Biography
Roger Keith “Syd” Barrett was an English musician, composer, singer-songwriter, and painter. Best known as a founder member of the band Pink Floyd, Barrett was the lead singer, guitarist and principal songwriter in its early years and is credited with naming the band. Barrett was excluded from Pink Floyd in April 1968 after David Gilmour took over as their new guitarist, and was briefly hospitalised amid speculation of mental illness. Barrett was musically active for less than ten years. With Pink Floyd, he recorded four singles, their debut album (and contributed to the second one), and several unreleased songs. Barrett began his solo career in 1969 with the single “Octopus” from his first solo album, The Madcap Laughs (1970). The album was recorded over the course of a year with five different producers (Peter Jenner, Malcolm Jones, David Gilmour, Roger Waters and Barrett himself). https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Barrett
Album & Cover
The Madcap Laughs is the debut solo album by the English singer-songwriter Syd Barrett. It was recorded after Barrett had left Pink Floyd in April 1968. The album had a chequered recording history, with work beginning in mid-1968, but the bulk of the sessions taking place between April and July 1969, for which five different producers were credited − including Barrett, Peter Jenner (1968 sessions), Malcolm Jones (early-to-mid-1969 sessions), and fellow Pink Floyd members David Gilmour and Roger Waters (mid-1969 sessions). Among the guest musicians are Willie Wilson from (Gilmour’s old band) Jokers Wild and Robert Wyatt of the band Soft Machine. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Madcap_Laughs
The story goes as told by Aubrey Powell, that when Storm Thorgerson and his assistant Mick Rock arrived at Barrett’s flat, he had already painted the floor boards, without being asked, in alternate red and blue, which became the perfect setting for the photographs. He is also reputed to have given the name Hipgnosis, scribbled on a door in a flat he, Aubrey and Storm shared in Egerton Court, South Kengsington. His breakdown is feature on the inner gatefold of the album. It portrays Syd Barrett’s head in the clouds and an image of a baby with a pipette dropping LSD…the cause of Barrett’s inability to function, giving rise to the many images(faces) of him.
Cover Location: Syd Barrett’s flat in Wetherby Mansions Earls Court, London, UK
Who Did What: Photography[Cover] – Mick Rock. Photography – S. Thorgerson.
Label: Harvest SHVL 765(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
| Side One Terrapin No Good Trying Love You No Man’s Land Dark Globe Here I Go |
Side Two Octopus Golden Hair Long Gone She Took A Long Cold Look Feel If It’s In You Late Night |
Credits
Composed By – Syd Barrett
Engineer – Jeff Jarratt, Mike Sheady, Pete Mew*, Phil McDonald, Tony Clark
Lyrics By – James Joyce (tracks: B2), Syd Barrett (tracks: A1 to B1, B3 to B7)
Producer – David Gilmour (tracks: A5, B1 to B6), Malcolm Jones (tracks: A1 to A4, A6, B7), Roger Waters (tracks: A5, B1 to B6)
