Shine On Syd - R.I.P

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:02 am

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/5169344.stm

Syd dies age 60 - he had suffered from diabetes but Ive heard other reports it was cancer. A true genius, for a short while yes, but a genius just the same.

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 9:06 am

Wow.

It's a weird feeling to hear that because he's been out of the public eye for so long... dead to the world, essentially. He was definitely a legend though... a pity that so much of his talent had to go to waste.

wardo68 · Post by **wardo68** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 10:39 am

At least now he'll finally be left alone. Thanks for the music, Syd.

Chrille · Post by **Chrille** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 11:11 am

R.I.P, Syd

pophead2k · Post by **pophead2k** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 1:55 pm

He didn't write a ton of songs, but the ones he did write were true corkers. RIP.

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:02 pm

Syd's personality ( well , the one that figures in various Floyd accounts) is beautifully evoked in Tom Stoppard's new play 'Rock 'n Roll' . I saw it in
London recently and it's a must see if you can get to it; the Royal Court run is sold out but it's transferring to a bigger theatre on July 22 -

http://www.theambassadors.com/dukeofyorks/sp_p2875.html

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 3:03 pm

Strange...why do we idolize Syd Barrett as a genius when we have Michael Jackson who has written many more hits and is even more of a genius? (not that I like his stuff). We can accept that Syd was great because we never had time to break him down and drag him through the shit. He checked out early, which is why he stills holds a mystique. Any rock star who goes down before we get the chance to fuck them up is treated in the same way. Cobain is a great example. Anybody agree? Who can come up with more examples?

johnfoyle · Post by **johnfoyle** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 4:53 pm

Gram Parsons . His relatively tiny output is fantastic but pales in comparison with that of Gene Clark. Sadly, Gene got fat 'n old wheras Gram checked out young 'n sexy.

I don't idolise Syd - or anyone , for that matter. I am , however , aware that he evokes and defines an aspect of his age.

Mike Boom · Post by **Mike Boom** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:05 pm

Strange...why do we idolize Syd Barrett as a genius when we have Michael Jackson who has written many more hits

Sure, his breakdown lends a mystique to his image, just like Brian Wilson, but people who are touched by this sort of genius are often mentally fragile. It's almost like they have been blessed with so much talent that they can hardly function in a normal reality. It must be hard walking around with 20,000 Volts of pure artistic muse coursing through your body. Mix in drugs and there you have it. Jackson has never possesed that kind of raw artistic streak. He was a gifted dancer and singer, thats all.

"See Emily Play" is the greatest psychedelic pop song ever written and is along with "Bike", "Arnold Layne" "Dark Globe" and "Apples and Oranges" way beyond anything Michael Jackson could ever, ever, ever imagine, in structure, lyric, inspiration and sheer originality, so much so that these songs still inspire artists over 35 years later.

Michael Jackson was a very good R&B singer who sold a lot of records for a few years, never a true genius.

Post by **BlueChair** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 7:21 pm

Agreed

Extreme Honey · Post by **Extreme Honey** » Tue Jul 11, 2006 8:29 pm

Yeh true. Syd Barrett was a hero. There's been stuff of legend ciruclating for years...even though he was out of the public eye after he quit pink floyd, now that's a true star! RIP Syd.

Otis Westinghouse · Post by **Otis Westinghouse** » Fri Jul 14, 2006 7:16 pm

Always had this idea I'd see him somewhere in Cambridge, and never did. to my knowledge. The only musical legend here. Shine on you crazy diamond.

bambooneedle · Post by **bambooneedle** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 6:38 am

Copenhagen Fan wrote: Any rock star who goes down before we get the chance to fuck them up is treated in the same way. Cobain is a great example. Anybody agree? Who can come up with more examples?

I agree that Kurt Cobain is grossly overrated due to his death. If he were still alive he would probably be generally regarded on a par with Eddie Vedder. I have far more respect for Dave Grohl than for Eddie Vedder or Cobain, both for how he handles his image and for his music.

Mechanical Grace · Post by **Mechanical Grace** » Sun Jul 16, 2006 6:49 am

If he were still alive, he'd have done more music, and we can have no idea of knowing what it would be like. Yeah, his death made him into a teen messiah, but he was great, and more importantly an innovator, and I bet he'd be doing interesting things. Props to Dave Grohl but he's not in the same league, imo. Neither is Vedder.

And RIP to Syd. Both the walk-on part in the war and the lead role in a cage are now behind him.

Copenhagen Fan · Post by **Copenhagen Fan** » Mon Jul 17, 2006 7:52 am

Jerry Garcia was better than them all...ha ha.......