I couldn’t agree more. Syd was my teenage hero. There was something about him with which I felt I identified intimately. I’m 40 now, and I’ve gone on to have many more guitar heroes since (Buck Dharma, Mark Knopfler, and others), and have developed my own very distinctive style (though it’s still very psychedelics-influenced; I had to give them up for a good decade around age 21 or thereabouts, as I’d well overdone it in my adolescence, but now I take an heroic dose twice a year, every year, and that seems to suit me fine.). Anyroad, I’ve gotten rather sidetracked. The point I wanted to make was that despite having had new guitar heroes between my youth and today, Syd has always had a special place in my heart. I always had this feeling like we were long-lost relatives, separated by some accident of time and space. That there were things we could probably understand about each other that no one else could. His passing shook me up rather badly. Still, I Hoover up Syd-related content wherever it is to be found, and this is one of the most balanced, informative pieces I’ve heard. It seems to capture the essence of the man as he was in 1970, without judgement or overeffusive reverence, just presenting us with the man and a bit of his tale, and a lot of hope for the future. It is sad for us the future did not turn out as we may have hoped at the time of this article, but I know that Syd was quite content with his life, a majority of the time, after he withdrew permanently from the public eye.
I’ve been a big Syd fan for most of my life, this was really well done. But more importantly, it was done with the utmost respect to Syd’s humanity and spirit…a very big thanks 🙏
I totally agree! I was really annoyed when, in a British magazine, Q or Uncut or Mojo or something, There was a letter, after his death, from a “fan“ who claimed she rang The hospital he was last at towards the end of his life and pester them that she really must speak to “Roger Barrett“ it was very important and he would understand & want to speak to her, etc and she claimed they eventually did put him on the line and she spoke at length to him about how much she liked his work and he just seemed quiet and bewildered in response it bothers me that people do this kind of thing…
@@BeesWaxMinder People can be really awful…Syd just wanted peace and privacy, it’s sad that some can’t respect something so simple. He didn’t owe anyone anything, his artistic contributions are what matter and what his true fans appreciate the most. Makes you wonder if pests like that were real fans in the first place.
Dude, I’m a huge Syd freak. It’s rare I watch something about him anymore and learn something I hadn’t heard before. Well researched, well presented, well done! A+!!!
The style of the band at this point was heavily indebted to the first Pink Floyd album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but filtered through their own color spectrum. The Pink Floyd connection went beyond mere sonic hat tipping, since Alice Cooper played host to Pink Floyd on the British band's first U.S. tour. “We were the house band at the Cheetah for a period of time in ’67,” Smith recalls. “One of the perks was we could go see any of the bands playing there. Pink Floyd were there one week. I remember the first or second song they played, Syd went up to sing and boom! A spark came from the microphone and hit his lip. He just put his arms down to his sides, backed about a foot away from the stand and just stood there like a statue for the rest of the night. After the show, they came back to our house and partied with us all night long. Syd walked in like a zombie. He didn’t talk to anybody, he just stood there. He seemed a bit psychotic, and the mass quantities of LSD certainly didn’t help.” Read More: Alice Cooper Drummer Neal Smith Recalls the Early Days | ultimateclassicrock.com/alice-cooper-neal-smith-interview-2018/?Those bastards didn't even take him to the hospital even after he was electrocuted on stage.
I love Syd Barrett along with all of the great muzikal artists of the 60s & 70s. It's my personal favorite period of muzikal creation. I feel as if we, the listeners, don't get the same high quality of "PRODUCTION VALUE" in todays muzik like how we got from the experienced muzikal virtuosos of the amazingly great classic rock bands and jazz performers such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, etc...
Apparently coming from orange sunshine acid brother of eternal love big hippie group connection said owsley acid maker named pink owsley tabs, named after the band for the Fillmore west gigs.
Those bad trips were his warnings, likely getting louder each time. The day the door slipped closed and locked behind him, all was conspicuously quiet. Poor kid. It sucks, it's a damned heavy story, and it haunted everything they ever did.
I always admired the way Pink Floyd and especially David Gilmore never tried to erase Barrett’s influence from the band in the way other bands did to band mates who left for similar reasons (Brian Jones and the Stones) You can always tell Gilmore was devastated that Barrett left and honoured him in his music as well as collaborate with him in his solo work. Amazing video
I agree! I was fortunate to be exposed to all 3 when I started high school in ‘79 through a friend, I love all Floyd but the early stuff with Syd and his solo records will always have a special place in my heart.
Unforgettably fretmaster. Great songwriter, guitarist and visionary. The book An Irregular Head is absolutely fantastic at dispelling most of Barrett’s myths. Thanks for posting.
Yes, it seems to have been very thoroughly researched, and not played to all the assumptions and myths. One point the writer makes - that is rarely given much attention and wasn't mentioned here - is that it's biologically far more likely (according to his research) that the drugs that caused Syd's brain damage - if any - was the combination of Mandrax ('Mandies') and alcohol rather than the LSD. However a rock star 'frying his brain' with acid is so much more romantic as a notion, it's the one that's stuck. :-p
Heard a bunch of stories I’ve never heard before. I’ve been saying for years he is the hardest guitarist to emulate and has the most unique style. Truth be told he actually really only plays rhythm, but the way he changed and built the rhythm as the song plays is amazing and unique (the last verse of Matilda Mother is the perfect example, it’s impossible to recreate but is so powerful). If you haven’t heard the Let’s all make love in London version of Interstellar Overdrive you should go check it out. Some of his pockets of guitar leads are some of the best ever played by anyone. And then when the music comes to a crescendo when he slide the zippo lighter down the fretboard to lead to an explosive open note chord really builds into an amazing end to the song. Like all versions of ‘Overdrive’ you can probably cut out half of it, but the parts that hit are so strong.
