Pink Floyd's David Gilmour and Roger Waters better remember that old axiom about imitation being the sincerest form of flattery should they ever encounter what is perhaps the strangest tribute band we've come across.
That's right, we're talking about none other than Polka Floyd.
Group started by accident
The Toledo, Ohio-based group, who add accordion and an authentic polka shuffle to Pink Floyd classics like Hey You and Another Brick In The Wall, started on a whim. While waiting for bandmates to arrive at a rehearsal a few years ago, guitarist Ken Haas started to amuse himself by playing Comfortably Numb to a polka beat.
By the time the rest of the band arrived, they had a new direction.
In truth, Polka Floyd aren't as "roll out the barrel" as they might appear. Haas is a hot guitarist, who isn't shy about adding hot leads to the always-Oktoberfest madness. Check out this video of Polka Floyd putting their own spin on Have A Cigar.
While Haas continues to write original, non-polka material ("no one wants to listen to that," he says, good-naturedly) he admits that Polka Floyd have become something of a phenomenon.
The band have been known to perform albums such as Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here in their entirety. And if they sense some true, back-in-the-day cult Floyd fans in the audience, they're quick to bust out an oldie-but-goodie like Syd Barrett's Jugband Blues.
Hey, it isn't just a living; it's a mission. Want more Polka Floyd? Here's a short clip of their take on Another Brick In The Wall.
