"Irregular Head" book

All discussion related to Roger Keith (Syd) Barrett.
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Keith Jordan
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

Post by Keith Jordan »

Wolfpack wrote:
Keith Jordan wrote:Burp, it seems you are very... Sore... about this book but, unfortunately, your comments are drifting too far into the realm of libel to be allowed to continue on this forum. As such you are account is banned.
:shock: Banned without any warning?
The removal of David from the forum goes beyond the contents of this thread. I dont want to limit freedom of speech but I wont have my website used as a tool in a wider "campaign" against people on the internet. There are still laws that govern the use of the internet and people like myself have a legal obligation to comply with the laws of the land. I will not have NPF used as a proxy for trolling. Absolutely unacceptable.

http://beingahuman.blogspot.com/2007/04 ... -2007.html
Update on 20nov10 my copy of yet another Syd barrett biography called a very irregular head by a Mr chapman arrived from Amazon and i looked in the index for the mysterious radha person the author claims was aged 7 and lived 2 doors from syd in the early 80's ( so either number 8 or number 4 seeing as syd lived at number 6) and asked syd about flying horses ... i hope Mr Chapman can prove this isnt made up as there was no one called radha living is syds road in the 80s ! i challenge Mr Chapman to prove this claim, he also lists Radha as being a cherry hinton resident..does he mean now in later life she lives there now in 2010? ( cherry hinton is a little village outside cambridge..syd lived in cambridge) I dont want anyone to buy a book if its made up and not labelled as fiction..so Mr Chapman the balls in your court. The fact theres just 2 or 3 lines in a 400 odd page biography of info from syds neighbours does prove mr chapman did no research on the matter and is guilty of revising history as someone else put it.
I will appologise of course if Mr chapman can prove hes not lying in order to sell books.
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

Post by Wolfpack »

Keith Jordan wrote:The removal of David from the forum goes beyond the contents of this thread.
I object to "Burp" being revealed as "David Sore" by an admin. The real name should have nothing to do with the contents of the messages here. To me, as a visitor, the banning looks like a "campaign" against people on the internet. However, I compliment you for acting so openly, which gives passengers the chance to judge this matter for themselves.
I'm not sure what I can write about Chapman's book any longer, in that sense I experience the banning as limiting my freedom of speech.

I find the hypothesis that the girl "Radha" doesn't exist very interesting. At least the hypothesis seems to look more open for debate than saying that David Gilmour doesn't exist. Any rightful questioning about the existance of "Radha" gives reason to further doubt contents in the book.
Someone who gives herself the special position of being "Syd's Little Girl" on internet, deserves a good investigation. And shouldn't it be "Roger's Little Girl"? Why does she connect herself with Barrett's famous nickname?
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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Idisaffect wrote:I guess by releasing a couple of albums you give up your right to privacy for the rest of your life and beyond.

By the mid 70's Barrett did not want to be a public figure anymore. But some people just can't respect that. They don't respect his wishes, they don't respect him. How can they call themselves fans?

What a bunch of nosy, voyeuristic, gossip mongers some Barrett "fans" are. The music just isn't enough for them. They want blood.
Fair comment. Now you mention it, it feels pretty wrong to be poring over the finer details of what neighbourhood someone did or didn't live in, when it is very clear that they wanted to lead a private life.

On this basis, I don't see how its ethical for any Barrett biographer to be fishing around for further information on his later life. Yes, in normal circumstances a biographer would not rely on a single family source alone, but in this case fair enough. In Chapman's defence, the majority of the book concentrates on Barrett's earlier life and his musical work.

Seems pretty fair to question Chapman regarding his sources - every Syd biographer claims to be more accurate and more respectful than the last, then peddle new myths like this. I enjoyed skim reading Dark Globe; I dug the opening section giving the psychogeographical background - but this went too far with complete nonsense about how no student can cross the 'reality checkpoint' on Parkers Piece into 'townie' territory.

I was looking forward to the Chapman book on the basis that there would be some new lyrical analysis... I think Chapman did a fair job, but it is dissapointing that the (Untangling the...) Octopus analysis was lifted uncredited from someone elses work from several years before (and which has been pretty widely read) - this is pure plagiarism and pretty indefensible. Then again, what do you expect from rock biographies?

I don't think I agree with Felix Atagong re Chapmans critique of the Wish You Were Here album - the lyrics might have started from a good place, but there is a lot of corny sixth form poetry on there. I think its relevant enough to include this in the biography as well - and it does stand in contrast to the much more sophisticated and vivid use of language in Barrett's best work.

I would hope that any further Barrett books would further explore his body of work, instead of expanding on his later, private life. What can really be gained from odd bits of information from David Sore or any other ex neighbours of Barretts, other than satisfying a morbid sense of curiosity?
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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Wolfpack wrote:I object to "Burp" being revealed as "David Sore" by an admin.
He revealed himself by posting the same comments here on NPF as elsewhere openly on the Internet in full public view. I did not use any information obtained from me being an administrator here to deduce who he is. I like to be as open as possible when I say I will not tolerate trolling on this website. At all. I know of other people on this website with multiple accounts and motives and I am watching closely. You best lay low, you know who you are.

Lets keep on topic about the book anyway. A story told from memory can never be 100% true in my opinion anyway. I think Roger Waters once introduced me to the work confabulation where a thought feels like a memory and, over time, the confabulation gets worse.

Why get hung up on this view or that view? Why focus on the most minute details of another persons life? People are boring, especially "celebrities" and the like. Why not enjoy the music/art they have created instead of getting obsessed in a scary way about the most minute details? You have got the consider the mental health of those obsessed with minute details carefully I think.

