07.11.06
The Big Bike Ride to the Sky
Sad news came today of the death of yet another giant of music. It was announced that Syd Barrett, co-founder of Pink Floyd, died on July 7, 2006 due to complications related to diabetes. He was 60 years old.
Anyone who has listened to Pink Floyd’s first album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, which Syd (real name, Roger) wrote pretty much single-handedly (not to be unfair to the prodigious talents of his bandmates) — let alone his solo albums — knows what a unique talent he was, and what a gloriously peculiar sense of musical structure he had.
Syd, of course, had a huge influence on music and musicians — including David Bowie, who issued a statement today saying, in part, “Syd was a major inspiration for me. …His impact on my thinking was enormous.” With a recorded output consisting essentially of three and a half albums, plus a collection of previously-unreleased rarities (1998’s Opel), Syd became a genre unto himself. Many (including Bowie) tried to imitate Syd, but none ever came close.
Okay, I’m already being glib and the man deserves far better than that. So I think I’ll just go put on Piper and let the music wash over me and carry me away.
Thanks, Syd. Tashi dalek.
kareno said,
July 14, 2006 at 4:32 pm
i have a couple of syd dvd’s that i should copy for you as well as “wouldn’t you miss me?” if you don’t have that. i’ve also got a great video of him of a live performance of Astronomy Domine on a blog on stupid myspace. i’m kind of a syd barrett disciple.
off topic… is your speakeasy address still valid?