On this day in music history: October 30, 1971 - “Meddle”, the sixth album by Pink Floyd is released (UK release is on November 5, 1971). Produced by Pink Floyd, it is recorded at AIR Studios, Abbey Road Studios and Morgan Studios in London from January - August 1971. It is the first album to be solely produced by the band. It also marks the beginning of the bands transition away from their more psychedelic influenced material toward more tightly structured songs that carries them into their most commercially successful period. The record is also unique in Pink Floyd’s catalog as it is one of the few not to focus on a central concept or theme. The centerpieces of the album are the opening track “One Of These Days”, and the twenty three minute side long atmospheric piece “Echoes”. The albums’ enigmatic cover art is designed by Storm Thorgerson of Hipgnosis (photographed by Bob Dowling) and is a close up shot of an ear underwater. Featuring a group shot of the band on the inside of the gatefold, it is the last time that any photos of the members of Pink Floyd appear in their album packaging (other than one of the posters included in “The Dark Side Of The Moon” LP) until “A Momentary Lapse Of Reason” in 1987. Though the album receives very little support from their US label Harvest/Capitol Records, it grows in popularity over the years as Pink Floyd’s audience increases, first going Gold two years to the week after its original release, then eventually reaching Double Platinum status in the mid 90’s. The UK release of the LP features no text on the front of the sleeve, and only the catalog number and “Stereo” printed on the back. US copies have the artist name and title printed on the front and the track listing on the back of the gatefold sleeve. Reissued on CD and vinyl numerous times over the years, the classic album is remastered and reissued in September of 2016 as a 180 gram vinyl LP, with the album cover artwork featuring the textured gatefold sleeve (as originally manufactured by Garrod & Lofthouse Limited), found on the original UK Harvest/EMI release. “Meddle” peaks at number three on the UK album chart, number seventy on the Billboard Top 200, and is certified 2x Platinum in the US by the RIAA. 

Pretty sure this was the last Pink Floyd album I bought and not even when it came out but shortly after hearing it . . . . . . I have said elsewhere that my brother bought the next album their most commercial and successful album of all possibly 'Dark Side of The Moon nd he did not understand why I found it less than previous albums in terms of appeal to me and whilst I had been a huge fan of bass player Roger Waters, this was where I realised I disliked his song writing intensely find them trite and obviously cliched