http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5169344.stm
Pink Floyd's Barrett dies aged 60
Syd Barrett released two solo albums after leaving Pink Floyd
Syd Barrett, one of the original members of legendary rock group Pink Floyd, has died at the age of 60 from complications arising from diabetes.
The guitarist was the band's first creative force and an influential songwriter, penning their early hits.
He joined Pink Floyd in 1965 but left three years later after one album. He went on to live as a recluse, with his mental deterioration blamed on drugs.
"He died very peacefully a couple of days ago," the band's spokeswoman said.
"There will be a private family funeral."
A statement from Pink Floyd said: "The band are naturally very upset and sad to learn of Syd Barrett's death.
"Syd was the guiding light of the early band line-up and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire."
David Bowie described Barrett as a "major inspiration", saying: "I can't tell you how sad I feel.
"The few times I saw him perform in London at UFO and the Marquee clubs during the '60s will forever be etched in my mind.
"He was so charismatic and such a startlingly original songwriter. Also, along with Anthony Newley, he was the first guy I'd heard to sing pop or rock with a British accent.
Pink Floyd in 1967
Barrett (third from left) struggled with drugs and fame in the 1960s
"His impact on my thinking was enormous. A major regret is that I never got to know him. A diamond indeed."
Born Roger Barrett in Cambridge, he composed songs including See Emily Play and Arnold Layne, both from 1967.
He also wrote most of their album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. But he struggled to cope with fame and drugs.
Dave Gilmour was brought in to the band in February 1968 and Barrett left that April, releasing two solo albums soon after.
The band's biggest-selling releases, Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall, emerged in the post-Barrett era, with the band selling an estimated 200 million albums worldwide.
Just as Pink Floyd were about to achieve global success, Barrett retreated from public life and returned to Cambridge.
Little was known about his whereabouts for 20 years until he was tracked down living with his mother.
Barrett became one of rock's most reclusive characters
But his influence remained, with younger fans and artists discovering his music.
Former Blur guitarist Graham Coxon released a statement saying: "Lost him again... for bang on 20 years Syd led me to better places."
"From my agape 17-year-old first listen to Bike to, just the other day, Jugband Blues.
"Languished in his noise... dreamt in his night... stared at his eyes for answers..."
Barrett's biographer Tim Willis said the guitarist's music left a lasting legacy.
"I don't think we would have the David Bowie we have today if it wasn't for Syd," he told BBC Radio Five Live.
"Bowie was very much a kind of clone of Syd in the early years. His influence is still going.
"New bands discover him all the time. There's always a Syd revival going on - if it wasn't the punks, it was REM, and I'm sure that Arnold Layne and Emily Play as pop songs will live forever."
RIP - Syd Barrett
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Beatlesfan03
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RIP - Syd Barrett
Craig
The below quote is from a recent interview with former EMI engineer Jeff Jarrett. Jeff worked on nearly all of the Piper sessions...
To this day I still tell people how, for me, Syd Barrett was one of the greatest musicians and personalities I've had the pleasure of working with, and that I was devastated when he did what he did and overdosed and whatever it was...totally, totally devastated. He was such a fantastic person, so, so creative and a great person as well as being a creative genius. I felt very close to him in that short time I had the privilege of working with him.
To this day I still tell people how, for me, Syd Barrett was one of the greatest musicians and personalities I've had the pleasure of working with, and that I was devastated when he did what he did and overdosed and whatever it was...totally, totally devastated. He was such a fantastic person, so, so creative and a great person as well as being a creative genius. I felt very close to him in that short time I had the privilege of working with him.
Syd friend and photographer Mick Rock talking about Syd earlier this year...
The reason for getting out of the game was definitely linked to his survival instinct. You have to come back to the fact that Syd is still alive. He knew he wasn't wired for a life like David Bowie. He had a very irregular head and he knew it - he said it. Once you have opened a door into a creative garden you are always an artist. It's like being a champion boxer. Even if you only win one fight and win the championship, you'll always be a champion.
The reason for getting out of the game was definitely linked to his survival instinct. You have to come back to the fact that Syd is still alive. He knew he wasn't wired for a life like David Bowie. He had a very irregular head and he knew it - he said it. Once you have opened a door into a creative garden you are always an artist. It's like being a champion boxer. Even if you only win one fight and win the championship, you'll always be a champion.
I thought this trib to Syd was classic Creem
Syd Barrett
1946-2006
Pass On, You Crazy Diamond
Wish You Were Syd:
Eight reasons why we’ll remember Syd Barrett long after we’ve forgotten which one’s Pink:
1. In 1965 Syd Barrett forms a rock group with his Cambridge colleagues Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason. Although composed of art students, a more artless group than the Architectural Abdabs would be hard to imagine. Its repertoire consists mainly of "Louie Louie" and "Roadrunner," occasionally peppered with bursts of psychedelia. The height of the Architectural Abdabs live show? Why, Syd setting a T-square ablaze, thanks for asking!
