In a recent appearance on the No Treble podcast, bass maestro Guy Pratt took a nostalgic look back on his time working with the iconic rock band Pink Floyd. Having served as a touring and session member from 1987 to 1994, Pratt’s contributions can be heard on legendary albums such as “Pulse” and “Delicate Sound of Thunder.” He also lent his talents to the recording of “The Division Bell” in 1994 and “The Endless River” in 2014. Remarkably, Pratt even stepped in to fill the shoes of the ever lasting and renowned Roger Waters.
While discussing the band’s music, Pratt made a thought-provoking statement that challenges our perceptions of Pink Floyd’s genre classification. In his conversation as transcribed by Ultimate Guitar, he contended that Pink Floyd cannot be neatly boxed into the category of a traditional rock band.
He stated: “The funny thing is, when you play for a band like Pink Floyd, people think you’re in the rock world. And you’re just not. At all. None of the people are. We don’t look rock and roll, we don’t do rock and roll things, so I’ve never really been in that ‘rock’ world. I felt like I was a bit of a tourist, a bit of a voyeur. But it clearly worked because David [Coverdale] then asked me to go and play on a Whitesnake, our level of musicianship and everything. That’s what I mean. Denny Carmassi is still one of the most impressive drummers I’ve ever worked with.”
Pratt’s perspective sheds light on the multifaceted nature of Pink Floyd’s musical identity. Pink Floyd transcends boundaries. Their music embraces elements of progressive rock, psychedelic, and experimental genres, creating an auditory experience that defies categorization. In fact, you can hear tons of Floyd influences in all forms of music today.
Pratt’s words remind us that Pink Floyd’s legacy extends far beyond the confines of a single genre. Their music is a journey, an immersive and introspective exploration of the human experience. It is an invitation to challenge our preconceptions and open our minds to new sonic possibilities.
As a fan of Pink Floyd, I feel that we need to give them a bit more credit for all that they’ve done for music not just in rock, but in the innovation of sound.
