STARS:
Syd's Final Performance
Terrapin
January 1973
STARS: At
Cambridge, SYD CAME ON, PLAYED HIS SONGS AND THEN LEFT. I could end there, but
as it was Syd's first stage appearence
for four years, detail becomes sacred necessity. He did versions of 'Octopus'
and 'No Man's Land from the Madcap album: 'Waving my arms in the Air' and 'Baby
Lemonade' from Barrett: and 'Lucifer Sam' from the legendary first Floyd album.
Twink played drums and Jack Monke
played bass until his amp decided it couldn't cope with Syd's
musical journey and went dead! The lyrics were, for the most part, inaudible
due to the terrible P.A., and Syd did no talking
between the numbers, which were sadly under- rehearsed. But that was a genius
on stage and he did show odd flashes of brilliance, but after about an hour Syd decided he had had enough, so he slowly unplugged and
went home. Personally I think the band set Syd back
considerably. I understand he was pushed into it at very short notice and this
was reflected in the music. If Syd is going to do
anything worthwhile it must be done when he is ready: and if we have too wait
five years for an album as good as "The Madcap Laughs" it will be
worth it. Underneath all the mystique bulshit there
is an ordinary young English musician who bleeds real blood when he cuts his
finger during the final number, and smiles a really warm smile when you thank
him afterwards. As he said in the Rolling Stone interview, "You know man,
I'm totally together. I even think I should be."