It reflects his feeling that the camaraderie that had served the band was, by then, largely absent. Wish You Were Here is Floyd's second album with a conceptual theme and was written entirely by Roger Waters. Mason said later that a critical NME review by Syd Barrett devotee Nick Kent may have had influence in keeping the band together, as they returned to the studio in the first week of 1975. As Pink Floyd had never employed a publicist and kept themselves distant from the press, their relationship with the media began to sour. These songs were performed during a series of concerts in France and England, the band's first tour since 1973's The Dark Side of the Moon. Since then, the record has sold over 20 million copies.ĭuring 1974, Pink Floyd sketched out three new compositions, ' Raving and Drooling' (which would become 'Sheep'), ' You Gotta Be Crazy' (which would become 'Dogs') and ' Shine On You Crazy Diamond'.

It reached number one in the US and UK, and Harvest's parent company, EMI, was unable to keep up with the demand. It has retrospectively received critical acclaim, hailed as one of the greatest albums of all time, and was cited by keyboardist Richard Wright and guitarist David Gilmour as their favourite Pink Floyd album. On its release, Wish You Were Here received mixed reviews from critics, who found its music uninspiring and inferior to their previous work. To promote the album, the band released the double A-side single 'Have a Cigar' / ' Welcome to the Machine'. Guest singers included Roy Harper, who provided the lead vocals on ' Have a Cigar', and Venetta Fields, who added backing vocals to ' Shine On You Crazy Diamond'. Like their previous record, The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Pink Floyd used studio effects and synthesisers.

The album's themes include criticism of the music business, alienation, and a tribute to founding member Syd Barrett, who had left seven years earlier with deteriorating mental health. Based on material Pink Floyd composed while performing in Europe, Wish You Were Here was recorded over numerous sessions throughout 1975 at Abbey Road Studios in London. Wish You Were Here is the ninth studio album by the English rock band Pink Floyd, released on 12 September 1975 through Harvest Records and Columbia Records, their first release for the latter. ' Have a Cigar' / ' Welcome to the Machine (US) or Shine On You Crazy Diamond (Part I) (Italy & France)'.

Pink floyd have a cigar