Syd Barret, David Gilmour, or Roger Waters: Who Is The True Frontman Of Pink Floyd?

Syd Barret, David Gilmour, or Roger Waters: Who Is The True Frontman Of Pink Floyd? | I Love Classic Rock Videos

Pink Floyd live in 1967 - HDPinkFloyd / Youtube

Pink Floyd is undeniably one of the biggest bands to ever come out of London, dabbling in a variety of rock subgenres, from psychedelia to arena rock. As most people know, the band’s history is quite tragic due to Syd Barrett’s sudden departure from the band due to mental health and substance abuse issues. He was replaced by David Gilmour, who helped Roger Waters with most of the songwriting duties. But who was really Pink in the Floyd?

Syd Barrett was one of the band’s founding members and the primary reason why Pink Floyd was the way it is. Barrett had a natural gift in songwriting, as he was able to conjure up complex, vivid imagery with just a few lines of lyrics. This was paired with his love for experimentation and thus became the way of how psychedelia became the band’s main driver in his era. But Barrett, slowly growing detached due to his substance abuse and mental issues, was soon booted from the band due to his dysfunctional behaviors.

David Gilmour was brought in as Barrett’s replacement, the two musicians already knowing each other from before. Whilst Gilmour didn’t exactly write the bulk of Pink Floyd’s material after Barrett’s departure, his contributions to the sonic texture of their music are incomparable. Ranging from soaring, ethereal soundscapes to gritty, indulgent arrangements, Gilmour did it all to heighten the listener’s experience with the band. He also sings main vocals for the most part of Pink Floyd’s career.

After Barrett left, Waters was tasked with most of Pink Floyd’s written material. The bassist made use of his wide range of knowledge to speak to audiences of multiple ethnicities and backgrounds, shattering barriers that were once thought impenetrable. After emulating some of Barrett’s thematic styles, Waters eventually branched out into a more brazen execution of his own thoughts with socially-charged commentary and addressing recurring issues at a grand scale.

All that aside, one can’t really point out one “true” frontman for Pink Floyd. Each of the three members was essential in creating the band’s illustrious run, with the style eventually integrating and evolving into a higher form that had the DNA of Barret, Gilmour, and Waters in it.