RIP Syd Barrett

Jon Abbey · July-11th-2006, 09:49 AM

wow, a bit shocking. may you have more luck somewhere else than you did here, Mr. Barrett, and thanks for the music, what little there was.

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

Gary Sisco · July-11th-2006, 09:51 AM

Too bad.

RIP.

Doc Martin · July-11th-2006, 09:52 AM

RIP

Chris D · July-11th-2006, 10:00 AM

Shine on, Syd.

Doc Martin · July-11th-2006, 10:06 AM

Tribute To Syd Barrett

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A_jxk...d%20Barrett%20

Chris D · July-11th-2006, 10:42 AM

At least two of the shots in that video are of Dylan.

Gentle Giant · July-11th-2006, 10:46 AM

Wow, oh wow. I just purchased a 2-CD set of his two official solo recordings, each with about a half-dozen alternate takes. I've also been compiling notes for a writing project I've had in mind comparing Syd and Brian Wilson in terms of their upbringing, musical visions, and descent into drug-enhanced mental illness.

We'll never know what may have happened had Syd not gone off the deep end, but I think he was more a charismatic visionary than musical genius. He seemed to get bored after his initial success, and maybe he just needed to escape the rock scene and get his kicks elsewhere. Unlike with Wilson and the Beach Boys, Syd's band decided fairly quickly it could get on without him, but what had been playful and adventurous soon became gloomy and ponderous. I think Pink Floyd became a great band, but with quite a different aesthetic.

In his later years, Syd tried to live a quiet, normal life, out of the spotlight and away from his past. It's unknown whether he ever found peace, but hopefully he has now.

RIP

Jugband Blues
By Syd Barrett

It's awfully considerate of you to think of me here
And I'm most obliged to you for making it clear
That I'm not here.
And I never knew the moon could be so big
And I never knew the moon could be so blue
And I'm grateful that you threw away my old shoes
And brought me here instead dressed in red
And I'm wondering who could be writing this song.

I don't care if the sun don't shine
And I don't care if nothing is mine
And I don't care if I'm nervous with you
I'll do my loving in the winter.

And the sea isn't green
And I love the queen
And what exactly is a dream?
And what exactly is a joke?

Frisco · July-11th-2006, 11:01 AM

Watching "The Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story" Otmoor Productions Ltd./BBC 2001. Nice documentary aside from some of the old fart commentary from Gilmour and Waters. Thanks Syd!

Nim Chimpsky · July-11th-2006, 12:46 PM

Sad but unfortunately not very surprising. I used to see him occasionally walking around the back streets of Cambridge - he wasn't in great shape.

Sergio Zamora · July-11th-2006, 12:47 PM

To be honest, I didn't know he was still alive.

tristano's ghost · July-11th-2006, 12:57 PM

The heart & soul of Floyd as far as I'm concerned... RIP, Scarecrow.

sonic1 · July-11th-2006, 01:12 PM

Jesus, it is amazing that he made it this long. He along with the likes of Iggy Pop and Keith Richards, are marvels, testements to survival.

I LOVE Syd Barrett, and the PF with Barrett is the only stuff I reguarly return to.

I have a picture in some book somewhere with a very Fat Syd Barrett. I guess he showed up after a long absense, to say "hi" to the guys. If I remember right, they mentioned his weight, and he replied "pork chops".

Gentle Giant · July-11th-2006, 01:28 PM

From:

To:

Gentle Giant · July-11th-2006, 01:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonic1

I have a picture in some book somewhere with a very Fat Syd Barrett. I guess he showed up after a long absense, to say "hi" to the guys. If I remember right, they mentioned his weight, and he replied "pork chops".

This the one?

Alastair · July-11th-2006, 01:31 PM

We've all got pictures where we look like that.

