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Topic ClosedSyd Barrett... what makes him a legend?
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el dingo View Drop Down
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Points: 7053 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 11:10
Originally posted by Vibrationbaby Vibrationbaby wrote:

Originally posted by Valdez Valdez wrote:

Someone once said that if Syd had stayed on in Pink Floyd they would all be playing banjo's and jews harps. 
Yeah. Good point  "what if" ? his solo material wasn`t anything to write home about. I think he enjoyed gardening more than music after he lost his head. And you have to also wonder "what if" Syd wasn`t taking lethal doses of LSD when he wrote all that "legendary" music. Don`t get me wrong I really dig that first album but Floyd created enough "legendary" music without him. They could have been singing about a head of cabbage or Gimour`s dog that died when he was 7 years old on Wish You Were Here. I`m not bashing Syd at all here but I`m sure that whatever was left of his brain when Wish You Were Here came out it probably was wondering why all the bru ha ha?
 
I'm new to this forum but it sure gets you talking and thinking. I don't know about the gardening but I do know (now) from a very reliable source I spoke to today that Syd worked totally incognito as a hospital porter at Papworth Hospital Cambridge for quite a few years. The same contact told me he also lived for a long while in a relative's cellar in Cambridge. No more detail I'm afraid. PS if you want to hear Floyd singing about dogs, check out Seamus on Meddle. Hardly a classic, I admit.
It's not that I can't find worth in anything, it's just that I can't find worth in enough.
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Points: 6898 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 11:19
He was definitely living with his mother at some point or another. If he`s not a genius or a legend he certaily still holds a certain amount of mystique even in death. We`re up to three pages already
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Points: 19535 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 15:15
I believe he's a legend because of the way he almost vanished from public life being young.
 
He didn't died, but he was almost dissapeared, only some photos once in a while made us remember he was alive, so people didn't saw him grow old, fat and millionaire, the legend of the kid making the music he wanted for love will always remain.
 
Also important how the urban myths of the guy escaping from his custody to see Pink Floyd concerts, he lived almost 40 years covered by a veil of mystery.
 
Now, despite how much I like Piper and Syd's contribution, I believe that the best thing that could happen to Pink Floyd was Gilmour replacing Barrett. Without Gilmour, PF would had been just another Psychedelic band that, most surely wouldn't survived the early 70's.
 
The Gilmour - Waters duo created a whole new personality for Pink Floyd.
 
Iván


Edited by Ivan_Melgar_M - October 16 2008 at 16:36
            
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Points: 6898 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 16:25
Totally agree with that. I think I pointed that out earlier.
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 18:48
Syd's myth status began in the late 60s soon after he dropped out of the music scene and was further perpetrated with the formation of Syd Barrett Appreciation Society and it's associated fanzine Terrapin (yes, we had fanzines back then LOL). If memory serves, later editions also included Steve Peregrine Took, who recorded an unreleased track with Barrett (Ramadan) in the early 70s.
 
For those that are interested, the complete collection of Terrapin the fanzine have been collected together as a book (http://www.inkyfingers.com/TERRAPINS/Terrapins.html)
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Points: 402 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 20:26
Dunno really... but form what I see here in Georgia, he seems to be a "legend" in casual (I mean non-prog) circles as well... I doubt it to be because his music was "all-that-transcendental". Well I credit him for PF contributions, his solo albums are also not bad but... a LEGEND? I don't like when extramusical things make a musician a legend, sorry... I think, we all here can find a deeper or more mystical genius within prog.

But as I said, dunno.. that's why charisma is charisma... Unexplainable... But I'd rather see Anthony Phillips as legend than Syd Barrett...

Anyway he was a good musician, no question...

Sorry for incompreensible nonsense, but it's 4:27am and I have a headache LOL Listened to Metallica's 6 albums in a row... Why did I...DeadLOL
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Points: 7341 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 16 2008 at 20:53
Syd Barrett is a legend because he recorded and 3 albums plus singles and others stuff that was pure genius and sounded like nothing else and then dissapeared from the public eye. You might get it if you're a Dream Theatre fan though.
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Points: 1049 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 05:22
Seriously its the insanity the well documented mental health issues they seem to gain a certain mythical state about a person and capture imaginations of those who pursue the edges of higher art that a normal person couldn't fabricate this intrigues and from a marketing point of view sells and even floyd after Syd left didnt mind exploiting   ... which is why I`m not a big Floyd fan ..  I think I know a little about how these things work I suffer with a condition so I`m very sensitive to how the story goes. 

When Vincent Van Gogh (One of history's most famous artists ever and also a bi polar sufferer) was alive he was quoted as to saying "If only I could get back for the art the cost of the canvas" while vincent was alive he was pretty poor but soon after he died the wealthy accepted his "works" (surprise surprise will man ever get over his ignorance)  and paid huge sums for it.   

 Syd was exploited on many different levels .  Cry


Edited by Yorkie X - October 17 2008 at 05:38
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Points: 4202 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 05:34
Originally posted by The Wizard The Wizard wrote:

Syd Barrett is a legend because he recorded and 3 albums plus singles and others stuff that was pure genius and sounded like nothing else and then dissapeared from the public eye. You might * get it if you're a Dream Theatre fan though.
* = Might not get it?

