SYD BARRETT OPEL
Roger Keith 'Syd' Barrett
left Pink Floyd early in 1968. Now, some twenty years later, his brief time
with the group froms only a fraction of their
history, but its legacy remains incalculable. Barrett wrote, sang and played
guitar on almost everything recorded during those first outings - 'Arnold
Layne', 'See Emily Play' and 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn' l.p., but the commercial failure of his dazzling 'Apples
and Oranges', coupled with an increasing unpredictability, undermined his eminant position. Several compromises would quickly
flounder - the addition of a fifth member, Dave Gilmour; a suggestion that Syd
should not perform, but merely write for and record with the group, and the
inevitable parting followed.
Several months later
Barrett returned to
Little was then heard of
Barrett for almost a year, but in March 1969, he contacted EMI again. His
request for studio time was passed on to Malcolm Jones, then setting up the
Harvest subsidiary. Almost by accident, Jones bacame
the producer of the next batch of recordings which formed the basis for
Barrett's solo debut, 'The Madcap Laughs'.
Six of the final album's
tracks were recorded between April and May, the rest
came from three sessions cut in June and July, but with Fave
Gilmour and Roger Waters replacing jones. Both
provided their share of out-takes, and it's from these that 'Clowns and
Jugglers', 'Opel' and the various 'Golden Hair's'
date. The version of 'Opel' included here is one of
nine which were attempted, but this determination would not result in an
official release; until now. The song is a gem, one of Barrett's finest, and
it's elongated, closing refrain is positively haunting. 'Clowns and Jugglers'
meanwhile would resurface on 'The Madcap Laughs' under a new title, 'Octopus',
but this earlier take features Syd's first vocal and
guitar which was later overdubbed by the Soft Machine - mike Ratledge, Hugh Hopper and Robert Wyatt, something they also
did on two tracks which did appear on 'Madcap', 'No Good Trying' and 'Love
You'. Barrett's irregular timing made the task somewhat difficult, but there's
no denying the exciting edge the combination gave.
Waters and Gilmour tried
eleven takes before they formed a satisfactory 'Golden Hair'. A short poignant
piece, even the outtakes boast a distinct beaty at
the persistance (the song was tried at every stage in
the recording) finally succeeded. 'Dark Globe' (aka 'Wouldn't You Miss Me') was one of the 'new' songs
Barrett brought to the Gilmour/Waters' sessions. Few attempts were
required, but while the issued take features Syd on a high register, the one
here is lower, more natural and less strained.
'The Madcap Laughs' was
released in January 1970, and within a matter of months, work began on a second
collection. The resulting album, titled simply 'Barrett' was a less
experimental offering, it featured a single production
unit, Dave Gilmour and Rick Wright, and a more structured backing group. Syd
had prepared several demos in readiness for the sessions, some of which would
form the basic vocal and guitar tracks for the finished master, with the
instrumental muscle merely overdubbed. 'Rats' and 'Dominoes' were certainly
completed in this way, but the former is included here simply because the
difference between this and the finished release is so great. 'Wined and Dined' however, is a different take to that on 'Barrett',
but rather than complete this collection with alternative versions - however
interesting - we've opted instead for unreleased material. 'Word Song', 'Milky
Way' and 'Birdie Hop' are each part of the whimsical Barrett of 'Gigolo Aunt'
or 'Effervescing Elephant', rarer of course, without the backing those finished
tracks boasted, but equally captivating. Two further songs were also uncovered,
both of which have, up to now, escaped acknowledgement. Each is somewhat
rudimentary, the sound of Syd turning the page can be easily heard, but 'Let's
Split' and 'Dollyrocker' remain important finds. The
first boasts the complex lines which make accompaniment awkward, while the
second claims one of pop's great lyrics - "she's as cute as a squirrel's
nut" - and a soaring middle-eight that's truely
exceptional. With time, and sympathetic arrangements, any of these could have
graced 'Barrett' and time rather than other factors seems to have been the
final deciding factor.
'Barrett' was released in
November 1970, and is, to date, the last album of new Syd material. This is not
a lost third album, but a companion to those two exceptional original releases
and collects the best of what is left available. Yes there are some flaws, some
missed notes and some fumbling, but there's also an engaging insight into the
talent of a most enigmatic figure. There's still more left 'in the can', takes
hampered by false starts, or which fall apart quickly, there's the rambling 'Rhamadan', the infamous motorbike noises and somewhere
there's the lost 'Bob Dylan's Blues'. Wherever that now resides, it's not at