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Syd Barrett: We Miss Thee
The legacy of Syd Barrett is up in the air. Madman or Acidhead? Trickster or oddball? Of these things, rarely is he remembered as a great songwriter, never mind a guitar hero. He founded Pink Floyd, one of the best art/progressive rock bands in history, yet he remains unexplored by most Pink Floyd fans that wholeheartedly swallow the acid casualty tale. When he died last year, the media super highway lit up with “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” styled remembrances, and that’s unfortunate. I think that Syd would have been bummed that the mass media was harping on this cheesy song he didn’t even write, which he claimed sounded “rather old.”
And for good reason! Those mean bastards in Floyd stole his band, his sound, destroyed his good name, and have withheld releasing some of his best material. This is not a conspiracy theory. This is a fact. So, while remembering the man on the anniversary of his passing, and in the interest of his considerable legacy, buy all of Syd Barrett’s records (that would be The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, The Madcap Laughs, Barrett, and Opel), let the expansiveness of them wash over you, and then get on the internet super highway and find the following recommended choice cuts. By the way, did you know he wrote the Piper songs when he was like 18?! And “Golden Hair” from Madcap Laughs was written at 14. He couldn’t even grow a ‘stache at that point.
Here’s the wishful playlist:
“Scream Thy Last Scream”
Remember Alvin and the Chipmunks? Well, they totally ripped this song off. So did Ween. This song sounds like a demented ghost crawled under the covers to whisper nonsense in your ear as a band of chipmunks diligently repeat each syllable uttered. It features a primo Waters bass groove and some wah-wah organ that sends the song soaring into the cosmos as the ghost/Syd declares “oh sock it to me” (followed, then, by the chipmunks’ climax). Turn this one up and try to pick out everything that is uttered. It’s a challenge. All I know is he says, “scream thy last scream, old woman with a casket, fling your arms madly old lady with a daughter” plus “watching the telly ‘til all hours” plus “she’ll be scrubbing bubbles on all fours.” Syd’s guitar mimics his vocal throw-offs to tremendous effect.
“Vegetable Man”
“In my paisley shirt I look a jerk, and my turquoise waistcoat is quite out of sight, but oh-oh my haircut looks so baaaaaaaaaad.” Does Pink Floyd not want to be recognized for weirdly shepherding the idea of punk rock? ‘Cause this song is punk. The feel, the words, everything about it is direct and confrontational. Syd is fashion-conscious as he runs down his outfit, after which he philosophizes, “and all the lot it’s what I’ve got, it’s what I wear, it’s what you see, it must be me, it’s what I am! VEGETABLE MAN”, and then wonders where exactly he fits in, “I’ve been looking all over the place for a place for me, but it ain’t anywhere, it just ain’t anywhere.” The song features a badass James Bond/Mighty Mouse bridge where Syd chants the title, and then it’s done in a little over two minutes. This is a classic, covered by the Jesus and Mary Chain and Soft Boys (by the way… Robyn Hitchcock, did anyone tell you that when you cover a song you’re supposed to change it up?)
“Candy and a Currant Bun”
This song was out at one point as a single, but EMI made them change the line “I’m high” to “I lie” so Syd, in typical Syd fashion, inserted the words “oooh don’t talk to me please, just fuck with me” (pronounced FAHWWWWK), and the man didn’t even notice. Awesome! However, this song isn’t officially available anymore. It’s a good one too…classic early Floyd sound. Organ’s awesome, bass is solid, guitar is wild, Barrett is the anchor. The “I’m high, good to see you Mum” version also exists for all you stoners out there.
“Apples andOranges”
This is another song that was released as a 45 yet remains in limbo at the moment. Supposedly this song is about a day when Barrett was day trippin’ and decided to follow a foxy lady around, admire her from afar, and jot down her movements in his mind, later transferring them to song. She dug grocery stores and feeding ducks. Apparently his stalker love was unrequited, but he got a great song out of it.
September 1967 Pink Floyd went on the BBC
… and did a bunch of Piper songs. This set highlights just what a working unit they were at that point. It’s unplugged and underscores the solid melodic songs Syd wrote, even without the epic psychedelic production (which, by the way, Pete Townshend disdains because he was lucky enough to see Barrett in the flesh soloing for 45-minutes at a time, flooding the gates of his unconscious mind).
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27 Comments
I liked your early criticism of the media paying homage with cheesy “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” tributes… but why play into that by bringing it back at the end? :\
Good recommendations, though!
