Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett and the Dawn of Pink Floyd

by Mike Watkinson, Pete Anderson

A revealing investigation into the life of a reclusive cult genius.

Syd Barrett was Pink Floyd's founder, singer, guitarist and principal composer, who left the group in 1968 amidst tales of acid-induced madness.

Barrett's brief flash of erratic brilliance is now the stuff of rock legend, and his post-Floyd recordings have become cult classics.

Revised in 2006, this book draws on years on research to relate the story of an epic rock tragedy.

Genres: Music, Biography, Nonfiction, Biography Memoir, Pop Culture, British Literature, Rock N Roll

210 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1991

Reviews

[Paul Bryant · Rating 3 out of 5]

My top 12 early SB/PF songs

1. Chapter 24 written by Syd Barrett from Piper at the Gates of Dawn, 1967
2. Paintbox written by Rick Wright (B side of single Apples and Oranges, 1967)
3. Julia Dream written by Roger Waters (B side of single It Would be So Nice, 1968)
4. Remember a Day written by Rick Wright from Saucerful of Secrets, 1968
5. See Saw written by Rick Wright from Saucerful of Secrets, 1968
6. Cirrus Minor written by Roger Waters from More, 1969
7. Crying Song written by Roger Waters from More, 1969
8. Golden Hair written by Syd Barrett from The Madcap Laughs, 1970*
9. Dark Globe from written by Syd Barrett The Madcap Laughs, 1970**
10. Grantchester Meadows written by Roger Waters from Umma Gumma, 1969***
11. Fat Old Sun written by Dave Gilmour from Atom Heart Mother, 1970
12. Dominoes written by Syd Barrett from Barrett, 1970

(Note - I would have added youtube links for these but they ain't there...)


* lyrics by James Joyce!

**How could you resist a song which begins:

Oh where are you now
pussy willow that smiled on this leaf?

*** nice line :

Hear the lark and harken to the barking of the dog fox gone to ground

Roger had clearly been paying attention in his Eng Lit classes.

[Cwn_annwn_13 · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting enough if your into Pink Floyd and/or interested in Syd Barrett. However it never really even attempts to get inside Barretts head or seriously delve into exactly what was wrong with him. Its way too simple to say he just fried his brain by doing too much acid. The most likely thing was he had some form of Schizophrenia. I think this partially because of his behaviour and partially because about the age he was when he started to get really batty is a common age when Schizophrenia begins to manifest itself in young adult males. Of course all the acid he was doing didn't help his condition either.

[Ryan Williams]

If you like the band, Pink Floyd, you will LOVE this book. Not only do you get to learn about one of the band's founding members, but you also get to learn a lot about the bands history. Syd Barret is not as well known as the members in Pink Floyd today, but his biography his extremely interesting and even if you are not familiar with Pink Floyd, Watkinson makes this book readable for anyone who simply likes to read. I would highly recommend it for anyone.

[AL · Rating 4 out of 5]

Got this as a gift for a friend when I was on a road trip to Los Angeles with my sister. I was driving her and a friend to a Depeche Mode convention, being a kind of chaperone/driver, so I read this while waiting around for them to finish their Depeche Mode activities. I found the book to be very satisfying and informative, as I knew little about the early Pink Floyd days when they still used the 'The' before their name. I was a huge fan of Piper At The Gates Of Dawn and his 2 solo albums, so I was excited to read it. A quick read and full,of good information, perhaps not enough, but overall I would recommend this for anyone interested in Syd Barrett.

[Athena · Rating 3 out of 5]

I remember watching Pink Floyd: Behind the Wall on VH1; The Wall is a great movie, just leaves you in a funk for a little while after. I remember the interviews going smoothly, of course Syd Barrett was not a participant, until, I assumed, that someone had asked Roger Waters and Davis Gilmour, separately, what happened to Syd Barrett. The camera showed a very quiet Roger Waters who responded with something like, "We don't talk about that." Then the camera switches to David Gilmour who said something about not knowing whether drugs caused what happened, or if it was inevitable. This was a great insight about the members of Pink Floyd. After reading it, though, I still really couldn't determine whether Syd took too much acid and it triggered something mental, or if it was just the acid after all. I find it highly repectable that the members didn't exploit Barrett by discussing his situation.

