Funny, but I've been thinking of Syd a lot recently, hearing his name everywhere, and then this today: the BBC OMNIBUS documentary; the revival in interest in The Floyd, post-LIVE 8; the references to him throughout Tom Stoppard's new play ROCK'N'ROLL; David Bowie showing up a couple of weeks ago at a David Gilmour concert singing Arnold Layne.
In the pantheon of rock, there were no sadder myths than that of Syd Barrett. He was its Icarus, then its Fisher King. I hope his later years, spent free of the black dog that is the music industry, painting and gardening, were peaceful ones. Let's all adjourn and listen to THE PIPER AT THE GATES OF DAWN and THE MADCAP LAUGHS, and remember him as the wellspring of inspiration that created an entire branch of rock music.