When people think of Pink Floyd, words like “unique,” “innovative,” and “mind-blowing” often come to mind. The band’s music feels so original that it’s hard to imagine they were influenced by anyone else. But even Pink Floyd’s legendary guitarist David Gilmour has admitted that some of his ideas came from other artists—especially The Kinks.
Gilmour has always praised The Kinks for their ability to capture the everyday life of Britain and turn it into something beautiful. Their 1967 song Waterloo Sunset is one of his all-time favorites. In fact, Gilmour has called it “the perfect pop song” and even said he wishes he had written it himself. On BBC Radio 4’s Desert Island Discs in 2003, he described listening to the track as “being on a warm beach, missing London.”
This admiration for The Kinks influenced Gilmour’s own songwriting. Take Pink Floyd’s Fat Old Sun from their 1970 album Atom Heart Mother. Gilmour once said that when he wrote it, he thought, “What have I ripped this off? I’m sure it’s by The Kinks or someone…” He never found a direct match, but the influence was clear in his mind.
Despite his love for the song, Fat Old Sun has been largely overlooked. Gilmour even tried to get it included on Pink Floyd’s 2001 greatest hits album Echoes, but the rest of the band wasn’t convinced. Over the years, he has continued to champion the track, performing it at his solo shows and describing it as a personal favorite.
Gilmour is open about how he learned music by copying others. “I copied – don’t be afraid to copy – and eventually something that I suppose that I would call my own appeared,” he once said. This honest approach shows how influence is a natural part of creativity. Even the most original artists borrow ideas, twist them, and create something entirely new.
The story of Fat Old Sun is a perfect example. It may carry a hint of The Kinks, but it’s still unmistakably Pink Floyd. Instead of seeing influence as a weakness, Gilmour embraces it as part of his growth as a musician.
So next time you listen to Fat Old Sun or Waterloo Sunset, imagine the connection between these two songs. One inspired the other, not through copying note for note, but through admiration and a shared sense of beauty. It’s proof that music is a conversation between artists, across albums and generations.