[Hilary "Fox" · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first read this book in high school, having been looking for a good biography of Syd Barrett and seeing this as being the most accurate out there at the time. I'd be interested in finding a revised copy, if one was ever released after the poor man's death. It would be interesting to hear what others, in particular Breen, had to say about him then and whether or not his life in the end was a contended one.

This biography is short, easy to read, and fascinating. It dispels some of the more harmful myths about Syd, and unfortunately confirms some of the worse aspects of his character. It's a humbling read for those who idolize Syd, and a sad reminder of just how damaging drugs can be to an already troubled personality.

I'll always wonder what Syd could have achieved had he not been destroyed as he was, but shall take some solace in the fact that at least for even a little while he was happy in his solitude.

Shine on, Syd and rest in peace Roger.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

For hardcore fans ONLY. This delves more into SYD's post-FLOYD work as well. I give it 3 stars because "Random Precision" is more detailed. Still a pretty stelar read.

[Chris Barnes · Rating 4 out of 5]

My copy is the original one, not the later update post Barrett’s death (or Rick Wright’s for that matter). Interesting enough, but disappointingly really just a step-wise walk through Pink Floyd’s early history for most of the book. Only tries to discuss what might have been going on in Barrett’s troubled head from page 139 (of 146).

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a solid, if somewhat skimpy, biography of Roger Keith Barrett, with special emphasis on his years as the leader of Pink Floyd. What really comes through is the story of a creative and well-liked young man who eventually is laid low by mental illness, perhaps brought on by excessive use of LSD, mandrax, and other substances. The basic facts of his life are set out in a straightforward manner, and it is an enjoyable read, even though it does get rather sad at times.

Still, I do not believe this is the definitive Barrett biography, as it suffers from a couple of shortcomings. First of all, his music and artistic interests could be written about with some more serious thought. His musical experiments with things such as the Binson Echorec (a delay device from the mid 1960s) are not delved into. PF's recording sessions and performances could have been discussed more fully, and so could the development of their unique sound. An up close and personal portrait of Syd does not really emerge - he remains blurry and sketchy, like a Gerhard Richter painting. It is possible that many close to Syd didn't want to talk about him. For example, Linsey Korner, his girlfriend for a number of years, refused to be interviewed. This is understandable given that this time in her life undoubtedly contains some painful memories, but her input and the input of others who were close to Barrett would have helped fill out the book considerably, and could have helped us all to understand his life a little better.

This book does make Roger Waters look like less of a villain than he is sometimes portrayed as being. If Pink Floyd were going to be a legitimate big-time musical act, then, sad to say it, but they had to rid themselves of Syd, at least from their live shows. The tragedy is of course what could have been - if Syd had stopped doing drugs, if his mental health could have been better. Still he left behind much wonderful music to enjoy, and enjoy it we do. He seems as popular today as he ever was.

[David · Rating 4 out of 5]

El libro relata ese viaje a los infiernos mentales contando con testimonios de testigos directos de la época. La escritura es mejorable y el autor se permite en ocasiones juzgar actitudes de los implicados. Aun así queda como retrato de la época. “Piper at the gates of dawn” sigue siendo un disco imbatible. Y no puedo escuchar nada más de Pink Floyd. No puedo dejar de pensar en que podía haber sido. El bueno de Syd necesitaba lisérgicos billetes para viajar a lo recóndito de su mente, allí donde alcanzaba la paz, y de donde volvía con preciosas canciones. Pero cual Ícaro, quemaba sus alas con cada viaje. Como compensación por las gemas líricas una parte de él no volvía. Perdió su vivacidad y llegó a quedarse catatónico durante todo un concierto. Literalmente no tocó una sola nota. Su humor derivó en episodios violentos. Llegó a pegar a su novia (esto no te lo perdono Syd). Dave Gilmour comenta el momento en que supo que nada volvería a ser igual para Syd: “Pasó a mi lado antes de un concierto. La chispa que una vez hubo en sus ojos había desaparecido. Era como si hubiesen apagado la luz al salir.”

