A quote from Mick Rock: "[Syd's] very last public gesture was in 2002 when he co-signed 320 copies of the original limited edition version of my book of photos of him, Psychedelic Renegades. He only signed 'Barrett' - 'Syd' was a persona he had shaken off sometime in the 70’s. But he signed them and in doing so gave his blessing to the book and photos within and acknowledged that he still remembered our friendship from so long ago". Also, Barrett's nephew Ian said Syd had told him that Mick Rock's photos were his favourite pictures of himself.
My God man!! That footage is amazing!! Iv been a big fan of Syd's since I was young! I thought that there was Nothing new! I Love it when that happens! Magical moments!
Guys, I agree with you so much!! Could you imagine a whole lot more of well restored film footage of Syd from anytime between 65-72 turning up. There MUST be more? They were very popular & involved with the sorts of student charectors into Film etc. Also more pro shot film. It would be so nice...(sorry)!! Let's all keep on hoping so hard that maybe, just maybe it will happen!! ✌🏽😀✌🏽❤️
+Allen Albright You seems to know a lot about Syd. He was pretty normal as a kid and in his teens, right? I mean mentally. I know very little about him. I.know he loved music and to paint when he was a kid. Did he play the piano first? And he sat down and taught himself to play the guitar when he was 13 or something? And he did good at school,he was very intelligent? And got into art school. There was never any talk about him being mentally unstable at that point, right? That came along with the drugs? Was it mainly weed and acid he did? This is what I don't understand. Didn't he notice that the drugs changed him? I've heard of people having a bad trip and never getting down again. People knew it was dangerous and that you need breaks. You don't do acid on a daily basis. The brain needs to relax. But he just kept going. More or less for six months, was what I read. Who does that? Didn't he recognize that he was losing it? I've never heard of anyone else who used acid like he did. If he'd got hooked on heroin and that was the reason why everything unravelled, I'd totally understand. But I don't understand his story. But he stopped taking acid? And got diagnosed? Did he use medications?
Syd’s story is full of fake truth and contradictions. You shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet about him. I suggest you to read Julian Palacios biography on Syd “Dark Globe” if you’re interested. But to shortly answer some of your questions - Syd was already quite different and odd from the very early age. He would very likely been diagnosed with Aspergers syndrome nowadays which is also a reason for his lifelong “madness” - he wasn’t mentally ill, no doctors ever made that kind of diagnosis, but he was odd and Aspergers explains that. The fact that he took LSD every day is one of the biggest myths, he disn’t really do more drugs than everyone else in the 60s. Plus, if someone would take acid every day, they wouldn’t feel any effects because it creates tolerance so it’s not possible to have another trip for 7 days or so. So it’s very unlikely acid did much damage to Syd. At least it wasn’t reason for his breakdown. Syd’s brain was just wired in hugely different way than most of other people which is what made him so creative and different. He was too sensitive and just couldn’t handle fame and also disliked the direction the band was going. He never meant his musial adventures to become serious, art was always his main passion. And when it did become serious, it was already too late. There is aot more to say, but as I said, better read the book :)
There's a facebook group called the birdie hop- the syd barret group, with people from his family, friends, ex girlfriends and people who worked and knew syd. Fans can read a lot of interesting things about him, share opinions and a lot of things. If you're not there, you should check it, a safe place for fans. That's pretty nice.
that comment hits on a major point i feel. one of the biggest downers about the Syd story is that all the focus is on the dark, negative decline. whereas what made Syd so attractive and special was the PeterPan like qualities and fun, sharp minded, colorful Syd. Yet everyone highlights the grey, sad Syd instead. ugh.
my favorite way to envision Syd is how I imagine him to be during 1966. i read alot, and many people say summer of '66 was a true summer of love. i imagine a young, optimistic, kid with Tigger-like bounce in his step (as R Waters claims he had). hopping around in sunny summer days with guitar and notebook, working out fun songs like the Gnome, Bike, Flaming and all those early, childish stuff. "look at the sky, look at the river, isn't it good". lyrics like that come from blissful, young, happy state of mind. that should be how Syd is remembered. "I'VE GOT A BIKE"!!!! how can you not smile at his stuff?!?! i love it.
Nick,i absolutely LOVE you for saying that my friend;you are SO right! it's all too easy to get bogged down in the quagmire of "poor,tragic Syd" stuff and "what if" stuff,but i like to think of the insanely goodlooking,whimsical,sweet boy who was so talented and unique.Well said.
Nick DeBenedetto my thoughts exactly pretty dissapointng listening to people about drugs schizophrenia etc Rather enjoy lucifer sam bike , i m a king b nd get to know the real guy
@@-solidsnake- Yes, it definitely was. Roger Waters said that "Syd" who was Roger Keith Barrett walked into the studio when they were recording the Wish You Were Here album and was incoherent and unable to speak properly which brought some of the guys to tears. This inspired Waters to write Shine On You Crazy Diamond.
