Barrett died at home in Cambridge on July 7, 2006 from pancreatic cancer. May you shine on in the cosmos your crazy diamond.

“The Madcap Laughs” is a great album, I also find it disturbing. He was still at the peak of his powers but was definitely fading away and describing it brilliantly. Syd was an artist.

It's sad how little bit of interviews we have of syd. We have so many bozos drooling about how much of a "tragic madman genius" he is, but not much Syd speaking for himself

When I was a teenager, I bought The Piper at the Gates of Dawn out of curiosity to hear this first album from the makers of The Dark Side of the Moon, an album that changed my views on what music could be. I was instantly mesmerized by how different it was. It had this enchanting elegance wrapped in psychedelic experimentation. I became obsessed with the album and the story of Syd Barrett. Piper continues to be one of my favorite albums, and I am eternally grateful for Syd’s contributions to our world.

Syd was one of a kind. I will always love his songs, his rhymes, the way he would play with the English language... "Ice-cream 'scuse me, I seen you looking good the other evening". Happy birthday birthday, Syd, shine on.

SYD is an emblematic English musician. His songs are rooted in the beautiful and fantastic English Rhymes. I love all: the Rhymes, Syd's songs and Pink Floyd. The Rhymes require naiveness and also wit, which Syd had, and once Syd left the group it evolved into much more sophistication in both lyrics and music.. The group has ALWAYS been great and their music has fitted its time. Syd has always been present in Pink Floyd, he left his indelible imprint, he really never left, he's been shining.

I've loved syd barrett since I was a youth.lots of my friends love him too.He is so 'himself ' no-one else is like him.The stripped back nature of the solo lps and 'opel' is so 'English ' they define a nebulous feeling,hard to describe.

I’ve seen ever documentary I can find on Syd Barrett because I was awestruck by him as a child. This enigmatic figure from a band that was misunderstood at the time. Syd revolutionized music to a new degree and over-rid the status quo for what the recording process was.

I couldn’t help but sing along with “Terrapin” out loud and ignore whatever the commenters were saying over the top. It’s a classic. I’d forgotten how much I prefer that song…Rock on, Dolly Rocker!!!

Syd Barrett owned that BBC crumb with the "actually I like soft music very much, but you see if we're playing a hall and we want people to dance..." What a great answer. Roger's answer was eloquent as well.

Love his works. He was notable amongst more than a few creatives in 67, 68.

There should be a feature film about Syd. Such a strange yet very interesting person.

Syd had a way with words,he played with words no one would have come up with, An Effervescing Elephant, simple yet beautiful. Very childlike,innocent yet it touches your heart.Syd you are missed.

Amazing documentary, refreshing to see people actually discussing his music in depth rather than gossiping about his drug use. Thank you very much for publishing it.

Nothing Syd recorded was disturbing. Very thoughtful and full of childlike wonder and more soo magical

One time my neighbors were drunk and arguing loudly in their driveway. I put a speaker in my window facing out and blasted "Bike" loudly at them until they went in the house. Incidentally, that song sounds loud at any volume. Its louder than most metal songs

I still love both Barrett albums equally, they both touch me for different reasons.

These so-called music critics yammering on about what Syd must have been thinking is absolutely maddening.

Quote by SYD BARRETT (About The Madcap Laughs ) ~ "I liked what came out, only it was released for too long after it was done. I wanted it to be a whole thing that people would listen to all the way through with everything related and balanced, the tempos and moods offsetting each other, and I hope that's what it sounds like."

Across the stream with wooden shoes, with bells to tell the king the news, a thousand misty riders climb up, higher once upon a time.

Some of what these talking heads say is accurate, but for them to collectively pan the album “Barrett” as universally accepted opinion that it’s patchy or a misfire or failure is totally BONKERS! -it is not fact; That is their measley collective opinion and means nothing. In my opinion “Barrett” is a stone masterpiece, just like “The Madcap Laughs”. Syd was waaay ahead of his time & completely eclipsed his former band’s entire future output with those two LP’s. Malcolm Dome & Nigel Williamson touch on his influence on future music but even more so than they say. Barrett invented Lo-Fi, Goth (directly influencing Robert Smith & The Cure), Shoegaze/Neo Psychedelic-Stone Roses, Lush, My Bloody Valentine, Indie Rock (Sebadoh -Barlow is a huge Barrett fan), Space Rock (Spacemen 3), Krautrock (Neu, Kraftwerk, Can: all huge Barrett fans), Punk (The Damned wanted Syd to produce their record! The Jesus & Mary Chain: huge Barrett fans-they covered Vegetable Man), Art Rock (early Genesis), Bowie was hugely influenced by Syd. R.E.M. & Robyn Hitchcock & The Soft Boys owe a huge debt to Barrett. I could go on and on, but enough said. If you know, you know.

