Pink Floyd’s Nick Mason has been awarded one of Britain’s highest honours, receiving a CBE for his services to music.
Back in 1965, a quartet of musicians came together to form a new band. Dubbed the Pink Floyd Sound, this group would later drop the final third of their name, releasing their debut album – The Piper at the Gates of Dawn – in 1967.
Within just a matter of years, Pink Floyd would go on to become one of the most critically acclaimed, and best-selling bands of all time. As the years have gone by and the band has since officially ceased all activity, fans and critics have been left with the band’s lasting legacy.
Now, one of its founding members has added another accolade to his collection.
As the Gazette & Herald reports, founding Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason has officially been recognised for his musical efforts, being awarded the Commander of the Order of the British Empire.
Coming as part of the annual New Year’s honours list, Nick Mason’s CBE comes over a decade since his Pink Floyd bandmate David Gilmour received a similar award. To date, the pair are the only members of the group to receive the honour, while Mason is the only founding member to do so.
As The Mirror also points out, over 1,100 individuals have been named as part of the New Year’s honours list, with big names such as Monty Python’s Michael Palin, filmmaker Christopher Nolan, and author Margaret Atwood also making the cut.
While Nick Mason’s honour is officially for his services to music, the drummer is also known for his charitable contributions as well, notably for the Wiltshire Bobby Van Trust and the Wiltshire Air Ambulance’s Airbase Appeal.
Although Pink Floyd officially called it quits back in 2014, Nick Mason again hit the road earlier this year, teaming up with a number of famed musicians to form Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets.
Working with composer Dom Bekem, Spandau Ballet’s Gary Kemp, The Blockheads’ Lee Hass, and former Pink Floyd bassist Guy Pratt, the group performed a number of tracks from Pink Floyd’s early period during their live performances.
Check out Pink Floyd’s ‘Interstellar Overdrive’:
