However, following Barrett’s mental health decline and subsequent departure, they would eventually enlist help from Gilmour, who transitioned their sound into a more prog rock arena, focussing on more structured and self-reflective sounds, conventions and lyrical themes. Under Barrett’s guidance, Pink Floyd’s sound focused on sharp, sometimes unexpected musical twists and turns. With Gilmour, their output became more concerned with mature complexity and conceptual societal reflections.

However, before Gilmour, the band had reportedly wanted Beck to replace Barrett and lead them in a new direction. At the time, Beck had newly formed The Jeff Beck Group, which comprised coveted powerhouses Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood, Nicky Hopkins, and Aynsley Dunbar, who were working on their debut Truth, a culmination of Beck’s previous solo efforts and desire to foster a new collaborative and innovative approach.

Already one of the most sought-after figures in the industry at the time, Beck was approached by the remaining members of Pink Floyd about being recruited as their new Barrett. However, his inclusion never materialised, likely due to scheduling conflicts and a lack of clarity about precisely what the new dynamic would entail. According to Gilmour, however, his inclusion would have been “explosive”, but he would have likely left “after six months”.

So, what would the band have sounded like with Beck?

Considering Beck’s roots in rhythmic blues and jazz fusion, it’s likely that he would have foremost taken the playful surrealism of Barrett’s era into more funky instrumental realms, dominating with high-energy guitar solos and intricate fingerpicking as opposed to Gilmour’s focus on space and atmosphere. Listening to Truth, specifically tracks like ‘Rock My Plimsoul’, the direction is clear: Beck’s interpretation of Pink Floyd would have no doubt leaned into guitar-lead rhythm and blues territory, proving less of a focus on ethereal atmospheres and instead intensifying a grittier, more relentless energy.

Much of Gilmour-era Pink Floyd toys with delicate, smooth pacing, inviting melodies, and polished tropes that don’t distract from the conceptual themes being explored. However, had Beck stepped into Barrett’s place, their sound would have no doubt veered off in a completely different direction, adopting technical precision and instrumental storytelling as the dominant features rather than the lyrical content. Even in ‘Shape of Things’, or the more considered ‘Let Me Love You’, there’s an intensity that proved Beck’s affinity for energetic driving grooves, which were elements that Pink Floyd seemed ready to leave behind.

Even later works like Pink Floyd’s The Dark Side of The Moon gives good insight into how the two differed. For starters, The Jeff Beck Group’s spontaneous, and raw energy felt like they were still very much in the crux of exploring the potential of the guitar, namely explosive solos, but also with dynamic riffs and licks that created distinctive emotions and shapes without much melodic or lyrical accompaniment.

Gilmour-era Pink Floyd, by contrast, created albums like The Dark Side of The Moon to create considered music with a heavy footing in ambience, poignancy, and deep-seated otherworldliness. That’s not to say that Beck’s inclusion wouldn’t have led Pink Floyd into a successful chapter; it would have no doubt garnered a lot of hype and attention, but the band’s sound—and audience—would have shifted greatly, potentially never reaching future fans who became enamoured with Pink Floyd’s more abstract and conceptual workings.

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