# Old School Pink Floyd Question

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-pink-floyd-question/80160>\
**Category:** Cafe Society\
**Created:** [September 7, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-pink-floyd-question/80160 "2001-09-07T00:58:58Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![zut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zut/32/2875_2.png) [@zut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zut)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 12:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-pink-floyd-question/80160/1 "2001-09-07T00:58:58Z")

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I just pulled out some vinyl that I haven’t listened to in a while: Syd Barrett’s _The Madcap Laughs_ and _Barrett_. I browsed through the credits and, in addition to Syd, there’s Gavid Gilmour on bass and Richard Wright on organ & piano. David Gilmour and Roger Waters produced _The Madcap Laughs_; David Gilmour and Richard Wright produced _Barrett_.

Soooo… why isn’t this a Pink Floyd album? What’s the story with Syd Barrett’s solo stuff vis-à-vis his leaving Pink Floyd?

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**Author:** ![Chez\_Guevara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/aeb1de/32.png) [@Chez\_Guevara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chez_Guevara)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-pink-floyd-question/80160/2 "2001-09-07T01:49:55Z")

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When Syd leaves Pink Floyd in the spring of '69, he is in a state of mental turmoil, a condition which builds up over a number of years prior to this, and this turmoil gives way to disintegration as his life proceeds.

Dave Gilmour is recruited in the winter of '68, maybe in anticipation of Syd’s departure, so the band still functions as a sound proposition.

Syd is assisted by the other three guys on the two recordings you mention, but he is now officially solo because the Floyd do not rely upon him as a band member.

Anyway, the taking of large quantities of illegal substances such as heroin, and I don’t know what else, never helps Syd, who slowly fades into oblivion, and who at one stage is practically a recluse.

Floyd include a tribute to Syd in the form of ‘Shine On You Crazy Diamond’, a pleasing song which features prominently on their later album, ‘Wish You Were Here’, but maybe you know this anyway.

It is possible to write a book concerning the legend of Syd, but this database is by no means unlimited in capacity.

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**Author:** ![Junior\_Spaceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Junior\_Spaceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Junior_Spaceman)\
**Post date:** [September 7, 2001, 2:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/old-school-pink-floyd-question/80160/3 "2001-09-07T02:08:52Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Nostradamus \*  
> \*\*It is possible to write a book concerning the legend of Syd, but this database is by no means unlimited in capacity. \*\*

And fortunately, someone already has: ‘Syd Barrett: Crazy Diamond’ by Mike Watkinson and Pete Anderson (Omnibus Press, 1991). I don’t know how available it is - I’m looking at my own copy now.

For an inside story, see For a classic essay, see [Making the Madcap Laughs](http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/2724/madcap.html)  
Also check out a classic article written by [Nick Kent](http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/2724/nme74.html) here. Read the introduction first, though.  
Finally, a nice, historical essay (from the very nice Barrett 3CD box set) can be found [here](http://www.geocities.com/Vienna/Strasse/2724/nme74.html)  
Happy reading, and listening!