I used to have two copies of this poster, both long gone, but it often appears in published collections of notable poster art.
I went to see Pink Floyd on Sept. 27 and was astounded to find the hall (more like a large loft) only one-third full. This was in 1967, and Pink Floyd were already a big draw. I spotted a glum-looking guy standing in the middle of the empty two-thirds of the hall, and went over to chat with him.
It turned out that he was the owner of the club, and had paid something like £400 for Pink Floyd's one-hour gig. No wonder he looked miserable.
I tried to cheer him up by saying that I loved his poster. He looked even more miserable, and said that he'd lost a lot of money on that too. "Would you like one? Or two? Or three? I have plenty in the back of my car."
I told him that two would be fine, and that's what I got. You can barely make it out at the bottom-left of the poster, but it was designed by an outfit called
Hapshash and the Coloured Coat, who were one of the biggest names in graphic design at that time. What's more, the posters were silk-screened with vibrant inks, adding to the cost.
There may have been only a few dozen people at that gig, but it was something of a historical event. When the band got up on the low podium and plugged in their instruments, Syd Barrett looked decidely odd, staring off into space and occasionally remembering to strum his guitar half-heartedly. I think everyone present realized something was seriously wrong with him.
Two months later I went to see Pink Floyd in London, and discovered that Syd had been replaced by an outrageously handsome young man wearing fashionable red boots. That was David Gilmour. So I got to see just about the last gig that Syd ever played, and the first with David.
Happy Hippie Hilda