Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason wants to use AI to create new music for the band.
The 80-year-old drummer doesn’t believe there is any chance of a reunion between the surviving members of the group because of the lengthy feud between David Gilmour and Roger Waters – who quit in 1985 – but thinks artificial intelligence could create songs as if the bassist had never left.
Nick told the Sunday Mirror newspaper: “It would be fascinating to see what AI could do with new music. If you tried to run it as a sort of ‘Where did Pink Floyd go after?’
“The thing to do would be to have an AI situation where David and Roger become friends again. We could be like ABBA by the time we’ve finished with it.”
The group last performed together at Live 8 in 2005, with original member Syd Barrett – who had left in 1968 due to mental health issues – passing away the following year, two years before keyboardist Richard Wright died of cancer.
Nick is disappointed the feud has overshadowed the ‘Wish You Were Here’ hitmakers’ good times and their many career achievements.
He said: “In a 55-year career, most of it was great fun. We were enormously privileged to be in a successful band and tour the world and hang out with really interesting people. It’s a gold card to meet all sorts of your favourite sportsmen and actors.”
The musician still plays early Pink Floyd songs with his current band, Saucerful of Secrets, and loves revisiting his old songs.
He said: “The best thing about keeping the thing going is for our benefit. It makes sense to keep it going rather than shutting it down. I also enjoy it because the more time passes, the more you can look at it with a rosier glint.”