Pink and Floyd were inspired by two of Syd Barrett's favorite Carolina bluesmen, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council, whom he combined. ¹⁾

People, particularly in the record industry, frequently assumed Pink Floyd was the name of a member of the band. In 1975, the band sent this up with the lyric “which one's Pink?” on the 'Wish You Were Here' song 'Have A Cigar'. ²⁾

'Arnold Layne', their first single and a minor hit at the time (it has since become a classic), was inspired by a real-life individual Roger Waters knew who stole women's clothes and panties from laundry lines.³⁾

The psychedelic b-side to ‘Arnold Lane,' ‘Candy and a Currant Bun,' was faithfully performed by Mars Volta and given away free with the album ‘The Bedlam in Goliath'. ⁴⁾

During the second half of the 1960s, The Pink Floyd (as they were then known) became regulars at Camden's Roundhouse and the famed UFO Club. ⁵⁾

The name The Pink Floyd was used until the late 1960s, when it was dropped shortly after Syd Barrett's departure. Syd's acid-induced schizophrenia became so severe that the band had no choice but to continue without him, and they parted ways on the way to a gig in 1968. ⁶⁾

Barrett famously showed up at Abbey Road during Roger Waters' recording of the voice for 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond', which was written about him. He'd gained a lot of weight, shaved his brows, and shaved off most of his hair. ⁷⁾

Pink Floyd also performed as The Tea Set in a previous iteration. This nickname was chosen following a slew of name changes, including Sigma 6, Meggadeaths, the Abdabs and the Screaming Abdabs, Leonard's Lodgers, and the Spectrum Five. ⁸⁾

A film of their 1967 Alexandra Palace presentation, which was part of the renowned '14 Hour Technicolor Dream', survived and is available on DVD. Yoko Ono is there performing an art installation, and John Lennon is photographed among the crowd, despite the fact that the two had not met at the time. ⁹⁾