I don't think there's another figure in rock history that continually captures the imagination of rock n roll fans young and old than Syd. I absolutely adore the man, its crazy how much his story has still remained a huge part of Floyds legacy even after all they've accomplished without him. He obviously had a profound impact on the lives of the band members. Bless Gilmour for helping him get them solo albums together.
huge fan of Syd's, his two solo albums were honestly really important in getting me into writing my own music. This was really well done-- respectful and well-researched. Nice work!
Admittedly without any evidence. The nickname Syd possibly comes from the English working class comedian Sid James. He was very popular in the 60's and often wore a flat cap.
No. It's from a chap called Sid Barrett an old timer who played trad jazz very popular in Britian in the 1950s. The orig Sid was called Sid the Beat. Syd followed in the early 60s etc etc.
@@voornaam3191 Britian is where Syd was from and stayed his whole life. Sid the beat Barrett is not a typo or a pun because Roger became 'Syd' merely to distinguish him from Sid.
I've been a Floyd phan for 50 years, and it's cool to have this historical perspective on Syd Barrett, and the band. An MKUltra connection? Hmmm... It's possible, but not very likely. Thank you, and... nice use of special video effects.
I met a muso who knew Pink Floyd in the 60's. He said they were all upper class, haughty and arrogant, except for Sid who was great. Really talkative, sweet guy.
Bushcrafter Joe Robinet said most UA-camrs are pretty much what they're like in their content in real life. You must be a solid man this is an amazing and kind documentary.
people claim Syd was going crazy because he would change up songs every take on his solo albums... in most forms of music improvising is given great praise... the song had been around since the dawn of time so perhaps Syd thought it was time to improvise the song and change it up on the fly without informing his bandmates, with the theory being these are songs not complex compositions so maybe the other fellas could keep up just like in a jazz band or jammin rock band... as someone who loves hard rock music and psychedelics and riding my bicycle and cats that first pink floyd album is pretty gosh darn freakin awesome, with Syd's vocals being just timeless... fax!!!
Thank you. Your presentation was the best I've seen about Barrett. You made it clear. There was a life of Syd, then a life of Roger Barrett. Syd was a great artist. Roger was at peace.
Thank you very much ❤️. I didn’t expect I would cry when he died in 2006. But his poetical influence on me was huge in the 90's, he just showed me there's no limits in the way one could express his thoughts at all. So I felt devastated to my own surprise. It appeared he meant that much to me. The man, who stopped writing even before I was born, in fact.
His story and music touched me deeply. One night , after only knowing of his existence/ listening to his music for about a month. I watched a documentary about his life and death. I sobbed uncontrollably for hours. I don't know why. I am not much of a crier. Such huge potential lost.I think he was one of the best lyricists ever. However, it does seem like he was happy afterall.
I first heard See Emily play in 1966 in my cousins bedroom! Loved it. I became a total obsessed fan once Set the Controls for the heart of the sun. Loved Sids sound but fell in love with Gilmour and his dreamy guitar and voice. Saw Floyd in Baltimore in 1971. Then in Pittsburgh for Dark Side of the Moon. Always their music is a flowing ribbon is my life.
I know a teacher from Cambridge who occasionally sat and talked to Syd, he would chat about most things but never ever talked about Pink Floyd or music. A gifted genius, a lost sole, an innovator. Shine on Syd.
Jugband blues is one of the most haunting, yet beautiful songs I've ever heard. Basically him saying "I'm completely aware of everything that's happening, but there's nothing I can do to change it."
@@cho7707 that's honestly my favorite part of the song when the trumpet comes in and plays that almost discordant, and sort of cheery sounding bit. It's fantastic and so sad.
I was riveted by your video bio on Syd. Having read many articles and watched many films on both Pink Floyd and Syd as well as Syd individually , your perspective , obviously respectful and non sensationalized view ,as well as information I had never heard or seen from other sources ,combined to provide a more wholistic and balanced view. Oddly enough , your detailed info . as well as examination of Syd's behavior prior to his lost weekend as well as after made me feel both more saddened yet also more positive feeling about his life after music . A paradox but then Syd was a bit of a paradox wasn't he? Thank you so much for this far more balanced and deeper look into the life and mind of a genius and one of a kind ,lovely , talented human. Superb job on your presentation and obvious thorough research.
I loved Syds solo albums; they managed to capture some gems. I gobbled up everything Syd Barrett all the way through college smoking “pot”. Great music. The more I have grown , the more I understand Roger. Bless his heart & his good friends who helped assure him an income in retirement.
That's one thing I got to agree on. There were so many arguments and stories, contradictions and denials, but they really did take care of Syd. Like a brother.
1967 saw my first exposure to Pink Floyd when Arnold Layne with the songs ethereal sound, a somewhat plaintiff sound perhaps, came out of the cowshed radio on the farm where I had escaped to get a break from the destructive life of a late teen city kid. Three songs stick as being a pastiche from that time: The Blues Magoos - You ain't seen nothin' yet, Gimme Some Lovin' - Spencer Davis Group and Arnold Layne - Pink Floyd. All three have been included in every play list, dubbed onto a music cassette, CDR and latter a USB drive, music that even now continues to be the sound track to my life.
@@melchiando , Gilmour said in an interview that "Arnold Layne" was written about a real-life rash of laundry theft; the band presumed that the thief was a man who had a fetish for women's clothing, possibly a cross-dresser or transvestite.
There are some artists whom, after hearing them for the first time, you know you'll never be the same again. Syd was definitely one of those artists. Getting acquainted with his work led me to see both lyrics and music in a whole new light. Drugs aside, I doubt he would have stayed in the music business anyway. There's so much about that machine which was simply against his nature.
