“It was the last embers of mine and Roger’s ability to work collaboratively together”: The transcendent Pink Floyd song that David Gilmour says marked the beginning of the end for the band

Pink Floyd’s David Gilmour and Roger Waters performing onstage in 1981.

Roger Waters was in agony. It was June 29, 1977, and Pink Floyd were due to play the Philadelphia Spectrum as part of their tour in support of that year’s Animals album.

The bassist and vocalist was suffering from such crippling stomach cramps that he faced a choice between cancelling that night’s show or getting a tranquiliser shot that “would have killed a fucking elephant”.