The Psychedelic Story Behind the Crossword Clue “Barrett of Pink Floyd”

Have you ever been working on a crossword puzzle and come across a tricky entertainment-related clue that has you completely stumped? If you’re a classic rock fan, you may have scratched your head at the clue “Barrett of Pink Floyd” wondering who on earth they could be referring to. Well, wonder no more! The mysterious Barrett is none other than the legendary founding member of Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett.

Born Roger Keith Barrett in 1946, Syd got his nickname during his school days for his big schnoz that resembled famous jazz drummer Sid Barrett. Little did his classmates know, behind that nose was an incredibly creative mind that would go on to pioneer the psychedelic rock genre.

Hitting the Big Time

Syd met his future Pink Floyd bandmates Roger Waters and Nick Mason at architecture school in the early 60s. After switching his studies to art school, Syd linked up with Rick Wright and Pink Floyd was born! The young band quickly made a name for themselves playing psychedelic shows on the underground London scene.

Their onstage light shows and Syd’s experimental guitar effects created a totally far out sound. The kaleidoscopic atmosphere was enhanced by Syd’s whimsical lyrics inspired by space travel and hallucinatory experiences. Not exactly typical topics for pop songs in the 60s, but the teens of London couldn’t get enough!

Pink Floyd soon caught the attention of record labels. After signing to EMI in 1967, success came fast with singles like “Arnold Layne” and “See Emily Play” rocketing up the UK charts. But just as everything seemed groovy and good, Syd started to seriously unravel.

When the Pressure Gets Too Much

As Pink Floyd’s frontman, Syd found himself rapidly launched into the spotlight. While the rest of the band were still finding their footing, all the attention and expectations were placed firmly on his shoulders. Being famous in your early 20s would be a lot to handle for anyone. Unfortunately, Syd was also frying his brain regularly with LSD use. Over time, the drug took its toll.

By late ’67 during recording of Pink Floyd’s first album “Piper at the Gates of Dawn”, Syd’s behavior was growing increasingly erratic. He’d miss recording sessions or suddenly detune his guitar mid-song. At live shows, he would stand completely still with a blank look, strumming one chord endlessly until the band stopped playing. Other times he’d keep playing new improvised passages even after the song had finished. Audiences were puzzled but the rest of the band really felt for their struggling leader.

After one disastrous US TV performance, the band realized they needed to do something drastic. So, in March 1968 when the other members officially informed Syd they were ousting him from the group, there’s no doubt it was an incredibly tough call. Afterall, none of their success so far would have transpired without Barrett’s singular creative vision. But simply put, he was just too unreliable to keep aboard.

Life After Pink Floyd

Dealing with the fallout from being unceremoniously dumped by his own band proved extremely difficult for Syd. At first, he tried retreating to his mother’s house in Cambridge to escape the crushing reality of it all. As reflected by songs like “Jugband Blues” he wrote during this time, he struggled with loneliness, depression, and an overwhelming feeling of disconnection from the world.

In 1970, he reemerged with a solo album called “The Madcap Laughs” which aptly captured his frayed mental state. Two more Syd Barrett albums followed, though they failed to garner much commercial success. He made his last public performance in 1972, completely abandoning music not long after.

For the remaining decades of his life, Syd lived alone in Cambridge. His reclusive lifestyle and brief, bizarre public appearances fueled his reputation as a “crazy rockstar”, though friends suggested he found comfort in painting and tending his garden far away from any limelight. In July 2006, he died from pancreatic cancer at age 60. Though a very private man later in life, his enormous influence on ’60s psychedelic rock remains crystal clear.

A Small Part of a Legend

So next time you run into the crossword clue “Barrett of Pink Floyd”, you’ll have the answer handy: Syd Barrett. Just a four letter name, but behind it lies the enthralling tale of a wildly creative singer, songwriter and guitarist who left an indelible mark on popular music during his brief but spectacular time as the frontman of an all-time classic rock band. Syd’s spark of mad genius kickstarted Pink Floyd’s path to becoming global legends and pioneered the mind-melting sound that would influence psychedelic rockers for generations to come. Not too shabby for the kid with the big nose from Cambridge who made tunes about space men and scarecrows!