Why was early Floyd not embraced by America?

Most Americans did not even know that Pink Floyd existed prior to the release of Dark Side of the Moon. But in the wake of DSotM, in an effort to play catch up, ignored albums like Atom Heart Mother, Piper..., Meddle and Relics were gobbled up, and soon after, quickly ignored again. Why didn't the American public ever warm up to early Pink Floyd?

Edited by SteveG - July 28 2015 at 09:42

Guldbamsen wrote: There's an almost archetypical British aura surrounding those records that may have flown over their heads. Especially the debut.

This, in spades. There was a world of difference between American psychedelia and English.

lazland wrote: Guldbamsen wrote: There's an almost archetypical British aura surrounding those records that may have flown over their heads. Especially the debut. This, in spades. There was a world of difference between American psychedelia and English.

I'm quite familiar with the stylistic differences between American psych rock and that of the British. The trippy melodic studio enhanced psych rock of British artists that was started by the Revolver/ Sgt. Pepper's era Beatles, was indeed embraced by Americans. That doesn't answer for the lack of appreciation for Floyd's material.

Edited by SteveG - July 28 2015 at 12:59

Toaster Mantis wrote: Guldbamsen wrote: There's an almost archetypical British aura surrounding those records that may have flown over their heads. Especially the debut. Weren't most of the British progressive rock groups perceived that way in the US back then, though? I think Genesis and Jethro Tull are at least as acutely British just for starters.

Tull, at least, was better received before Aqualung, and people loved the Living In The Past compilation that came out soon after Aqualung, and many still do. Unlike earlier Floyd albums that were bought after DSotM.

Edited by SteveG - July 28 2015 at 12:49

^This is pretty easy. Because Tull was an early blues rock band, they toured with similar blues based or hard rock groups in the US in the late sixties/early seventies and were able to get a leg up on everyone. They were not seen as quintessentially British until later in their career.

Yes, but mismatched band pairings were also notorious in that era too. Hendrix and the Monkeys being the most well known!

Yes, something made a lot of these bands ramp up their 'Englishness'. My brother swears it was their love of Monty Python's Flying Circus!

Yes, I've always felt that there was a 'continental' music vibe either deliberately or subconsciously added to the music of many European bands from Rainbow to Focus. It's in their DNA, for lack of a better explanation. 

Edited by SteveG - July 28 2015 at 13:22

Just like the 13th Floor Elevators' obscurity outside the Southwestern United States is in large part a result of Roky Erickson's mental health issues forcing the break-up of the band just as they started getting big. I think he left during the recording of their third LP, and at some point they had to get a cover band to do the rest of a tour they couldn't continue.

Different countries have different cultures? That's unpossible!