Pink Floyd c. 1967When I heard yesterday that Syd Barrett had died on Friday July 7th from complications due to diabetes I felt a bit limp. I was sad because his "trip" was finally over and he never really got to state how he felt. My sadness of this passing is further complicated by the fact that my father and step-grandfather continue to suffer with diabetes and my paternal grandmother also suffered with it as well. Although treatable, many people do not take it seriously until their health has detiorated to a level that is unrecoverable.
I first discovered Pink Floyd in the late 1980's. This was 20 years after the debut album that Barrett and his bandmates released in 1967, Piper at the Gates of Dawn. This piece of art released originally on vinyl with the great, flowing title was completely foreign to me. I had only heard straight rock & roll and pop up to that point of time. The only thing Psychadelic I had heard to that point was the music of San Francisco of the 1960's (Grateful Dead, Jefferson Airplane, etc.) and obviously Jimi Hendrix. I had heard Pink Floyd on the radio, but the later material with Roger Waters at the helm was much more polished than the early work. Barrett wrote (or co-wrote) 9 of the 10 songs on that first album. Barrett left his signature on the music, the art work and the live shows of the band. His face is prominently placed near the middle of the psychadelic album cover.
Pink Floyd - Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967)
Later, one of my favorite albums became Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here (1975) and I later learned that much of it was written about Syd Barrett. This fact filled in many of the questions that I had about the content of the album. I found it compelling that although the mysterious Syd Barrett was no longer in the band, his orignal influence kept the band going.
Barrett became a cult figure in England after he stepped out of the spotlight in the early 1970's after releasing 2 solo albums, The Madcap Laughs and Barrett. His drug use, specifically LSD, became a liability for the other members of Pink Floyd in 1968 and Barrett was replaced by his friend David Gilmour. Barrett became a recluse, returning to live with his mother in the college town of Cambridge and spending his time painting. Out of the music spotlight, his legend grew.
Not too long after I had the pleasure of seeing Pink Floyd perform during their last World Tour at Camp Randall Stadium at the University of Wisconsin in Madison in 1994. This was one of the shows that I'm glad that I attended. By this time Roger Waters had left the group 10 years before, but the show was still great with the light show, classic music and sold out crowd. My affinity for Pink Floyd was solidified.
Barrett's solo music is still played on various internet radio stations and his influence on the underground and indie rock scene is undeniable. His vision will live on in those bands and with future musicians who listen to this groundbreaking material that is nearly 40 years old. Shine on Crazy Diamond indeed.
