Floyd Nation Shines On

Chances of seeing the surviving members of Pink Floyd reunite for one last tour in the flesh are slim to none.

However, over the last five years, Florida’s Floyd Nation have picked up the mantle of such veteran U.S.-based Pink Floyd tribute bands as The Machine and Wish You Were Here to bring the legendary English band’s music to the concert stage in 2026.

But this outfit sets itself apart from their counterparts on the circuit with the release of Inner Light, their debut studio album that includes both covered and original material from the band.

In addition to interpreting all five compositions from 1975’s Wish You Were Here, Floyd Nation goes further by crafting their own variants of the album’s sonic themes, recorded at Abbey Road Studios, where Floyd cut the original Wish You over 50 years ago.

On “Pale-Diamond Eyes,” the band approaches the music from Syd Barrett’s point of view, and “Shine Zero” connects “Shine On You Crazy Diamond p9” with “p1” to create a continuous loop and serve as the entry point into the extended storyline of the original album. Closing number “Watching the Sunrise,” meanwhile, brings the bones of the Wish You sound into a new tomorrow.

“As lifelong fans of the music,” says keyboardist Robert Harris, “we saw the 50th anniversary of Wish You Were Here as an opportunity to pay our deepest respect to the brilliance of Pink Floyd. Recording where they had done so 50 years earlier at Abbey Road Studios not only kept in line with our drive for authenticity, it inspired us to build upon and extend the themes within the original album.”

Musically and emotionally connected, Floyd Nation and its nine members — Will Kaiser (vocals, guitars), Brendon McDonnell (vocals, guitars), Jason Collins (bass), John Conrath (saxophone), Robert Harris (keyboards, backing vocals), Ray Nesbit (vocals, guitars), Justin Pupillo (drums), Toneisha Harris (backing vocals), Shannon Robinson (backing vocals) — work in unison to deliver this music in the most memorable and creative way they can. 

Rock & Roll Globe spoke with Harris about all things Floyd in the days leading up to Inner Light’s recent release on June 12. Check out our chat below.

 

What was it that initially drew you to Pink Floyd as a band?

Every one of us in the band are rabid, life-long fans of Pink Floyd. We didn’t get together one day and say “what band could we cover to make money,” we’re doing this for our admiration and love of Pink Floyd. Besides each of us having a deep connection with the music, we all had the drive and commitment in being “up to the challenge” to create a top-tier Pink Floyd tribute band, production, and nationwide touring act. We understood the level of effort necessary to authentically reproduce the immersive soundscapes, the lush atmospheres, the emotional, melodic guitar solos and especially the “feel” of the music. Of course, we also had to develop an amazing light and laser show production.

How deep into the catalog do you usually go as Floyd Nation?

Our playlist largely focuses on the songs most familiar to our audiences, but we always like to add one or two songs to our set list that goes deeper into the catalog like “Childhood’s End,” “Fearles” or “On the Turning Away.” We often have a VIP soundcheck event prior to the main show and will perform the deeper cuts like “Dogs” and “Echoes.” Over time we’ll be adding more deeper cuts to the show to give our audiences something different as we return year over year.

 

What inspired your decision to tackle Wish You Were Her in the studio? What do your interpretations add to the music, in your estimation?

Entering 2025, we were all excited about the 50th anniversary of Wish You Were Here. Of course, we had planned to perform the album in its entirety on tour like other tribute bands, but we felt this occasion warranted doing something extra special, not just to celebrate this milestone but to really honor the legacy of Pink Floyd. We decided to record the album in its entirety. And then it hit us – wouldn’t it be cool to do the recording in Studio 3 at Abbey Road… in the same room where Pink Floyd recorded this masterpiece 50 years earlier? We launched a crowdfunding campaign and within 48 hours met our goal, thanks to our amazing and dedicated fanbase.

 

How did you approach the songwriting for the last four songs on this album: “Shine Zero,” “First Light,” “Pale Diamond Eyes” and “Watching The Sunrise”?

When we entered Abbey Road we had only planned to record Wish You Were Here in its entirety. But walking into the studio we became overwhelmed with inspiration. At one point we were babbling about how the album begins in G minor and ends in G major and one of us said “wouldn’t be interesting if there were a song that began in G major and ended in G minor, so the album is one continuous loop”. The keyboard player and lead guitarist began improvising on a very Floydian chord structure and guitar melody that created the foundation for “Shine Zero.” You can literally play “Shine Zero” at the end of “Shine on You Crazy Diamond (pt 9)” and go right into part 1 to have the album played on a continuous loop. It’s quite unique.

Writing this song opened the door to new ideas. Later that night over dinner, we began to wonder if there was a way to extend the album and provide a musical response to its themes of isolation, loss, and longing. What resulted were several original songs that would close out the album with a new point of view based on its themes.

We began by asking, “What would Syd Barrett’s perspective be?” from the standpoint of seeing his bandmates moving on. The concept took shape where “First Light” portrays Syd’s deep sense of loneliness, reflection, and melancholy as an introduction for the song “Pale Diamond Eyes” which has Syd standing alone, thinking how things used to be, longing for his lost connection with them. There is so much more that he wants to see and do, but he’s slipping away and losing them, and himself, forever.