If so, I totally agree.
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Points: 37575 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 05:38
Originally posted by Yorkie X Yorkie X wrote:

Seriously its the insanity the well documented mental health issues they seem to gain a certain mythical state about a person and capture imaginations of those who pursue the edges of higher art that a normal person couldn't fabricate this intrigues and from a marketing point of view sells and even floyd after Syd left didnt mind exploiting   ... which is why I`m not a big Floyd fan ..  I think I know a little about how these things work I suffer with a condition so I`m very sensitive to how the story goes.  
While there is an element of truth in what you say about tragic figures (Brian Wilson is another), I do not believe Floyd exploited this in the case of Syd - there is a genuine affection and sense of loss in their view of Syd, (Syd was their friend first and band member second - Barrett went to school with Gilmour, and met the other members at college before starting the band - seeing a close friend deteriorate so quickly will have a profound affect on anyone), and anger at the music industry in exploiting their 'stars' regardless of the cost on the person, this is documented not only in Wish You Were Here (which I interpret as a heart-felt comment) and The Wall (which is a lambaste against 'stardom' and 'the system'), but also in earlier songs like Cymbaline and Free Four.
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Points: 7559 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 08:49
Piper is a Masterpiece - although that may not be immediately apparent.
 
The "vibe" it puts across is above and beyond the notes or anything else in the music - it's like one of those 3d pictures that you have to squint at to see it properly.
 
When the force of Piper hits you, you'll realise just how amazing it is.
 
I know, because it happened to me - I couldn't see what the fuss was about, then I heard it.
 
Barrett's legendary status is well deserved - his cultured naiveity is a looking-glass into the child in all of us, and a peculiarly kaleidosopic and innocent way of seeing the world and using the imagination.
 
The other bits of the Syd legend are fascinating because of the initial shooting-star rise to popularity and well-documented breakdown. I find it a huge pity - the man really was a genius, as well as an irresistable character - not some freakshow, and I can't find any evidence that Pink Floyd ever exploited him. 
 
The fact also remains that Roger, Rick, David and Nick were also extraordinarily gifted rock musicians with tremendous imaginations - as evidenced.


Edited by Certif1ed - October 17 2008 at 08:53
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Points: 4702 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 09:04
Does anyone know here know anything about Barrett's musical inspirations? I know AMM was one, anything else?
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Points: 1557 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 11:58
I've never quite got the legend thing either.  As much as I adored dear old Syd, his main contribution to the Floyd odyssey is giving the band the kick start they needed, i.e. writing much of the early stuff, up to 1968.  Had he continued as a band member, the Floyd would have quickly descended into obscurity.  Drafting in DG was a stroke of genius, and had Roger's songwriting and concepts not developed as they did, PF would also have declined into obscurity.

I'll be contraversial and say that Syd was almost a postscript to the story, but a very important one.  His solo work is good but patchy, and the aforementioned Kevin Ayers' stuff was much better IMO.

As I've commented many times before, the Floyd would never have got started without Syd, but they would never have continued with him.
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Points: 17493 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 15:06
Originally posted by Rocktopus Rocktopus wrote:

Originally posted by The Wizard The Wizard wrote:

Syd Barrett is a legend because he recorded and 3 albums plus singles and others stuff that was pure genius and sounded like nothing else and then dissapeared from the public eye. You might * get it if you're a Dream Theatre fan though.
* = Might not get it?

If so, I totally agree.
 
Poor people...
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Points: 402 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 15:39
Originally posted by The T The T wrote:

 
Poor people...


LOL
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Points: 4202 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 18:41
Originally posted by The T The T wrote:

Originally posted by Rocktopus Rocktopus wrote:

Originally posted by The Wizard The Wizard wrote:

Syd Barrett is a legend because he recorded and 3 albums plus singles and others stuff that was pure genius and sounded like nothing else and then dissapeared from the public eye. You might * get it if you're a Dream Theatre fan though.
* = Might not get it?

If so, I totally agree.
 
Poor people...


Yes, I feel sorry for those poor DT fans myself.
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Points: 17493 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 17 2008 at 20:56
LOL
It's a wonderful world...
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Points: 213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2008 at 05:25
Mostly he's a legend simply because it's such a fascinating/ sad story.  The whole thing just touched the hearts of the remaining Floyd members and influenced them throughout the rest of their time together.

However, just listen to the early Floyd sound - it was unique and forward-reaching and the best of all psychedelia from which prog-rock was to develop.  With Syd you wouldn't say his guitar -playing was genius but it was peculiar/ different, and then mixed with the playing of Rick Wright it gave them that awesome sound.  I have to admit it, I think Piper is certainly one of my favourite Floyd albums - it so moves me...

Syd and Rick gave them their far-out sound - now with both of those guys gone - it's double sad...
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Points: 213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2008 at 05:28
Further to my previous post... (maybe this will cause some contraversary how do you spell that?)

The only more modern albums to emulate that sound, and bring a re-birth to psychedelia in that far-out peculiarlity has been the first Porcupine Tree album 'On the Sunday of Life..' and the Mars Volta "Deloused in the Comatorium"


(by the way why aren't Mars Volta labelled as Psychedelia??????????????)
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Points: 213 		Direct Link To This Post Posted: October 18 2008 at 05:29
Whoops - I meant to say the awesome sound of "Piper of the Gates of Dawn"
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