Cymbaline and Mid-Song Meltdowns: How Pink Floyd Handled Gear Failure on the 1970 US Tour

The 1970 US tour was Pink Floyd’s first big American headlining run, and they were hauling a prototype quadraphonic system that was as unreliable as it was ambitious. ‘Cymbaline’ was the worst offender: it relied on synchronized tape loops, a Binson Echorec, and a carefully tuned PA balance. When any piece of that chain hiccupped—and it often did—the song would fall apart in the middle. The band didn’t have a formal restart protocol. They’d just grind to a halt, Gilmour or Waters would mutter