LONDON.- Today the V&A announces Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains from V&A publishing, a new book fully authorized by Pink Floyd, one of the world’s most pioneering and influential bands. Comprising unseen images, archive material published for the first time and new essays, the book has been created with unprecedented access to the Pink Floyd archives. The beautifully produced hardback, with a lenticular cover inspired by the The Dark Side of the Moon album artwork, coincides with the exhibition The Pink Floyd Exhibition: Their Mortal Remains, opening at the V&A on 13 May, and marks the 50th anniversary of Pink Floyd’s first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.

Pink Floyd and its members Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Roger Waters and Richard Wright continue to fascinate a global audience. The book Pink Floyd: Their Mortal Remains examines the many aspects of their far-reaching legacy: not only in music, but also the wider visual arts. Previously unseen material made available in the book includes Roger Waters’ sketches, notes and handwritten lyrics for The Wall; sketches for the band’s extraordinary stage designs; and new photography of Pink Floyd’s extensive collection of instruments, from classic synths to painted drum heads. In addition, some long-lost and rare items such as Syd Barrett’s mirror-covered 1960s Fender guitar have been painstakingly recreated and photographed, as a way of restoring them to public view.

The book opens with a foreword from Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell, co-founder of design group and Pink Floyd album art creator Hipgnosis. It includes essays from the producer of Pink Floyd’s first single Joe Boyd; writer and broadcaster Jon Savage; award-winning composer Howard Goodall; author Rob Young; and V&A curators Victoria Broackes and Anna Landreth Strong. These expert contributors consider what makes the band unique: from the mythology underpinning their output; to their experimentation with music technology and composition; their epic staging and performance impact and the themes and politics that infuse their lyrics.

The book closes with a chronological overview of the band’s albums. Each of the 15 studio albums are introduced by Pink Floyd biographer Mark Blake and Aubrey ‘Po’ Powell and lavishly illustrated with high-quality artwork and ephemera, such as David Gilmour’s black Fender Stratocaster, photographs of band recording sessions, album cover shoots and touring shows. The book offers unparalleled behind-the-scenes access and expert discussion of Pink Floyd’s creative career.