An Introduction to Syd Barrett Album | October 2010

[my breakfast.]

I'm not a fan of the instrumental Opel version either. Those backwards effects do nothing for me. Too much like commercial music trying too hard to be psychedelic.

[danielcaux]

After 1:32, an experimental recording begins, containing an overdub of a solo with a slightly distorted guitar sound. After 2:58, a second experimental recording starts, ending at 4:47. Together it's more than 3 minutes of guitar soundscape. I think it sounds like the way Barrett's abstract paintings look.

I've never noticed that Boogie#2 (the 1:32 part) had such a nice and noisy guitar sound going on it. Bootleggers should have used a more memorable title, something like "Interplanetary Woogie". It reminds me a little of Hendrix Electric Ladyland sound, too bad that Syd didn't make a full blown psychedelic soundscape out of it. It sounded promising.

The lack of vocals was the main reason for keeping the material unreleased.

Not really, all of the recorded material was completely unfinished, they are just short little drafts and sketches for possible songs. Some of the tracks had nice and interesting sounds going on though.

The material is available on a ROIO. Titled something like "now you have it". The first photo shown (Barrett's face besides car front light) is on the cover. I want to have this CD!

I think the 74 sessions only exist in Vinyl form and FLAC transfers of it. It's called "You Got It Now" and it's full of slow boogies and fast boogies and some interesting titles for songs like "If You Go" and "Chooka Chooka Chug Chug". Not a masterpiece for sure, but a very friendly and pleasant collection of old style guitar tropes. There's also a track with some chords for a potentially good ballad, aptly titled "Ballad"; the thing is that unlike other Syd's ballads (Love Song, Here I Go) this one has a totally calm feel that really shifts your state of mind. I don't know if it was the prescription drugs he was taking at the time, but all the recordings of this session transpire this "relaxed" feel that kind of reminds me of the photos that Mick Rock took of Syd in his garden. And as he said, it feels as if Syd was taking back his steps, going back to a womb-like state, playing the music he used to play in his younger days.

[nosaj]

4 Rare Instrumental Syd Barrett Tracks Last Session (1974)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8x8T6BKlLYc
After 1:32, an experimental recording begins, containing an overdub of a solo with a slightly distorted guitar sound. After 2:58, a second experimental recording starts, ending at 4:47.
Together it's more than 3 minutes of guitar soundscape. I think it sounds like the way Barrett's abstract paintings look.

I don't know how out of tune or disjointed the soundscape maybe is to conservatory people. To me it sounds like a rather decent guitar experiment that should have been on 'Crazy Diamond' or maybe as hidden track on 'Introduction'.

The material is available on a ROIO. Titled something like "now you have it". The first photo shown (Barrett's face besides car front light) is on the cover. I want to have this CD!
The 'Have You Got It Yet' Barrett collection, as I know it, only contains a snippet of the guitar solo.

Mr. Management: I would certainly buy an official release of this!

I always heard these recordings were sooo bad, I never tried to track them down. I actually don't mind what I hear in that link...have to get me sum o dat!!!

[pelcbarone]

Some clips of all the tracks can be found in the Apple iTunes store - including a snippet from Rhamadan: drums, vibes, bass...we'll see what else is in there soon enough I suppose.

Also of interest, and somewhat upsetting (at least to me), is you can hear some of the new 'studio magic' in the snippet of "She Took a Long Cold Look (2010 Mix)" - they've removed the audible page turning just before, and replaced the line"...the end of truth" with an outtake clip.

Hey studio guys!!! Way to fuck with a historical document!!!

[danielcaux]

Well, "messing with historical documents" is the whole point, and to an extent the only thing that justifies this release IMO. I'm hoping that the bass track that Gilmour is adding to "Here I Go" will enable him to create a mix that finally will let us hear the complete guitar solo that Syd plays at the end when he suddenly switchs from rhythm to lead guitar without advice. Those are the kind of things that justify "messing with historical documents" releases.

