There’s an awkward artlessness to Syd Barrett’s vocals and lyrics that his admirers find irresistibly endearing and which ordinary people will find too strange for comfort. As is typical, I straddle: in small doses, I find his awkwardness endearing. There’s nothing truly worth loving that isn’t also rife with flaws; indeed, the flaws are part of what makes things loveable in the first place.
That said, there are likely to be some fan favorites here that I’ve filtered out as being a bit too much for an introductory listen.
Barrett, of course, got his start in Pink Floyd, before his erratic behavior led to his removal from the band, amid rumors of excessive drug use, mental illness, and aggressive behavior. He released only two more albums in 1970 before retiring from the music industry for good. He remained a cult figure all his life.
This playlist spans his years in Pink Floyd and his brief but productive solo career.
Cover Art Citation:
- The Madcap Laughs: Source, Discogs.com
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