10 Albums With Creepy Recording Stories
5. Wish You Were Here - Pink Floyd
By the time Pink Floyd got around to making Wish You Were Here, much of the members were desensitized by the music industry. In addition to going through the ongoing tour cycle for Dark Side of the Moon, the band were also reflecting on the loss of founding member Syd Barrett years before.
In an effort to reconnect with their fallen bandmate, the band made Wish You Were Here in tribute to Barrett, with "Shine On You Crazy Diamond" being the touchstone of the record. Though the sessions were already wrought with raw nerves, it got much more unusual when the band were paid a visit.
Midway through recording, a large bald man with a pale white complexion sauntered into the control room to watch the band work. What no one could have predicted was this shell of a human being was Syd Barrett, who had come to check in on his former bandmates.
After a few hours, Barrett left and went into hermit-like seclusion for the remainder of his life. While the band were definitely happy to see their old friend, they were still deeply hurt by just how much his creative spirit had withered away. Taking their pain and putting it into the songs, Floyd created what many consider to be the boldest critique of the music industry.