I'm sure you've all heard... Syd Barrett passed away. An article was just released saying that Syd Barrett had passed away a few days ago... he was living reclusively in Cambridge...

RIP Syd... Shine on You Crazy Diamond.

Damn. A terrible loss for the music world.

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20060711/ap_en_ot/obit_barrett_17

That definitely sucks. I hate when interesting people die.

Ben's gonna take this pretty hard.

We will all miss you, Syd. Rest in peace.

"Come on you stranger, you legend, you martyr, and shine"

My brother told me when he came home from work today, damn shame.

I actually hadnt heard that.
That is a shame...I'm all bleak now.

Three words:

"Finally. Thank God."

That's not very nice.

Meh, fine if it's him i guess. Most of us would have gotten roasted for saying that.

Originally Posted by: ericthecableguyMeh, fine if it's him i guess. Most of us would have gotten roasted for saying that.

By members, yeah, but everyone on the board knows I think Syd Barret is the worst thing to happen to music ever, so it comes as no surprise and they ignore my dumb ass.

that is what you gotta love about Jolly.....you never have to say "Tell us what you really think Jolly..."

Cheers to you Mr. Barret!

I have 6 Floyd albums and they're all post Barrett era...being the band (Waters, Gilmour, Mason, Wright) that I know of and like. I can't say I know much about the guy or his music. Just that the band had respect for him and had to mourn his departure from sanity, and thus the band. Strangely they'll have to mourn again...or perhaps they're even relieved, depending on the perspective.

Originally Posted by: R. ShackleferdI have 6 Floyd albums and they're all post Barrett era...being the band (Waters, Gilmour, Mason, Wright) that I know of and like. I can't say I know much about the guy or his music. Just that the band had respect for him and had to mourn his departure from sanity, and thus the band. Strangely they'll have to mourn again...or perhaps they're even relieved, depending on the perspective.

Most of the music written post Barrett was inspired by or even written specifically about Barrett... The "Wish You Were Here" album most specifically...

It's kinda fun to listen to albums like "Piper at the gates of Dawn" or "Saucerful of Secrets" to hear how different the band was back then. I agree that Syd contributed to the band more obliquely than directly, but Floyd would never have been the same without Syd.

I agree! Roger, David, Rick and Nick were all extremely talented musicians in their own right, but I think having Syd as a songwriter really brought out a new kind of creativity in them.

I'm a huge Floyd fan, but mostly post-Barret Floyd.
I think songs penned by Barret are usually more enjoyable for comedy value...'I've got a bike you can ride it if you like, its got a basket a bell that rings and things that make it look good...I'd give it to you if I could, but I borrowed it"...I think we all had warning that Syd was not sane.

Anyway, I am a huge fan of the songs written about him, especially the Wish you were here album, and namely the title track of that album, and Shine on you crazy diamond.

I dont think his contribution to Floyd was really made by his being in Floyd, but rather by his being out of Floyd...if you catch my meaning...and the music certainly was better without him.

Originally Posted by: Andrew Saand the music certainly was better without him.

True... except, IMHO, for "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Astronomy Domine", which the band never quite matched after Syd left.

Originally Posted by: jiujitsu_jesusTrue... except, IMHO, for "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Astronomy Domine", which the band never quite matched after Syd left.

I tried to rep you, but to no avail.

I consider Piper at the Gates of Dawn and every other Floyd album (that I've heard) to be totally different styles of music. After Syd left, the music got a little more....listenable.

But just like Ben said, "Interstellar Overdrive" and "Astronomy Domine" were great. Those were the two songs off that album in which the whole psychedelia/whatever-the-heck-you-call-it genre actually worked well. I like "Bike" too, but mostly because it terrifies me.

But then, I also like some of the Syd-era singles. "See Emily Play" and "Arnold Lane" are really cool songs.

Wasn't "one of these days" a Barrett song?

Also heard on the local radio that "shine on you crazy diamond" was a tribute song to Syd after he left and became a hermit.