Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd: Dark Globe

About this book

Syd Barrett was an art school student when he founded Pink Floyd. Famous before his 20th birthday Barrett led the charge of psychedelia onstage at Londons famed UFO club and his acid-inspired lyrics became a hallmark of Londons 1967 Summer of Love. By turns improvisatory and whimsical Zen-like and hard-living Barrett pushed the boundaries of music into new realms of artistic expression while fighting the demons of drug abuse and mental illness. This probing study ten years in the writing features a wealth of first-hand interviews with Syds family friends and members of the band giving us an unvarnished look at Barretts life and work. Author Julian Palacios traces Barretts swift evolution from precocious youth to internationally acclaimed psychedelic rock star examining both his wide-ranging inspirations and his influence on generations of musicians. A never-to-be forgotten casualty of the excesses innovations and idealism of the 1960s Syd Barrett is one of the most heavily mythologized men in rock and this book offers a rare portrayal of this unique spirit in freefall.