Roger 'Syd' Barrett's Nephew’s
Interview
A little while ago I recieved
an email relating to this Pink Floyd site, the message was from Ian Barrett,
and he told me that he was the 22 year old nephew of Roger 'Syd' Barrett; the
original writer/guitarist and founding member of The Pink Floyd. He mentioned
that he liked my site and he seemed quite open to discussing his uncle and his
current situation. So I suggested I give him a list of questions, that I
figured most folks would like answers to, and then I could publish the answers
here for all of Roger's internet using fans to read.
Which brings us to now... the following is the interview he and I conducted via
email on the World Wide Web, I think it gives us all a good look into Roger
'Syd' Barrett's present life... Hope you all enjoy it, and thanks Ian!
Set The
Controls Interviews Ian Barrett:
sTc: What
are your earliest memories of Roger, I assume you were born in 1973 right
around the time things were starting to go real bad for him... do you have any
memories of the mid to late 70's that you would like to share?
IB: When I
was growing up I never really knew Roger at all as whenever we visited the
house we would visit my Grandmother; and Rog would
stay in his room and we'd hardly ever see him. All I knew was that he wasn't
very well and liked to be alone. I had no concept that he might be famous for
quite some time and never knew any details about what he might have been
through till I was a teenager really.. I remember
going to visit Rog in some sort of rehabilitation
home out in the country and going for a walk with him through some woods but I
didn't have any idea what he might be in there for . All I remember is that the
house looked quite scary.
sTc: What's it like being around your uncle, and
is there some sort of family rule that's says you should never bring up the
topic of his past?
IB: The
past is not something Rog ever discusses..
sTc: Has Roger ever talked to you about meeting
the Beatles, or Stones or anyone famous like that?
IB: No.
sTc: What kind of music does he listen to these
days?
IB: Roger
does have a little record player, but he's only got a few records and tapes and
they're mainly of classical concerts. He really isn't very interested in music
anymore. He does have an acoustic guitar which I assume he strums to himself,
but I've never heard him play it.
sTc: What does Roger think of himself... does he
care at all about his past, and do you think he realizes that he's had a big
influence on many other artists ?
IB: Rog. doesn't care one little bit about the past and is so
removed now from the glamour and excitement of the showbiz world he once longed
for; that I'm sure it confuses him that anyone else would care so much that he
sung a few songs and played bit of guitar in the Sixties.
sTc: Is there something you would like to say to
potential well wishing visitors to Roger's home in
IB: The one
thing I'd really like to say to people wanting to visit Roger and see how he is
- is please DON'T..!!!!! I know many fans are genuinely very caring and are
interested in his well-being; but he really doesn't enjoy having people knock
on his door virtually every day wanting to wish him well. PLEASE leave him in
peace to get on with his life happily. I can reassure anyone concerned that he
really is happy and content and he'd be more so if he didn't have to awkwardly
meet fans hanging outside the house and nervously knocking on his door. To this
end I'd appreciate it if anyone reading this who knows his address would
refrain from publicizing it further. please don't tell
people where he lives. Surely everyone has the right to a bit of privacy and
peace and quiet. If Roger was still involved in the Music Business then he
would be more fair game for a lack of privacy; but as it is he hasn't made a
record for over TWENTY YEARS.!! please show him some
consideration and leave him in peace. I know that Roger is touched by all the
concern of his fans but he'd be much happier if you simply let him get on with
his life undisturbed.
sTc: What does Roger say to the people who
actually do knock on his door...is it just slammed in their face?
IB:
Occasionally he may let them into his house; but generally he just closes the
door as politely as possible.
sTc: Do you feel that Roger will ever come forward
with his story, in book form or otherwise?
IB: I think
it VERY unlikely. He simply isn't interested in going back over a time in his
life that precipitated his breakdown and retreat from society. The whole Floyd
time is so long ago that he simply wants to be left in peace to get on with his
painting and reading and whatever.
sTc: You say Roger has been back into painting
recently, have you seen any of his work and if so can you describe it?
IB: He
likes to explore different kinds of painting; and I've seen various different
styles of work - lately he's been very interested in geometric patterns and
repeated shapes; the kind of things you might see on tiles or in weaving. I've
seen abstracts in oils - naturalistic watercolours -
wood block work. I haven't talked in depth about painting with him; so I
couldn't give you any detailed information about what he's trying to achieve.
In the last few years he's been writing a book - purely for his own enjoyment;
about the history of art - tracing it's development
through history. I haven't read it and before you ask I very much doubt he
would ever want it published; but he's used a word processor to put it
together; and I assume it's brought him a lot of pleasure.
sTc: Does Roger participate in family events like
Christmas, or birthdays...is there something planned for his 50th birthday?
IB: While
it would be wonderful if Roger was able to cope with family events and parties
- he doesn't enjoy socializing and finds it very disturbing to be around large
groups of people. Saying that he has visited my previous home in
sTc: What's Roger's current state of mind?
IB: That's
not a Question I can really answer as a) it's an abstract and relative concept
and b) I'm not him and couldn't hope to summarize his psychology. All I can say
is that Over the past few years I and the rest of my
family have felt on meeting him that he is definitely starting to find a sense
of contentment that has eluded him since his breakdown. He is happy to just
potter about at home; watching television and doing a bit of painting or
reading. Having a conversation with Roger is not the same as one with most
people as he DOES have quite a strange and fragmented way of speaking; so everyday
thing come out sounding quite abstract; but it all has it's own internal logic
and it's just his way of expressing himself. If people still want to think that
Roger is this wild lunatic he was supposed to be in the Sixties ( even though I'm sure much of this was complete invention )
then they are welcome to ; but I feel that this is a disservice to his
contribution to Music and him as a human being and is also a very lazy way to
view the situation. What really makes me sick about the media attention of Roger's
career is the way he is written off as a 'madman'- a rock genius who was just
such a 'crazed madcap' that there is no need to worry about the extent of pain
and anguish he went through in the years directly after the band became
successful. Without going into details I don't think people are prepared to
understand the true extent of Roger's breakdown or the pressures he was put
under.
sTc: Does Roger have some sort of scrapbook or
anything that he's kept from his life in music?