I always found the Barrett era as punk adjacent. Brilliant really

I think Syd was a talented and unique musician who was just deeply misunderstood. The world is a better, more beautiful place because of what he shared with all of us. I understand his fear and distance. May he RIP

I am a child of the 60's I knew people who took a lot of LSD most no long term effect , but a couple it fried their mind . You never know how one might react to a drug as powerful as LSD , for me it gave me a awareness that I did not have before .

His family says he was never diagnosed with schizophrenia or any mental illness his whole life. He looks more like he’s on a hypnotic sedative (mandrax aka quaaludes) daily through the second half of 67. Mix in some acid and it can explain pretty much everything here and in accounts of him given in interviews with those that were around him. The curious bit is how he stayed kinda reliant on family to just live for the rest of his life. It sounds almost more like a brain injury than schizophrenia.

Syd was super cool. Me thinks he may have gotten a wee bit too close to the sun though. I can definitely see how that could happen back in 1967 as LSD was considered the wonder drug which would expand your mind to an expansive level which would allow you to reach nirvana. Great Time to be alive. Soooo different from today and I’m glad that I was around then. Syd forever.

I ❤ Syd Barrett You Didn't Even Talk About Syd Barretts Best Solo Song Late Night From The MadCap Laughs . I Been Listening To Syd Barrett Since I Was 18 During The Early 1990s . I Dig Floyd 😎

Baby Lemonade ⭐️ Syd was way ahead of his time like so many others of this decade lost in the drugs but not forgotten

Thank you for releasing this!

This made my year. THANK YOU LOVE ! ❤️ 💕

I still think "Interstellar Overdrive" is the greatest Pink Floyd song ever. They never did anything since that could top it

Syd did it right: he participated when it suited him, dropped some amazing things, blew minds and dipped out. If Syd was up there singing Comfortably Numb, it wouldn’t be the same (if in this alt timeline it’s Gilmour who was the inspiration). Syd created a legend and the only thing I disagree with is his continued destruction of his later artworks instead of just giving them to his sister to store for posterity. At least we have his music. Edit: My point being that people love nothing more than a mystery. He gave enough of himself to charm and intrigue, recognized that he had a problem with fame and the music industry, and got away with it all.

His songs are not well-organised, contain full of background noises, yet are very genuine. Love his own style of music.

Living in Cambridge I felt their music was def influenced by the city. I used to see Sydney occasionally , I love all their work and Syd has a special place in my heart 💗

Always innovative. Thank you for elusive and insightful interviews

loved syd. amazing character and an amazing songwriter/musician. once upona time ( when I lived stateside, before moving to Ecuador ) I owned every pink floyd album ( up to the wall ) and both of syd's albumns. sold all of my vinyl before moving to ecuador. so glad i can still find all pink floyd's music here on youtube ( as well as all of my other favorite artists who's albums I had to sell before moving )

Kind of funny how the 1966 version of Interstellar Overdrive was much longer and more psychedelic in its own right than the album version in 1967. However the version on Piper may be half the length of the original, but damn they both take you on a trip beyond trips and are both truly forces to be reckoned with...if you can even make it through the entire duration of the songs versions to begin with without blowing a mental fuse no matter what state of mind you may be in at the time....

I have a melody maker from may or april 1967, when Jimi Hendrix was just coming up, Arnold Layne was in the charts as well as purple haze ,as a 19 year old it's pure madness looking at that man

I immediately started singing along with the first song they played.....havent heard that song in years

I have just re-found this. And how grateful I am that I have. This is our National Treasure of British Historic Music Industry Credentials. ThankYou. 🏴󠁧󠁢󠁥󠁮󠁧󠁿😎🇬🇧

This is an enlightening documentary with engaging and thoughtful commentary.

It’s a bummer that so many people are dismissing Syds songwriting. I find it absolutely brilliant. And so did many legendary songwriters like Pete Townshend, Paul McCartney, David Bowie and many more. It’s annoying cause you can tell some people just clicked on this documentary to hate on him and dismiss his gift. I love all Pink Floyd but Syds stuff will always be my favorite.

Wow just clicked on this. Glad to see Syd getting Recognition!!

There will never be another musical genius like Sid.

The guy in the film who suggests that LSD might not have been one of the most important factors in Syd's breakdown because some say he took it less than 10 times has no clue. People have gone nuts on one dose. Yes certain people are predisposed to take it badly but never underestimate.LSD.

