Shine On You Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett 1946-2006

Last Friday, Roger “Syd” Barrett, died at his home in Cambridge at the age of 60. Though no cause of death had been reported as of this post, he was known to have been battling diabetes for some time. Barrett was co-founder, singer, guitarist and songwriter of Pink Floyd. His indelible mark was their debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, in 1967. Barrett’s failing mental health (no doubt fueled by an abuse of drugs) caused such disruption and turmoil, that he either left or was fired from the band partly into the recording of their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets.

After two years of hiding out, Barrett reemerged in 1970 with two solo albums, The Madcap Laughs, and Barrett. Both found him supported by his ex-bandmates (including his PF replacement, Dave Gilmour, who produced most of the recordings). The albums are folky with a slapdash, sometimes chaotic quality about them, but Barrett’s humor, thoughtful wordplay and infectious tunesmithing are sharply evident amidst an underlying cauldron of bubbling madness. So influential and coveted were these recordings that practically every vault has been ransacked over the years for unreleased tracks, out-takes, alternate takes, demos and BBC variations.

Barrett’s decaying mental state contributed heavily to his abandoning his musical career and living in self-exile by the mid-1970s. His former bandmates insured he was funded with royalties. Otherwise, he had divorced himself from his place in rock history for the last 30 plus years.

Barrett’s mental deterioration was thematically explored (fictionally, of course) on both Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall. PF’s song, “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” is by and large considered the ultimate tribute to him. There is no praise I could offer Syd Barrett that hasn’t been done more eloquently elsewhere. If you search web news sites, you’ll find no shortage of reactions to his death. This is one from David Bowie.