There is a story of Syd turning up at a friend of his sister's place of work one day who i think was a solicitor back in the 90s and playing a guitar The story was told by a ex Radio one DJ called Nicky Campbelll who knew Syd's sister at the time Apparently Syd turned up one afternoon to this guys office but the chap was called out of the room not long after Syd turned up and he was left in the office for some 15 minutes on his own Now its said that when the chap came back in the room Syd was playing a guitar that was in the room but as soon as syd saw the bloke enter the room he dropped the guitar like a stone and then left the room.
But why did he stop playing? We used to play each other's instruments. It's not like you could hurt it. Playing is the highest form of admiration. He was so shy, I think.
@@RichardHansbury He didn't want anyone to see he could still play probably Another thing with that was mental health usually when someone's see's something like that they will say wow you can still play why don't you get back into it which Syd apparently hated due to history and Floyd
I thought that it was me!!! Whenever this video would just stop and go into a trance!!!? I already taste colors and see sounds!!!!!!?Lol God bless you all today 🙏 Shalom
Another good forgotten fretmaster! A highschool classmate of mine was really into floyd. He was an old soul. Hippy somewhat. He always seemed high and spaced out but super passionate about music. He would give me all of these floyd cassettes he and his dad made. My sophmore year 1990 he brought me madcap laughs and said this is my dads and it's Syd's solo album. Enjoy. Oh and make sure you bring it back! I remember listening to it thinking this dude is out there! But I liked it though. I didn't want to give it back lol so he made me a copy. Keep in mind NOBODY I knew at our school was listening to this stuff. A few years back I found out my classmate had been shot and killed. Such a cool guy. He would say he was on a mission to deliver floyd to me properly. I never got to say thanks. Job well done and thanks Pat. RIP
Man, that was fantastic. Thanks so much for that. I’ve wondered about Syd ever since I was 16 and first fell in love with Floyd’s music. It’s frustrating that we’ll never know what happened during Syd’s long weekend, and what caused such massive changes. I would lean towards believing that it was nothing more complicated than a very strong acid trip, the mind set and setting of that trip, and a train of thought that led him to make conclusions about life that were so powerful and noetic that, once made, could not be unmade. And with this new belief system firmly entrenched in his conscious and subconscious mind, he was suddenly living in an alien world. That, to me, is both the greatest promise, and the greatest risk, of taking hallucinogenics. They should not be taken lightly, if at all.
Very interesting. I used to see Syd quite often in his last few years. Never spoke to him - it was obvious he didn't want the interaction - but I'd see him pushing his bike, going in and out of his usual stores, always a newspaper rolled up in his coat pocket. It was as if the rest of us were ghosts - that was how he looked at (or rather, through) people.
That was a very sweet and sympathetic telling of Syd's tale. I thought the eerie interludes of distorted light and sound were a brilliant metaphor for his descent into chaos. Really outstanding and artistic work on this video! 👍
I have a couple of theories about Syd, the first is : In the weekend Syd went missing, some people reported that Syd's friends would put LSD, mandrax and other stuff on Syd's drinks without him knowing it. After this incident as Wright said, Syd was physically the same, except for one of his eyes, that once bright and full of life now displays a "dead look". This made Syd write "Dark Globe" which is a reference of this incident and one of the main inspirations for The Darkside of The Moon and The wall Check this live DSTM 72 show : ua-cam.com/video/HIGuTCY--xc/v-deo.html Right at the beginning at 1:10 The second, Syd released 3 solo albums: 1 - The madcap laughs 2 - Barrett 3 - Opel The last album's title track "Opel" is a description of the gemstone called Opal, which is know for its color play. This album was recorded in 68-70 but only released in 1988 Isnt it weird that Pink Floyd released a album displaying this exact color play on their cover art for DSTM ?
I have always liked it, just wish they had put more singles tracks on there eg. Apples & Oranges, Point Me At The Sky, It Would Be So Nice, Candy & A Currant Bun etc
Thank you so much for doing an episode on Syd! He is one of my all time fave musicians. His guitar playing was incredibly innovative and creative. He was a master at getting fantastic sounds from his guitar played through a Binson Echorec. So wonderful to see Syd still getting some love half a century after his heyday. Thanks for showing loads of rare Syd pics. A lot of these pics I had never seen before and I consider myself a Syd fanatic! Well done! I also so greatly appreciate the compassion and warmth you used in discussing Syd. Unlike many who write about him you didn't sensationalize his mental state or his split from the Floyd. Very wise and empathetic of you to not speculate as to what happened. Syd chose not to discuss his state of mind during his lifetime and we should continue to respect his privacy even after his death. RIP Syd AKA Roger Keith Now...Any chance you will do an episode on Nick Drake? An acoustic guitar god and my other all time fave musician!
Grateful for this. Was a huge of this influential artist. Have read many articles on him but none that were any good. Mysterious artist maybe eccentric perhaps....Thanks mate
I ran across this video on my endless search for all things Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett. You’ve done a great job of separating what’s known and what is not concerning Syd. My somewhat informed opinion is that he developed schizophrenia to a disabling degree and dealt with it the rest of his life. There is Asperger syndrome and schizophrenia in my family and I’ve seen what it does to people. The age he was at when he started his decline is about right for schizophrenia and would likely have been exacerbated by the pressures of performing, traveling and being the front man for the band. Very tragic story of a wonderful young artist. 😢
Great job on this!! You did your research, for sure. The beauty of a clear and perfect moment in time, shines through to all of us. This is proof that one person can change the world, and forever Syd's sparkle continues to emanate like the sun's shimmer of waves on the water.
This video encapsulates my thoughts on Syd the musician and Roger the painter, two sides (of many) of a complex, imaginative, and talented artist. I really appreciate your respect for his humanity and his agency. And avoiding the “tragic” framing that so often defines his story. I didn’t know about the furniture painting, it made me smile hearing about replacing doorknobs with toys. I’m glad he didn’t lose his sense of humor and found peace of mind.
