Alan's Psychedelic Breakfast - Recording and Sounds

Recording and Sounds

The track features Pink Floyd playing in the background as Alan Styles (a Pink Floyd roadie, who appeared on the back cover of Ummagumma) speaks about the breakfast he is preparing and eating, as well as breakfasts he has had in the past ("Breakfast in Los Angeles. Microbiotic stuff..."). There are significant breaks before the first and in between all three instrumental parts where only Alan's muttering and movements, with occasional exterior background noise, are heard. Much of Alan's speech is overdubbed throughout the piece in gradually fading echoes e.g. "Microbiotic stuff" is repeated every couple of seconds, more quietly each time. It was performed live three times in the UK during the winter of 1970.

In addition to the talking, the sounds of Alan making breakfast—such as lighting the stove, cooking bacon, pouring milk and cereal (which makes a popping sound associated with Kellogg's Rice Krispies), loudly gulping and drinking milk or juice, and loudly and vigorously eating cereal—are clearly audible in the background, which adds a conceptual feel to the track. Alan can be heard entering the kitchen and gathering supplies at the start of the track, and washing up and exiting the kitchen at the end; a dripping tap can be heard during both of these instances. On some copies of the vinyl version, the dripping tap at the end of the song is cut into the run-off groove, so it plays on infinitely until the listener removes the stylus from the album, an effect obviously lost on the CD release, though the dripping continues for approximately 17 seconds after all other sounds have ceased.

Jam band The Breakfast have taken their name from the song.