The final track, “Watching the Sunrise,” was then written as an expression of hope for a better tomorrow. It turns isolation into togetherness, sadness into wonder, and mourning into the promise of future connections. It’s a transition from waving goodbye to the “Crazy Diamond” to gathering together to watch a new beginning at sunrise. It’s that quiet moment when you realize the inner light was there all along. No matter how long the night feels we can always find our way back to the light by opening our eyes and watching the sunrise.

 

AUDIO: Floyd Nation “Watching the Sunrise”

Has Roger Waters’ increasingly problematic political views impacted your viewpoint of the band? Why or why not? As a lifelong fan of Pink Floyd and a strong ally to my Jewish friends and family, his stances have undoubtedly affected my ability to listen to albums like The Wall, specifically, though I still very much love albums like Meddle, Wish and, of course, Animals. But I was wondering if you’ve ever experienced this as a fan of the band, or if you’re better at separating the art from the artist than I am?

Roger certainly is a polarizing figure. Floyd Nation has been, and continues to be, an apolitical band. We refrain from any political discussions on stage and on social media. Our goal is to engage our audience in an immersive experience that provides an authentic representation of the music and production of Pink Floyd. We want to allow our audience to separate themselves from the burdens and conflicts of the day, relax and enjoy a bit of nostalgia. As a band, we can separate the personalities from the music. Perhaps that’s because, during most of their career, their personalities were never front and center. It was always about the music and the live production. That’s our philosophy too at Floyd Nation.

 

Next year, A Momentary Lapse of Reason turns 40. What are your thoughts on that album?

It’s a wonderful album. Many people in our audience say this was their first Pink Floyd album and often their favorite. The previous three albums, particularly the previous two (The Wall and The Final Cut) were dominated by Roger Waters compositions and vocals and therefore have a certain darkness about them. When A Momentary Lapse of Reason came out there was a certain “freshness” to it. With David Gilmour singing on all the songs along with him composing the music, there was almost a nostalgic feel to the album.

The remix has a fresh sound and the work they did to remove some of the ’80s production is a welcome effort. It’s especially welcome that some of Rick Wright’s organ and keyboard work recorded during their Delicate Sound of Thunder tour were added to the remix. We’ll likely be playing a song or two from that album on next year’s tour. Next year is Animals at 50 years and Piper at the Gates of Dawn at 60 years. Perhaps there’s an opportunity there.

 

Meanwhile, Animals turns 50 next year. Do you have any plans to honor that epic?

Animals is another band favorite. We plan on performing the album in its entirety on our tour. And while we haven’t yet announced anything definitively, we have discussed going back to the studio to record the Animals album. More to come on that later.

 

I feel like as we are going through this seismic shift in the rock landscape in 2026, tribute bands are really keeping the concert industry alive on both a small and large scale. What are your impressions of how tribute bands are helping the touring business in the modern age?

Tribute bands are definitely helping to keep the live music scene alive. A large part of it is nostalgia. Bands like Pink Floyd are no longer active, but interest in the music and, importantly, seeing that music be played, is still in high demand. Also, while some of those great bands from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s may still be touring, the cost to see them may be prohibitive. It’s a great time for tribute acts to showcase amazing music from an era that gave us some of the greatest music ever composed.

It is, however, unfortunate in some respects. There are many newer bands today that are writing and recording new music, but are having much difficulty selling their music, let alone getting noticed. For these newer bands, touring is at best a struggle as only a handful of artists seem to get promoted. There’s an amazing assortment of new music from bands like Lifesigns, Pearl Handled Revolver and Moon Safari that don’t get the recognition they deserve.

 

VIDEO: Floyd Nation podcast

We recently lost the great Dick Parry on May 22. I would love to know your thoughts on him and his saxophone playing on Pink Floyd’s albums and if you plan on paying tribute to him at your shows?

Dick Parry was, of course, a key musician in the history of Pink Floyd. His performances on “Money,” “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” and “Us and Them” are legendary. Each one of them moving and full of emotion that captures the essence of the feelings the songs are meant to portray. We’ve added “Us and Them” back into our set list to pay tribute to Dick Parry each night when we perform it on our upcoming tour.

 

Will Floyd Nation continue to pen original music?

We have a number of new songs already written with more being written. We may consider doing a similar format as we did with Wish You Were Here with Animals.

 

What are your thoughts on the final Pink Floyd album, The Endless River?

Being a huge Rick Wright fan, our keyboardist loves this album. While some people dismiss The Endless River as a collection of throwaway tapes from The Division Bell sessions, astute listeners and fans are captured by its cinematic, ambient soundscapes and beautiful guitar work that possess the characteristic Pink Floyd sound. Those familiar with Pink Floyd’s earlier experimental work will hear similarities from A Saucerful of Secrets, More, Ummagumma and Atom Heart Mother. Pink Floyd’s experimental phase was critical in the musical development of their later sound. You can hear those experimental vibes from those earlier times echoing within The Endless River. It’s a work of nostalgic beauty and a fresh take on how Pink Floyd approached music experimentation decades later.