Tuesday, April 12, 2022

Epitaph


Last Saturday, I published a post about a concert my husband and I attended of an awesome Pink Floyd tribute band from Great Britain called, "Brit Floyd".

I am a very much a fan of Pink Floyd's 70's style music while my husband prefers what they put out in the 80's and 90's. Towards the end of the show, Brit Floyd played some of Pink Floyd's very early music which was completely psychedelic. Now, coming from someone who appreciates the music of "The Doors," I did not at all like Pink Floyd's stuff. The song selections were obviously intended to be a tribute to Syd Barrett as well and the video clips they showed during those particular selections showed memories of Syd.

Syd Barrett was Pink Floyd's first singer and lead guitarist. He was very talented, an artist and, unfortunately, got addicted to dropping acid at the time when Pink Floyd was just beginning to make a name for themselves in the late 60's. Long story short, Syd's behavior became so erratic that not only did he begin singing and playing different songs in the middle of the the rest of the group performing in their live performances, but he could not be counted on even as much as to show up at the recording studio sessions. Enter David Gilmour. Gilmour was playing in another group at that time, but was hired to be a second (back up) lead guitarist and lead singer for Syd  - meaning that Gilmour had learned to play and sing every single song with  Pink Floyd live in a very short period of time.

It had gotten to the point where the rest of the group had to fire Syd and officially add David Gilmour to the group. In my opinion, Pink Floyd would not be PINK FLOYD and their successful musical career if it were not for Gilmour's talents changing the group's musical direction, After Syd's departure, the remaining members of Pink Floyd - including David Gilmour who also knew, performed with, and missed his friend Syd, had essentially written four songs about him - "Wish You Were Here." "Brain Damage",  "Comfortably Numb," and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." Syd died in 2006 of pancreatic cancer at the age of 60. 

In any case, I found this cool video on Sunday while searching on YouTube and I thought that I would share it here ...


"... And if the cloud bursts thunder in your ear, you shout but no one seems to hear. And when the band your in starts playing different tunes, I'll see you on the dark side of the moon." ~ Roger Waters from Pink Floyd ("Brain Damage")

R.I.P, Syd Barrett.

2 comments:

  1. My musical taste for modern music got stuck in the 1950s and 1960s. Especially the do-wop sounds of the late 50s

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    1. CJ, I also love the music of the 50's and 60's! GREAT STUFF! I grew up with parents who listened to ALL decades of music. I was very fortunate that way. :-;

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