Great work Guitar Historian, loved it. Syd was and always will be a great influence on me. Something about his writing style is both wonderfully knowing and forever curious, guiding and yet totally free.
I loved it! You clearly have a great deal of affection for your subject. I've watched a few 'Syd' documentaries but yours unearthed a lot more than the others. For example I wasn't aware of his being on the autistic spectrum, rather more aware of him being possibly schizophrenic. But both these amounting to no more than speculation as he was never formally diagnosed. I think it's lovely that he was just allowed to live how he wanted. Lovely pictures of him with his Mother and Sister. Strip all the rock star stuff away and there's just a lovely, quiet, gentle man. Rest in peace, Roger. Truly. :-)
Absolutely excellent content as usual. Totally agree with your sentiment about it being disrespectful to try to amateur diagnose Syd's mental health. Kudos for that.
Syd lives on in a room in Roger Waters brain. 99.9 % of the people around him did'nt realise he was as important an ingredient to sound sculpting as a Guitar string is to Guitar.His bandmates knew.😊
Syd Barrett's innovative contribution to Psychedelic Pop/Rock was his use of Glissando in tandem with the Binson Echorec which he debuted on the introduction to "See Emily Play"!
Off=topic for Syd Barrett, but have to say, GH, I am really enjoying your newly discovered channel. I was 10 in 1965, so a young teenager when all the action was happening in the UK Blues Boom. Me and my friends were very much part of it as spectators. We bought the old blues records, strummed our cheap guitars, went to the gigs, talked about Big Bill Broonzy late at night. We just enjoyed it as fans. We were too young and too far out in the provinces to really be 'part' of anything. Still great days though! I learnt how to play a 12-Bar blues shuffle by sitting in the front row at a Duster Bennet gig at Birmingham Town Hall, and watching his fingers closely. Duster Bennett is probably too obscure even for this encyclopaedic site! He was pretty down to earth - just played the blues, and enjoyed doing it. Anyway, thanks for doing what you do! You have brought back many happy memories, and a few sad ones, as in this particular video.
More information in this doc than all like 10 or so I’ve tried watching and the hour long interviews with the band members and his sister interview. Good work here
Just to imagine what could been accomplish mixing-the three talents Sid Dave & Roger being so competitive and talented in the 70s with more electronics and special effects???? I just savored
A wonderful overview of a singularly creative and influential person. Loads of not widely known informative details here that belie your dedication and respect for the subject. Thanks for the lead on Mason's book - must check it out for sure. Cheers
@@mojogaucho But Peter Green eventually recovered and played live again, while also recording much new material (That was actually pretty damn good) Syd basically left the planet , and never returned.
I've seen every film there is on Syd and this is easily the most thoughtful and respectful, well done.
I dont think so there is a whole lots of them and you lack the time to watch em all
@@musashielmaldito6848 I started in 1972
I couldn’t agree more. Syd was my teenage hero. There was something about him with which I felt I identified intimately. I’m 40 now, and I’ve gone on to have many more guitar heroes since (Buck Dharma, Mark Knopfler, and others), and have developed my own very distinctive style (though it’s still very psychedelics-influenced; I had to give them up for a good decade around age 21 or thereabouts, as I’d well overdone it in my adolescence, but now I take an heroic dose twice a year, every year, and that seems to suit me fine.).
Anyroad, I’ve gotten rather sidetracked. The point I wanted to make was that despite having had new guitar heroes between my youth and today, Syd has always had a special place in my heart. I always had this feeling like we were long-lost relatives, separated by some accident of time and space. That there were things we could probably understand about each other that no one else could. His passing shook me up rather badly. Still, I Hoover up Syd-related content wherever it is to be found, and this is one of the most balanced, informative pieces I’ve heard. It seems to capture the essence of the man as he was in 1970, without judgement or overeffusive reverence, just presenting us with the man and a bit of his tale, and a lot of hope for the future. It is sad for us the future did not turn out as we may have hoped at the time of this article, but I know that Syd was quite content with his life, a majority of the time, after he withdrew permanently from the public eye.
@@celestialteapot309 1970 here
Well they just came out with a new Syd Barrett film, so you better go watch that one.
The story of Syd Barrett is the saddest in all of Rock & Roll history. Heart wrenching.
I’ve been a big Syd fan for most of my life, this was really well done. But more importantly, it was done with the utmost respect to Syd’s humanity and spirit…a very big thanks 🙏
A poem written for Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
I totally agree!
I was really annoyed when, in a British magazine, Q or Uncut or Mojo or something, There was a letter, after his death, from a “fan“ who claimed she rang The hospital he was last at towards the end of his life and pester them that she really must speak to “Roger Barrett“ it was very important and he would understand & want to speak to her, etc and she claimed they eventually did put him on the line and she spoke at length to him about how much she liked his work and he just seemed quiet and bewildered in response
it bothers me that people do this kind of thing…
@@BeesWaxMinder People can be really awful…Syd just wanted peace and privacy, it’s sad that some can’t respect something so simple. He didn’t owe anyone anything, his artistic contributions are what matter and what his true fans appreciate the most. Makes you wonder if pests like that were real fans in the first place.
@@sixbladeknife44 👍
I love Syd too
Dude, I’m a huge Syd freak. It’s rare I watch something about him anymore and learn something I hadn’t heard before. Well researched, well presented, well done! A+!!!
The style of the band at this point was heavily indebted to the first Pink Floyd album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, but filtered through their own color spectrum. The Pink Floyd connection went beyond mere sonic hat tipping, since Alice Cooper played host to Pink Floyd on the British band's first U.S. tour.
