Pink Floyd founder Syd Barrett dies

MP3.com ^ | July 11, 2006 | Jim Welte

[gawatchman]

He actually did Jugband Blues on Saucerful of Secrets, and others such as Apples and Oranges, and see Emily Play but they never made it on any Floyd albums.

[DBrow]

Oh heck yeah! And I went right into Ummagumma and loved that.

Syd, though, didn't play or write on either as far as I know, and if I'm wrong I'm sure there will be a hundred posts correcting me.

I like Meddle and Obscured By Clouds too, but started to lose interest (except for brief flings) round about Dark Side.

Have you checked out Tool? Sort of like Metallica Meets Floyd. And for pure psychedelia look into Shpongle, Celtic Cross (Hicksville), or Younger Brother's first CD. The guys in Shpongle say that Pink Floyd was their greatest influence.

[Richard Kimball]

He had mental problems, and was living with his parents. Did he take all the drugs because he had mental problems, or did he have mental problems because he took the drugs? I don't know, but I pray that my life doesn't end with my 80+ year-old mother taking care of me because my brain is fried. I suspect he had mental problems and took tons of drugs, which amplified his mental problems. The LSD and other drugs may not be the reason he was a basket case, but it didn't help. Apparently, his creative life ended around 1974, when he moved into his mother's basement.

I have a cousin in a similar situation, drinks heavily, around fifty, still living off his ninety year old mother. Before he went doper, he had a tryout with the Cincinnati Reds and a college baseball scholarship. Wasted life.

[DBrow]

You are right, I just looked at the discography and he's listed as guitar and vocals on Saucerful.

http://www.pinkfloyd-co.com/disco/saucer/saucer_album.html

But just has one tune. Looking at the rest of the discs, it's clear he dropped out after Saucerful. He shows up on Relics but that's just old stuff released after the band was a success.

[gawatchman]

A few of the live songs on Ummagumma were taken from the first 2 Floyd albums such as Astronomy Domine and, I am not sure, but it sounds like Syd singing on that particular track.

[DBrow]

http://pinkfloyd-co.com/disco/umma/umma_album.html

Yup, sounds like him, but for whatever reason no credit in the disc's literature.

I had always hoped that he'd get his, um, stuff together and write/sing/play more. Sigh- no chance of that now.

maybe they'll find a chest with a hundred reels of 2 inch Ampex with unheard-of tunes on it...

[MadLibDisease]

You reached for the secret too soon, you cried for the moon.

Shine on you crazy diamond.

RIP Syd

[Washi]

My favorite band of all time. Welcome to the Machine, Syd.

[gawatchman]

Yes, that would be great. A friend of mine used to have bootlegged copies of rare recordings by Syd/Pink Floyd such as Apples and Oranges, and Vegetable Man, and several other songs by him that I had never heard of. But, I can't find copies of these recordings anywhere. I wish too that we had been able to hear more material from him. Much of it was brilliant in my opinion.

[Hoosier-Daddy]

Hmmm... now I've got to find out. I thought Syd Barrett was a part of the album but maybe not. I lost it at La Vallee but got it back at Wish You Were Here. Lost it again after The Wall. They're definitely one of my favorites. Animals is a great album too.

[TheRealDBear]

"You were caught on the crossfire
Of childhood and stardom,
Blown on the steel breeze.
Come on you target for faraway laughter,
Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine! "