Thank you for sharing with us!

Without the false starts and flubs, the album wouldn't be the same. By including all that, it feels more of a time capsule than an album.

Omg thanks for uploading this.

I find this very sad. I loved Syd's early compositions and listened avidly to the underground music of the day, especially Pink Floyd's.

ive been curious about him since the 90's when i first started listening to Pink Floyd. I only knew about TheWall and The Dark Side Of The Moon. Im just now getting around to learn more about him. Heck, i didnt even know they were from England. Very very talented guy.

Knowing that your mind is fragmenting and your losing bits of yourself must be terrifying. I’m glad that Syd did find some peace, joy in life and something to pour his creative heart and soul into.

Thanks so much for this.

There is no difference between Syd's solo work and his very earliest writings like "Effervescing Elephant" written pre-Floyd. Syd had a unique childlike style in his compositions. The Floyd recordings were very produced pop songs of 1967, but a lot of the Piper tracks are no different if you take away the production. Syd obviously wanted out of pop music and to paint and write about art. There was always some underlying issues and the death of his father was, no doubt, devastating for a boy about to turn 16.

I believe that Syd thought that Floyd was only going to last a couple of years. All his other projects did. He wasn't ready to be committed to a long term commitment. He hated rules and responsibilities. I think a lot of it was an act. He was a prankster as well as a serious person. Yeah. He was a complex. Person.

the reasons behind his "decline" or "withdrawal" (whatever you want to label it) cannot be boiled down to one thing, or one factor. like most things, it was complex with multiple factors at play, some even i contrast with each other. it was not merely the LSD, it was not merely his artistic frustrations. it was an overwhelming combination of multiple factors. for example, the Artist in this 21 year old, sensitive guy was certainly interested in continuing his explorations and pushing boundaries. But with that said, there is no doubt that he SIMULTANEOUSLY wanted to be commercially successful and producing pop hits. that is the part that i think most Syd fans overlook. This is perhaps due to it not complementing the romantic narrative that his lone motivation was to be the explorer rather than the hit maker. to suggest that he simply did not want fame and money as his bandmates did is simply untrue. my reasons for believing that he himself was conflicted in this way is simple. Syd says in multiple interviews that he does indeed want to be a pop star. even as late as '71 he is telling people he doesn't think the pop scene has moved too far beyond him. he was definitely not entirely against this idea. BUT... just like many artists in their early 20s, he is a contradiction within himself. imagine being the lone creative force behind one of the underground's most popular bands, you have every stakeholder surrounding you hoping and counting on you to continue to lay golden eggs to prove your worth, but over the other shoulder you have the flies of the underground whispering that you are a sell-out for even bothering to try! (FUN FACT: there was actually a proto-punk band called "the Flies" who's members hurled insults at the Floyd during live shows in late '67/early '68, implying Syd and the gang were sell-outs and no longer true to the underground). i take Piper as evidence that Syd wanted to have it both ways, there's whimsical pop tunes aimed at commercial success as well as far out exploration aplenty. but the stress of that balance in addition to heavy, heavy use of mandrax/lsd (and various other substances) compiled to overwhelm the poor guy in short time. the people that suggest that he did NOT have anything wrong mentally are simply denying the obvious. as a huge Syd fan who has read every book and spent an embarrassing amount of time pondering Syd's story, I am certain he damaged his brain via drug use to such an extent that it was the primary factor for his withdrawal. there is plenty of evidence that he was paranoid and stressed for much of his time. his body language changed, his eyes changed. his behavior was DRAMATICALLY different within 1 year's time. he admits during interviews having difficulty speaking clearly at times but was extremely articulate before the summer of '67. his visual art and his lyrics reveal that he is aware that he is in trouble. "with eskimo chain i tattooed my brain all the way won't you miss me? wouldn't you miss me at all?"

His 1st name was actually Roger. Even though I wasn't a fan of his music, I am a big fan of Pink Floyd.

Words fail me when it comes to Syd

I am very grateful, that this download found me . Thank 😊 you .Now I subscribe Happy 😊 😃

Thanks, used to have this DVD.havent seen it in years

I love syd and his music and this early era of floyd, I also find it very sad and a loss of great talent, im glad he went back to painting and was doing that

In an alternate reality, 'Barrett' is the Pink Floyd LP released in leu of Ummagumma. David Gilmore and Richard Wright produced, and play bass and keyboards respectively. In my humble opinion, I prefer the post Fink Floyd work on Madcap, Barrett and Opel. Also, 'Wined and Dined' is the sweetest, most gentle pop song that has ever existed!

there is just a few ppl who got/get madcap laugh. that album was so ahead of its time and it still is. to me personally a master piece!!! loved that man. my GLOD bless his soul where ever he is.

