Tuesday, July 11, 2006

Syd Barrett


Man I was hurt today when I read Syd Barrett had passed away. He was a focal point for my youth in some indirect weird way. I remember asking for this really cool LP for Christmas called Dark Side of the Moon by Pink Floyd back when I was in 5th grade. The year was 1974 about to be 1975 in a week and my Dad and I sat down to listen to the album and read the lyrics. He was taken back by the insightful words and freaky music. The next thing I knew he was buying 8 tracks to play in his car and we began talking about things that were deeper than the small factory town that we lived in. I mean the albums were not just possessions these were listened to until the plastic-vinyl were getting worn down. We would talk about what it ment to me and him. He was very interested to know my thoughts on the weird collection of words that ment something to him and he wondered about my mind and what this was like in my ears. I remember telling him I thought "Lunatic" was about going crazy, and he thought that it was the true title track because moon and luna were the same thing.

I did not find out until a few years later about the other Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett who actually inspired many artist like David Bowie and of course his friends and band members. When I did hear of his life and music I had to find more of his work and I was the only person I knew in ninth grade who knew the song "Bike" by Syd. Anyway I started a journey into my intelect and the meaning of artistic expression with a fire started by Syd Barrett.

I found out the other day that I was born on the new moon...you can look it up August 8, 1964. I never knew this before I posted (here and here) about feeling my best when the moon was dark and new. Thinking about the moon when you are feeling feelings can't make matters any worse.
:: posted by Tennessee Jed, 9:29 PM

3 Comments:

I always loved syd, his lyrics used to grace my bookcovers in school, my band used to cover lucifer sam and a short version of interstellar overdrive. he was a great artist and will be missed.
http://amboytimes.blogspot.com/2006/07/syd-barrett-dead-at-60.html
Blogger kevin, at 12:41 AM  
That's a solid relationship you must have had with your Dad. My dad liked James Last so conversations of the kind you had would have been largely meaningless to him.
Anonymous Anonymous, at 5:00 PM  
Long live Syd.
May he rest in peace.
Blogger Newscoma, at 8:24 PM  

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