An Inspiration Gone
A founding member of one of my top 5 bands died this past week. He was a star for only so long, a short period of time in the '60s.
Back then, Pink Floyd was a budding psychedelic band, with Syd Barrett at the helm, writing and singing away. His creativity was growing before fame took hold of him, and when it did, he started fading away.
It started with a hit single, "See Emily Play," a song with trippy fills from harpsichords and organs between verses. I love the first full album that followed, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn." When comparing it to the band's heavily played, more popular, conceptual latter albums, you are surprised, wondering from where the mellow, progressive sound came. But the creative thought was there in its members, and it started with Syd Barrett at this step into psychedelia, willing to venture into places that many others had yet to go. The album showed signs of the band's willingness to experiment with soundscapes weaving between melodies and a dependence on keyboards as a primary instrument. My personal favorite is the last track, "Bike," playful in its lyrics, instrumentation, and time signatures.
Without Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album would be incomplete, filled with gaping holes. The title track, a guitar driven ballad sent out to Barrett from the remaining members, would be missing, and "Shine on You Crazy Diamond," would not exist. Barrett's and bandmate Roger Waters' real life experiences helped Pink Floyd conceptualize "The Wall," the band's epic work.
Syd, even as people listen to "Atom Heart Mother," "Dark Side...", "Animals," and the band's other albums, they will hear your inspiration. Thank you for helping change music. Shine on.
Back then, Pink Floyd was a budding psychedelic band, with Syd Barrett at the helm, writing and singing away. His creativity was growing before fame took hold of him, and when it did, he started fading away.
It started with a hit single, "See Emily Play," a song with trippy fills from harpsichords and organs between verses. I love the first full album that followed, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn." When comparing it to the band's heavily played, more popular, conceptual latter albums, you are surprised, wondering from where the mellow, progressive sound came. But the creative thought was there in its members, and it started with Syd Barrett at this step into psychedelia, willing to venture into places that many others had yet to go. The album showed signs of the band's willingness to experiment with soundscapes weaving between melodies and a dependence on keyboards as a primary instrument. My personal favorite is the last track, "Bike," playful in its lyrics, instrumentation, and time signatures.
Without Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here" album would be incomplete, filled with gaping holes. The title track, a guitar driven ballad sent out to Barrett from the remaining members, would be missing, and "Shine on You Crazy Diamond," would not exist. Barrett's and bandmate Roger Waters' real life experiences helped Pink Floyd conceptualize "The Wall," the band's epic work.
Syd, even as people listen to "Atom Heart Mother," "Dark Side...", "Animals," and the band's other albums, they will hear your inspiration. Thank you for helping change music. Shine on.
posted by matty at 2:14 PM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home