Syd Barrett Was Born On January 6, 1946

Syd Barrett was born as Roger Keith Barrett on January 6th of 1946 in Cambridge, England.

Barrett was the original lead singer, main songwriter, and lead guitarist for Pink Floyd (known as The Pink Floyd at that time.) Incredibly he was only 21 years old when Pink Floyd released their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. He was the only credited songwriter on 8 of the 11 songs on the album. While “Pow R. Toc H.” and “Interstellar Overdrive” were credited to all of the members of the band (Barrett, Roger Waters on bass, Rick Wright on keyboards, and Nick Mason on drums.) “Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk” was by Roger Waters.

The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was incredibly influential as one of the very first psychedelic rock albums. It was unlike any album that came before it and as far as I’ve heard unlike any album that’s come since. It’s a truly original and unique album filled with playfully catchy songs and psychedelic freak-outs of all kinds. If you have any interest in psychedelic music it is an absolute essential album. And while Pink Floyd went in a different direction after the Barrett era ended (he was replaced with David Gilmour), Barrett was still hugely influential on the band that would become one of the most popular in the world. Also many of their lyrics were inspired by him (listen to “Shine on you Crazy Diamond” as an example.)

Sadly Barrett’s mental condition was deteriorating quickly during this time. His mental breakdown is sometimes attributed to his heavy use of psychedelic drugs (LSD) and while that may have played a part in speeding up his breakdown, they were not the root cause. By the time Pink Floyd’s second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, was being recorded he was no longer with the band. He was kicked out by the other members due to his extremely unpredictable behavior that made him impossible to work with. After having written almost all of the songs on their first album, the only song Barrett written song on A Saucerful of Secrets was “Jugband Blues.”

Barrett released two solo albums in 1970: The Madcap Laughs & Barrett. Although this may make it seem that Barrett was still a creative force after having been kicked out of Pink Floyd, the truth is that most of these songs were actually composed in 1966 & 1967. The recording sessions for these albums were by all accounts very uneven as the musicians playing with Barrett (which included David Gilmouar, Richard Wright, and members of The Soft Machine) having a hard time due to Barrett’s uneven tempo.

Barrett never again released another album and became thought of as a “recluse” as he lived a quiet life in Cambridge. He would give no interviews or make any public appearances. He died on July 7, 2006 from pancreatic cancer at age 60.

Pink Floyd and Syd Barrett Story

January 6, Pink Floyd, 1946, Syd Barrett

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