I know everyone goes on about his writing and creativity, which was great, but my god could Syd sing. He was the best singer Floyd as ever had. A golden voice. And he was the first person I know of that didn’t put on an American accent.’
The Beatles started their psychedelic phase around the same time Pink Floyd, infact the beatles were recording Sergent Peppers at exactly the same time as Pink Floyd were recording Piper at the Gates of Dawn. In fact they were recording at the Abey Road Studio right next to each other. Pink Floyd were doing psychedelic type music before they went in to record that album In fact the story goes that John Lennon and Syd Barrett use to have alot of interesting chats. who influced who? no one knows
Roger "Syd" Barrett is the ONLY talented musician that I can say: I missed him when he was still alive in 1968 & I've missed him since he died on July 7th, 2006. Always hoped I'd run into him in Cambridge at the Corn Exchange, Grafton Mall, University pathways or punting boats. Just to have met him would have been an honor. #RIP
Barrett's sister mentioned the disastrous effects LSD had on his already highly creative mind. This immediately made me think about another creative genius who steered clear of drugs: Frank Zappa. I can't imagine what might have happened to Frank who obviously already saw the world from a very different vantage point than most of us but given Syd's experience and others including Brian Wilson and Jim Morrison I don't think things would have turned out so well. I'm not anti LSD by the way. I think for most people a properly administered and monitored dose of clean acid can often augment creative energy because I think it has the ability to allow you to briefly see the world through the eyes of a creatively gifted person. Unfortunately those people who already possess these gifts, drugs can push them over the edge.
His sister denied his mental illness though and didn't do anything to treat it, perhaps as drugs are a more socially acceptable reason for his decline to her. Really though, she left him to a life of alcoholism and isolation so no thanks to her at all. Jim Morrison wasn't doing any LSD when he died- he was sadly an alcoholic.
In many ways maybe even more. The great are the ones who suffer most. Rest well Syd. Thank you for being my guide and protector in times of distress and in all other times as well. Let’s send him love from the other side. May he rest in the clouds all blue sipping his lemonade aboard his effervescing elephant.
I believe he was autistic and developed schizophrenia from his early twenties. Waters commented on his odd gait, walking on tiptoes, which is an aspect of autism. Also the fascination with making odd noises on a guitar that it was not designed for would have driven him to experiment. To everyone else it was bizarre, but to him it was perfectly natural. Autism. His later behaviour indicated schizophrenia, the illogical conclusions and the screaming his neighbours heard from his house. Psychosis. In case you're wondering why I think this? I have both.
Actually, Piper was recorded from February to May 1967, while the Beatles started recording Sgt. Pepper in December of 1966 and ended in April of 1967. The Beatles psychedelic sound can be heard as early as 1965 and 1966 in Rubber Soul and Revolver.
"lyrically and the way he played his guitar" gee, is that all? amazing how everybody becomes and expert. mojo should fire that man. i may know nothing but he knows less than me. HAPPY NEW YEAR SYD. WE DO WISH YOU WERE HERE. GOD BLESS YOU.
Syd was NOT crazy. He had sufferred a nervous breakdown from being a "rock star." After his death, his sister wrote an article about how normal he really was. After he got away from "the biz." And his nickname had nothing to do with acid. There was a jazz drummer named Sydney Barrett (no relation) in Cambridge when he was growing up. He never referred to himself as "Syd." That was a moniker he was given by his schoolmates.
His sister was in denial. He was catatonic at points and known as a local eccentric in Cambridge. I wish she didn't feel such a strong stigma about mental illness.
I am just starting to look back to who this band really has been and whence it came; mental illness in my family; the pain- delusion- loneliness- fear- I wish he had been given what he needed; maybe he was- i will never know. it pains me now, however, to imagine what it must have been like for him.
In the beginning it was written, written in the stars. Syd Barrett and the boys would start a band. In the stars it read, that Syd would stumble, stumble hard. The stars scrambled to find a balance, balance for the Pink, and the Floyd. Pink wasn't well, he stayed back at the hotel. So he sent Gilmour along as a surrogate. Gilmour wished Syd was there, that crazy diamond. But Syd built a wall around himself. So today we look back with no regret. Pink Floyd is Gilmour, Waters, Mason, and Wright
Yes P.A.T.G/O/Dawn is a classic'..I have the original Nono Blue 'Black issue also...My Children loved that album' esp The Scarecrow'The Gnome' Lucifer Sam'and Bike..Fantastic'...Thanks to Syd' for all the pleasure we had from those wonderful songs...I'm sure Syd is somewhere playing Games for May!...R.I.P.Syd!