“We were the house band at the Cheetah for a period of time in ’67,” Smith recalls. “One of the perks was we could go see any of the bands playing there. Pink Floyd were there one week. I remember the first or second song they played, Syd went up to sing and boom! A spark came from the microphone and hit his lip. He just put his arms down to his sides, backed about a foot away from the stand and just stood there like a statue for the rest of the night. After the show, they came back to our house and partied with us all night long. Syd walked in like a zombie. He didn’t talk to anybody, he just stood there. He seemed a bit psychotic, and the mass quantities of LSD certainly didn’t help.”
Read More: Alice Cooper Drummer Neal Smith Recalls the Early Days | ultimateclassicrock.com/alice-cooper-neal-smith-interview-2018/?Those bastards didn't even take him to the hospital even after he was electrocuted on stage.
I feel the exact same way.
I love Syd Barrett along with all of the great muzikal artists of the 60s & 70s. It's my personal favorite period of muzikal creation. I feel as if we, the listeners, don't get the same high quality of "PRODUCTION VALUE" in todays muzik like how we got from the experienced muzikal virtuosos of the amazingly great classic rock bands and jazz performers such as Led Zeppelin, Pink Floyd, Miles Davis, John Coltrane, etc...
Apparently coming from orange sunshine acid brother of eternal love big hippie group connection said owsley acid maker named pink owsley tabs, named after the band for the Fillmore west gigs.
A Poem for Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
Those bad trips were his warnings, likely getting louder each time. The day the door slipped closed and locked behind him, all was conspicuously quiet.
Poor kid. It sucks, it's a damned heavy story, and it haunted everything they ever did.
I always admired the way Pink Floyd and especially David Gilmore never tried to erase Barrett’s influence from the band in the way other bands did to band mates who left for similar reasons (Brian Jones and the Stones) You can always tell Gilmore was devastated that Barrett left and honoured him in his music as well as collaborate with him in his solo work. Amazing video
Both Roger and Dave I'd say
everyone did , but david being the lead singer , it showed more.
Well pink floyd blocked many many of videos that tried to upload some of his later work
A Poem written for Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
Gilmour ......Henry my friend
GILM..O..U..R....
Save "MORE" for just the album....
Madcap Laughs and Barrett were masterpieces, just like The Piper at the Gates of the Dawn!
I agree! I was fortunate to be exposed to all 3 when I started high school in ‘79 through a friend, I love all Floyd but the early stuff with Syd and his solo records will always have a special place in my heart.
Sorry but no, they are not remotely up there with Piper.
"...come on you raver, you seer of visions
come on you painter, you piper, you prisoner, and shine.."
syd will never be forgotten.
Unforgettably fretmaster. Great songwriter, guitarist and visionary. The book An Irregular Head is absolutely fantastic at dispelling most of Barrett’s myths. Thanks for posting.
I agree, and Dark Globe is another great book about Syd.
Yes, it seems to have been very thoroughly researched, and not played to all the assumptions and myths. One point the writer makes - that is rarely given much attention and wasn't mentioned here - is that it's biologically far more likely (according to his research) that the drugs that caused Syd's brain damage - if any - was the combination of Mandrax ('Mandies') and alcohol rather than the LSD. However a rock star 'frying his brain' with acid is so much more romantic as a notion, it's the one that's stuck. :-p
Heard a bunch of stories I’ve never heard before. I’ve been saying for years he is the hardest guitarist to emulate and has the most unique style. Truth be told he actually really only plays rhythm, but the way he changed and built the rhythm as the song plays is amazing and unique (the last verse of Matilda Mother is the perfect example, it’s impossible to recreate but is so powerful).
If you haven’t heard the Let’s all make love in London version of Interstellar Overdrive you should go check it out. Some of his pockets of guitar leads are some of the best ever played by anyone. And then when the music comes to a crescendo when he slide the zippo lighter down the fretboard to lead to an explosive open note chord really builds into an amazing end to the song. Like all versions of ‘Overdrive’ you can probably cut out half of it, but the parts that hit are so strong.
How have i never gotten this channel recommended?? This is 110% MY BAG
UA-cam has forgotten about me I’m about to make my own episode of forgotten Fretmasters 😂
Thanks for this. Syd blew my mind way back in 1967 when I bought 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn' as a 13 year old. His music is still great
Woah You must be really old or death by now
@@camilaa2365 only 70, still young😂
This document goes a long way to pinning down Mr B.
After all, we are all stuck in a world that's not of our own making...
I don't think there's another figure in rock history that continually captures the imagination of rock n roll fans young and old than Syd. I absolutely adore the man, its crazy how much his story has still remained a huge part of Floyds legacy even after all they've accomplished without him. He obviously had a profound impact on the lives of the band members. Bless Gilmour for helping him get them solo albums together.
huge fan of Syd's, his two solo albums were honestly really important in getting me into writing my own music. This was really well done-- respectful and well-researched. Nice work!
Admittedly without any evidence. The nickname Syd possibly comes from the English working class comedian Sid James. He was very popular in the 60's and often wore a flat cap.
No. It's from a chap called Sid Barrett an old timer who played trad jazz very popular in Britian in the 1950s. The orig Sid was called Sid the Beat. Syd followed in the early 60s etc etc.
@@deepindercheema4917 Britian? Is that a typo? Or a pun?
@@voornaam3191 Britian is where Syd was from and stayed his whole life. Sid the beat Barrett is not a typo or a pun because Roger became 'Syd' merely to distinguish him from Sid.
@@deepindercheema4917 Britain, not Britian.
@@altjacobs Fucks sake Zacharyias.
Well done sir, most people don't realize how ground breaking and influential Syd was.
Probably the best “documentary” on Syd that I’ve ever seen…keep up the great work on this terrific series!
I've been a Floyd phan for 50 years, and it's cool to have this historical perspective on Syd Barrett, and the band. An MKUltra connection? Hmmm... It's possible, but not very likely. Thank you, and... nice use of special video effects.
I can't rule it out. Roger was an anti-war activist, they would have tried anything to quash the movement.