Nice article, but let’s give credit where credit is due – the lyrics for “Golden Hair” came from a James Joyce poem.
Syd was the Man, no doubt, in the early days.Dave Gilmour was a superior guitar player and at least equal vocalist.Who knows?
Syd might have taken them there, but the fact is Gilmour DID.
IMHO, David Gilmour is the true genius
David Gilmour is a great musician and a great singer but I saw back-to-back shows with Roger and David solo and Roger won out big time. Heck, he wrote 85-90% of the songs and he’s the one that best feels the passion of what he wrote. Don’t get me wrong, Floyd would not have sounded like Floyd without Gilmour but most guitarists can mimic what David wrote (coming up with the notes is what is impressive).
there was only one Syd Barrett. I’d love to hear more beyond Opel, Barrett, and The Madcap Laughs,and Peel Sessions- though perhaps the sound quality is too poor on what is unreleased.
aaron, i disagree with the premise of “psychotic recording sessions” completely. i’ve heard lots of the sessions and they’re very lucid. he does multiple takes and changes each one up in interesting ways. is this crazy? listen to his words. I also wager that syd lived a normal life with a garden and his bike and was probably quite content in this but i’d never dream of bothering him. i do think that waters et al made a huge error in kicking him out so coldly! not nice to play gigs and record with a new guitarist without ever telling syd what was going on. passive agressive!!
I agree totally with the views of the article. If you have read anything about Syd you would know that the history is written by the winners. My only regret is that he didn’t step forward and say F-off to the others(except Rick)and set the record straight not the one that the others portray as the truth.
This article brings to mind another english act Genesis , their early work is overlooked because of later popularity. both bands went against the grain with little commercial success.at the time ,what made me love these bands was they were not just another blues based band spitting out remade versions of early blues{not to say that wasn”t fun} but there was just so much of it. Syd and Gabriels lyrics And others of that period raised mine and many others musical standards for the better , for that i will forever be grateful .
Good one, Brian! A lone voice of reason among the sea of “acid casualty” BS.
Aaron, sorry, but Gilmour’s and Waters’ “patience to sit with Syd” is known to us exclusively from their own words. (Pretty loud ones, I have to say.) Robert Wyatt, who worked with Syd on “The Madcap Laughs”, gives quite a different account (http://www.furious.com/PERFECT/wyatt.html). This sounds more like Waters and Gilmour were just unable to pick his musical ideas where a more experienced musician like Wyatt was quite at home.
I must say your “facts” seem a bit out of whack. Those “Mean Bastards” were all childhood friends who had to watch someone whom they cared for deteriorate. Both Waters and Gilmour were the only one with patience enough to sit with Syd through his psychotic recording sessions.”Stole his band”, you mean the one they (WATERS, WRIGHT, MASON, BARRETT)started together? “Stole his sound”? Come now, the later sounds nothing like the former. I’m a big Syd fan, and have explored most of his stuff, and agree that most Pink Floyd fans wouldn’t.(”Which ones Pink”) I would make sure my bashing is on point before I went around making those statements. Are you the people Syd’s parents had to protect him from after his fall? I wonder how cool you would have thought it to be to drop by and slip the mad genius 1 more hit of acid just so see what happened?
“Shine On You Crazy Diamond” isn’t cheesy – it’s heartachingly beautiful – the band’s farewell to someone they recognized as a genius. The song is definitely tinged with regret – it’s not as if Waters and the rest of them wanted Syd out of the band; the man would stand on stage and not play, or freak out and storm off in the middle of a performance. I can see why it seemed like a smart move to edge out Barrett and bring in Gilmour. Syd was a definitely a pioneer in his songwriting and guitar playing, and the rest of Pink Floyd never tried to deny it. Just listen to “Shine On” or “Wish You Were Here”.
the beatles’ “masterpiece” sgt.pepper’s was recorded 12/66 – 4/67,
piper was recorded 2 – 3/67.same abbey rd. studio.pepper was released
6/67,piper was released 8/67.same record co. one might draw the
conclusion that the fab 4 were influenced by and perhaps even
“borrowed” from the madcap.why was the floyd album held back so
long?,what were the beatles afraid of ? someone even more on the
cutting edge of innovation than they themselves? it makes one wonder.-
While I applaud your support for Syd, I believe that he chose to drop out because of the demands of touring and having to come up with a hit single every few months. While he enjoyed the free flow of the UFO, I believe he was too creative a person to be satisfied recreating three minute hits every night in a different venue. It’s clear that songs like Bike, Astronomy Dominie, and Interstellar Overdrive gave Pink Floyd the basis for their later sound. It’s also clear that we would not have Syd’s solo albums without Gilmour’s help; and, that Roger Waters used Syd and his experiences as a basis for PF’s greatest work, and that he has recognized Syd’s greatness. It’s wrong to think that all artists want success. Many, like Syd, would prefer to remain true to their gift rather then pervert it to become successful.
