How the Album ‘Meddle’ Helped Pink Floyd Define Their Sound After Syd Barrett Left the Band

The music analysis channel Amplified takes a look a the seminal, yet seeming underrated 1971 Pink Floyd album Meddle. Various writers, reporters, and critics explain the album and address the band’s history over the better part of an hour.

This particular time in the band tenure was volatile, at best. Lead singer Syd Barrett was very much at the forefront of British psychedelia, however, his tragic departure from the band in 1968 left the band flailing a bit. David Gilmour joined to fill the loss of guitar and vocals. Roger Waters wound up taking over Barrett’s songwriting duties. This fully changed Pink Floyd’s sound. These roles became solidified over the next few albums, however, Meddle allowed Gilmour to assert his talent and for the band to define their sound after Barrett.

Wedged between the Syd Barrett years and post-Dark Side Of The Moon megastardom, Meddle is often considered the ‘lost’ Pink Floyd album, ignored and underrated. As is reiterated throughout, this hour-long feature takes it upon itself to set the record straight.