SYD BARRETT - DEMOS, ACETATES AND MIXES
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SYD BARRETT
Psychedelic Freak Out [The Godfatherecords GR 483, 1CD]
Demos, acetates and mixes. Very good soundboard.
Reviewing the disc at collectorsmusicreviews.com, Stuart wrote:
“I don’t think I’m easy to talk about. I’ve got a very irregular head. And I’m not anything that you think I am anyway.” So said Syd Barret. Founding father of the Pink Floyd & enfant terrible of avant garde rock.
This release from Godfather draws a hard, dark line under the above quote, showcasing a mish mash of some of the best of Syd’s various demos and studio out takes. The main bulk of this release spans Syd’s solo releases with a dash of Pink Floyd on the side to exemplify his work within that group. Presumably lifted from the epic 17 Internet tree’d CD set “Have You Got It Yet”, this makes a far more interesting listening experience than the bigger set. For anyone who wants to pick through the murky depths of his back catalogue without trawling through various different takes, outfakes, out-of-print tracks or interviews then it’s a great way to start. The Godfather has created this CD chronologically too so we can hear how Syd’s sound evolved or devolved through out his short recording career.
Click here for more.
The Syd Barrett legacy lives on… Just as the Psychedelic Freak Out disc is being shared, the Syd Barrett Have You Got It Yet? Version 2.0 Volume 4 has just surfaced.
The fascination with Syd Barrett might lie in a game of what if… what if Syd Barrett had never left Pink Floyd? For fans of early Pink Floyd, that’s as pertinent a question as any. Listening to Psychedelic Freak Out, which is a good primer on Barrett, one doesn’t get the impression that the guitarist was masterful (as compared to Hendrix) but then again, he was out there that one never knew what he would come up with - speeded up Chipmunk-like vocals against a psychedelic backdrop on Scream Thy Last Scream, for instance. But that’s the crux of the problem. As long as he was out there, he would be conjuring music but out there also meant an instability which would have short-circuited the machine that Pink Floyd would become.
And for Syd Barrett, it will always be “Shine on, you crazy diamond.”
Thanks to didnelps for sharing the tracks on Dime.
Click on the highlighted tracks to download the MP3s (these are high quality MP3s - sample rate of 224 kbps).
Due to the size of some of the files, please be patient when downloading the tracks. It could be that the server was very busy. Please try again later. Kindly email us at mybigo@bigozine.com if you encounter persistent problems downloading the files.
Track notes by Stuart of collectorsmusicreviews.com.
Track 01. Interstellar Overdrive 14:56 October 31, 1965 - Demo (24.4MB - visit the html page to download the track)
This piece was recorded on Halloween at the Thompson Private Recording Studios for the short film “San Francisco” by filmmaker Anthony Stern And is certainly nightmarish compared to its commercial sister recording. It should be noted that this track also lasts a few seconds shorter than the track that was released on the “Have You Got It Yet” internet treed CD.
Track 02. See Emily Play 02:52 May 21, 1967 - Acetate With Alternate Ending (4.5MB)
The alternate ending would seem to suggest that the sitars are abbreviated slightly on the acetate.
Track 03. Scream Thy Last Scream 04:40 August 7, 1967 - Malcom Jones Mix 1987 (7.4MB)
The unreleased follow up to See Emily Play and one of two tracks (including Vegetable Man) that were pulled from the 1988 rarities album Opel.
Track 04. Vegetable Man 02:37 October 1967 - Malcom Jones Mix 1987 (4.1MB)
Track 05. Vegetable Man 02:47 1967 Mix From Mason Interview, March 1969 (4.4MB)
Recorded from a reel to reel tape that Nick Mason brought with him to an interview with a nameless collage student in March 1969.
Track 06. Silas Lang 02:47 May 6, 1968 - Backing Track (4.4MB)
Noted as being “Silas Lang, this is RM 1 from four track, take 1″ by the recording engineer. It’s just a shame that the track was never actually finished but, seems to be reported as being a work out to the beginning of the track, Swan Lee.
Track 07. Lanky 01:36 May 14, 1968 Part Two (2.5MB)
It’s obviously a simple riff that Barrett was toying with but one that was never finished.
08. Golden Hair 01:56 May 28, 1969 Instrumental - Gareth Cousins Mix 1988 - Omitted*
Track 09. Swan Lee 02:43 June 20, 1968 - Backing Track (4.3MB)
10. Clowns & Jugglers 02:45 July 20, 1968 Take 1 - Alternate Mix With Studio Chat - Omitted*
Track 11. Love You 01:17 April 11, 1969 (2.0MB)
This version is free of the out of tune bar room piano and is wildly underproduced.
Track 12. Clowns & Jugglers 01:34 May 3, 1969 Take 2 - Keyboard Mix (2.5MB)
Track 13. Long Gone 01:45 July 26, 1969 (2.8MB)
Sounding like an early, stripped back demo version.
Track 14. Dark Globe 02:58 July 27, 1969 Choral Version - Peter Jenner 1987 Echo Mix (4.7MB)
Track 15. Dark Globe 02:57 July 27, 1969 Choral Version - Malcolm Jones 1987 Clean Mix (4.7MB)
16. Maisie 02:51 February 26, 1970 - Alternate Mix With Extra Vocals - Omitted*
Track 17. Slow Boggie 02:58 August 12, 1974 (4.7MB)
Tracks 17 and 18 are from the much fabled 1974 sessions when Peter Jenner managed to get Syd back in to the studio for a rough four days of ‘work’.
Track 18. John Lee Hooker Inspired 03:52 August 12, 1974 (6.2MB)
Track 19. In The Beachwoods 04:49 1967 - Backing Track (7.7MB)
Another track from the Mason interview tape that never was.
Bonus
Track 20. Interstellar Overdrive 14:55 (24.4MB - visit the html page to download the track)
Pink Floyd Live Supporting Jeff Back Group, Shrine Exposition Hall, Los Angeles, CA, July 27, 1968. By all accounts this was the form of the track at the time and fans of this era Floyd or students of underground forms will find something to listen to here.
*Track 08 - released on Crazy Diamond triple-CD boxed set and Opel (album)
Track 10 - released on Opel (album)
Track 16 - released on Crazy Diamond triple-CD boxed set
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Read more at bigozine2.com
The bonus track Interstellar Overdrive does not feature Syd Barret as he was out of the band by 26th January 1968.
By wkdn on Nov 12, 2010
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