I agree, with most points….that is.
I wouldn’t call the other Floyds mean bastards…Gilmour and Waters helped produce Syd’s solo albums. They made sure he received all royalties that were due to him, allowing him independence.
Try being in a band with someone who is mentally unstable, and in those moments long ago in a heady and fast paced rise to the spotlights, do you really think they had time to stop and take stock of the creative genius in their midst, or were they more concerned with him drooling and playing he same chord for two hours?
I LOVE Syd, DO NOT GET ME WRONG…I was a fan since fourth grade…LITERALLY!
Some of his music could easily be great children’s songs, and they are…but I can see both sides of the coin, and nobody can be blamed for what happened.
That is all…
Johnny Tronny, Fun Machine
While Syd is great, and started something undeniably awesome. They were all looking for fame and glory. It seems that as Syd slipped into madness this was less and less a priority. It probably was hard on Rogers etc. to have to watch their friend slip away mentally but “the show must go on!” They won. All right? They came in and you killed off Syd and you took his land. That’s what conquering nations do. It’s what caesar did, and he’s not going around saying, “I came, I conquered, I felt really bad about it.” The history of the world isn’t people making friends. They had better weapons, and they massacred him. End of story.
This article is GREAT! Thanks for speaking truth to power and laughing off the “crazy diamond” myth, which has always bothered me. Syd simply has no peer, then or now. He was truly special.
Great! brian ! magnifique article, du jamais vu ! pardon, du jamais lu !
Thanks to you we could know who were The Syd Barrett Surplus!
I KNOW A MOUSE AND HE HASNT GOT A HOUSE I DONT KNOW WHY I CALL HIM GERALD ..
I’ve got a bike you can ride it if you like, its got a basket a bell and…
ahh syd the man who inspires us still to so many viewpoints and the truth is:we wil never really know how great he could have been but how great he wss.. we wil never really know if he was truly insane.. or just could not stand the galring spotlight of fame at a young and fragile age and time in his life but judge hios musoic for your self and thanks for this article! listen.. and SEE: he will enter your consciousness.. like no other.. and then you will know what matters.. what he created.. SHINE ON SWEET PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN
Nice article but you forgot to mention “Have You Got It Yet”. That’s the one I really want to hear!
At last a true article on Syd. Anyone willing to accept the truth will know that Syd was deserted by his inferior bass playing ‘friend’ who saw his chance to gain the spotlight. Waters now has the balls to admit his guilt but the halfwit Mason wont. They then of course went on to make a fortune from writing songs about how much they missed him. Sick bag anyone?
There will never be another Syd Barrett…in the flesh…but his spirit lives on in every heart that was ever transcended by his genus. But I won’t forsake the Floyd because something beyond their control changed the circumstances of what had already been planned out somewhere between time and space. GOD bless them and GOD blesses us all with the voices on the wind—and the notes of mystic.
Isaac, that is a line right out of Buffy the Vampire Slayer Season 4,Episode PANGS, speaker, Spike, wno says it to the cast for boo-hooing over Thankgiving!! so, it’s actually a JOSS WHEDON line, ho ho.
Are you kidding me? This article is rubbish and does a disservice to Syd and the truth. You really think the boys in Floyd deserted Syd? Now that’s simply revisionist history. Syd was trying to take away their shot at something big because he couldn’t handle it. He was begging to be “deserted.” To turn it around and blame it on the rest of the guys is a joke. I have spoken.
Syd was just different. Whether he was a genius or a loon is open to debate. What is a fact is that he was completely original,innovative, very improvisational & a wonderful maker of imagery thru his words & guitar. When everything today seems to come from a corporate assembly line, listening to “See Emily Play” or “Astronomy Domine’ reminds just how PURE an artist he was. There will NEVER be another like him. When he left Floyd, he took their humor, spirit & penchant for improvisation. I like Gilmour,but to me No ONE holds a candle to my man Syd.And to think he was only 21 when this happened….. I shuld have been so lucky!!