photographed as a homage to the Pink Floyd album sleeve 'Animals' for the BBC series 'Britain In Pictures'.
Alternative version of Interstellar poster artwork created for the 2003 Pink Floyd exhibition in Paris
Pink Floyd onstage during their UK Dark Side of the Moon Tour in 1974
Nick Mason shot on one of the earliest Pink Floyd photo shoots in June 1967
Pink Floyd's 'Chip Off The Old Block' artwork designed by Storm Thorgerson: the block represents vinyl singles
Artwork for Pink Floyd's Pulse DVD released in 2006 and designed by Storm Thorgerson
Artwork designed by Storm Thorgerson for the Pink Floyd 30th Anniversary campaign
Pink Floyd in Abbey Road making a new album that became 'Wish You Were Here'. Jill Furmanovsky was asked to drop in and shoot some stills
For their first photo shoot, Colin Prime took the band down to Ruskin park. All the guys were in high spirits at the time
Syd Barrett captured on one of Pink Floyd's earliest photoshoots in June 1967
One of Pink Floyd's earliest photo shoots taken in June 1967 using the lighting they used in their gigs
Pink Floyd at the mixing desk whilst recording their debut album 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn' in Abbey Road Studios
Rick Wright captured under the band's psychedelic lights early in their career
Relaxing backstage at Abbey Road Studios during the recording of debut album 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'
Syd Barrett captured in a candid moment at Abbey Road Studios whilst rehearsing for the recording of 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'
One of earliest Pink Floyd photo shoots. Rick Wright is enhanced by special psychedelic lighting effects.
Syd Barrett on an early photo shoot in London, not long before recording Pink Floyd's debut album
1967 Syd Barrett performs during an early photo session prior to the release of Pink Floyd's debut album
Roger Water pictured at one of the first Pink Floyd photo shoots
Candid image of Roger Waters at Abbey Road Studios whilst Pink Floyd finished off recording their debut album
The original Pink Floyd line-up on their first ever photo shoot in Kennington Park, London
Syd Barrett, Nick Mason, Roger Waters & Richard Wright on their first ever photo shoot in Ruskin Park, London
Taken on the band's first photo shoot in Ruskin Park, London in April 1967
This was Pink Floyd’s first official photo shoot. Although a photographer by trade, Colin Prime’s other love was music
Alternative version of the album cover for Division Bell, subtly different from the iconic original
Alternative version of the cover artwork for Pink Floyd's 1994 album 'Division Bell' designed by Storm Thorgerson
Variant of the album cover for Division Bell using alternative Stone Heads
Pink Floyd onstage at the Roundhouse, London in July 1967 less than a year after they performed at its opening party.
Inner sleeve artwork for Pink Floyd's album Wish You Were Here by Storm Thorgerson
Syd Barrett was a founder member of Pink Floyd and was the lead singer, guitarist and principle songwriter in the band's early years
Syd Barret photographed by Mick Rock at his flat in Earls Court, London in 1969.
Taken by Mick Rock during the album cover shoot for Syd Barrett's debut solo album 'The Madcap Laughs'.
Taken in Syd Barrett's flat in Earls Court, London during the photo shoot for his debut album 'The Madcap Laughs'
Iconic Mick photograph of Syd Barrett posing outside his London flat on a Pontiac Parisienne in 1969
Syd Barrett 'in decision' captured by Mick Rock in London in 1969 , a year after he left Pink Floyd
Syd Barrett and 'Iggy the Eskimo' sitting on the pavement outside Syd's flat in Earls Court in 1969
Storm Thorgerson was an acclaimed music album designer known for his iconic work for Pink Floyd and many more bands
Rockarchive founder, Jill Furmanovsky is a British photographer who has documented iconic rock musicians and bands from Pink Floyd to Oasis.
Music photographer Mick Rock may be best known as 'The Man Who Shot the Seventies', instrumental in creating many key rock ’n’ roll images.
In 1975 Pink Floyd walked into Abbey Road & began work on their 9th album, It was a difficult time, but it got made & the rest is history.
Pink Floyd's widely acclaimed concept album 'Animals' has just turned 40. We wanted to share Jill Furmanovsky's homage to the album cover.
It's less than two months to go now until the first ever major international retrospective of Pink Floyd opens at the V&A.
50 years ago in London's Ruskin Park photographer Colin Prime took Pink Floyd for their first official photoshoot.
Opening at London’s V&A Museum this weekend is 'Their Mortal Remains', a celebration of the music, visuals, and influence of Pink Floyd.
50 years ago on the 5th August 1967 Pink Floyd released their debut album 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn'.
