Artist · EveryDisc catalogue

Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett (English: Syd Barrett, real name Roger Keith Barrett, English: Roger Keith Barrett; January 6, 1946, Cambridge, East Anglia — July 7, 2006, there) was a British musician, poet, composer, painter, founder of the rock band Pink Floyd, one of the founders of the psychedelic direction in rock music, and one of its most mysterious figures. Barrett is the author of the name "Pink Floyd", as well as most of the band's early material, including the first singles and the first album — The Piper at the Gates of Dawn; he was the main creator, ideologue, and inspirer of the ensemble's musical and stylistic direction. Staggering success, a frenzied touring rhythm, and drug use (LSD, Mandrax) led to nervous breakdowns, an inability to continue concert activity, and, as a consequence, departure from the band. As a result, only one of his songs made it onto the band's second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, and his place was taken by David Gilmour. Barrett was engaged in musical creativity for ten years: in addition to his work with Pink Floyd, in 1969 he began a solo career with the release of the single Octopus, followed by his debut disc — The Madcap Laughs (1970), which was recorded over one year with four different producers (Peter Jenner, Malcolm Jones, David Gilmour, and Roger Waters). Two months after the release of the record, Barrett began working on his second and final album, Barrett (with the participation of former colleagues — David Gilmour and Richard Wright), which was released at the end of 1970. In 1988, the album Opel was released, containing unreleased songs and demos; it was released on the EMI label with the approval of the musician himself. Barrett's innovative guitar technique, investigations into experimental methods, and use of dissonance, signal distortion, and feedback in his work had a huge influence on a wide circle of performers from David Bowie to Brian Eno and Jimmy Page; he also left his mark among painters. In his post-musical life, Barrett continued to engage in painting and gardening; he led a reclusive lifestyle and never returned to show business. Starting in 1980, a number of his biographies were written, and Pink Floyd dedicated several of their works to him, primarily the composition "Shine On You Crazy Diamond".