Rare & unedited BBC 1 footage. Crystal clear video.Nice resolution. Pink Floyd Live on BBC 1 1967. Doing Astronomy Domine. Interviewer/Host Hans Keller. Hans Keller interviews Roger and Syd
He didn't have a 'breakdown'. He just walked away from the increasing popularity of his 'art'. PS: Don't buy into the continuing lies that is Water's version of Barrett
@@sexobscura i know its sad, syd did lose his ego but roger knows he was still syd, roger was controlled by money greed and fame, Dave syds earliest friend who technically replaced him made sure syd got his royalties and helped him with his 2 solo albums, David and Syd are truly the balance of Pink Floyd both so Genuine. Syd is forever flying in his domine
@@jyejye1077 yep agreed I think Waters is a *phenomenal* lyricist, but the more I think about the way the group evolved from Barrett to Waters, the more Waters comes across as, I hate to admit, a conniving manipulator of the highest order. Anything he says regarding Barrett's mental condition sounds like disingenuous, self-serving lies to condole his own conscience
In some ways I agree with your criticism of Keller, but you should understand the time and context of his statement... At that time, this kind of musical experimentation, especially in post-Victorian England, was looked on by the average person as something done by aliens from outer space... Keller was actually quite reserved in his criticism compared to what some music critics at that time would have done...
I remember reading the liner notes on an old LP and on that album they were called The Pink Floyd Sound. History or typos I don't know. It was a cool name.
When the first came out with the name....they were called "The Pink Floyd Sound"...which then obviously got shortened. I agree....I think it sounds cooler...even just as "The Pink Floyd"...
Syd had definitely started to lose his mind by this point. He wasn't completely gone by this point but by the end of the summer of love, syd wasn't doing to well.
Skyler Ellis hmm no. The problems may have started in June... this interview was in may. And it was only in July that people who were close to him started noticing something wasn't right
Blisteryship006 Evidence points that things began to go south for Syd around this time. Probably starting with Games for May and gigs like this, lots of pressure and large amounts of drug use. David Gilmour saw Syd only a few days after this while they were recording See Emily Play and Gilmour said that Syd was completely different and Syd barely recognized him. In May 1967, Joe Boyd saw Syd in a ditch with his girlfriend crying by his side and saying that Syd had taken Acid for a week straight
I agree! He was riding so high and doing so good but by late summer of 1967 he began his downward spiral. Such a waste of a beautifully, talented man! 😢
@@phayzyre1052 Yeah, look up a performance from July 9th, he looks great. Around 2 weeks later something seriously went wrong and I don't think anyone will ever really know. He could've been spiked with LSD, STP, who knows. Maybe even worse, Syd never talked about it and when asked about LSD use in 1970, he denied really being associated with it. That means some terrible things happened, for sure... Just danced around the topic as much as possible.
@@ValientlinkTo be fair I think a lot of it is fabricated. The Stockholm performances are unbelievable and that was late 67. I just think the others wanted to go in a certain direction less underground and that meant him being out the band. Ultimately it was the right decision because psychedelia was on its way out and Syd was tied to that completely.
Personally, I think The Madcap Laughs contained his creative best. It's still as vibrant to me as when I first heard it fifty years ago. Genius lyrics.
Rayana S. Roger and Syd were both polite and coherent unlike the a hole Mr Keller who made many disparaging remarks. Good for them anyway because it showed Hans Keller up to be a stuffy twit
If anything, Syd (and Roger) seemed to feel a bit sorry for Mr. Keller as someone who was out of touch and a bit unwilling to open his mind up to new things.....
Aldo Ugarte Cabrera looked like a horse too 😆 though Water’s looks seemed to be reversed. The older he got the better looking he got. He looks far better now than he did in 1967
How does this Keller dare to have an sceptical opinion?!! Come on... He says they have an audience and so they ought to be heard, and that perhaps it's his own fault to not appreciate them. Especially for the time, I think he's open-minded and curious. And the interview is great, informative.