Gentle Giant · July-11th-2006, 01:33 PM

Vegetable Man
By Syd Barrett

In yellow shoes I get the blues,
So I walk the street with my plastic feet
with blue velvet trousers make me feel pink
Theres a kind of stink about blue velvet trousers
In my paisley shirt, I look a jerk,
and my turquoise waistcoat is quite outta sight.
But oh, oh, my haircut looks so bad....
Vegetable man! Where are you?
So I change my gear, and I bugger my knees
and I cover them up with the latest cuts
My pants and socks are all in a box
It does take long to find darn old socks
The watch, black watch, my watch
with a black face and a date in a little hole
and all the luck, its what I got,
Its what I wear, Its what you see,
It must be me, Its what I am!
Vegetable man! Where are you?
Ah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah Hah, ah ah ah, ah ah ah - oh!
I've been looking all over the place for a place for me
But it ain't anywhere
It just ain't anywhere.
Vegetable man, Vegetable man, Vegetable man. Vegetable man, Vegetable man, Vegetable man,
He's the kind of fella you just gotta see if you can, Vegetable man.

VIBEr · July-11th-2006, 01:35 PM

The Fat Syd picture I remember is from the Floyd bio called A Saucerful of Secrets. I actually think he looks healthier in Post 13 than in the book, and appears to have lost a lot of that weight.

He does look a little old, but expected when compared to the late 60s.

kedoane · July-11th-2006, 01:47 PM

My roommate, husband and I are much sadden by this loss. I am currently listening to Opel and will be listening to a few more CDs today. I'll probably be playing some Barrett/Pink Floyd tomorrow on my show.

sonic1 · July-11th-2006, 01:51 PM

Actually I think I saw another, worse fat sid picture.

Slurpy · July-11th-2006, 02:01 PM

According to that Saucerful of Secrets book, Syd was either dosing or being dosed close to 24/7 for quite some time in the mid 60's. I don't find it surprising. That had to take an incredible toll, both physically and mentally.

RIP, Syd and Shine On!

tristano's ghost · July-11th-2006, 02:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gentle Giant

This the one?

I believe that's from the day when he mysteriously turned up at the studio while PF was recording Wish You Were Here. They had no idea who he was at first... the incident's become another part of freaky Syd lore.

Scott Dolan · July-11th-2006, 02:44 PM

Alright, time to fess up.

I had a dream last night that me and some of my friends were sitting around some hotel room talking to David Gilmour and Syd Barrett.

Alright, I said it.

I don't believe in freaky shit like that, but that's what happened.

Gentle Giant · July-11th-2006, 02:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Alright, time to fess up.

I had a dream last night that me and some of my friends were sitting around some hotel room talking to David Gilmour and Syd Barrett.

Alright, I said it.

I don't believe in freaky shit like that, but that's what happened.

Please don't dream about me.

Slurpy · July-11th-2006, 03:03 PM

Fixed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Scott Dolan

Alright, time to fess up.

I had a dream last night that me and some of my friends were sitting around some hotel room talking to David Gilmour and Syd Barrett.

Alright, so I had extra shrooms on my pizza last night. I admit it.

Scott Dolan · July-11th-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gentle Giant

Please don't dream about me.

Hahahaha............

Oh, you're in the memory banks now, baby!! It's only a matter of time.

And you thought meeting me wasn't such a bad thing.

Scott Dolan · July-11th-2006, 05:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Slurpy

Fixed.

Oddly enough, I did have a steak smothered in onions and baby Bella's not long before I hit the hay last night.

Hmmmm..........

jesus marion joseph · July-12th-2006, 10:38 AM

Remember when you were young?

Gentle Giant · July-14th-2006, 10:55 AM

There are some cool early Floyd videos here. Scroll down a bit and you'll see vids for The Scarecrow, See Emily Play, and Arnold Layne (first two feature Gilmour instead of Syd), but the creme de la creme is the appearance on BBC's Look of the Week. Nice live performance of Astronomy Domine, coupled with an interview with Roger and Syd, the latter of whom is hearteningly lucid.