[Wolfpack]

Some clips of all the tracks can be found in the Apple iTunes store - including a snippet from Rhamadan: drums, vibes, bass...we'll see what else is in there soon enough I suppose.

I don't have iTunes. Can someone please deliver the Rhamadan-sample in a format like mp3? Maybe on YouTube?
Amazon gives samples of all tracks, except Rhamadan.

Also of interest, and somewhat upsetting (at least to me), is you can hear some of the new 'studio magic' in the snippet of "She Took a Long Cold Look (2010 Mix)" - they've removed the audible page turning just before, and replaced the line"...the end of truth" with an outtake clip.

No overdubs by Gilmour. The outtake clip is just some measures of guitar filling the gap. After that clip, the originally released take continues.

My opinion based on other samples:
- The 2010 mix of alternative version of 'Matilda Mother' sounds great.
- The bass guitar in 'Here I Go' is an improvement. I think the original version sounds too empty without any bass guitar. Syd's Telecaster alone isn't enough there. However, the bass guitar seems to be the only overdub.
- The 2010 mix of 'Octopus' has better balance of voices and instruments. The instruments sound fuller. Syd's lead vocal is slightly deeper in the mix. Syd's harmonizing vocals can be heard better, which I find a big improvement.
- I can't heard much difference in the 2010 mix of 'Dominoes'.

Only five songs reworked. It seems only one has a Gilmour-overdub, of only a bass guitar. What a lazy effort!
Just imagine what could have been done with a song like 'Opel'.

[espio13]

i listened to the previews and this album (besides the new matilda mother) seems like a super lazy effort and a huge waste of money. There are no new songs and pretty much no overdubs. the 2010 mixes seem like theyre pretty much there to draw attention away from the fact that we've heard everything on this. i really hate albums like this

[tebrookes]

Bad track listing, terrible artwork. Why the hell "If it's in you" is on there I'll never know. Had a quick listen to the 2010 remixes. No real improvement. What's wrong with "Octopus" anyway?
I did read the interview with DG saying he wished he had the balls to revisit Madcap and Barrett and jig about with them. Now that would be fun. "Feel" couldve been an awesome song treated properly. "Golden Hair" with the harmonies balanced properly would be a treat too. I hope this is a tester for DG to see how the public judges the remix idea.
As for re-mastering, I think it's a bit of a con. Those records sound amazing in their original format. However, adding instrumentation that was lacking in certain tracks or using different vocal takes that might improve the song - I'm all for that.

[David Smith]

I did read the interview with DG saying he wished he had the balls to revisit Madcap and Barrett and jig about with them

Considering how much the underproduction adds to them i feel that would be a bit like Spielberg tinkering with Jaws

[tebrookes]

I did read the interview with DG saying he wished he had the balls to revisit Madcap and Barrett and jig about with them

Considering how much the underproduction adds to them i feel that would be a bit like Spielberg tinkering with Jaws

Yeah possibly. Has Spielberg released a Blu-Ray of Jaws with additional scenes yet?!

[Keith Jordan]

Enter the NPF Competition to win a copy of the CD. Go on, you know you want to!!

http://www.neptunepinkfloyd.co.uk/competition/



EDIT - The number of people getting the wrong answer is around 90% so far!! Hahaha So some research!!!!!

[Stephen]

EDIT - The number of people getting the wrong answer is around 90% so far!! Hahaha So some research!!!!!

don't tell 'em, I may have a chance then

[Keith Jordan]

EDIT - The number of people getting the wrong answer is around 90% so far!! Hahaha So some research!!!!!

don't tell 'em, I may have a chance then

I just checked.... finally somebody knows the answer!!

[nosaj]

Mandrax fools!
However, I cannot believe you are allowing this RUMOUR to be used as a test question. This rumour has never been confirmed. Read AN Irregular Head. Lets put an end to the unproven myths about Syd. I will not enter this competition on that principle.

[Stephen]

I agree!! All the rest of you should NOT enter this competition from this moment on.