RIP Syd Barrett

[Miss Modular]

http://arts.guardian.co.uk/news/obit...817952,00.html

Syd Barrett dies aged 60

Audrey Gillan
Tuesday July 11, 2006
Guardian Unlimited

Syd Barrett with the original Pink Floyd lineup. Photograph: Dezo Hoffmann/Rex

Syd Barrett, the former lead singer of Pink Floyd and one of the key figures of the 60s, has died at the Cambridgeshire home to which he retreated as a recluse more than 30 years ago.
The Guardian has learned that the singer, 60, who suffered from a psychedelic-drug induced breakdown while at the peak of his career, died last Friday from complications related to diabetes.

His brother Alan confirmed his death, saying only: "He died peacefully at home. There will be a private family funeral in the next few days."

Born Roger Keith Barrett in Cambridge in 1946, he acquired the nickname Syd aged 15. He left Pink Floyd in 1968, just as the band was about to achieve worldwide recognition, and lived in the basement of his mother Winfred's semi-detached house, where he boarded up the windows to keep out the eyes of both the press and fans. He recorded two solo albums.

Pink Floyd's Shine on You Crazy Diamond, from the 1975 album Wish You Were Here, was said by many to be a salute to him. Barrett's use of drugs, particularly LSD, in the 60s, was well-documented and he was often described as the original acid casualty.

Dave Gilmour, the Pink Floyd guitarist drafted in to the band during a period in which Barrett was behaving erratically, said in an interview earlier this year that he thought that Barrett's breakdown would have happened anyway.

He said: "It was a deep-rooted thing. But I'll say the psychedelic experience might well have acted as a catalyst. Still, I just don't think he could deal with the vision of success and all the things that went with it."

[Emu]

This ruined my day.

[mburbank]

I've got a bike,
You can ride it if you like
It's got a basket, a bell that rings
And things to make it look good
I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it

You're the kind of girl that fits in with my world
I'll give you anything, everything if you want things






I am sad now.

[Miss Modular]

See Emily play

[Dole]

I listened to 'Here I Go' about an hour before I heard this news

The stuff he did with Pink Floyd is absolutely some of my most favourite music of all time ( I fucking hate the rest of floyds stuff - and them for that matter).

'and all the luck
Its what I've got
its what I wear
its what you see
it must be me
vegetable man'

Very sad indeed

[mburbank]

Dole;

Do you ever listen to Robin Hytchcock? I often think if Syd had not gone looney, this is what he might have sounded like.

[Dole]

I haven't actually, but I will check him out.

[ziggytrix]

In a famous anecdote, a heavyset man with a completely shaved head and eyebrows wandered into the studio while the band was recording "Shine On You Crazy Diamond". The band could not recognise him for some time, when suddenly one of them realised it was Syd Barrett. He was greeted enthusiastically by the band but subsequently slipped away during the impromptu party for David Gilmour's wedding (which was, coincidentally, also on that day). It was the last time any of the other band members saw him. Gilmour recently confirmed this story, although he could not recall which song they were working on when Syd showed up.

If the timing of his appearance really was during the recording of the band's tribute to their former member, and no one had seen him for quite some time before, that's a pretty outstanding coincidence.

[MarioRPG]

Late sadness from me.

[Calories]

this is really sad....but honestly the real syd probably died in about 1972

[Emu]

the only thing sadder than this is the speed with which you will be banned, son

[Crimson Ghost]

I'm just glad someone other then me knows who Syd Barrett was/is? God bless, Jesus loves you.

[ExMachina]

really too bad but i guess it ended his suffering

syd acquired a lot of mental and physical problems due to his legendary drug use


take up they stethescope and walk syd

[Rongi]

what suffering? the rest of his life was spent happily walking his dog and painting pictures in his mom's house.

and take up thy stethescope and walk is a roger waters tune you horrid fag

[Girl Drink Drunk]

That is a drag. I was hoping for that impossible day when he would come back to the music scene, but that never happened.

[Juttin]

Yeah...I think the better Pink Floyd took off in about 1968-70

But, they would be nowhere without Syd Barett