Or to put it quite simply, Losing Syd's Dream. What does Syd Barrett think of his creation now? Is the Pink Floyd what he thought it would be, has it progressed to the point he had dreamed? These are questions that seem as if they will never be answered.
Syd Barrett if you didn't already know, was one of the orignal co-founders of The Pink Floyd. He was also the creator of this name so well known throughout the world. He got the name Pink Floyd by removing the last names of two of his favorite blues players and simply combining them.
In the early days he was the Floyds main driving force. He was their singer/songwriter, and quite frankly the only photo worthy one of the bunch. They definately owe a lot to Barrett, but that has surfaced throughout the years in much of the music they have created. Barrett being the main focus for many songs, and several albums.
Many say it was the LSD that drove him mad, but who really knows? Maybe it was just his own creative genius. At first he took LSD/acid to help his creative process. After a while he never came down, he just keep taking the drug. More acid flowed through his body than blood. Killing the musical talents of one of the most musically influencial men to ever live.
The drug use got so bad Syd couldn't even preform anymore. Never playing a song the same way twice, quitting in the middle of a song, and even forgetting his own lyrics. It got to the breaking point in the late 60's, and this is when Syd was finally let go by his own group, a band he had founded.
Feeling sorry for their former member several of them tryed to help Barrett get back on his feet and put out some solo albums. He did eventually put out a solo album entitled "The Madcap Laughs", and it did moderately well in London. The recording of the album was an awful task for anyone involved and some vowed to never help again. His final solo album was entitled "Barrett", an album which didn't impress to many people. There was talk of a third, but the first two were just to impossible to make.
Syd Barrett eventually moved back to Cambridge and has lived behind closed doors ever since. Many say trying to forget his fame!
Below are pictures of Syd at many different phases of his life:
