open mind

Antimo, I agree that keeping the name could be a cowardice (at least from a moral point of view), especially since the name was given by Syd... but you know, you’re 20 years old, you’re playing in a band whose first album achieved a certain notoriety, at least in London circles, you have a contract for another album, as you say it's not easy to throw everything away... well yes, I also like Syd’s solo records (great songwriting seems exaggerated to me... remember "Word Song"? A succession of meaningless words) even if many lyrics are really incomprehensible compared to the "fairy tales" told in "The Piper," at least for me. I completely agree in saying that the instrumental contribution of the band was practically null or rather more underground, let’s say, since both Gilmour and Wright were present on "Barrett" at Syd’s express request. I fully agree that "Wish You Were Here" is an attempt to rebuild an intimate dialogue through art with someone he never fully managed to communicate with, a bit of an obsession of Waters considering how many lyrics in his songs refer more or less explicitly to the father he never had the chance to know. My personal point of view anyway... my sources are more than one but mainly "Pink Floyd - A Saucerful of Secrets" by Nicholas Shaffner.

It is absolutely not true that Syd was forced back into the studio by Gilmour, but rather it was the producer at the time of Pink Floyd who, when Syd left, followed him (also saying that Pink Floyd was finished: not much of a prophet, after all) and pressured to get Syd to record. But even Syd himself was eager to show that he still had what it took…
He was able to record two albums, yes, but can they even be minimally compared to The Piper?? Those albums completely reflect the madness he had reached. It was impossible to work with him, and he himself called Gilmour (they were childhood friends even before the birth of Pink Floyd) and Wright… as for why they didn’t reinstate him, well, maybe not everyone knows that for six months in 1968, Pink Floyd effectively operated as a five-piece band even in concert (for example at the legendary concert at the Piper in Rome); it’s just that the situation had become unsustainable. Depending on the day, Syd either didn’t sing or didn’t play. I am a huge admirer of Syd (to me, a genius, that’s it) but I don’t like it when people throw mud at Pink Floyd for leaving him at home. It was the only possible thing to do, as tragic as you may want to think, but it was the only option… Syd was no longer Syd… as a Metallica song says, sad but true.

big d the book by Shaffner is the most comprehensive thing there is on the Pink.....but it wasn't three weeks......I know that book well....:-)

Think about it, Kurz, there's a nice little story about "Wish You Were Here"... Waters said in an interview that they could have called it "Wish WE Were Here" because at the time things in the studio were not going well at all; relationships were already unbalanced and tense back then... you figure it out.

votes

Why don't I write like this, Christ? :-) The album is very nice, even though it bores me after a while...

too biased, I can't even write

Well, Kurz, I didn't mean to offend... anyway, it's not true that Syd's genius led to Pink Floyd's success, at least not initially... The Piper was successful but only in a narrow London niche... as soon as they stepped outside of London, the audience literally didn't understand what the hell they were playing... I repeat, I didn't want to offend... just a simple exchange of opinions... When it comes to Syd, maybe I get a bit too biased...

Ah, the grades..... can we give a 6 to this record???:-)

I hate bullshit... They left him at home because there was no other solution; Syd had completely gone insane... He would show up at concerts tripping, he’d smear Mandrax on his head, he couldn’t remember the songs clearly, often he wouldn’t sing, and either Waters or Wright had to cover for him vocally. He played a single E chord for entire concerts (this happened three or four times)... it was practically essential to leave him at home for the survival of the group.
And there’s only one song from the post-Syd Pink Floyd that is expressly dedicated to him, and it’s "Shine On..."
Just to avoid creating a legend around this story, but only to underline its tragic nature...
P.S.: I want to point out that this is coming from a super admirer of Syd (the word "fan" sends chills down my spine!)
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