Syd Barrett: The madcap still laughs
By Michael J.W. Stickings
Syd Barrett died six years ago today.
If you know me at all, you know how much Pink Floyd means to me, and also how much I revere Syd -- so much so, in fact, that two of my children are named after him (or his music) in some way.
Without further ado, three clips:
1) Audio only of my favourite Syd solo song, "Octopus" (produced by Syd and the man who replaced him in Pink Floyd, David Gilmour), off Syd's first solo album, The Madcap Laughs (1970).
2) David Gilmour performing Syd's "Dominoes" at London's Royal Festival Hall in June 2001.
Gilmour has included some of Syd's solo work in his concert performances. This show, for example, which is available on DVD as David Gilmour in Concert, includes "Terrapin" as well as "Dominoes." Remember that Night, filmed live at London's Royal Albert Hall in May 2006, includes "Dominoes" and "Dark Globe" on its bonus features disc -- he performed both songs on his 2006 tour. And he has frequently performed Syd-era Floyd songs like "Arnold Layne" and "Astronomy Domine."
3) Pink Floyd, with Syd Barrett on lead guitar (you can see him well starting at the 4:14 mark), performing "Interstellar Overdrive," taken from filmmaker Peter Whitehead's London 1966/1967 (CD/DVD reissued in 2005, featuring the full-length version of "Interstellar Overdrive" (of which this clip features just the first half) and "Nick's Boogie"). A shorter version of "Overdrive" appeared on Floyd's debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
Enjoy:
Syd Barrett died six years ago today.
If you know me at all, you know how much Pink Floyd means to me, and also how much I revere Syd -- so much so, in fact, that two of my children are named after him (or his music) in some way.
Without further ado, three clips:
1) Audio only of my favourite Syd solo song, "Octopus" (produced by Syd and the man who replaced him in Pink Floyd, David Gilmour), off Syd's first solo album, The Madcap Laughs (1970).
2) David Gilmour performing Syd's "Dominoes" at London's Royal Festival Hall in June 2001.
Gilmour has included some of Syd's solo work in his concert performances. This show, for example, which is available on DVD as David Gilmour in Concert, includes "Terrapin" as well as "Dominoes." Remember that Night, filmed live at London's Royal Albert Hall in May 2006, includes "Dominoes" and "Dark Globe" on its bonus features disc -- he performed both songs on his 2006 tour. And he has frequently performed Syd-era Floyd songs like "Arnold Layne" and "Astronomy Domine."
3) Pink Floyd, with Syd Barrett on lead guitar (you can see him well starting at the 4:14 mark), performing "Interstellar Overdrive," taken from filmmaker Peter Whitehead's London 1966/1967 (CD/DVD reissued in 2005, featuring the full-length version of "Interstellar Overdrive" (of which this clip features just the first half) and "Nick's Boogie"). A shorter version of "Overdrive" appeared on Floyd's debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.
Enjoy:
Labels: music, Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
11:46 PM
1 Comments:
Good piece. I too, enjoy Barrett's music.
I've found though, over the years that it seems as though Barrett's music is appreciated more in places like Britain than it is in the U.S.
In the U.S., Pink Floyd's music didn't really break through in a big way until the early 1970s. I've talked to many U.S. Pink Floyd fans who aren't that familiar with the Barrett-era Floyd.
I think in Britain, it is well understood and accepted that Barrett was Floyd's true genius. That's a viewpoint that you will rarely encounter among U.S. fans.
By
Marc McDonald, at 6:11 PM
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