Very good doc indeed... but when it talks about Jugband Blues as the example of Syd's awareness of his own condition... there's another song that explains his awareness even more than JB, and it's Vegetable Man. The lyrics of VM are just the description of his inner confusion, written in a moment of amazing clarity, so honest to the point of sounding a bit scary, knowing what's behind them.... No doubt he was an extraordinary artist.

I’m not huge on the syd Barrett stuff but I can certainly see the potential he had because of how unique those songs were

I ❤️ the early songs and still remained devoted as they evolved.

Was some of this he recorded talking im glad got to see this wonder who found this! Thanks

Terappin syds dropping bars his bouncing limericks and statements god man beautiful stuff

When experiencing the joys & miseries of illegal highs in the very early 80s , it was a wonderful surprise when See Emily Play cascaded out of a chums’ stereo because I’d not heard the tune since it’s time in the charts & out of teenage sisters’ radio when I was 3 or 4 when obviously not knowing or caring whom had created such music. It didn’t get played on bbc radio 1 or on iLR in the 70s. 🐢❤️😁And Golden Hair was covered by ‘ shoegaze’ artists Slowdive in the early 90s and is wonderful . I haven’t heard Syds’ original yet.

I can see tripping on some real deal heavy acid and watching walls move and see my friends faces melting while listening to Syd's Pink Floyd's music.

I don't think that Syd would been probably influenced by Bob... Syd was a kind of gnome... I can see influences from folk and even ancient celtic or druid culture... Greetings from Chili 🇨🇱♥️🇬🇧

For me, Syd is the Salvadore Dali of Rock music - the incorporstion of surrealism in acousrtic arts! How. Important he was can easily bexseen in the factt that the Floyd needed more then 3.yeard to find their style after Syd had left. "Ato, heart mother" - and more -"Meddle" from 1070/ 1971 were the first albums, that showed new, non-Barrett-sides of the band.

This quite interesting documentary for me contradicts everything about the commonly perceived Syd's madness. What it seemed to me is that he just grew more and more distant from making music, so he kinda drifted away from the Floyds as he was feeling bored and disconnected from what they were doing. Then, after some time, he contacted Soft Machine himself, as his creative instinct was still there, and he had all the intention to act upon it. This gesture alone proves he was far from gone and certainly not crazy at all. He was certainly not in shape, he was certainly a bit depressed, disconnected, but still fully in himself. After the release of the 2nd solo album, which did not have much success, he decided to retreat to private life, which seems to me completely normal. This is what sensitive, creative and artistic persons do, they give up and change direction, they don't care about the musical career, but hey go their own way, they are not at the whims of society. I don't think he liked all the story which was made up about him in the following years, which certainly made him retreat even more, not giving anyone the chance to disturb him (you can notice this even in his last interviews). I am pretty sure he gave all he had to give to the music world, and he had nothing left. His story is not that different from the one of a girl I knew who literally wrote the most haunting, intense piece of writings I have ever read up to this day. Back in the days, she was writing a lot in her online blogs. Then some years go by, she writes less and less, and at one point she removes all of her blogs which could remove and almost everything she wrote up to that moment. She grew with time apart from writing, and certainly she was not seeing herself as talented or gifted. She had 3-4 peak years in her teenage years, then she faded away. Same happened with Syd and his art: he kinda had the feeling with the Floyd that the whole situation was a burden, so he was less and less fond of going in tour and being around them. But then his creative instinct was still there, so he created his solo albums. He tried to make his music project work by making concerts with another band after the Floyd, but it didn't work well, because I guess the magic for him was gone: he could not retrieve the same feelings he felt with the Floyds, and he had not fun with making music and performing anymore. This is why imho he naturally retreated, and he dedicated himself to painting, which was something new for him. Syd was ahead in any possible sense, he just went into a deep depression because something which used to make him feel good, as music was, was just not working for him anymore. Then he resigned to live an ordinary man's life, because he was just not the kind of person to go around the world and replay again and again his past creations to be acclaimed: that would feel definitely too boring for him to do, and not in line with how he was as a person. He was happy of being a star as long as he was feeling fresh sensations by performing in public, so it was like a collective joy to be experienced. But once he became unable to feel these sensations while making music or concerts, then fame was definitely a burden for him, because all the joy was gone. Syd was an explorer, an adventurer, he looked for new sensations and a coloured world, not for the daily routine of being a musician. He was a comet, a supernova, like Dario Minieri in poker: he shone of the most intense possible light for a very short time and then faded away.