I'm a victim of MKUltra!
@@djinnmagik2003 - how so?
@@djinnmagik2003 were all victims, maaaaaaaaaan
A poem written for Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
I met a muso who knew Pink Floyd in the 60's. He said they were all upper class, haughty and arrogant, except for Sid who was great. Really talkative, sweet guy.
A Poem for Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
Well done chap excellent work.
Bushcrafter Joe Robinet said most UA-camrs are pretty much what they're like in their content in real life. You must be a solid man this is an amazing and kind documentary.
Syd Barrett and Peter Green were two of my favourite guitarists with sad stories.
And Danny Kirwan.
people claim Syd was going crazy because he would change up songs every take on his solo albums... in most forms of music improvising is given great praise... the song had been around since the dawn of time so perhaps Syd thought it was time to improvise the song and change it up on the fly without informing his bandmates, with the theory being these are songs not complex compositions so maybe the other fellas could keep up just like in a jazz band or jammin rock band... as someone who loves hard rock music and psychedelics and riding my bicycle and cats that first pink floyd album is pretty gosh darn freakin awesome, with Syd's vocals being just timeless... fax!!!
A poem written for Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
Thank you. Your presentation was the best I've seen about Barrett. You made it clear. There was a life of Syd, then a life of Roger Barrett. Syd was a great artist. Roger was at peace.
Thank you very much ❤️.
I didn’t expect I would cry when he died in 2006. But his poetical influence on me was huge in the 90's, he just showed me there's no limits in the way one could express his thoughts at all. So I felt devastated to my own surprise. It appeared he meant that much to me. The man, who stopped writing even before I was born, in fact.
His story and music touched me deeply. One night , after only knowing of his existence/ listening to his music for about a month. I watched a documentary about his life and death. I sobbed uncontrollably for hours. I don't know why. I am not much of a crier. Such huge potential lost.I think he was one of the best lyricists ever. However, it does seem like he was happy afterall.
I first heard See Emily play in 1966 in my cousins bedroom! Loved it. I became a total obsessed fan once Set the Controls for the heart of the sun. Loved Sids sound but fell in love with Gilmour and his dreamy guitar and voice. Saw Floyd in Baltimore in 1971. Then in Pittsburgh for Dark Side of the Moon. Always their music is a flowing ribbon is my life.
See Emily Play was not released until mid-1967
I know a teacher from Cambridge who occasionally sat and talked to Syd, he would chat about most things but never ever talked about Pink Floyd or music. A gifted genius, a lost sole, an innovator. Shine on Syd.
This is the most in depth story of Syd Barrett I've ever seen and I've seen alot. Great job.
Jugband blues is one of the most haunting, yet beautiful songs I've ever heard. Basically him saying "I'm completely aware of everything that's happening, but there's nothing I can do to change it."
With a Salvation Army brass group playing on it as well. Dude was genius.
@@cho7707 that's honestly my favorite part of the song when the trumpet comes in and plays that almost discordant, and sort of cheery sounding bit. It's fantastic and so sad.
I was riveted by your video bio on Syd. Having read many articles and watched many films on both Pink Floyd and Syd as well as Syd individually , your perspective , obviously respectful and non sensationalized view ,as well as information I had never heard or seen from other sources ,combined to provide a more wholistic and balanced view. Oddly enough , your detailed info . as well as examination of Syd's behavior prior to his lost weekend as well as after made me feel both more saddened yet also more positive feeling about his life after music . A paradox but then Syd was a bit of a paradox wasn't he? Thank you so much for this far more balanced and deeper look into the life and mind of a genius and one of a kind ,lovely , talented human. Superb job on your presentation and obvious thorough research.
😸
That was a beautiful video and very respectful towards Syd.
I loved Syds solo albums; they managed to capture some gems. I gobbled up everything Syd Barrett all the way through college smoking “pot”. Great music.
The more I have grown , the more I understand Roger. Bless his heart & his good friends who helped assure him an income in retirement.
That's one thing I got to agree on. There were so many arguments and stories, contradictions and denials, but they really did take care of Syd. Like a brother.
1967 saw my first exposure to Pink Floyd when Arnold Layne with the songs ethereal sound, a somewhat plaintiff sound perhaps, came out of the cowshed radio on the farm where I had escaped to get a break from the destructive life of a late teen city kid.
Three songs stick as being a pastiche from that time:
The Blues Magoos - You ain't seen nothin' yet, Gimme Some Lovin' - Spencer Davis Group and Arnold Layne - Pink Floyd.
All three have been included in every play list, dubbed onto a music cassette, CDR and latter a USB drive, music that even now continues to be the sound track to my life.
Had a strange hobby, collecting clothes... Killer song
@@melchiando moonshine, washing line
@@melchiando , Gilmour said in an interview that "Arnold Layne" was written about a real-life rash of laundry theft; the band presumed that the thief was a man who had a fetish for women's clothing, possibly a cross-dresser or transvestite.
There are some artists whom, after hearing them for the first time, you know you'll never be the same again.
Syd was definitely one of those artists. Getting acquainted with his work led me to see both lyrics and music in a whole new light.
Drugs aside, I doubt he would have stayed in the music business anyway. There's so much about that machine which was simply against his nature.
Great job - sad story with no sensationalizing
Your video is more in depth than all those "Official" primetime documentaries. Well done and thank you!
Syd was a special artist and musician. He was an important obstetrician for a great band. I think he did everything right. thanks for your video...
There is a story of Syd turning up at a friend of his sister's place of work one day who i think was a solicitor back in the 90s and playing a guitar The story was told by a ex Radio one DJ called Nicky Campbelll who knew Syd's sister at the time Apparently Syd turned up one afternoon to this guys office but the chap was called out of the room not long after Syd turned up and he was left in the office for some 15 minutes on his own Now its said that when the chap came back in the room Syd was playing a guitar that was in the room but as soon as syd saw the bloke enter the room he dropped the guitar like a stone and then left the room.
