Tuesday, September 25, 2012

Early Pink Floyd/Syd Barrett

By the time I got to college I had completely written off Pink Floyd as something I was just not into. I love kraut rock, space rock,  psychedelic , and yes I love Progrock, but Pink Floyd? File under bands I just don't get (next to Radiohead). I listened to all the big albums thanks to friends and coworkers who felt it necessary for me to listen to REAL music and it plain bored me.
It really mystified me when I was into the punk thang and read that The Damned wanted Pink Floyd to produce their second album or that, even though Johnny Rotten famously wore the "I Hate Pink Floyd" T-Shirt he was quite fond of early Floyd. What the fuck? Oh right the first album and singles are fucking AMAZING thanks to one psychedelically charged mad man named Syd Barrett. Syd was the driving force behind Pink Floyd's sound, using innovative guitar techniques such as distortion, echo and feedback. Whimsical as all hell and not following anyones rules the man burned out in an acid haze only to be pushed out of the band and live the rest of his life quietly, painting in the English country side. So be forewarned, you may turn into an uber music douche like me and say "I only like early Pink Floyd"



My favorite Syd Barrett penned Pink Floyd song.