[Branden · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was so happy to find this book and couldn't wait to read it in order to learn more about the mystery of Syd Barrett. This book is probably the most informative work out there on the life of Syd and the early career of Pink Floyd. I recommend this book to any Pink Floyd fans (if you love Pink Floyd then you have to appreciate Syd and his early influence on the band). After reading it, his songs made more sense to me and the album "Wish You Were Here" has more feeling to it.

[Ceci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Muy buena lectura para quienes intenten tratar de conocer el "misterio" en torno la vida de Syd, un personaje realmente único e irrepetible. El libro cuenta con numerosas citas y referencias de amigos, colegas y miembros de Pink Floyd, tratando de esclarecer las diferentes teorías acerca de cómo era y vivía Barrett, hasta su fallecimiento en 2006. El epílogo se torna un tanto confuso pues repite partes ya contadas de una forma bastante caótica y la sección de fotos podría ser mejor; aunque de todas formas es un libro muy recomendable y ameno.

[Taylor Berschet · Rating 4 out of 5]

Love Pink Floyd and went through a long phase of learning as much as i could about them. Very informative book on the internal works of Syd Barrett which really grabbed my attention. Respect the band and this book.

[Terri Fuller · Rating 5 out of 5]

this was an amazing/excellent book. there were a few slow parts here and there, but everything else made up for it.
growing up listening to pink floyd, this book captured me for the entire day. 300 something pages in several hours. and well worth the read!

[Anthony Ventrello · Rating 4 out of 5]

a very-well written story of a tragic rock n roll star. The closest you will come to knowing (or maybe?) Syd. Shine on, Syd.

[Abbey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very interesting book about someone who has been so clouded in mystery. I enjoyed how Watkinson focused on not only the Floyd years but also Syd's childhood, hobbies, and different friends. One thing I had issues with the book is that I feel there wasn't much insight from Rick Wright and Roger Waters (Nick, I feel indifferent... I dunno). Perhaps the author could only get into contact with Gilmour, but I wanted other perspectives within the band. Most of the Waters/Wright stuff is derived from interviews not done by the author. Overall, I liked how respectful Watkinson was on the subject of Syd and even pointed out how interviewers/fans who do try to get into Syd Barrett himself were unethical.

[Jennifer · Rating 2 out of 5]

I'm a Floyd fan, but I don't see what the big deal is about Syd. I don't believe he was a misunderstood genius, more like a creative person who took too many drugs and had mental issues. His life is more sad than celebrated.

That said, the book itself is short and dated. It would be nice to have a more developed and recent book.

[Jen Selinsky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Even though I am just starting to listen to the music of Pink Floyd, that does not mean I am not interested in reading about their work and its creators. Before Roger Waters and David Gilmore became celebrated members of Pink Floyd, there was Syd Barrett--the creative genius, who was one of the band's founders. This short, yet concise biography paints a picture of Syd during both his early years and part of his reclusive era. Syd Barrett (born Roger Keith Barrett) was a painter, songwriter, and musician. He was admired by many for his creative genius and good looks. In 1968, Syd left Pink Floyd and embarked upon his solo projects. Many would say that he became burnt out from all the fame and pressure from his musical career. In the early '70s Syd became a recluse and started to express himself more through his paintings. His appearance changed over the next few years as many of his fans (and former bandmates) did not recognize him. It did not take long for a lot of people to notice that Syd had completely changed; he seemed to want to hide from the rest of the world. The book also includes quoted interviews from those who worked with Syd and knew him on a personal basis; interviews are always a bonus! "Syd Barrett: Crazy Diamond" gives an inside view of the life and times of one of Pink Floyd's most gifted musicians.