Hmmm? Well if you search Keller's biography he most likely criticized 1930s-1950s styled jazz and gibson thru out, his career . Probably the most modern genre he opinionated was skiffle-pop. And '67 BBC doesn't promote band and manufacture them for their future career. (I guess until now?) the same reason why their radio stations don't prefer modern songs! Hans Keller just acted like a professional here. He criticized their material not their popularity. And just the same way with other musicians in the past from the '50s. And keep in mind that this is "THE pink floyd" who was still in their underground years and before their US tour. BBC tv shows broadcasts every musician's single/songs but never sell them in the charts. This was most likely for entertainment reasons. At least Keller didn't say that, Pink Floyd will never be famous. He did said at the beginning that; "MAYBE, I am too much of a musician" in a humble way
I am a classical musician, and I can tell you that there was plenty of avant garde, dissonant and unpleasant sounding music for string quartet written decades before this performance. In fact, by 1967, it was common to find atonal classical music written for electronics, even featuring sampling. It's because of classical musicians like the presenter that the radicalism of 20th century classical music is unknown to the general public, and why many people believe it is a thing of the past instead of living with us to the present day. Pink Floyd is no more unlistenable to his ears than John Cage or Penderecki
Yeah that's actually where Pink Floyd's sound came from Avant Garde music. The band didn't quite have the chops, and experience that a lot of other successful underground bands had. They were forced to continue to innovate after Syd left. So they got good at innovation then later on they became great songwriters like Syd.
Harry Partch, Arnold Schoenberg.. Then there's the jazz world, which crosses over into 'classical' avant-garde. Actions for Free Jazz Orchestra, for instance. Just a couple of years after this show.
if you thought Syd was just a drooling acid & mandies head then check him out, such a fine performance & interview...Piper is one of the strongest debut albums in rock history...things could have been so different for Pink Floyd.
I tripped on mushrooms to the debut album and definitely connected with his music. Sounds like I'm talking hippie bullshit, but honestly, it was like meeting Syd. Such a fantastic little world he created on that album. Amazing.
@@sexobscura yes I agree. It's a shame they weren't able to go on after Syd's departure. He was the front-man and primary songwriter so it should come as no surprise they ended when he dropped out. 🤷♂️
Yeah totally. Roger looks self-conscious, legs closed, unsure, but Syd, even years younger is the dominant one. Syd is one of the only people Roger ever looked up to despite being years older. Syd was the little guy compared to them, but his talent was staggering and incredible to them.
I love how the guy at the beginning wasn't going to comment before watching the performance, and then he goes on to make several disparaging and opinionated comments. Too funny. People should listen to themselves more when the speak.
Roger sees that host is a very pretentious jerk, but Syd is earnestly trying to make him understand. This is one of the few times I’ve ever heard Syd talk
That host must be the motivation for the Teacher in The Wall. Waters answered the host with some passive aggressive tones, but Syd answered very intelligently and actually got him to agree with his statement. Also, the music world has never heard of that host, but it certainly has heard of Syd Barrett.
I like how at the beginning Hans is giving a professional criticism to his take on the band. We're not even allowed to be honest today with performing artist of any kind, good or bad. I wasn't around to see the golden era of instrumentally and vocally - non lipsynch - driven music. So this is fun to hear these types of honest unfiltered mature viewpoints.
It's probably not worth the deep research to find, but I wonder if he liked any of the later stuff like Dark Side of The Moon or the track Echoes, since he praises quiet music so much. But based on how snobby he sounds,I'm sure he never changed his mind about them, and just got annoyed that they got popular.
Early Floyd is one of my biggest influences. Nothing but love for them. Especially Astronomy Domine, my favorite number. And I love this interview. I love that Mr Keller doesn't like it and lets it be known. I wish interviewers held todays artist to such account rather than just promote them or whatever they are doing. It gave Syd and Roger a chance to answer eloquently and with such class and conviction. I don't find Mr Keller's opinions or remarks offensive at all. If I were born into his life, I'd probably feel the same way as he did and there's nothing wrong with that.
