The Mysterious Life of Syd Barrett: Pink Floyd’s Original Frontman

Most might know Pink Floyd by their legendary albums The Dark Side Of The Moon and The Wall. However, fans who have taken the time to learn about every era of the famed progressive rock band know that the famed outfit’s origins started with the legendary Syd Barrett. Barrett wasn’t part of Pink Floyd for those famed later years. However, he did pen some of the greatest songs the band ever released; and sadly, his life was not an easy one. For the uninitiated, let’s take a look back at the legendary life and career of Syd Barrett.

The Early Years Of Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett (born Roger Keith Barrett) was born in 1946 in Cambridge, England. He began playing the piano and writing as a child. He went through a few different instruments by the time he landed on the guitar at 14 years old.

In his early years, Barrett was described as a joyful and friendly person.

Barrett’s Time With Pink Floyd

Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd in 1965. He was only with the band for a few short years before leaving in 1968. During his time with the famed psychedelic rock band, he spearheaded their debut album The Piper At The Gates Of Dawn. Though not spoken about as often as The Dark Side Of The Moon or The Wall, Pink Floyd’s debut album was an incredible feat that is still well-respected today. Barrett also contributed some work to A Saucerful Of Secrets in 1968.

Barrett lent a unique brand of whimsical psychedelia to Pink Floyd’s music. His singing style was thick with his notable English accent, which one could say spurred a whole generation of English singers to stop Americanizing their singing voices. His free-form style of playing the guitar employed a number of effects that weren’t quite the standard yet. But they definitely were after Pink Floyd’s debut.

One can’t deny that he was an incredible songwriter and musician and exemplified the heart of psychedelic rock. Unfortunately, Barrett dealt with a lot of turmoil during his short few years with Pink Floyd. In 1968, he was fired from the band following his descent into psychedelic drug use and increasingly volatile mental health struggles.

The Later Years of Syd Barrett

Technically, Barrett was only active in music for a collective decade. He had a short solo career that included two albums. By 1972, he had effectively left the music world and became quite secluded until his death in 2006 from pancreatic cancer. When his death was announced, fellow Pink Floyd member David Gilmour said: “His career was painfully short, yet he touched more people than he could ever know.”

Syd Barrett’s life may have been difficult, but he was deeply loved; both by those closest to them and an entire generation of fans.

Photo by Chris Walter/WireImage

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