After emerging in the mid-1960s as a run-of-the-mill blues band, echoing the Rolling Stones’ hot trail across London, Pink Floyd breached the walls of convention thanks to the genius of founding guitarist and songwriter Syd Barrett. Under Barrett’s abstract whim, Pink Floyd became one of the earliest and most prominent acts of the psychedelic circuit.
Early signs of psychedelia were most notably expressed within the band’s drawn-out instrumental excursions at live performances. Gigs would often be accompanied by rudimentary light shows comprised of colour slides and domestic light bulbs to match the foursome’s colourful paisley-clad garb.
During this early rise, a Sunday Times article stated: “At the launching of the new magazine IT the other night, a pop group called the Pink Floyd played throbbing music while a series of bizarre coloured shapes flashed on a huge screen behind them … apparently very psychedelic.”
The band hastily took this nuanced psych-rock formula to the studio after signing their first recording contract with EMI. In 1967, they enjoyed an encouraging public reception after releasing the singles, ‘Arnold Layne’ and ‘See Emily Play’. These were shortly followed by an appearance on ‘Top of the Pops’ and their seminal debut album, The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn.
At this juncture, the band appeared equipped to take on the world, but tragically, Barrett’s mental state had begun to spiral uncontrollably amid his heavy use of psychedelic drugs. By the end of the year, the band brought in guitarist David Gilmour who would take the reins as Barrett became increasingly estranged and unreliable.
As 1968 bled into ‘69, Barrett remained in a back-seat position as the five-piece began working on their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets. Barrett was finally ousted from Pink Floyd in April 1969 after only contributing one original composition to the ongoing project, ‘Jugband Blues’.
Bassist Roger Waters was now given room to flex his songwriting muscles alongside keyboardist Richard Wright, who shared the credits for the majority of the finished product. Not only was A Saucerful of Secrets unique as the only Pink Floyd album in which Wright’s vocal contributions outnumbered those of his bandmates, but it was also the only one to feature all five core members.
Waters’ fantastic composition titled ‘Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun’ remains one of the highlights of Pink Floyd’s 1960s output. While all five musicians were credited on A Saucerful of Secrets, this highlight hit was the only Pink Floyd song to feature all five together.
A favourite for us and drummer Nick Mason who, when asked for his favourite Floyd number, replied: “I usually cite ‘Set The Controls for the Heart of the Sun’ as my favourite Pink Floyd song.” That’s because the track is “fun to play, and has interesting dynamics.” Mason and the band were sincerely influenced by jazz, and this is one song where that inspiration is easy to see.
The now-iconic use of mallets on the drum solo in this Roger Waters-penned tune was lifted straight from jazz. “I know exactly where it came from in terms of the drum part, which was Chico Hamilton playing in a film called Jazz On A Summer’s Day,” Mason remembers. “He does a drum solo played with mallets. It’s beautiful, and so different to any other drum solo.”