That's a really well-balanced assessment, Coilhead. All the responses here are from Floyd fans, and it's too easy to dismiss Keller, who simply comes from a different world. We have to remember that cultural musical judgments were far different pre-Sgt, Pepper, or thereabouts. There was a big division between "serious" and "pop" music. I'm a classical pianist and I also love Astromine Domine, but times are different.
I agree that interviewers today are too sycophantic, though I would be a little pissed off if I had to play after someone just dissed me to the audience I'm about to play to. God knows what was going through the band's head after Keller said 'I don't appreciate them' and the cameras were immediately pointed at them.
SO RAW, SO BEAUTIFUL. sure they weren't polished musicians yet, but oh my g0d is it intelligent, young, sharp and sexy. syd was the prince of the underground at the time of that interview. what a bizarre tragic figure he grew to become. still, terrapin remains one of the most calming songs i've ever heard and love to listen to on headphones and the lights off while i miss past days and dream about new ones. tear. love u syd
Great to see syd in his prime. Coherent and vital. He's very polite, cordial & not intimidated by the interviewers not so subtle attacks. On stage he has a stunning prescence and plays quite well, very different in style from David. It would've been great to see Floyds approach had he carried on.
Syd, when he raises his hands....He's like a Wizard or a Magician... He wrote such an ethereal and enchanting song. I always sail across the solar system, passing the great gas giants, every time I listen to this.
Such a shame that this extraordinary performance was not shot in colour. Still I suppose we should be grateful that it has been kept at all. RIP R K Barrett.
@@SuperHoops-1882my dad passed away on the same date July 7th..I remember seeing flowers at my dads funeral from a friend and on the tag it said Shine on you crazy diamond.
A true example of out with the old in with the new. Watching Syd with his arms out stretched singing about Neptune, flashing lights, over the sound of feed back and strange psychedelic music must have been absolutely fascinating to see for the first time as a youth of the 60s. It was more a clarion call to break through to new levels of experience through mind expansion.
I'm an 80s child and grew up with that era of music and mostly the wall and Floyd last the 1980s. Didn't occur to me to look to their early work and I dont know why. Can you imagine how fortunate I am to be able to hear this at the age of 51 all for the first time? What a wonderful treat and its new and fresh to me.
Just checking to see if anyone noticed yet at 3:55 you can hear Syd going into his own rendition of rock me baby! That completely blew my mind when I first heard it, and most definitely has since!
Ha, ha, Hans Keller initially says he doesn't want to prejudice the viewers, then goes on with slagging them and almost rolling his eyes before the audience can hear their excellent song, "Astronome Domine". Although Hans Keller was a fairly open minded critic of 20th century classical music during the 50s and 60s, he wasn't really suited for interviewing a pioneering rock band......
Hi Figocooldude, I'm not sure, if you scroll about half way through the article on Ligeti at www.independent.co.uk/life-style/classical-music-an-aural-dreamscape-1292565.html, it appears he may have initially been hostile to Ligeti, but gradually learned to appreciate him. The article on Hans Keller I saw on Wikipedia mentions that he supportive of Benjamin Britten, Arnold Schoenberg, as well as several other contemporary composers listed near the end of the article. Still, it's too bad he didn't seem to see any merit in Pink Floyd, even if only from the standpoint of relatively simple pop/rock music.
For me, being born in 1990, this is a treasure. First, how old this is, seeing Syd Barrett playing and being interviewed, Hans Keller criticizing the Pink Floyd, Water's youth, it's huge, really, it's almost magical and I certainly feel some kind of nostalgia knowing that music will never ever be this alive, this different, this unique, this "loud".
2:07 - one of the first chords on this song is a friggin E flat augmented major with a E on the bass line. And it sounds cool AF, had to look it up to see what they did.