Total genius RIP Syd

I love how syd slammed the binson echo system at the end of bike that's how he got the loud rumble my amp has a huge dual reverb inside and if I want thunder or a wild sound I just lift it off my kitchenn floor very little have my volume and overdrive up and drop and drop it it's awesome 👍 also the only group and artist that I can say if I'm down in the studio I go to his records

Thank you for sharing 💕 legendary Pink Floyd

I agree that Barrett was a singular artist and a true original. But people around the time said the following artists were key for Barrett. Bo Diddley- you can hear it in his Telecaster sound. AMM Music Keith Rowe improvising on guitar -using the guitar as a sound board -was a big influence on Syd and the Folk Rock of the Incredible String Band. The latter one you can hear on the first Album "Piper at the Gates of Dawn"

My point of my previous comment, sorry I didn't point out initially, was that 1967 psychedelic tended to be levels ahead trippyness wise compared with the more folkedelic sounds of 1966. However, the Beatles with Tomorrow Never Knows on their Revolver album did prove to be as psychedelic as any of their '67 works if not more trippy in some cases. It went hand in hand I guess. The 1966-68 time frame of psychedelia, music wise namely, is truly an irreplaceable era that has truly withstood the hands of time above and beyond anything we have this day and age especially, hands down, in my opinion.

I am a huge Syd Barrett fan, and it really bums me out that he just fell out like he did. I remember I saw a video of a trip he was on mushrooms or acid not sure, it was on sale, and I complained about it to the store because it was horribly exploitative to me.

Long live Syd 🎸🎶🎵

I hav watched many videos about and with add Barrett and I am still waiting find out what the genius talk is all about ....

It amazes me how the mind can be so strong and yet so fragile. I once read genius and insanity sometimes go hand in hand, and sadly, I think that's what happened to Syd....😥

I ve seen all of this but its good how they do them

i am at a loss to explain the fascination with Syd and his contribution to Pink Floyd. He was on two albums, which get little play time on air. The great albums have no Syd songs. Coincidence? Yeah, Pink Floyd would be a very different band had he remained.

Forever missed..

I like the songs. It's great. God bless syd

He's dead now Syd; I can't remember what year he died but he was only 62 when he went. I still love Arnold Layne and See Emily Play and all Pink Floyd's work up to 1970 when they became a super group. And Louie Louie is not a 'bog standard' R&B song, it's an R&B Classic. Shine on you crazy diamonds.

Amazing.

I have doubts that drugs are responsible, although they probably didn't help his mindset. I think he broke under the immense pressure from EMI and the forthcoming tour of America. He was fine up until they signed the contract.

Quote by PETER JENNER ~ "I had seriously underestimated the difficulties of working with him."

What a change it became after his leaving and how things developed.

I think every fan likes to hear the mistakes and outtakes of recording. It makes them seem like they are just regular people like the rest of us.

When are you going to do an episode about another fallen genius. Mr. Sly Stone.

3 words: I love Syd.

Vegetable Man/Scream thy last Scream would have been the greatest, weirdest double A side of all time.

Gran documental!!

I can't fathom how far Syd would have gone had he not gotten ill and turned his back on music. Can you even imagine the awaiting genius?

55:28 completely agree , this guy knows whats upppp💯🙌

This is one of the most fascinating rock n roll stories to be told, what's more amazing is the beach boys were loosing Brian Wilson in the same way, at the same time as Floyd was loosing Syd.

In reference to the term used in this documentary: Mandrake (Mandragara officinarum), an hallucinogen with a fantastic history, has long been known and feared for its toxicity. It has a complex history as a magic hypnotic in the folklore of Europe. It was bound up with the "Doctrine of Signitures" a theory holding that the appearance of an object indicates its special properties.

Whether you like Sid Barrett's work or not you have to admit that when he first came out he was on The cutting edge and totally progressive. He wasn't following along the same rock and roll trend that the Beatles were going on or the popular Blues trend at the time that other bands were on. He just kind of made his own music and it became psychedelia. But the first couple of Floyd albums are so mind-boggling and so progressive compared to anything else coming out at the time except for maybe the Beatles. It was just such a tragedy what happened to poor Sid. So many other rock stars did probably way more drugs than him but they seem to be still around today which I don't believe. Sid was a very gentle man and his poor mind just caved in from the drugs that he did do and I feel so sorry for him. Imagine to yourself if he would have stayed with Floyd and let out more albums like the first two. Definitely a genius. 🙏