In Memoriam
Syd Barrett
January 6, 1946 – July 7, 2006 · aged 60
Psychedelic Rock · Space Rock
Roger Keith 'Syd' Barrett was the visionary founder, original frontman, and primary songwriter of Pink Floyd. Born in Cambridge in 1946, Barrett pioneered the British psychedelic rock movement in the late 1960s. With his whimsical, fairy-tale lyricism and avant-garde, delay-heavy guitar playing, he guided Pink Floyd's spectacular 1967 debut album, 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn.' However, the immense pressure of sudden fame, combined with heavy LSD use, triggered a rapid and tragic deterioration of his mental health. He was ousted from his own band in 1968, replaced by his friend David Gilmour. After releasing two erratic but brilliant solo albums, Barrett became rock music's ultimate recluse, living quietly in Cambridge and focusing on painting for over three decades while his former bandmates became global superstars. He died of pancreatic cancer on July 7, 2006, at the age of 60. Pink Floyd's masterpiece 'Shine On You Crazy Diamond' stands as a permanent tribute to his fleeting, blazing genius.
Milestones
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, See Emily Play, Arnold Layne
Also remembered in 2006
- Ali Farka Touré (1939–2006)
- Arthur Lee (1945–2006)
- James Brown (1933–2006)
- J Dilla (1974–2006)