David Gilmour - Pink Floyd Animals Zipper

The term “concept album” is thrown around a lot, but for sheer pomp-rock ambition – a single narrative guided by big, literary themes, songs over 10 minutes in length, epic solos – it’s hard to beat Pink Floyd’s 1977 release, Animals. Inspired in part by George Orwell’s pastoral satire Animal Farm but directing much of its fire at modern capitalism, the disc also spawned a legendary tour – featuring, most indelibly, a giant, inflatable pig that floated above the crowd. The trotter in question was a replica of Algie, the... Read More

The term “concept album” is thrown around a lot, but for sheer pomp-rock ambition – a single narrative guided by big, literary themes, songs over 10 minutes in length, epic solos – it’s hard to beat Pink Floyd’s 1977 release, Animals. Inspired in part by George Orwell’s pastoral satire Animal Farm but directing much of its fire at modern capitalism, the disc also spawned a legendary tour – featuring, most indelibly, a giant, inflatable pig that floated above the crowd. The trotter in question was a replica of Algie, the pig balloon featured on the LP’s cover (which was designed by rock-art wizards Hipgnosis). But when it was filled with a mixture of oxygen and acetylene – rather than the usual propane – it exploded.

Guitarist David Gilmour, seen here sporting the porcine design, contributed vocals to the 17-minute “Dogs,” which takes up most of side one of Animals, as well as typically scorching fretwork throughout. Hide