2. Syd spots an album featuring Georgia bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Immediately, he seizes upon the combination of the two names as the perfect new handle for the group. After deciding that the Anderson Council sounds "too establishment" (or, worse, like the name of a bad Ben Gazzara movie), they become the Pink Floyd Sound. Then later, The Pink Floyd. Then later Piper at the Gates of Dawn featuring Tony Orlando.
3. The Pink Floyd Sound becomes the first British band to perform with a distracting light show superimposed over it. However, no amount of blinking, blue spots can disguise the fact that the group is still performing "Louie Louie."
4. Needing original material to secure a record contract, Syd takes it upon himself to become the band's resident Lennon and McCartney." Arnold Layne," the first Floyd single, is blocks away from "Penny Lane," the Beatles' hit of the day. Though both are set in London suburbia, Barrett's ode is not about community helpers like the barber, the banker and the firefighter, but rather about the neighborhood transvestite who procures women's undergarments from the washing line. The BBC and Radio London waste no time banning the song for promoting a disturbing alternate lifestyle--stealing!
5. Floyd's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is a great success in Britain, largely because of Syd's eccentric pop songwriting. He collaborates with the band on two of the songs, and with massive amounts of Mandrax tablets on the remaining eight.
6. In December 1967, Pink Floyd makes its U.S. TV debut on American Bandstand to promote "See Emily Play.” Mixing psychedelics with ventriloquism, Syd refuses to move his lips while miming to the single (not unlike Johnny "I Hate Pink Floyd" Rotten will do when Public Image Ltd appears on the show in 1981). Syd's even more antisocial on The Pat Boone Show; he rewards the cheery host's questions with blank and catatonic stares. It’s as if Syd’s looking into the future and seeing Pat interpreting Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” as being “pro-God.” Tutti fruity all rooty indeed!
7. It soon becomes obvious even to Pink Floyd's stoned-out-of-its-gourd audience that Syd's only playing a C-chord throughout the entire live show. This necessitates the band expanding to a five-piece, with guitarist David Gilmour to fill in the rest of the non-C spectrum. For a time, the lads tolerate Syd's fascination with jug-band music, but when he suggests Pink Floyd's commercial breakthrough hinges on adding two saxophone players and some girlie singers, they send Syd packing. In 1973, the group releases its masterwork, Dark Side of the Moon, adding the girlie vocals and the saxophone they scoffed at Syd for suggesting helps make this their most accessible album to date. Right on, you crazy diamond!
8. Syd becomes the first rock star to die in his mother’s house since Rory Storme.
— Serene Dominic
August 2006
http://www.creemmagazine.com/index1.php?pg=syd080706
Syd Barrett
1946-2006
Pass On, You Crazy Diamond
Wish You Were Syd:
Eight reasons why we’ll remember Syd Barrett long after we’ve forgotten which one’s Pink:
1. In 1965 Syd Barrett forms a rock group with his Cambridge colleagues Roger Waters, Rick Wright and Nick Mason. Although composed of art students, a more artless group than the Architectural Abdabs would be hard to imagine. Its repertoire consists mainly of "Louie Louie" and "Roadrunner," occasionally peppered with bursts of psychedelia. The height of the Architectural Abdabs live show? Why, Syd setting a T-square ablaze, thanks for asking!
2. Syd spots an album featuring Georgia bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. Immediately, he seizes upon the combination of the two names as the perfect new handle for the group. After deciding that the Anderson Council sounds "too establishment" (or, worse, like the name of a bad Ben Gazzara movie), they become the Pink Floyd Sound. Then later, The Pink Floyd. Then later Piper at the Gates of Dawn featuring Tony Orlando.
3. The Pink Floyd Sound becomes the first British band to perform with a distracting light show superimposed over it. However, no amount of blinking, blue spots can disguise the fact that the group is still performing "Louie Louie."
4. Needing original material to secure a record contract, Syd takes it upon himself to become the band's resident Lennon and McCartney." Arnold Layne," the first Floyd single, is blocks away from "Penny Lane," the Beatles' hit of the day. Though both are set in London suburbia, Barrett's ode is not about community helpers like the barber, the banker and the firefighter, but rather about the neighborhood transvestite who procures women's undergarments from the washing line. The BBC and Radio London waste no time banning the song for promoting a disturbing alternate lifestyle--stealing!
5. Floyd's first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is a great success in Britain, largely because of Syd's eccentric pop songwriting. He collaborates with the band on two of the songs, and with massive amounts of Mandrax tablets on the remaining eight.
6. In December 1967, Pink Floyd makes its U.S. TV debut on American Bandstand to promote "See Emily Play.” Mixing psychedelics with ventriloquism, Syd refuses to move his lips while miming to the single (not unlike Johnny "I Hate Pink Floyd" Rotten will do when Public Image Ltd appears on the show in 1981). Syd's even more antisocial on The Pat Boone Show; he rewards the cheery host's questions with blank and catatonic stares. It’s as if Syd’s looking into the future and seeing Pat interpreting Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” as being “pro-God.” Tutti fruity all rooty indeed!
