A Pact With The Devil: Fame Or Obscurity?

Cafe Society
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Inspired by this thread concerning Syd Barrett, and the BBC Omnibus programme about him mentioned therein by none other than myself, I am interested in a comment made in that programme by former Pink Floyd guitarist Bob Klose.

Klose argues that if someone had put it to a young Barrett that he could enjoy two years of creativity, musical acclaim and stardom followed by an implied mental disintegration, partial recovery and a life of relative obscurity, Syd would have signed on the dotted line. He further argues that some of us would have done the same.

I am not so sure that Barrett would have signed up for this scenario but that is not the point. I do think there are people who would enter into such a contract.

You are 20 years old, talented, artistic, charismatic, an innovative songwriter and seriously attractive. You are offered the proposition defined by Klose. If you turn it down, opportunities will be denied to you and nobody will ever know who you are.

Deal or No Deal?

2

Paul Shaffer did. And when Satan is one of the Dead End Kids, you’re in big trouble.

There was a second TV show around that time with a similar plot, but I don’t recall the name.

3

Deal - as long as I live longer than Syd. Sixty is no age.

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Wasn’t there a blues singer who is said to have gotten his musical talent by selling his soul to the Devil? Has anyone else ever heard of this story?

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Diceman
Wasn’t there a blues singer who is said to have gotten his musical talent by selling his soul to the Devil? Has anyone else ever heard of this story?

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