syd barrett Archive
15 Dec 2020
Book Review: Barrett: The Definitive Visual Companion
There have been quite a few books written about Syd Barrett. Some have emphasized the more lurid and sensational aspects of his story, including his drug use, mental illness, dismissal from the band he founded, and somewhat hermit-like post-Pink Floyd existence. Others have shone a light on his music. But few have delved with insight
19 Feb 2020
No Good Trying: Syd Barrett’s ‘The Madcap Laughs’ at 50 (Part 2)
Continued from Part One … excerpted from my book, Reinventing Pink Floyd Barrett had approached his old friend David Gilmour – then on holiday in Ibiza, Spain, the setting for the Barbet Schroeder film More – and asked him and Roger Waters to produce. They agreed, and scheduled overdub and recording sessions on spare days
18 Feb 2020
No Good Trying: Syd Barrett’s ‘The Madcap Laughs’ at 50 (Part 1)
excerpted from my book, Reinventing Pink Floyd In early 1968, mere months after Syd Barrett left (or was dismissed from) Pink Floyd, his management team of Peter Jenner and Andrew King encouraged him to begin work on a solo album. Upon Barrett’s exit from Pink Floyd, Jenner and King had cast their lot with Barrett,
08 Mar 2018
The Top 10 Syd Barrett Songs, Part Two
Continued from Part One… “In the Beechwoods” studio track recorded late 1967, produced by Norman Smith Quite possibly the Great Lost Syd Barrett/Pink Floyd track, the existence of “In the Beechwoods” was confirmed around 2001, when persons unknown leaked a cassette dub of the instrumental track to an online fan group. That version suffered from
07 Mar 2018
The Top 10 Syd Barrett Songs, Part One
When viewed against the backdrop of the influence he would exert upon popular music, Syd Barrett’s recorded body of work is remarkably small. The earliest studio session of which he was a part took place in very late 1964, when his band was still called The Tea Set. Those sessions would be followed up in
26 Jan 2017
Album Mini-review: Pink Floyd — The Early Years, 1967-1972, Cre/ation
File next to: Genesis, Led Zeppelin, Yes Unless one is both the hardest of hardcore Pink Floyd fan and wealthy, The Early Years Box Set probably isn’t under consideration (it retails for more then $500). But for those with an interest in the band that goes beyond their best-selling albums, this new 2CD set is
27 Nov 2014
A Thanksgiving Feast of Mini-reviews
Customarily, I take Thanksgiving Day off from posting to the blog (it’s one of very few days in which I do that). In fact I generally write the pieces days in advance, so trust me: I am taking today off with family. But for anyone who tunes in today or after, I present a few