Finally a decent Barrett book?

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Keith Jordan
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by Keith Jordan »

I forwarded your question onto the author.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by tebrookes »

Barrett was clearly mentally disturbed. I've known and I have met people who've damaged their brains irrevocably from this sort of thing. It's not beautiful and tragic, it's f***ing horrible. Anyone that thinks Barrett quit music as some sort of artistic statement is deluded.
It's very sad reading some of the things Rosemary says in "A Very Irregular Head" about his later years; about his general confusion, fumbling his way through each day, drinking and smoking heavily and finally failing to understand or comprehend that he was going to die from a terminal illness. It's not a story to share with your kids.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

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The author said, "We will be announcing very soon - just waiting to clear up a few things at the moment - won't be long now!"
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by Wolfpack »

Keith Jordan wrote:The author said, "We will be announcing very soon - just waiting to clear up a few things at the moment - won't be long now!"
Can the author please answer my question during this "waiting"? My question about the lyrics sheet 'Mind Shot'?
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by Keith Jordan »

Sorry, I forgot to post the reply to the second email I sent him the other day. Here you go...
There won't be any lyrical reproductions in the book so 'Mind Shot' won't be included.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by Hudini »

Since the original thread is locked I might as well post it here that I just purchased a copy of "A Very Irregular Head". I was very surprised to find an original paperback issue in a local bookstore here, so I bought it instantly. Can't wait to get home from work to start reading.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

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Do let us know what you think of it, Hudini. 8)
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

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I will, as soon as I finish it. So far I can only tell it's very sincere.
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Re: A Very Irregular Head Review By Hudini??

Post by nosaj »

Cool, can't wait to read it Hudini. There was a thread for this book, but it went off track and was locked. Will your review be in this thread, or will you start a new one?

Side note (June 29, 2011): There is another thread about a special PF magazine that revealed some Syd Barrett album reviews - I do believe one of the chapters in this book mentions some of them and the context they were done by Syd.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

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I think it would be a good idea to ask Rob Chapman, the author of the book, to share his knowledge with us by starting a new thread in which he answers your questions. Would anyone be interested in that? I know I would. 8)
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

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Hello? Anyone home?
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by my breakfast. »

I'm not sure where to start. I think the book gives Barrett a good name, so I have no questions. However there are those who will always say the book deals with the issue of Syd Barrett's mental demise too delicately. There is clearly *something* that happens to some people that use psychedelic drugs who have pre-existing mental conditions. Something in the way Syd became demotivated, tired of life itself almost, and rebuilt/adoped the role of a middle aged recluse is quite fascinating.


The problem is that firstly people romanticise it. A dying/damaged brain seems to fling out the most creative stuff. Almost every artist of note produces art as a means of scratching an itch (if you like) so where Barrett stood I'm not so sure. However people will like to say his output was lighthearted genius whimsy and call it a day at that.


However, you also get the decidedly anti-drugs people who read all the (mostly fictional) accounts of Barrett in the NME, decide they don't like the idea of LSD anyway and fill the gaps to make his tale a cautionary anti-drugs message. The simple but highly erronious "yeah he fried his brains on acid" always comes from people who have scant knowledge or experience of drugs. I can say that hallucinogenic drugs do have the capacity to do massive damage to identity and ego. If you have an already jaggy idea of who you are then they will not help as they make you ask too many fundamental questions of identity. The idea of the loner reclusive druggy is partly due to this in my opinion.


So in the end what can you ask the author? Everybody has their slant on Syd. There is a massive debris field surrounding the guy (not helped by his continued shunning of the public spotlight right up until his death). If you don't like his music you can parcel him off as "that guy that fried his brains on Acid" OR you can spoon him into the same camp as all the English poets and authors who ever worked whimsical themes into their works, the genius workings of a very damaged guy.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by nosaj »

Keith Jordan wrote:I think it would be a good idea to ask Rob Chapman, the author of the book, to share his knowledge with us by starting a new thread in which he answers your questions. Would anyone be interested in that? I know I would. 8)
Yes!!!
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

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Good idea. I'd definitely be interested.
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Re: Finally a decent Barrett book?

Post by nosaj »

Well? Interview or not?