Wouldn't You Miss Me?

It was announced today that Syd Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd died last Friday of complications related to diabetes. He was 60.

We've all heard the stories about his LSD-induced meltdown, and how that got him kicked out of the band. One day on the way to a show in 1968, the band elected not to pick him up. After that happened, he moved into a basement apartment at his mom's house in Cambridge. He boarded up the windows to keep the press out.

With the help of Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters and Barrett's replacement David Gilmour, he recorded and released two albums in 1970, "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett." In that year he performed one concert in London with Waters and Gilmour backing him up. It wasn't until 1972 when he resurfaced in a band called Stars, but quit after one gig. In 1974 his old manager convinced him to go back into the studio to record, but it didn't work out. Barrett then sold all of the rights to his music to his record label and returned to his mother's where he enjoyed painting, writing, and gardening.

There's a song from '80s twee pop band The Television Personalities called "I Know Where Syd Barrett Lives."

He was very famous once upon a time
But no one knows even if he's alive
But I know where he lives and I visit him
In a little hut in Cambridge
I know where he lives
Cause I know where Syd Barrett lives

I had already heard Syd's solo stuff by the time I heard the above song, but it intrigued me enough to actually go out and buy some. Okay, I got all of it. I fucking love Syd Barrett's solo stuff.

This is sad.

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