Most rock fans don’t know who Syd Barrett was. Like Peter Green with Fleetwood Mac or Dave Shogren being replaced on bass just before The Doobie Brothers hit, Cambridge-born Barrett formed Pink Floyd when he was only 20. This week he died at age 60, leaving a void in a chapter of progressive rock.
Barrett only significantly contributed to The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, the first Floyd album. He wrote or co-wrote every track, leaving Roger Waters firmly in the shadows and David Gilmour somewhere on a Cambridge streetcorner. Barrett led his Pink Floyd troupe through Abbey Road on a drug-induced series of recording while The Beatles worked on a little concept album called Sgt Something or Other.
Although drug issues forced Barrett to leave the band, his influence remained an impact on Pink Floyd for years. The band members said in a statement, “Syd was the guiding light of the early band lineup and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire.”
Barrett suffered from diabetes for years. The American Diabetes Association offers a free, anonymous online screening tool for those who think they might either have diabetes or be at risk.
Spinning In The CD Player Today
Nothing. Go take the diabetes screening test above.