@@barrygreenstein8383 uh seriously? that is so dumb, ive read everything about the pink floyd and ive never ever heard that. we can just agree to disagree
Syd actually came to visit Rock and his girlfriend at the time as late as 1978 on a quite regular basis for a cup of tea and a chat. Mick was one of the very last people he maintained a friendship with from the "Old Days". He finally cut ties with him as well and went into full reclusion by the early 80's as his illness progressed. Mick was a genuine friend to Syd.
I love both of your comments I want to learn all I can about Syd Barrett Here is a poem I wrote for him! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Uny5ZjGRMHI.html Please check it out and let me know what you think!
"All he ever wanted to do as a kid was to jump around and play the guitar but he couldn't get there anymore." That's just so fucking sad! How lost and lonely he must have been. I just saw a tiny piece of that interview but the things he daid there sounded like he was quite normal. And aware of the situation. I feel like the horrible criticism of his second album was the main reason why he stopped making music. He got slaughtered and he couldn't take that so he just gave up. I totally understand that. Music was something he loved doing and it was fun. But when suddenly everybody are analyzing your every move you just don't want nothing to do with it because there's no fun anymore. The fact that he showed up at PF's recordings in '75 tells me that he maybe had a wish and hopes of being asked to join in. But I don't know.
I kinda think the same. But I believe that his "erratic behavior" caused by "whatever the hell caused it" maked him bad at playing his guitar. I remember reading that he said that he can't play guitar anymore on those days. We will never know honestly.
I always tought his "sudden appearance" when Pink Floyd were recording WYWH was too convenient to be just a coincidence. I won't deny he may obviously had some kind of breakdown from acid (i have done it one time and it broke me to pieces, imagine several!!) resulting in the pics the band took of him that day.. I think they arranged it so he could live the rest of his life as an artist just like he wanted+ leave the music scene as a legend and also create a mythos for their upcoming album. Mentally ill people and specially squizophrenics aren't at all an empty shell like most think, he was just tired of all the implications the music world had for him.
I definitely don't think his angle was to get back in the band. In no way shape or form. He mighta wanted them to produce something for him, lol, but I doubt that too.
All of that "Showing up unannounced" bullshit is exactly that. Syd was INVITED by someone at the studio because it was Dave Gilmour's wedding to his first wife, Ginger. Syd actually attended the wedding reception downstairs in the canteen area and spoke with all of them. After a certain amount of time had passed, Syd said: "I have to go home now", and just got up and left. No one ever saw him again. The "official story" has become quite the tall tale, indeed. That was his second visit to the studio.(The infamous bald/shaved eyebrows photo) His first, which there is also a picture of, he was wearing a white shirt with red stripes, sitting in a chair smoking a cigarette. Here it is :images.app.goo.gl/vwdFt5yWYr4Dcm9M9
Loved these comments Please check out this poem I wrote for Syd Let me know what you think of you do check it out ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Uny5ZjGRMHI.html
Mick Rock got to know & be friends w/ Freddie & Syd & Bowie, that is too much luck! Maaaan to hav been able to talk to Syd Barret & Freddie & to be in their company is absolutely superb.
Well stick around and take all the care you need to take: He wasn't given any, I believe, and that's what ultimatedly tool him away from himself. Hope you'll get better soon!
The more I see of this world, with invasive social media, cancel culture, ideology wars and such, there's not a day that goes by when I don't think 'Syd Barrett had the right idea...'
Syd doesn't look crazy here, he must have come out of it somewhat after he left the Floyd but still must have been troubled enough to withdraw from the outside world and become totally reclusive. Very sad thing to happen to such a beautiful and talented young man in his prime.
glad I bumped into this video, I was just expecting to see exclusive photos, I wish Mick would release more info on what Syd was like in these reclusive Cambridge years as he seems to have a much closer connection then anyone Ive seen so far
I would love to make a film about him with my dad someday. We are working together on a series of poems and art pieces for him. Check out what we got going so far! Let us know what you think!! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Uny5ZjGRMHI.html
I thought I'd seen every film of Syd there was, then this came out. It's good to see a relaxed Syd rather than the photoshoot or stage persona Syd. It almost doesn't look like him, he had very gentle eyes that I had never noticed before. What happened to him? I guess we'll never really know.
I think Syd's declarations at 4:28 indicate he was far from being out of mind or squizofrenic..."I've got a very irregular head, and I'm not anything that you think I am anyway" says a lot
it's claimed he did borderline toxic doses of LSD either from his own free will or spiked by his so called friends. even if he didn't do the high doses claimed, he still did "standard or above standard" doses of LSD regularly for a period of his life. i personally know someone who did high but not super high doses of LSD almost every day on a one and a half week bender. it sent him into a full blown psychosis and he's never been the same since, even after 10+ years of sobriety and therapy. before the bender he'd only drank and smoked weed a little hear and there and was a functioning intelligent person. i've personalty done LSD and mushrooms 10 times in my life over a ten year period with beneficial results so there is no such thing as a poison, only a poisonous dose. it seems like sid was like my friend. he had too much and went into psychosis. very sad.
