July 11 2006; Shine on you crazy diamond!
What a day.
Syd Barrett, co-founder of seminal, durable rock outfit, dies - aged a mere 60 years old. He died from complications due to his diabetes ailment. Although he stayed with the supergroup for only about 3 years, he certainly put an indelible stamp on their trademark and style. He was the one who envisioned the band's name, combining the forenames of two more or less obscure afroamerican blues-guitarists. He was the one who invented the signature psychedelig light shows and the combinations of music and art - both on stage and in album covers etc. He penned one of their greatest single hits to date, "See Emily Play".
His visionary capabilities partly owed themselves to a schizophrenic disposition, and partly to his ever-increasing drug (ab)use. He eventually went insane, and was kicked out of the band. Roger Waters took charge of the group, and replaced Barrett with the still musically flourishing blues-guitar genius of David Gilmour. And the rest, as they say, is history..
Barrett went on to release a couple of solo albums, to varied reviews and fan appreciation. Then, one day, he got out of his bedsit in western London, and walked all the way home to the legendary University town Cambridge - where the Pink Floyd-phenomenon had initially been consipated (Gilmour's father, for instance, held a chair in zoology at that world-renowned site of higher learning - the University of Cambridge). Since that, he has lived a reclusive life with his mother, and spent his time tending to her garden. He has kept firmly out of the limelight, and has been reluctant even to speak with his former bandmates. He simply didn't want to be reminded of those days.
The seminal 1975 Floyd-album "Shine on You Crazy Diamond", was dedicated to him - the title track in particular (which was Water's testiment to Barrett's life in the band, and too his future).
Also on this date: Huge bomb blasts in Mumbai - even bigger disaster than last years London-bombings. RIP to all deceased victims. And in sunny "Gitmo" (the US naval base on south-eastern Cuba, a state they otherwise hold a lengthy and crushing embargo against, and otherwise have a long history of ripping-off and imperializing), prisoners were awarded basic human rights on this date; including the right to a fair trial. Shame shame shame on George W. Bush and his tunnelvision henchmen and hawks, for having to be pressured by the world society at large to follow commonly accepted (also by the U.S., i.e. previuos, more sober and responsible administrations) international legislation (treaties etc.).
What a day. And that was before Israel started boming Lebanon! I suspect it's going to be a hot, hot summer.... :(
Syd Barrett, co-founder of seminal, durable rock outfit, dies - aged a mere 60 years old. He died from complications due to his diabetes ailment. Although he stayed with the supergroup for only about 3 years, he certainly put an indelible stamp on their trademark and style. He was the one who envisioned the band's name, combining the forenames of two more or less obscure afroamerican blues-guitarists. He was the one who invented the signature psychedelig light shows and the combinations of music and art - both on stage and in album covers etc. He penned one of their greatest single hits to date, "See Emily Play".
His visionary capabilities partly owed themselves to a schizophrenic disposition, and partly to his ever-increasing drug (ab)use. He eventually went insane, and was kicked out of the band. Roger Waters took charge of the group, and replaced Barrett with the still musically flourishing blues-guitar genius of David Gilmour. And the rest, as they say, is history..
Barrett went on to release a couple of solo albums, to varied reviews and fan appreciation. Then, one day, he got out of his bedsit in western London, and walked all the way home to the legendary University town Cambridge - where the Pink Floyd-phenomenon had initially been consipated (Gilmour's father, for instance, held a chair in zoology at that world-renowned site of higher learning - the University of Cambridge). Since that, he has lived a reclusive life with his mother, and spent his time tending to her garden. He has kept firmly out of the limelight, and has been reluctant even to speak with his former bandmates. He simply didn't want to be reminded of those days.
The seminal 1975 Floyd-album "Shine on You Crazy Diamond", was dedicated to him - the title track in particular (which was Water's testiment to Barrett's life in the band, and too his future).
Also on this date: Huge bomb blasts in Mumbai - even bigger disaster than last years London-bombings. RIP to all deceased victims. And in sunny "Gitmo" (the US naval base on south-eastern Cuba, a state they otherwise hold a lengthy and crushing embargo against, and otherwise have a long history of ripping-off and imperializing), prisoners were awarded basic human rights on this date; including the right to a fair trial. Shame shame shame on George W. Bush and his tunnelvision henchmen and hawks, for having to be pressured by the world society at large to follow commonly accepted (also by the U.S., i.e. previuos, more sober and responsible administrations) international legislation (treaties etc.).
What a day. And that was before Israel started boming Lebanon! I suspect it's going to be a hot, hot summer.... :(
posted by Agile | 12:43 AM
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