7. It soon becomes obvious even to Pink Floyd's stoned-out-of-its-gourd audience that Syd's only playing a C-chord throughout the entire live show. This necessitates the band expanding to a five-piece, with guitarist David Gilmour to fill in the rest of the non-C spectrum. For a time, the lads tolerate Syd's fascination with jug-band music, but when he suggests Pink Floyd's commercial breakthrough hinges on adding two saxophone players and some girlie singers, they send Syd packing. In 1973, the group releases its masterwork, Dark Side of the Moon, adding the girlie vocals and the saxophone they scoffed at Syd for suggesting helps make this their most accessible album to date. Right on, you crazy diamond!
8. Syd becomes the first rock star to die in his mother’s house since Rory Storme.
— Serene Dominic
August 2006
http://www.creemmagazine.com/index1.php?pg=syd080706
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Bennett Cerf
- Posts: 739
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"6. Syd's even more antisocial on The Pat Boone Show; he rewards the cheery host's questions with blank and catatonic stares. "
I'm told this is a bit of embellishment started by R. Waters and that extant footage of the show reveals that Syd did reply to Boone at least some.
Perhaps someone who's actually seen it can verify.
I'm told this is a bit of embellishment started by R. Waters and that extant footage of the show reveals that Syd did reply to Boone at least some.
Perhaps someone who's actually seen it can verify.
"I recommend that you delete the Rancid Snakepit" - Grant
krabapple wrote:"6. Syd's even more antisocial on The Pat Boone Show; he rewards the cheery host's questions with blank and catatonic stares. "
I'm told this is a bit of embellishment started by R. Waters and that extant footage of the show reveals that Syd did reply to Boone at least some.
Perhaps someone who's actually seen it can verify.
The Pat Boone Show footage has never surfaced so we don't really know what happened. You might be thinking of the Floyd's American Bandstand appearance that same week. All the books say that Syd refused the lipsync. In the footage he looks pretty out of it but makes a half-hearted attempt at miming.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eIR7CbPr3VE
Back to the Pat Boon show...according to Waters Syd happily mimed during the rehearsals but for the actual broadcast he refused to mime. The Floyd were also on, of all things, the Perry Como show in late '67 as well. That hasn't turned up either.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhJYqa_htCY
The above link contains a recently surfaced clip of an alternate Arnold Layne promo done for the French TV program Baton Rouge in May '67. A rather incredible find..
The above link contains a recently surfaced clip of an alternate Arnold Layne promo done for the French TV program Baton Rouge in May '67. A rather incredible find..
"I've had 40 years experience with hearing tape and vinyl. I was recording tapes before you were born" - Grant
Jeff T. wrote:
Syd becomes the first rock star to die in his mother’s house since Rory Storme.
— Serene Dominic
August 2006
http://www.creemmagazine.com/index1.php?pg=syd080706
Don't ask me how I know this but Syd didn't die in his Mother's house. When his Mother died (10-15 years ago) he got his own place.
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lukpac
- Top Dog and Sellout
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- Contact:
Chris M wrote:Don't ask me how I know this but Syd didn't die in his Mother's house. When his Mother died (10-15 years ago) he got his own place.
How do you know that?
"I know because it is impossible for a tape to hold the compression levels of these treble boosted MFSL's like Something/Anything. The metal particulate on the tape would shatter and all you'd hear is distortion if even that." - VD
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wasakithis
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\Chris M wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhJYqa_htCY
The above link contains a recently surfaced clip of an alternate Arnold Layne promo done for the French TV program Baton Rouge in May '67. A rather incredible find..
I think it's from a Netherlands television show called Fan Club on April 29th 67 (broadcast May 5th). AL was never performed on Baton Rouge or any French TV show that I'm aware of... Later PF would perform Set The Controls, Flaming, Let There Be More Light and Astronomy Domine if I'm not mistaken (but with Gilmoure).
wasakithis wrote:\Chris M wrote:http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bhJYqa_htCY
The above link contains a recently surfaced clip of an alternate Arnold Layne promo done for the French TV program Baton Rouge in May '67. A rather incredible find..
I think it's from a Netherlands television show called Fan Club on April 29th 67 (broadcast May 5th). AL was never performed on Baton Rouge or any French TV show that I'm aware of... Later PF would perform Set The Controls, Flaming, Let There Be More Light and Astronomy Domine if I'm not mistaken (but with Gilmoure).
I heard from a reliable source that it was from a previously unknown 1967 episode on Baton Rouge. I don't have any other details though. I they likely filmed it in London and sent the clip to French TV. I'll see if I can dig up more info.
"I've had 40 years experience with hearing tape and vinyl. I was recording tapes before you were born" - Grant