Becoming one of the most recognized rock music bands of the 1970s meant taking plenty of risks, including for Pink Floyd, who had a photo shoot go incredibly wrong. At the time, they were competing against some of the biggest legends in music. Acts like the Rolling Stones, Chicago, and the Eagles were all around, making hits and leaving a legacy. To keep up, Pink Floyd knew they not only had to create good music, but also make lasting memories that would set them apart from everyone else.

Overcoming adversity and trying new things was not unfamiliar to them. One of their original founders, Syd Barrett, left the band shortly after their first album, which forced them to find a replacement. Just as they managed to find David Gilmour, the band always came up with innovative ways to reinvent themselves.

By the time 1977 arrived, and this incident occurred, they were already nine albums in. Having produced legendary records such as The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here, the band aimed to stand out once again. However, before securing their perfect cover, they caused chaos, shutting down an airport, frightening cows, and creating a historic landmark.

Pink Floyd's Inflatable Pig Incident Caused Chaos

This Was A Stunt Gone Wrong

Having already created some memorable album covers, Pink Floyd took the opportunity to try to create another one for their 1977 album, Animals. The idea, which involved an inflatable pig floating over Britain's Battersea Power Station, was developed by bass guitarist Roger Waters and artist Aubrey Powell, who was part of the Hipgnosis design company. As the avid conceptual leader of the band, this plan from Waters seemed foolproof: tie the inflatable pig, let it float, and take the photo. However, what wasn't ed for was it breaking free.

Unfortunately, this is exactly what happened, and the 40-foot inflatable pig went on a journey through the sky. The balloon ended up in the path of Heathrow Airport, which caused all flights to be grounded. This led to the police and the Royal Air Force chasing the balloon, but they were not able to recover it. However, what they did manage was to arrest Powell for the idea.

Once Powell's situation was resolved, a call was received at nighttime from a farmer who had found the pig in his field. After scaring the farmer's cows, the pig was eventually retrieved, and the incident made front-page news. It was great publicity for the band, but they still didn't have a photo.

Powell returned to the scene to try again, this time prepared to pop the balloon if it took off. The only issue was that the lighting had changed. Instead of messing with the perfect photo that had already been taken, Powell decided to just copy and paste a pig onto the earlier image. It wasn't exactly what they had in mind, but it was the safest bet considering all that had happened.

The Aftermath Of The Inflatable Pig Is Still Felt

Pink Floyd Fans Remain Curious

During its initial release, Animals reached number three on the Billboard 200. The album wasn't filled with songs, but there were a few on it that were long and left a lasting impression. Over the years, it has become another financial success for the band, achieving 4x Platinum status. As for the location of the incident, the station is now closed, but many Pink Floyd fans have flocked there to visit. In 2011, there was even a replica pig placed there to commemorate the reissue of the album.

It is also a place that Roger Waters enjoys, as the four chimneys on the building remind him of each member of the band. Now that Pink Floyd have recorded their final album in 2014, there will be no more iconic albums to come, but they left behind memories like this that keep fans intrigued. Part of the reason Pink Floyd became so beloved was due to their fearlessness in trying any ideas they had in mind.