When It Came to His Belief in Pink Floyd, Paul McCartney Put His Money Where His Mouth Is

After The Beatles broke up, the next big band to represent the United Kingdom on an international scale was Pink Floyd. Now, the world did have the Rolling Stones and The Kinks, but Pink Floyd was the music industry’s shiny new toy. However, they needed some help financially to get their feet off the ground, and that help came from Paul McCartney and John Lennon.

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Paul McCartney was a firm believer in Pink Floyd. In 1967, Pink Floyd met The Beatles while they were both recording at Abbey Road, and during one of the sessions, McCartney took the time to listen to Floyd and unofficially pass off the torch as the next big British band.

Barry Miles, a friend of The Beatles and Apple Records executive, recalled the moment this transpired in the book, Paul McCartney: Many Years From Now. Miles wrote in the book, “Paul was patting them on the back, saying they were great and were going to do fine. He wasn’t being patronizing. It was almost like the Beatles passing on the mantle—at least some of it—and acknowledging the existence of a new generation of music.”

Paul McCartney Stood by His Word and Backed Pink Floyd

Per these comments, it seems Paul McCartney predicted the success of Pink Floyd. He also ensured they had the chance at success they deserved. In April of 1967, Pink Floyd headlined the infamous 14-Hour Technicolour Dream concert. In addition to helping launch the career of Pink Floyd, the concert aimed to raise money for the counterculture paper, the International Times.

According to the book, Saucerful of Secrets, Paul McCartney and John Lennon helped pay for the show, which inherently means that they financed Pink Floyd’s first major headlining performance. Months after this April performance, Pink Floyd would go on to embark on a U.S. tour and their first official U.K. tour as an opener for Jimi Hendrix.

In addition to helping Pink Floyd, McCartney and Lennon’s financing of the 14-Hour Technicolour Dream concert also helped Soft Machine, Pete Townshend, and Yoko Ono gain some exposure as well. Needless to say, Paul McCartney and John Lennon believed in Pink Floyd, and they didn’t articulate that belief through mere words, but also through tangible action.

For Pink Floyd, this moment seemingly meant the world. Not only did it give them an opportunity, but it also proved that they had been vetted by the most successful musicians of the decade.

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