Fingal's Cave Podcast

In Part 2 of our in-depth conversation with Greg Taylor, we turn to Pink Floyd’s concerts in 1968, as Greg recalls a series of extraordinary performances he witnessed during that transitionary year.

At the centre of the episode is Greg’s vivid recollection of the 19 January 1968 concert at Lewes Town Hall, a rare performance featuring the short-lived five-man Pink Floyd line-up with Syd Barrett and David Gilmour both on stage. Greg remembers the evening in remarkable detail, from the character of the hall itself and the local promoter who organised the event, to the backstage atmosphere and the stories that have survived from that night.

Most striking of all is Greg’s memory of David Gilmour positioned slightly behind Syd Barrett on stage, ready to step forward if Syd stopped playing. It is a fascinating glimpse of Pink Floyd at a fragile moment, still carrying Syd’s creative, painterly vision while beginning to adapt to the possibility of continuing without it.

The conversation then moves through recollections of several other memorable performances from 1968, including the Falmer House Courtyard show at the University of Sussex in May, the Midsummer High weekend concert in June at Hyde Park, (where Greg captured remarkable photographs of the band at close range), and Middle Earth at the Roundhouse in October.

Greg also talks about taping some of the Floyd's BBC sessions, photographing concerts as a teenager, and the atmosphere of the British underground music scene in the late 1960s.

If you are interested in early Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett, psychedelic London, and the live music culture of the late 1960s, Greg’s memories offer a rare, intimate, first-hand window into that world.

Subscribe for more episodes, and we would love to hear your own recollections or questions in the comments. Part 3 on Greg's journey through 1969 - 1971 premieres next month, so don't miss it!