The giant inflatable pig Pink Floyd used in its live shows during the 1970s was named Algie. The character first became famous during the creation of the band's 1977 album Animals, whose cover shows a pig floating above London's Battersea Power Station.
Designed by artist Jeffrey Shaw and built as a roughly 40-foot helium balloon, Algie was tethered above the power station during the cover photo shoot in December 1976. On the second day, it broke loose and drifted toward Heathrow Airport, creating an aviation hazard before eventually landing near a farm in Kent.
The pig became a central symbol of the Animals era and appeared above audiences during the band's 1977 In the Flesh tour. It is often confused with the black pig used during The Wall concerts, which carried the crossed-hammers emblem. Algie also inspired later inflatable pigs used by Roger Waters and Pink Floyd-related performances.