So.... in terms of Syd Barrett's art, how does the book rate in terms of exploring it? I have the book but have not read it yet as I have exams coming up.
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

Post by Felix Atagong »

First I want to say that I am not entirely happy that my link to Laughing Madcaps triggered a somewhat unhappy reaction from DS, who not only reacted here, but also on his blog and on laughing madcaps (with yet another alias). I am not a DS fan but he has the right to speak.

We have here two neighbours of RKB/SB and both are saying that the other wasn't living there. This could have resulted in a nice thought provoking discussion. As such I don't understand Keith Jordan's reaction towards DS...
Keith Jordan wrote:As such you are account is banned.
David Gilmour once joked about the Cambridge maffia that rules around Pink Floyd and it seems that the omerta about Syd Barrett is still going strong.
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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I enjoyed the book and don't really feel this neighbor issue matters much...but, just my opinion.
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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Felix Atagong wrote:As such I don't understand Keith Jordan's reaction towards DS...
As I said in the part of my post that you chose to leave out, it is not just postings on here that were taken into account. It is not the opinion that got him banned, but his harassment and continuous libelous comments about the author on here, his blog and in another arena that I wont discuss on here at this stage.

This matter can now be dropped and the discussion continued in a legal manner without harassment of the author. If it cannot be continued, then the thread can be closed.

Please continue the discussion about the book in a friendly and constructive manner without using proxy servers and multiple accounts. :-;
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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Keith Jordan wrote: Please continue the discussion about the book in a friendly and constructive manner without using proxy servers and multiple accounts. :-;
yeah, and read the book first :twisted:
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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It is on my list of words to digest once time is permitting! I also have Dark Globe to read. 8)
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

Post by Wolfpack »

scarecrow wrote:[...] it feels pretty wrong to be poring over the finer details of what neighbourhood someone did or didn't live in, when it is very clear that they wanted to lead a private life.

On this basis, I don't see how its ethical for any Barrett biographer to be fishing around for further information on his later life. Yes, in normal circumstances a biographer would not rely on a single family source alone, but in this case fair enough. In Chapman's defence, the majority of the book concentrates on Barrett's earlier life and his musical work.
Is it ethical to concentrate on Barrett's earlier life, when he wanted to lead a private life? His private life is his private life. Whether it's his early or late private life doesn't matter.
scarecrow wrote:I would hope that any further Barrett books would further explore his body of work, instead of expanding on his later, private life. What can really be gained from odd bits of information from David Sore or any other ex neighbours of Barretts, other than satisfying a morbid sense of curiosity?
If some biographer would write a thick book entirely about Barrett's work, I'd run to the shop to buy it. Among a lot of Barrett fans there is more curiosity for his life backstage, his mental state and photo's of him, than for his music, his lyrics and his paintings. Isn't it a shame that despite the attention for Barrett, there's still no songbook reconstructing his lyrics and his chords?

Most attention goes to gossips about how badly Pink Floyd supposedly treated him. I've tried to give some counter-weight by telling that there could also be gossip about how badly Barrett treated Pink Floyd after the release of 'The Piper'.
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Wolfpack wrote:I object to "Burp" being revealed as "David Sore" by an admin.
He revealed himself by posting the same comments here on NPF as elsewhere openly on the Internet in full public view.
Call me naive, but I don't see what "Burp" did wrong in this topic. Notably on Barrett's official website there's a Q&A in which Chapman attacks a neighbour giving criticism about Barrett. So, I wonder who started with going into the realm of libel. It seems to me that, with Barrett's family apparently giving an offical room to Chapman, he's perfectly able to defend himself against any public views of critical neighbours. And as the Q&A is a promotion for his Barrett biography 'An Irregular Head', I think this is on-topic to say here.
It seems to my simple mind that NPF takes the side of Chapman, who already has the official Barrett site as a platform. I find Burp's comments on the book (about the existance of "Radha") interesting to read and to think about. And I find it strange that notably a neighbour of Barrett apparently is unwelcome in discussions about Barrrett and in a biography about him. I think this is censorship, but I should know better than discussing with an admin who can also ban me forever.
Felix Atagong wrote:We have here two neighbours of RKB/SB and both are saying that the other wasn't living there. This could have resulted in a nice thought provoking discussion. As such I don't understand Keith Jordan's reaction towards DS...
I agree. I think questioning Radha's existance and stories is an interesting addition for a discussion about a Barrett biography in which she is mentioned as telling a true story. I still like to see a proof that Radha's story isn't a myth, before I'll buy the book.
nosaj wrote:I enjoyed the book and don't really feel this neighbor issue matters much...but, just my opinion.
In that case, I don't think any neighbour's issues matters much. Whether it's gossip about Barrett threatening to kill Roger Waters or (as the biography describes) giving lessons about a make-believe horse.
Keith Jordan wrote:
Felix Atagong wrote:As such I don't understand Keith Jordan's reaction towards DS...
As I said in the part of my post that you chose to leave out, it is not just postings on here that were taken into account. It is not the opinion that got him banned, but his harassment and continuous libelous comments about the author on here, his blog and in another arena that I wont discuss on here at this stage.

This matter can now be dropped and the discussion continued in a legal manner without harassment of the author. If it cannot be continued, then the thread can be closed.
I didn't see anything illegal. I saw a challenge to prove the trustworthiness of the biography that is discussed in this topic. I saw an interesting discussing about that book. It seems to me that an author is defended who himself is attacking people, in his biography and in the Q&A about it. If criticism towards such an author isn't welcome and easily called illegal, then I think it's right to close this thread.
For me, the joy of discussing the book is destroyed anyway. Because I don't feel free to discuss the book any longer.
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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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Re: "Irregular Head" book

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This thread has run its course.