I believe it
Here is a poem I wrote about Syd Barrett
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
I don't believe he was crazy as some say, i think he just wanted peace and quiet from this insane ego world and find his soul again.
I can relate to that, his story is a simple one..Man gets pissed off with cloak and dagger betrayals and leaves in search of some peace and sincerity.
But why did he stop playing? We used to play each other's instruments. It's not like you could hurt it. Playing is the highest form of admiration. He was so shy, I think.
@@RichardHansbury He didn't want anyone to see he could still play probably Another thing with that was mental health usually when someone's see's something like that they will say wow you can still play why don't you get back into it which Syd apparently hated due to history and Floyd
I thought that it was me!!! Whenever this video would just stop and go into a trance!!!? I already taste colors and see sounds!!!!!!?Lol God bless you all today 🙏 Shalom
This is your BEST episode yet.
Another good forgotten fretmaster!
A highschool classmate of mine was really into floyd. He was an old soul. Hippy somewhat. He always seemed high and spaced out but super passionate about music. He would give me all of these floyd cassettes he and his dad made. My sophmore year 1990 he brought me madcap laughs and said this is my dads and it's Syd's solo album. Enjoy. Oh and make sure you bring it back! I remember listening to it thinking this dude is out there! But I liked it though. I didn't want to give it back lol so he made me a copy. Keep in mind NOBODY I knew at our school was listening to this stuff. A few years back I found out my classmate had been shot and killed. Such a cool guy. He would say he was on a mission to deliver floyd to me properly. I never got to say thanks. Job well done and thanks Pat. RIP
Man, that was fantastic. Thanks so much for that. I’ve wondered about Syd ever since I was 16 and first fell in love with Floyd’s music. It’s frustrating that we’ll never know what happened during Syd’s long weekend, and what caused such massive changes. I would lean towards believing that it was nothing more complicated than a very strong acid trip, the mind set and setting of that trip, and a train of thought that led him to make conclusions about life that were so powerful and noetic that, once made, could not be unmade. And with this new belief system firmly entrenched in his conscious and subconscious mind, he was suddenly living in an alien world. That, to me, is both the greatest promise, and the greatest risk, of taking hallucinogenics. They should not be taken lightly, if at all.
Very interesting. I used to see Syd quite often in his last few years. Never spoke to him - it was obvious he didn't want the interaction - but I'd see him pushing his bike, going in and out of his usual stores, always a newspaper rolled up in his coat pocket. It was as if the rest of us were ghosts - that was how he looked at (or rather, through) people.
I learned something new. Thank you!
That was a very sweet and sympathetic telling of Syd's tale. I thought the eerie interludes of distorted light and sound were a brilliant metaphor for his descent into chaos. Really outstanding and artistic work on this video! 👍
I have a couple of theories about Syd, the first is :
In the weekend Syd went missing, some people reported that Syd's friends would put LSD, mandrax and other stuff on Syd's drinks without him knowing it.
After this incident as Wright said, Syd was physically the same, except for one of his eyes, that once bright and full of life now displays a "dead look".
This made Syd write "Dark Globe" which is a reference of this incident and one of the main inspirations for The Darkside of The Moon and The wall
Check this live DSTM 72 show : ua-cam.com/video/HIGuTCY--xc/v-deo.html
Right at the beginning at 1:10
The second, Syd released 3 solo albums:
1 - The madcap laughs
2 - Barrett
3 - Opel
The last album's title track "Opel" is a description of the gemstone called Opal, which is know for its color play. This album was recorded in 68-70 but only released in 1988
Isnt it weird that Pink Floyd released a album displaying this exact color play on their cover art for DSTM ?
RELICS will always be my favorite Pink Floyd album I still have it today and is a weekly go to .
I have always liked it, just wish they had put more singles tracks on there eg. Apples & Oranges, Point Me At The Sky, It Would Be So Nice, Candy & A Currant Bun etc
This has got to be the most informative video I have ever watched on the great syd barrett
Thank you so much for doing an episode on Syd! He is one of my all time fave musicians. His guitar playing was incredibly innovative and creative. He was a master at getting fantastic sounds from his guitar played through a Binson Echorec. So wonderful to see Syd still getting some love half a century after his heyday. Thanks for showing loads of rare Syd pics. A lot of these pics I had never seen before and I consider myself a Syd fanatic! Well done!
I also so greatly appreciate the compassion and warmth you used in discussing Syd. Unlike many who write about him you didn't sensationalize his mental state or his split from the Floyd. Very wise and empathetic of you to not speculate as to what happened. Syd chose not to discuss his state of mind during his lifetime and we should continue to respect his privacy even after his death. RIP Syd AKA Roger Keith
Now...Any chance you will do an episode on Nick Drake? An acoustic guitar god and my other all time fave musician!
Thanks for an awesome video!
Grateful for this. Was a huge of this influential artist. Have read many articles on him but none that were any good. Mysterious artist maybe eccentric perhaps....Thanks mate
great video for a genius...SYD BARRETT FOREVER !!! @ best regards from Italy... @
Informative and tasteful....good job.
Well done Things I would have never known ! My hat off to you !! These videos mean so very much to me
Great job on this documentary!! Reallky important to see the humanity behind the music.........
Thanks for this.
Syd is still an inspiration to me, and many others.
"I'm treading the backward path. Mostly, I just waste my time." - Syd Barrett
Boy is this ever informative & entertaining... Well done!!
Well done, sir. This was eminently respectful to Syd/Roger and his family, as well as informative.
Great doc! Very informative, I learned much about Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd. Thank you!
