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
Syd Barrett is a 1974 double-album pairing of Syd Barrett’s two solo albums, The Madcap Laughs and Barrett, both originally released in the UK in 1970. During the summer of 1965, Barrett had his first acid trip in the garden of his friend Dave Gale, with Ian Moore and Storm Thorgerson. While on the influence of the acid, Barrett had placed an orange, plum and a matchbox into a corner, while staring at the fruit, which he claimed symbolized “Venus and Jupiter”. Thorgerson used this imagery when he added these items to the cover of Syd Barrett. Barrett painted the floorboards especially for the photograph, Mick Rock took the photograph for the back cover of the naked woman who appeared out of nowhere. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syd_Barrett_(album)
Cover Location: Syd Barrett’s apartment, Earls Court, London, UK
Who Did What: Photography – S. Thorgerson/M. Rock. Graphics – Richard Evans
Label: Harvest SABB-11314(US), Harvest SHDW 404(UK)
Source: Vinyl. Album. Cover. Art, The Complete Hipgnosis Catalogue: Aubrey Powell
Tracklist
| The Madcap LaughsSide One Terrapin No Good Trying Love You No Man’s Land Dark Globe Here I Go |
Side Two Octopus Golden Hair Lyrics By – James Joyce Long Gone She Took A Long Cold Look Feel If It’s In You Late Night |
Barrett
Side One |
Side two Gigolo Aunt Waving My Arms In The Air / I Never Lied To You Wined And Dined Wolfpack Effervescing Elephant |
Credits
Bass – David Gilmour (tracks: C1 to D5)
Composed By – Syd Barrett
Drums – Jerry Shirley (tracks: C1 to D5)
Engineer – Jeff Jarratt (tracks: A1 to B7), Mike Sheady (tracks: A1 to B7), Peter Bown (tracks: C1 to D5), Pete Mew(tracks:A1 to B7), Phil McDonald (tracks: A1 to B7), Tony Clark (tracks: A1 to B7)
Producer – David Gilmour (tracks: A5, B1 to B6, C1 to D5), Malcolm Jones (tracks: A1 to A4, A6, B7), Roger Waters (tracks: A5, B1 to B6)
Producer, Organ, Piano, Harmonium – Richard Wright (tracks: C1 to D5)
Vocals, Guitar – Syd Barrett (tracks: C1 to D5)
Notes
This re-issue of the 2 original albums Syd Barrett – The Madcap Laughs & Syd Barrett – Barrett is called “Syd Barrett” on the cover’s spine and is also part of the Harvest HERITAGE-series. Publishing notice on the inner labels & the liner notes of the cover: The Madcap Laughs = 1969 EMI Records Ltd. Barrett =1970 EMI Records Ltd.
