The 1986-87 legal battle over the Pink Floyd name and its lasting impact

Roger Waters walked away from Pink Floyd in 1985 insisting the name should die with him. He argued that the band had been his artistic vision and that David Gilmour, Nick Mason, and the recently returned Rick Wright couldn’t legitimately carry on. Waters took the fight to court, trying to prevent the remaining members from using the name for albums, tours, or merchandise. The case eventually settled out of court in early 1987, and the key terms shaped everything that came after.

The settlement let Gilmour and Mason keep the name “Pink Floyd” for future releases and tours, but Waters secured control over the The Wall imagery and certain conceptual assets — including the famous pig