when was syd "better"

All discussion related to Roger Keith (Syd) Barrett.

when was syd's head in better shape

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Total votes: 20

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moom
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Post by moom »

PublicImage wrote:Syd is dead, that is the sad truth. His family are not faking his death.
I ain't denying anything, just ...
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Post by thrill-seeker »

moom wrote:
PublicImage wrote:Syd is dead, that is the sad truth. His family are not faking his death.
I ain't denying anything, just ...
Here's a tip for you moom....finish off your posts !

:roll: :roll: :roll: :o :o :o
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Post by PublicImage »

He loves the ellipses though!

I mean, it's just ... Syd appletown... and a giant .... :o :oops: :P :lol: 8)
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Post by moom »

thrill-seeker wrote:
moom wrote: I ain't denying anything, just ...
Here's a tip for you moom....finish off your posts !

:roll: :roll: :roll: :o :o :o
yeah, sure
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Post by zag »

J Ed wrote:they spent a year in the studio polishing and repolishing that track
the one day they actually had syd in the studio they could have set it aside and done something spontaneous with him
You?re right, J Ed.
They must have been scared (to death), thinking probably "what if he?ll play `Have You Got It Yet`", and we still can?t do that ?
I?m afraid they don?t know what "something spontaneous" means. Blues maybe ? :lol:
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Post by David Smith »

Atom Heart Sun wrote:in my opinion, SOYCD is not about Syd at all, it is about what the band thought they felt about him, it is their image of him, and it is a message they wanted everyone else to percieve they felt about him.
This sounds a rather cynical point of view and one that could certainly not be backed up with any form of evidence. At least if you assume they were genuine in how they felt when they wrote that song then you have all four members words for it.

They were fully grown men so i'm sure they know how they felt, especially as you don't know any of them to make this statement that they were confused or thought that they thought it. I would say the idea that they've kept this insincerity up for 30 years just seems totally unlikely.

As for why they didn't get Syd to play I can only guess three things:

1. They didn't trust the madman that had come in and was at his worst point and certainly didn't think he'd be capable of making good music. Especially after seeing how awkward he could be in th studio and on stage.

2. To feature an insane man on their record (especially when this insane man was one of their friends) when he requests to do so in a none to sound state of mind would be a form of exploitation

3. They realised they had progressed so much as a band since Sud had left, and while he will always remain an influence there was simply no place for him in the more modern pink floyd

At the end of the day if i'd been spending years getting over the loss of a friend and then after building a very succesful career without them, and another year on this new record, to have him randomly come to the studio in a horrible state asking to play on it i would have to decline the offer... And jamming with them would probably not be the first thing that comes in to my head as much as overwhelming sorrow to the point that would see me unable to play anyway.

Regardless though none of us were there so who are we to pass jugement on the band and it's members? I think we can at least give them the dignity of taking them at their word unless there's significant evidence to suggest otherwise.
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Post by Atom Heart Sun »

This sounds a rather cynical point of view and one that could certainly not be backed up with any form of evidence.
I wouldn't say "cynical", but clinical maybe. If it was a message they didn't want everyone else to percieve they felt about him they wouldn't have done it obviously.
I'm saying that the track is a part of their part of the Syd mythology and I'm implying that this is not all of the meaning in that track.
one that could certainly not be backed up with any form of evidence
The evidence is the track itself, most particularly the lyrics.
They were fully grown men so i'm sure they know how they felt
Of course they did, but our perception of that may be different, just like in literary theory and art criticism in general where the meaning of the artwork, whatever that may be, is created by it's audience, not just what the artist themself says it is about.
especially as you don't know any of them to make this statement
You don't know I don't know any of them, however unlikely that might seem.
to make this statement that they were confused or thought that they thought it
That they were confused is not at all what I am saying.
I would say the idea that they've kept this insincerity up for 30 years just seems totally unlikely
I'm not actually saying that I think SOYCD is not sincere. I was reminding tea-set that if one is talented enough one can make very nice art that does not necessarily have to be sincere that's all.
Of course those lyrics are written by a highly passionate man (whom I identify with myself for this), a man who would never write something he didn't feel he believed in unless, as a talented chap, he decides to be insincere as an expression of his art like Roger often does in his dry, humourous way (that some people unfortunately just don't get!)


David your three reasons why they didn't get Syd to play are perfectly feasable, but they still do not answer the question as to why they didn't at least humour the guy, as I said before they could easily have not used it.
It may have been something to do with studio time and good old money but to me the question remains unanswered so far.
to have him randomly come to the studio in a horrible state asking to play on it i would have to decline the offer..
Yes it may be that they had a similar feeling or were too shocked to do anything else or just felt it inappropriate, isn't it interesting that here they were rejecting the very person they were supposed to be saluting?
jamming with them would probably not be the first thing that comes in to my head as much as overwhelming sorrow to the point that would see me unable to play anyway
As far as I know, it was never a case of playing together as in jamming. I believe Syd just asked where his part goes on the recording, and to be honest, I reckon he was probably taking the piss anyway like he did with Have You Got It Yet.
I think we can at least give them the dignity of taking them at their word unless there's significant evidence to suggest otherwise
We have to, but there's nothing stopping us from being allowed to ask what are perfectly valid questions such as:
Why wasn't Bob Dylan Blues used on the solo albums?
Why did Gilmour even take it home in the first place?
How could he "forget" a great song and performance that is already in the can when there were other tracks that were difficult to produce or were of a performance quality not usually used for an official release?
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Post by zag »

Atom Heart Sun wrote: it was never a case of playing together as in jamming. I believe Syd just asked where his part goes on the recording, and to be honest, I reckon he was probably taking the piss anyway like he did with Have You Got It Yet.
:lol: Syd?s practical joke #27434
How could he "forget" a great song and performance that is already in the can when there were other tracks that were difficult to produce or were of a performance quality not usually used for an official release?
(unknown "Living Alone" is on that same tape. and remember, he/they left "Opel" out too)

Well, I?d say you have a good question there, AHS :wink:
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Post by Atom Heart Sun »

Hey, do you have any more info on this Living Alone track? How do you know about it?
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Post by zag »

my source is:
Random Precision Recordning The Music Of Syd Barrett 1965-1974 by David Parker
ISBN 1-901447-5-1
published by Cherry Red Books
pg 164
Friday 27th February 1970
Recording:
Wolfback (demo, takes unknown)
Waving My Arms In The Air ( demo, takes unknown)
Living Alone (demo, takes unknown)
Dylan Blues (demo, takes unknown)
Gigolo Aunt (takes 1-13)