Syd Barrett RIP
Pink Floyd weren't always over-serious, self-important and stuck up their own bumholes, you know. Pink Floyd used to be exciting and fun, and that was all down to Syd Barrett, whose death was announced today.
Syd Barrett was a visionary, trend-setting songwriter and the template for a million stories about rockstars who overindulged and became recluses. He formed Pink Floyd in 1965 and wrote The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, their greatest album. However, Syd withdrew from the band in 1968 due to his mental instability and his use of LSD, and went on to record two landmark albums, Barrett and The Madcap Laughs, before retreating from the public eye altogether.
After years of mystery as to his whereabouts – and the release of I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives by The Television Personalities – it was revealed that Syd Barrett was being cared for by his mother in Cambridge. Following the announcement of Syd Barrett's death, Pink Floyd released the following statement:
"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 this day."
Syd Barrett died from complications arising from diabetes. He was 60.
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Pink Floyd should never have left Syd Barratt waiting to be picked up and taken to a gig. They just left him because he was too stoned or drunk or whatever, but they were too concerned with making money and doing gigs to care about his welfare. David Gilmour has a lot of answer for.
I agree with Lyn. I whish we could have heard more of Syd. His frequent LSD trips were great inspiration for the music of that period. If only Waters would have let him go on a little bit longer…
-He will be missed.