[Roger Irish · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well...it did include some things I didn't know about Roger/Syd, but it's not a very well written book. At times it seemed like a series of strung together quotes from people who knew him with little in the way of linking narrative or opinion from the authors. Overall I guess I did like it, but more because of the subject than the writing.

There was a particularly annoying section which quotes extensively from the 1970s novel, 'Groupie' (infamous in its day), which seems to suggest the novel's male lead, Ben, is based on Syd in some way, but rather than seek to justify this by maybe contacting the author or someone who knew the author to see how much truth there is in this suggestion, they just leave it hanging. Seemed like filler.

Better choices are 'A Very Irregular Head' by Rob Chapman or 'Dark Globe' by Julian Palacios. To get a good overall view (as they come from rather different perspectives) read both.

[Kenneth Uzoma Uche]

Crazy Diamond: Syd Barrett And The Dawn of Pink FloydSyd Barrett and the Dawn of "Pink Floyd": Crazy DiamondSyd Barrett

[Dan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Yes another biography of a 60's rock star. Syd Barrett was the brain and founder of Pink Floyd, until his break from reality and the band in 68 I think. Suffering from a mental collapse during the highlight of the bands success, almost leaving the band to disintegrate, Roger Waters reassembles the band into a new direction. I was lucky enough to visit the pub in England where most of the first two albums came to light. This story is a very informative look into the men and the band who comprise Pink Floyd.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even before his death, it was obvious that we would never see an autobiography from Syd. I do appreciate that many of the author's sources were people who were actually close to Syd rather than random hangers-on from the 60's London underground scene who seem to show up excessively in other accounts of the early days Pink Floyd.

While this is a must-read for any fan, it loses a star because Syd's music itself is not discussed in sufficient depth. Syd's music is the media through which we can connect to much of his early life and, concurrently, to the dawn of Pink Floyd.

[Kitt-e-kat · Rating 2 out of 5]

Syd Barrett, founder, singer, guitarist & composer of Pink Floyd.. This book took me awhile to get thru...very slow and kinda boring read. This book describes the life of Syd as starting the band Pink Floyd, fame and money he really did not want or know how to handle and life after Pink Floyd members kicked him out and he just disappeared after his 2 solo releases. Syd was very much into acid that rumors created his madness and unable to enjoy his fame and music he created.

[Kay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Was it drugs? Was it mental health issues? Perhaps a bit of both. Definitely one for fans of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd. Always felt sorry for Syd as he just wanted a quiet life once he left the world of music but a mixture of hero worshipping fans and determined journalists kept seeking him out. There is no doubting his talent, however his focus was all over the place. A flawed genius who has left his mark on the world.

Ray Smillie

[Leland Dalton · Rating 3 out of 5]

Astronomy Domine! I have read one other Pink Floyd biography (Saucerful of Secrets) but this book focuses on Syd. It goes in depth with his entire life. The writing is marginal but at least it features many, many quotes from people that were on the scene with Syd. It is worth reading but I don't know if it is so good that I will be reading it again, maybe, maybe not.

[Bullman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative and we'll written

If your a fan of Syd Barretts or of The Floyd then you have to read a book about them, this is the book. Very informative with out losing track of the purpose. Very enjoyable.

[Willy Boy · Rating 3 out of 5]

solid biog of the 60s hero. The post-floyd section, detailing Barrett's 'Perfect Isolation' as Duggie Fields flatmate and subsequent rockstar seclusion in Chelsea Cloisters, is particularly gripping and one of THE rock stories

[Jonny · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this book at least 4 times. I'll probably read it a few more times.

[Julie isawesome · Rating 4 out of 5]

I like Syd Barrett, and I like to read!

[Scott Robitaille · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read this biography three times already. If you're intrigued by the mystery of his life and want as much insight as possible into the musician and the man, this is the book you should read!