Amazing footage for the die-hard Floyd fan! A nice live performance of anything with Syd is a real treasure, and they did a great run through of AD. Yeah, Hans comes off like a jerk, but at least it was not some scripted BS like talk shows today. He didn't like it, and he clearly stated why. But he was civil to Roger and Syd, and I thought they held their own under fire pretty well. Thanks for uploading!
The first 40 seconds of Astronomy Domine are still unparalleled in music, holy fuck, what a massive intro that blows your mind every damn time... Ahm.... Sorry.... I got a little excited over here, see ya
It is huge, and you deserve credit for seeing it for what it is at such a young age. This is the best look at Syd Barrett in all his youthful glory. Frankly, I saw this and fell in love. It breaks your heart knowing what was to follow in short order.
I love how these wonderful musicians can frighten and entrance me all at the same time; It's like a horror show, you want to stop looking, and yet you keep watching for the sake of entertainment.... AND I BLOODY LOVE IT!!!!!
Remarkable to see Syd so lucid and clear considering this is very close to the time where he started to suffer pretty heavily from schizophrenia, and show it. Syd was my hero growing up. Bless him.
Such precious few bits of Syd. This has to be one of the best ever! Ahead of his time guitar player. Wish he could have done more musically since he lived so long after this. One of the great tragedies of rock.
This is ...wow. I was born in 65 so of course have no idea of what was happening back then, but it is so cool to see that someone took the time to record it. I LOVE this "OLD" stuff!!!
it was amazing to see syd in such great form! he seemed so together at this point in his life...it was not long after this time that he started to fade..R.I.P. syd and rick
*Syd Barrett was a legend before he was 30, and the fact that he could create so much in that time is priceless* *Some things happen for a reason, and I believe his creativity was a gift that was only limited to his youth*
Astronomy Domine's one of the most dramatic things you'll ever hear and that into, Piper or Ummagumma, either of them, could be used in a movie. I kicked off two of my very best trips listening to the live version.
One of Pink Floyd’s greatest songs. A very interesting look back. Syd, regardless of his disassociation from society, was a very successful artist. A great one, full of imagination. Thanks for sharing this.
Hans: "Do you, in your turn, feel aggressive towards your audiences?" Roger: "No, not at all....well, in about ten years I *will* spit upon a Canadian man in disgust in the front row of a stadium concert of our 'In the Flesh' tour, and then we'll actually build a literal wall between us and the audience for a next series of performances."
What's interesting to me is how syd talks Of any human being I've seen he seemed the most sincere. Like he isn't acting here to me. He is the most genuine person I've ever seen. I aspire to be like him
There's just something about seeing Syd's face in the flashing lights at the beginning of Pow R. Toc H. While he does the little beat boxing kinda thing that just gets to me. And when he raises his arms above him during Astronomy Domine. But I also love the look he and Roger give each other at 6:17 like "...can you believe this guy?" It was almost like Syd was holding in more laughter than he wanted to hahaha.
In England..there was NO pressure put on hosts of their own shows to SELL the performers new Album. Yes--imagine Jimmy Fallon sitting down with ANY of todays "POP" stars and saying " Why do the lyrics all have to be so terribly STUPID LMAO
Great clip, band, song and interview. In a strange way having Hans Keller interview gives you a good idea of how people of his generation (what had been before) were having to understand 60's music / culture, the huge widening gap between the generations in leaps and bounds, there was no gradual evolution or transition. In a way his questions offer Roger and "Syd" (Graham) an opportunity to explain certain things about their generation in a way that a "better" / younger interviewer might not.
9:00 after being asked if they feel aggressive towards audiences, Roger: no, not at all Literally makes an album inspired by stuff like that, the Wall, after a crowd incident during the Animals tour years later Pink Floyd was the best
I may not like certain groups, or types of music, but never felt the need to criticize those that do. Music is a personal thing and reaches different people in different ways. I don't see a need for music critics.
