“English” Alan Styles, a one-time member of the Sausalito anchor-out community and former roadie for the British rock band Pink Floyd, died Thursday of pneumonia at Marin General Hospital. He was 75.
While his long hair, beard and giving manner made him a familiar figure around Sausalito, Mr. Styles was better known to millions as the voice on ”Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast,” the track on Pink Floyd’s 1970 album ”Atom Heart Mother.”
Born in Cambridge, England on Oct. 5, 1936, Mr. Styles became acquainted with David Gilmour during his youth. Gilmour would later become a guitarist and songwriter for Pink Floyd.
After attending school, Mr. Styles became a merchant seaman and eventually taught physical fitness in the Royal Navy.
As Pink Floyd began to emerge in the late 1960s, Gilmour called his old friend to see if he wanted to become a roadie for the band. Mr. Styles did more than move equipment for the band, appearing on the back cover of the band’s 1969 album ”Ummagumma” along with fellow roadie Peter Watts, the father of actress Naomi Watts.
For the band’s follow-up album, Mr. Styles was recorded preparing and eating breakfast; the sound was overlaid with three instrumental pieces to comprise the 13-minute ”Alan’s Psychedelic Breakfast.”
“One day he was eating breakfast and they just started recording him,” said his son, Dancer Styles, of Sausalito. ”I have no idea where it was recorded. He just rants about marmalade and other things.”
The popular track even has its own Wikipedia page describing Mr. Styles’ comments and actions recorded for the track.
While associated with the band, Mr. Styles hung out with not only the members of Pink Floyd, but also Rolling Stones drummer Charlie Watts, and he spent time with guitarist Jimi Hendrix in London in 1970 just days before his death, Dancer Styles said.
Eventually Mr. Styles had enough of the rock ‘n’ roll lifestyle and settled in Sausalito to raise a family. While in Sausalito he became a well-known and beloved figure around town.
“He always loved the water and that was the draw to Sausalito,” Dancer Styles said.
Gilmour visited Sausalito in the late 1980s while Pink Floyd was on tour, found his old friend, and Mr. Styles hung out with the band for two weeks, Dancer Styles said.
In the mid-1990s, when Mr. Styles’ houseboat began to sink, the community rallied around him and raised thousands of dollars to get him a new boat.
Mr. Styles worked odd jobs in the community, including putting a roof on Sparrow Creek School in Sausalito.
In recent years Mr. Styles suffered a stroke and he moved to a room in San Rafael, where his son took care of him.
“He kept to himself, but was a very kind man,” Dancer Styles said. ”If you had no money he’d give you his last cent, even if he had no money. He was very giving.”
A memorial for Mr. Styles will be from noon and 4 p.m. Dec. 22 at Dunphy Park in Sausalito.
In addition to his son, survivors include a daughter, Denise Beck, of Florida.
