Syd's shining example
Submitted by jd on Tue, 07/11/2006 - 21:58.
Syd Barrett never came to Fresno, and he wasn't Fresno Famous. He was famous as much for his battle with mental illness as he was famous for being a founding member of Pink Floyd. Today, the music world found out that Syd Barrett passed away last week at the age of 60.
Barrett started on the path to fame and fortune with Pink Floyd, which he co-founded in 1965 with Roger Waters and some lads from Cambridge, England. Just three years later, he left the band, a result of problems exacerbated, or perhaps caused by, psychedelic drug use. But he didn't become an analogue to The Beatles' Pete Best, who was relegated to anonymity while bandmates went on to fame and fortune. Rather Barrett became famous in his own right despite producing only two more solo albums.
Fame came in part because his bandmates grappled ever after with Barrett's legacy. The group admitted as much, saying in a statement about Barrett's passing that Barrett was the group's "guiding light."
Pink Floyd's biggest album, "Dark Side of the Moon," was about things that make people go crazy. Barrett's mental health was the topic of songs like "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." As legend has it, Barrett happened to walk into the studio, unrecognized at first, as the band was recording that song. His legend grew larger as he disappeared from public life altogether.
Barrett's musical influence was also significant, even though his career was short. David Bowie paid tribute by saying that Barrett was a huge inspiration because of his charisma and original songwriting, but also because Barrett was the first singer Bowie hear sing with a British accent. In a twist of fate, Bowie covered one of Barrett's songs in a concert just a short time ago with David Gilmour, who replaced Barrett in Pink Floyd.
Barrett's story is relevant to artists everywhere, whether they are in Fresno, California or Cambridge, U.K. I myself wonder what life was like for Barrett as he lived out of sight from fans and journalists for 30 years in the basement of his mother's home in Cambridge. What did he think and feel? How often did he ponder what life would have been had he not been dogged by mental health problems?
Syd Barrett's life, and now death, inspired the imagination of many artists. That's because, at its essence, his story is about the struggle to understand and share what it means to be human, to be alive, thinking, feeling, and probing our way forward in this world. Sometimes in the struggle, a soul loses its way. And we're left to ponder at what price would artistic achievement and fame be worth having, versus having our 'sanity,' and a semblance of a normal life?
Good Song Syd
When I had my then 4 year old daughter sing "Bike" on our answer machine, my friend said he was going to call Child Protective Services. I think he was joking.
Good song Syd.
[a friend of mine wrote when Barrett died. He said,that even though the man wasn't making music anymore, it was nice to know such a guy was here in the world.]
Well, I only 16, and I can say that Syd is a totaly great musican in my eyes, I think the best period of Pink Floyd was the Syd time..
I kinda dislike Roger Waters for not supporting Syd, because David did.. I dont know, but I think Waters is more business man, than musican..
Syd I will name all tulips in your name. And my son (ouch, that sounds crazy)
That's really sad.
syd's legacy
and blessed be David Gilmour for his friendship and empathy of Roger K. Barrett throughout all.
Syd, and the dark side of the moon
JD that was gorgeous.
I am grateful for a couple of things when it comes to Syd Barret and his situation:
1. -That he started Floyd, and that Floyd was never afraid to go deep into the mind of being not only creative, but damaged and creative, as well as cope with a social structure that was rebuilding after a devestating world war.
They made music about things that you weren't allowed to confess in mannered society... They went there.
So much of Floyd's imagery exposed the underbelly, belies proper community, --as well as the struggle with madness and war.
Alienation, lonliness, catharsis...
Floyd covered it all, and Syd was truly the one who tried to fly, and made it okay for the rest of us to express such things.
I've heard that the band formed after all having spent time in a mental institution.
-If such were true,,, you have no idea what an amazing thing that would be... asylums were total hell-holes in those days... (some still are.)
To come out of this, and be able to make such magnificnet work was truly pioneer and controversial.
I, for one, as an artist growing in the 60's 70's and 80's don't know what I would have done without Pink Floyd.
2. I'm grateful for a second thing.
The guy was allowed to dodge it all and live in his Mum's cellar, and be safe and quiet, and have whatever semblence of sanctuary that could have been provided for thirty years.
So many other artists and performers aren't so lucky, (consider the character in the wall, really just wanting to be home, safe, and quiet,,,
-instead having to come up with a facist alter-ego to cope with touring, shows, and the surrealistic life of constantly performing.
-Artists, Writers, Musicians, -need to interact, --and then need to be left alone to create...
Most folks don't know how to interract with them, --and it's their 'outsider' aspect that enables them to portray their world, (our world,) to others, and make the everyday, --even madness, beautiful, horrid, and communicate in ways that the rest simply can't
If, sitting in a chair, smelling the scent of mothballs and feeling the fabric of the cushion, he did think about 'what if,' --and asked his mum about it, feeling very non-rock star, I hope she was encouraging,
-and I hope he found peace about it, in the garden, or wrapped in a blanket watching the match on the tele or just walking the dog...
(as we all wish to do.)
Thank you, Syd,
wherever you are, I'm naming a rose bush after you.
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