"Syd" Barrett was a uniquely gifted man! He was so very Blessed! He brought beauty, joy and artistic innovation to the world. R.I.P. ROGER KEITH "SYD" BARRETT
This is real nice.Glad no one is spouting that over used and inappropriate 'genius' word,to describe a passed artist.Gifted and unique individual,and beautiful too....as we can see from this lovely footage. R.I.P. Syd.
Syd, You brought joy and colour to the world with your wonderful musical and artistic creations! We miss you! Quote by ROGER KEITH "SYD" BARRETT ~ "I don't think I'm easy to talk about. I've got a very irregular head. And, I'm not anything that you think I am anyway."
Syd so resembled his father Dr. Max Barrett! He inherited his father's bright and cheerful smile. His mother, Winifred, possessed a bright and beautiful smile! Seeing photos of the Barrett family, when Syd was a child, it is so evident that there was immense joy in the Barrett household. It must have been so traumatic for Syd and his family in losing his father at such a young age.
The more u read into syds life the sadder it gets really. The word genius is often over used but I personally believe it is entirely appropriate when describing him. A one of a kind type of person.
The style of the band at this point was heavily indebted to the first Pink Floyd album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but filtered through their own color spectrum. The Pink Floyd connection went beyond mere sonic hat tipping, since Alice Cooper played host to Pink Floyd on the British band's first U.S. tour. “We were the house band at the Cheetah for a period of time in ’67,” Smith recalls. “One of the perks was we could go see any of the bands playing there. Pink Floyd were there one week. I remember the first or second song they played, Syd went up to sing and boom! A spark came from the microphone and hit his lip. He just put his arms down to his sides, backed about a foot away from the stand and just stood there like a statue for the rest of the night. After the show, they came back to our house and partied with us all night long. Syd walked in like a zombie. He didn’t talk to anybody, he just stood there. He seemed a bit psychotic, and the mass quantities of LSD certainly didn’t help.” Read More: Alice Cooper Drummer Neal Smith Recalls the Early Days | ultimateclassicrock.com/alice-cooper-neal-smith-interview-2018/? Those bastards didn't even take him to the hospital even after he was electrocuted on stage.
Check out this poem I penned for him! ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Uny5ZjGRMHI.html Let me know what you thought if you gave it a listen!
Does anyone know if that laugh at 3:00 is syd's? sounds like him. :) or maybe it was put there just for the effect to work with the footage? When Mick Rock talks about Syd as being a gentle soul.
Fifty years from now, Syd will be little more than a footnote to this era. But for those who invest some time into what was going on, he will be a goldmine. Much like Robert Johnson now. Like supernovas, their shine is only seen many years after their demise.
I don't think so. Syd Barrett will always be an icon. Dave Gilmour said that along with BoB Dylan, Syd was one of the 3 or 4 most influential rock artists/innovators.
Syddy's his young, luscious, pre-breakdown self again in Heaven...more alive than any of us...and we will all one day meet him! In the Afterworld, there is neither old age nor sickness of body or mind. The Piper has been restored...his mental breakdown no-more.
We grow up to search for a fucking career and to buy needless things..... I'm not a hypocrite (i am guilty of this) but when i turn back and look at my younger self (kid) my present is a huge disappointment (for the most part)
Love barrett wish I knew him it breaks my heart to what happened to him he was so special and so far ahead of his time the good die young and I think Sid died along time ago before he got old truly a legend of his time left the world in a mystery.
did jim morrison & syd ever cross paths?.... didnt floyd perform a few shows in calif w/ syd? .... I do know morrison was a fan of the band. He was quoted in interview in '70 as liking the band.
He was a shaman out of time and others around him trying to contextualize his experience through a lense darkly of what they perceive to be sound normal profit seeking behavior and anything outside of standard set a kook. I think that's why the shine on you crazy diamond feels more like a rub than a call to arms. Jealousy can conjure very complex self reinforcing personas completely unaware even to themselves of their lack of benevolent ideations. Piper at the Gates of Dawn is the best album. Dark Side of the Moon is a list of control systems /\ with a pull of empathy because that's how one established root/admin. prism or big triangle in the desert for a king. We don't need no education, so I guess we do, right?
I know that we are each responsible for our own actions, but I will never understand how those around Syd could have let him take so much acid, utterly indiferent to the consequences. Although I was only a little girl then, I do remember the zeitgeist of the time - the experimentation/ mind expansion etc. But the casualties came thick and fast. It was evident very early on, that this stuff fried sensitive brains. Surely "friends" should have been conscious of what it was doing to him. Couldn't they see , or sense that this sensitive artist was just too open to disintegration.? The last thing he needed was to have further layers peeled away from him. Like Peter Green, another bloody genius, drugs were the last thing they needed. We lost 2 of our greatest artists - both touched with genius, to brain frying, mind destroying junk. I don't like Mick Rock's rather laissez faire attitude. But his photos of Syd are exquisite. They capture Syd's beauty, his fragility...his "longing for home". His early photos of David Bowie are also breathtaking.