IB: I
honestly don't know what Roger still has from his time in the Floyd; but I
doubt if he has much- if any. I have a small amount of material from newspapers
and magazines; but nothing that I'm sure hasn't been printed
in books already.
sTc: I've heard a rumor that Roger is married. is this true ?
IB: I'm
afraid this is very much untrue. Roger has lived alone since his mother - my
Grandmother died a few years ago....
sTc: Are you amazed that Syd's
music is now being accepted as a big part of rock history and still being
purchased by thousands of new fans every year?
IB: I
always think it's amazing that there is STILL such a huge interest in Roger's
works after all this time , and I never fail to be amazed at the strange
stories people tell me about what they've heard he's been up to all these
years. He's died about a million times apparently..!!! I've been to so many
parties where I've been introduced to people as 'Syd's
Nephew' and it tends to annoy me because I've DONE nothing as such other than
being born into a family and while I 'm touched that people are taking an
interest in Roger's life I'd rather not be used as a trophy to be used to curry
favor. My close friends tend to be more sensitive to my feelings and not bring
it up but some friends use me as a bargaining tool which can be a pain. If
someone is a genuine fan I'll happily talk to them for hours telling them what
he's been up to as I realize many people are completely in the dark and would
like to know the truth. The reality is that Rog is a
lot happier now than he has been for a hell of a long time and while not as
stable and sociable as most people might seem he's found a peace he's not had
for a long time - if ever.
sTc: Given Roger's difficulties in the past, do
you know what his attitude is now concerning drugs. Has ever given you advice
on this subject?
IB: I have
absolutely no idea what his views on drugs are now; but I don't really think it
takes too much imagination to work out what his viewpoint might be after all he
went through because of them..!!
sTc: I've
heard rumor that Brian Eno and Jimmy Page have been
friends of Roger's through the years and/or still are... do you know of any
truth to this?
IB: I know
that in one of the books on Roger's life it is claimed that both Eno and Page have expressed desire to work with Rog. and I assume that this was
the reason for the rumor starting. I don't know fore sure but I wouldn't
imagine either men have ever met Roger.
sTc: When PF did the video shoots for the Division
Bell a lot of it was filmed in
IB: I
didn't know about it; and I very much doubt if Roger knew about it.
sTc: I
know that there is Syd Barrett material still locked away in some vault
somewhere... video/sound from the early days, solo outtakes etc. Was your
father and other uncle involved in negotiating the release of Opal? And if say
EMI wants to release 'Syd Barrett rarities' would they have to get the go ahead
from your family to release such a project?
IB: I'm
really not in a position to comment on a question like this. There may well be
more recordings lying somewhere; and I would be as excited as everyone else to
hear them; but where they might be I have absolutely no idea. I have no
dealings with the record company personally and while it's true that my family
help Roger out with his dealings with the label we're not involved with the
business directly so wouldn't know about any rarities still around.
sTc: How much of a fan of Pink Floyd are you? Do
you like all aspects of Floyd, and what do you think of your uncles
guitar style from the early Floyd? Also what kind of music are
u into?
IB: OK. I
may be biased; but I love all the early stuff; but I get kind of bored by a lot
of the later Floyd music. It's really nothing personal it's just not really my
kind of music. I've always been into psychedelia a
lot more than the later more mellow records. My personal tastes are hugely
varied and stretch from a lot of Sixties stuff like '13th Floor Elevators' and
solo Roky Erickson to psychedelia
like Julian Cope, Spacemen 3 - Iggy Pop - Beatles -
through to modern stuff like Prince, funk, Indie,
techno-dance music, anything and everything basically.. listening
to Roger's music - especially his solo albums is a strange experience that I
can't really explain. Basically - while my ears hear Roger singing; my mind
feels that it's someone else from the Roger I go and visit. You must realize
that I wasn't even born when the records were made and it doesn't really feel
like it's the same person. When I listen to his songs there is a lot more
psychic baggage I have to carry around than most people would have when
listening; and while for many people it's easy to block out the real pain the
songs put across and convince themselves the songs are just the funny ramblings
of a 'rock nutter' I'm afraid I can't do that....
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PinkMaster
note:
We found
some quotes about this Interview, although no one attributes it explicitely to "Set The
Controls" site:
From
Disappearances can be deceptive by Tom Cox, Sunday April 22, 2001 - Guardian
Newspapers:
I tell
Waters about a website that has an interview with Syd's
nephew Ian, who says Syd 'still talks in fragments' and is uncomfortable about
the past but that he's writing a book on art history.
'Really?'
exclaims Waters, sounding thrilled. 'That's extraordinary. He must be a lot
better. Maybe I will go and see him at some point.'
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From the
Book Madcap - The half-life of Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd's lost genius by Tim
Willis:
In 1996,
Barrett's 23-years-old nephew by Donald gave an email interview to an internet
Syd-site. As well as repeating many of Paul Breen's sentiments, Ian Barrett
revealed that Barrett owned an acoustic guitar and 'a little record player',
and described his uncle's recent paintings [...]