Piper at the Gaters of Heaven: R.I.P. Syd Barrett

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Posted by david roth
July 11, 2006 2:26 PM
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Syd Barrett, co-founder of Pink Floyd has died. Here's a link to the AP piece. Barrett was easily one of the strangest figures in the psychedelic scene which sprouted in the late 1960's and early 1970's, and his departure from "The Floyd" marked the beginning of the mainstreaming of their sound.

I've been a fan of Pink Floyd for a very long time, and will even admit to an abiding love and admiration of The Final Cut, but there's just nothing on any of the post-Syd records which can compare in velvet-grooviness to Lucifer Sam, or the strangely cute Bike.
Say what you will about the cinematic range of later Floyd offerings - Piper at the Gates of Dawn is one of the most original records of that time. It's been a long time since I've attempted listening to Madcap Laughs, but I recall having had a bit of trouble with it. Regardless of Barrett's inability to know which trip should be the last trip his place seems pretty well cemented in music history.

Fans of mind-bending music won't have that much trouble missing him - they've been missing him for almost 40 years.
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