“There’s Someone In My Head”

“There’s Someone In My Head”

Roger Keith “Syd” Barrett
Born January 6, 1946 – Died July 7, 2006)
British musician, composer, singer-songwriter, painter, founder member of the band Pink Floyd.

“There’s Someone In My Head” – Drugs and Schizophrenia.

Through late 1967 and early 1968, Barrett’s behaviour became increasingly erratic and unpredictable, partly as a consequence of his reported heavy use of psychedelic drugs, most prominently LSD. There is also much speculation that he suffered from schizophrenia.

In December 1967, the group added guitarist David Gilmour as the fifth member of Pink Floyd. Gilmour already knew Barrett, having studied with him at Cambridge Tech in the early 1960s.

Working with Barrett eventually proved too difficult, and matters came to a conclusion in January while en route to a performance in Southampton when a band member asked if they should collect Barrett.

According to David Gilmour, the answer was “Nah, let’s not bother.” This signaled the end of Barrett’s tenure with Pink Floyd.

“There’s Someone In My Head” – “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”

One of the more notable events during the recording of “Wish You Were Here” occurred on June 5, 1975. The band were in the process of completing the final mix of “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” when an overweight man with shaven head and eyebrows, and holding a plastic bag, entered the room.

Roger Waters, who was working in the studio, initially did not recognise him. Richard Wright was also mystified by the identity of the visitor, presumed he was a friend of Waters’ and asked him, but soon realised that it was Syd Barrett. David Gilmour initially presumed he was an EMI staff member. Nick Mason also failed to recognise him and was “horrified” when Gilmour identified him.

“There’s Someone In My Head” – David Gilmour

David Gilmour on Syd Barrett, Mental Illness & Fame

Legendary Pink Floyd guitarist, vocalist and writer David Gilmour recalls replacing Syd Barrett and the often dangerous intersection between age, mental illness and fame in this Talk Show highlight hosted by Harper Simon.

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