You know the legendary club UFO ( 60’s, London ), visited often by the famous that time ( including beatles and roling stones ). And Pink Floyd was great, genius, darling that place. And Pink Floyd played since 65, 66 for all the famous and other peoples. And everybody was marveled, danced and did a great trip. Paul in response to his biographer sad: Have been influenced by other bands. No need to say the name of band. The new song beatles started playing says who influenced them.
I agree to an extent, although I think the spirit of Syd and the experimenting were still there until Dark Side, which for me is the one where me and PF parted company.
What would Pink Floyd be without Syd Barrett. I mean his performances on the greatest album of all time, Dark Side Of The Moon was, er..wait...nevermind.
Ignorant, Syd's influence on the band inspired many of the songs on Dark Side. He may have only been in the band for 1 1/2 albums but he influenced a lot of their greatest work that came after him.
Jim Roy There's no doubt Pink Floyd wrote about Barrett and to be honest, fetishized him ad nausium, but compare The Wall or DSOTM to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn and it becomes clear David Gilmore was the true creative force behind the success of Pink Floyd, not Syd Barrett. Had he remained with the band I guarantee there would only be a handful of people who ever knew about Pink Floyd.
***** I honestly usually prefer The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, its a psychedelic masterpiece. If you don't like his music that's okay, its very different and doesn't appeal to a lot of people, but it was a great, unique and creative piece of work. And I personally think if Syd would have remained the band would have produced just as good of music, probably a lot different though.
what would chocolate donuts be without cream cheese? I don't even like whole wheat toast. But if a door mat is chilled to 10 degrees Celsius, then my hamster will never learn to drive a moving van. So yes, Tyrion Lannister is 100% correct.
Pink Floyd's great, I love them pre and post Syd Barrett, but The Beatles were the greatest group of musicians of all time. If it weren't for what The Beatles etched into music during the early and mid 60's, there would not have been a Pink Floyd.
Join the Laughing Madcaps - Syd Barrett Facebook Group! This is the continuation of the original Syd Barrett Yahoogroup started waaaaay back in 1998. We are the ultimate source for information on Syd himself and the early Pink Floyd on the net. This is the group that created the amazing Have You Got It Yet? 19 CD set of Syd! facebook.com/groups/laughingmadcaps
They did look after him. They got psychiatrists to try and treat him but the acid burnt his brain out. They made sure he had the royalties he was owed and Dave Gilmour kept a close eye on him. They kept it quiet for a reason.
It is sad they didn't remain friends, even if he was suffering from mental illness. It was good of Gilmour to help him get two albums out but where were the visits over the years? I wonder if he regrets that now.
Bullshit they did try to help him, get him to psychiatrists, helped him finish his last album, made sure he got royalties from albums like Pulse, Works. You can't force someone as their friend to deal with their mental illness. The guy has a family, and they couldn't even help him, so what more would you have had them do?
It was roger and Syd band, not David's. It is not fair they give Roger a hard time but really him and Syd created the band and David destroyed it. He swooped in and kicked Roger out and destroyed pink floyd. Good guitarist none the less but he is not pink floyd.
So, in my opinióm! For nothing! There is no comparison. It is more, the P.Floyd's best songs; " See Emily play, Arnold Lane, etc " owes to him very much Lennon-McCartney. In two years The Beatles wrote everything what on Psicodelia and the are left him. This one besides my opinion, is of the own P.Floyd (Gilmour's declarations and Waters closet)Sorry for my Inglish!Bleueareuareurg!
Although Barrett was an innovater and creative, I don't think he was very proficient or excellent in either role. What I mean is he wasn't that great of a guitarist,singer or lyricist and only when Gilmours skill as a guitarest was added to the PF sound did they become as epic as they did.
Don't think he cared a damn about being the best of guitarist or better than Eric Clapton. For him .Music was art about inner most expression and he treated it like that Rip syd
In my opinion, Pink Floyd totally OUTCLASSES the Beatles!! No disrespect directed to Sir Paul McCartney, but Floyd was so much...better. This is MY opinion.
