RIP: SYD BARRETT

News today that Syd Barrett, founding member of Pink Floyd, has passed away (on 7/07/06)at the age of 60.

Barrett co-founded Pink Floyd in 1965 with David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright, and wrote many of the band's early songs. The group's jazz-infused rock made them darlings of the London psychedelic scene, and the 1967 album "The Piper at
the Gates of Dawn" — largely written by Barrett, who also played guitar — was a commercial and critical hit.
However, Barrett suffered from mental instability, made worse by his use of LSD. His behavior grew increasingly erratic, and he left the group in 1968 — five years before the release of Pink Floyd's most popular album, "Dark Side of the Moon." He was replaced by David Gilmour. The album "Wish You Were Here" was written as a tribute to Syd by his (ex)fellow bandmembers.
Barrett released two solo albums — "The Madcap Laughs" and "Barrett" — but soon withdrew from the music business altogether. He spent much of the rest of his life living quietly in his hometown of Cambridge, England, where he was a familiar figure, often seen cycling or walking to the corner store.

No cause of death has been give, but Syd was known to have diabetes.
A damn shame, though I will admit that I never could get into "The Madcap Laughs" (I think he was laughing at the people who actually bought it), but his work with Pink Floyd was incredible, really great psychedelic rock. One wonders what music Pink Floyd would have mad if Syd had continued on with the band...

Ahhh...maybe in an alternate universe...