Recording of the track commenced at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London, and was somewhat cumbersome, as it was the first recording to use a new eight-track one-inch tape and EMI TG12345 transistorised mixing console (8-track, 20-microphone inputs) in the studio. The band felt that the live performances developed the piece into a manageable shape. The title track of Atom Heart Mother resulted from a number of instrumental figures the band had composed during these rehearsals, including the chord progression of the main theme, which guitarist David Gilmour had called 'Theme from an Imaginary Western', and the earliest documented live performance was on 17 January 1970 at Hull University. A number of out-takes from the Rome sessions were used to assemble new material during these rehearsals, though some of it, such as 'The Violent Sequence', later to become ' Us and Them', would not be used for some time. They headed back to London in early 1970 for rehearsals. Pink Floyd started work on the album after completing their contributions to the soundtrack for the film Zabriskie Point in Rome, which had ended somewhat acrimoniously. One of the earliest live performances of the album's title track was at this show. Recording Roger Waters onstage at Leeds University, 28 February 1970. Ron Geesin, who had influenced and collaborated with Waters, contributed to the title track and received a then-rare outside songwriting credit.

Ī remastered CD was released in 1994 in the UK and the US, and again in 2011. 'A really awful and embarrassing record,' said Waters. This was a trend that would continue on subsequent covers throughout the 1970s and beyond.Īlthough it was commercially successful on release, the band – particularly Roger Waters and David Gilmour – have expressed negative opinions of the album.

The cover was designed by Hipgnosis, and was the first one not to feature the band's name on the cover, or contain any photographs of the band anywhere. It was recorded at EMI Studios (now Abbey Road Studios) in London, and was the band's first album to reach number 1 in the UK, while it reached number 55 in the US, eventually going gold there. It was released by Harvest on 2 October 1970 in the UK, and by Capitol on 10 October 1970 in the US. Atom Heart Mother is the fifth studio album by the English band Pink Floyd.

Atom heart mother quadraphonic