I ran across this video on my endless search for all things Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett. You’ve done a great job of separating what’s known and what is not concerning Syd. My somewhat informed opinion is that he developed schizophrenia to a disabling degree and dealt with it the rest of his life. There is Asperger syndrome and schizophrenia in my family and I’ve seen what it does to people. The age he was at when he started his decline is about right for schizophrenia and would likely have been exacerbated by the pressures of performing, traveling and being the front man for the band. Very tragic story of a wonderful young artist. 😢
He was a physically beautiful man.
Great job on this!! You did your research, for sure. The beauty of a clear and perfect moment in time, shines through to all of us. This is proof that one person can change the world, and forever Syd's sparkle continues to emanate like the sun's shimmer of waves on the water.
Wow ! that was fantastic, Thank You. many don't know the genius that Syd was.
Very cool video
This was beautifully done. As much as I've seen and read, this was everybit as enjoyable if not more
Thanks
I love Syd Barrett RIP 🎸 THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS VIDEO! Very well done
This video encapsulates my thoughts on Syd the musician and Roger the painter, two sides (of many) of a complex, imaginative, and talented artist. I really appreciate your respect for his humanity and his agency. And avoiding the “tragic” framing that so often defines his story. I didn’t know about the furniture painting, it made me smile hearing about replacing doorknobs with toys. I’m glad he didn’t lose his sense of humor and found peace of mind.
Great work Guitar Historian, loved it.
Syd was and always will be a great influence on me. Something about his writing style is both wonderfully knowing and forever curious, guiding and yet totally free.
I loved it! You clearly have a great deal of affection for your subject. I've watched a few 'Syd' documentaries but yours unearthed a lot more than the others. For example I wasn't aware of his being on the autistic spectrum, rather more aware of him being possibly schizophrenic. But both these amounting to no more than speculation as he was never formally diagnosed. I think it's lovely that he was just allowed to live how he wanted. Lovely pictures of him with his Mother and Sister. Strip all the rock star stuff away and there's just a lovely, quiet, gentle man. Rest in peace, Roger. Truly. :-)
I love Syd so much!
ua-cam.com/video/Uny5ZjGRMHI/v-deo.html
Great video with great information. Thank you!
This was the best documentary i have had yet to see on Syd Barrett. Very respectful and insightful. Thanks man.
Easily the best take on Syd I've ever heard. Thank you, brother.
Absolutely excellent content as usual. Totally agree with your sentiment about it being disrespectful to try to amateur diagnose Syd's mental health. Kudos for that.
This is unbelievable, brilliant thank you
Best, most in-depth review of Syd's life and career I've seen.
This story has been told so many times. But you did an excellent job. Very enjoyable
incredible. An interesting, different video about Syd. Love it. Thanks
Syd lives on in a room in Roger Waters brain. 99.9 % of the people around him did'nt realise he was as important an ingredient to sound sculpting as a Guitar string is to Guitar.His bandmates knew.😊
Syd deserves more homages like this.
Thank you Jason. Sad but true and he will be missed.
Amazing video !!! Really deep and well documented with interesting info !! Cheers from South America !!
A very respectful and wonderful retrospective on Syd! The best I've seen yet!!
Syd Barrett's innovative contribution to Psychedelic Pop/Rock was his use of Glissando in tandem with the Binson Echorec which he debuted on the introduction to "See Emily Play"!
No it was his childlike imagination
Come on pal!
You know what I meant!
I meant MUSICALLY!
@@andrewjohnstone963 Now you're going to say it was his intake of Lysergic Diethylamide Acid!
A really well researched and presented documentary, I've never seen some of those photos!
wonderful episode. thanks!
Excellent Jason! Thanks for your hard work! Rest in peace Syd...
2:11 - I believe the kids were probably referring to the character actor Sid James famous for his roles in the “carry on“ franchise
Rip Syd you were a genius
Off=topic for Syd Barrett, but have to say, GH, I am really enjoying your newly discovered channel.
I was 10 in 1965, so a young teenager when all the action was happening in the UK Blues Boom. Me and my friends were very much part of it as spectators. We bought the old blues records, strummed our cheap guitars, went to the gigs, talked about Big Bill Broonzy late at night. We just enjoyed it as fans. We were too young and too far out in the provinces to really be 'part' of anything.
Still great days though! I learnt how to play a 12-Bar blues shuffle by sitting in the front row at a Duster Bennet gig at Birmingham Town Hall, and watching his fingers closely. Duster Bennett is probably too obscure even for this encyclopaedic site! He was pretty down to earth - just played the blues, and enjoyed doing it.
Anyway, thanks for doing what you do! You have brought back many happy memories, and a few sad ones, as in this particular video.
Props! The least sensationalised (and therefor the most credible) Syd documentary I've ever seen.
More information in this doc than all like 10 or so I’ve tried watching and the hour long interviews with the band members and his sister interview. Good work here
On a side note, Syd's mother Winifred was gorgeous!
What a beautiful smile!
Just to imagine what could been accomplish mixing-the three talents Sid Dave & Roger being so competitive and talented in the 70s with more electronics and special effects???? I just savored
Very well done sir! A really thoughtful and respectful overview of a remarkable and enigmatic man. Thank you GH.
Great history here... Learned quite a few things from this👏👏
Everyone should learn about Syd. He was unique and special, and became a victim of his vulnerabilities
A wonderful overview of a singularly creative and influential person. Loads of not widely known informative details here that belie your dedication and respect for the subject. Thanks for the lead on Mason's book - must check it out for sure. Cheers
It just occurred to me the parrallel between Syd's life and that of Peter Green.
Yes wow. Both formed the band and then those bands went on to superstardom. That is a great point.
@@TheGuitarHistorian And both became acid casualties.
@@mojogaucho But Peter Green eventually recovered and played live again, while also recording much new material (That was actually pretty damn good) Syd basically left the planet , and never returned.