Pink Floyd Appreciation Thread

[RangeRoverA1]

As I said, strictly looking at that pic, Syd looks like regular old guy. Maybe to you it shows him in bad way (without knowing details, side effects etc). To me, he looks casually. That's the point.

[Jay]

As I said, strictly looking at that pic, Syd looks like regular old guy. Maybe to you it shows him in bad way (without knowing details, side effects etc). To me, he looks casually. That's the point.

Sorry, I overlooked that part of the post. After going through photos online real quick, he did get some grey and white hair over time. When I made my post I was thinking about a specific picture of Syd in the mid 1970's, when he showed up unexpectedly at the studio where Pink Floyd was recording. At first glance it appears that it's just an older person, but it's SYd with a bald head and no eyebrows. I think he would have been barely thirty years old in that picture. I had forgotten that there were indeed some pictures of Syd as an older man. 

[KDS]

Would like to say few things about Syd. 1stly, he didn't do anything especially ground-breaking to get people put Syd in pedestal. Yet he/ his persona brought cult following. Being main songwriter-guitarist-singer when PF began isn't unique case which doesn't take place in different bands. He gave up very quickly. If music business is tough to deal with, he should be sth. else instead. Lines galore. Fast fwd, when pics appeared in the Internet with chubby bald Syd, everybody said he looks bad, amazed that he changed to the point he doesn't look like young Syd. Frankly, it's silly reaction. Face it, many chaps, esp. when they age, get bald, many I see walking by in the streets got big belly. Syd's like average people. Without knowing details, going strictly by pics, Syd's changed look makes sense. We know he lived as recluse, it shows in pics too. But, again, there's many like him.

Meddle's good album, nice to read "Echoes" listed. When did you discover Pink Floyd? Did you listen to it chronologically? Did you get into it via different British bands?

Syd's guitar playing was actually very different from what was doing on at the time.   He also taught Gilmour how to play, even if Gilmour turned into a much better player.  I also agree that his songwriting is a bit overrated.   

If you want to see an better example of a pic of Syd looking "bad," there's one that was taken in 1974, when Syd showed up at one of Floyd's recording sessions.   He'd put on a lot of weight and shaved his head, and while still pretty young, looked nothing like the play who broke with Floyd. 

I think Floyd first caught my ear when I was 15, going on 16, in the summer of 1996.   By chance, I caught a showing of the movie The Wall on basic cable, and I loved the music.  I was obsessed with The Wall album for about a year, then later went and got all of their other albums.    So, I didn't listen in chronological order.   If I recall, I started with Dark Side, then the two post Waters albums, then went from there.   

Once, I'd listened to all the Floyd albums front to back many many times, I got the Gilmour and Waters solo albums.   

Luckily, at the height of my new Floyd fandom, in 1999, Roger Waters announced he was going on his first tour in 12 years.   I've had the chance to see him five times.   I'm still waiting on a full US tour from Gilmour.   I'm not exactly holding my breath.

[Alex]

Looovvee Piper, the early singles, and some of the other random Syd stuff (Vegetable Man, Jugband Blues, Scream Thy Last Scream, etc), I could take or leave the Waters/Gilmour stuff.

[pixletwin]

Syd's change in appearance was of his own doing though, and a result or side affect of his mental illness. He willingly shaved off all of his hair, as well as his eyebrows.

Yes in 1974. Syd went bald the natural way too. lol

I don't think his preference for jeans and a t-shirt (sometimes a tanky) is necessarily a symptom of his mental illness either. I believe Syd suffered from severe anxiety (among other thinngs) but the thought that he may have been schizophrenic is given far too much weight.

Syd was a talented guy who did too many drugs and discovered the music lifestyle didn't suit him. He preferred to paint, work in his garden, go for walks, come home  and  read. He had enough in royalties to do that. He just wanted to be left alone.

I originally wrote "content to paint"... etc... but I don't think he was ever content. He knew something was not right and was determined to self diagnose and self treat his illness. But I think schizophrenia is pretty much laughed off by anyone who truly knows.

[MsBecca]

Syd's change in appearance was of his own doing though, and a result or side affect of his mental illness. He willingly shaved off all of his hair, as well as his eyebrows.

Yes in 1974. Syd went bald the natural way too. lol

I don't think his preference for jeans and a t-shirt (sometimes a tanky) is necessarily a symptom of his mental illness either. I believe Syd suffered from severe anxiety (among other thinngs) but the thought that he may have been schizophrenic is given far too much weight.

Syd was a talented guy who did too many drugs and discovered the music lifestyle didn't suit him. He preferred to paint, work in his garden, go for walks, come home  and  read. He had enough in royalties to do that. He just wanted to be left alone.

I originally wrote "content to paint"... etc... but I don't think he was ever content. He knew something was not right and was determined to self diagnose and self treat his illness. But I think schizophrenia is pretty much laughed off by anyone who truly knows.

I remember reading one interview where his sister Rosemary or Roseanne or whatever basically claimed that Syd was not crazy just selfish or something, that his mental illness was overblown and that it was more along the lines of what you just had posted. It was in on of those books I that I cannot remember the name of.

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Syd's change in appearance was of his own doing though, and a result or side affect of his mental illness. He willingly shaved off all of his hair, as well as his eyebrows.

Yes in 1974. Syd went bald the natural way too. lol

I don't think his preference for jeans and a t-shirt (sometimes a tanky) is necessarily a symptom of his mental illness either. I believe Syd suffered from severe anxiety (among other thinngs) but the thought that he may have been schizophrenic is given far too much weight.

Syd was a talented guy who did too many drugs and discovered the music lifestyle didn't suit him. He preferred to paint, work in his garden, go for walks, come home  and  read. He had enough in royalties to do that. He just wanted to be left alone.

I originally wrote "content to paint"... etc... but I don't think he was ever content. He knew something was not right and was determined to self diagnose and self treat his illness. But I think schizophrenia is pretty much laughed off by anyone who truly knows.

I remember reading one interview where his sister Rosemary or Roseanne or whatever basically claimed that Syd was not crazy just selfish or something, that his mental illness was overblown and that it was more along the lines of what you just had posted. It was in on of those books I that I cannot remember the name of.

Rosemary Bremen, and the book you’re referring to was called Comfortably Numb by Mark Blake

[MsBecca]

Syd's change in appearance was of his own doing though, and a result or side affect of his mental illness. He willingly shaved off all of his hair, as well as his eyebrows.

Yes in 1974. Syd went bald the natural way too. lol

I don't think his preference for jeans and a t-shirt (sometimes a tanky) is necessarily a symptom of his mental illness either. I believe Syd suffered from severe anxiety (among other thinngs) but the thought that he may have been schizophrenic is given far too much weight.

Syd was a talented guy who did too many drugs and discovered the music lifestyle didn't suit him. He preferred to paint, work in his garden, go for walks, come home  and  read. He had enough in royalties to do that. He just wanted to be left alone.

I originally wrote "content to paint"... etc... but I don't think he was ever content. He knew something was not right and was determined to self diagnose and self treat his illness. But I think schizophrenia is pretty much laughed off by anyone who truly knows.

I remember reading one interview where his sister Rosemary or Roseanne or whatever basically claimed that Syd was not crazy just selfish or something, that his mental illness was overblown and that it was more along the lines of what you just had posted. It was in on of those books I that I cannot remember the name of.

Rosemary Bremen, and the book you’re referring to was called Comfortably Numb by Mark Blake

It is actually Rosemary Breen

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Considering I own that book, I should’ve known that. Thanks.

[pixletwin]

Syd's change in appearance was of his own doing though, and a result or side affect of his mental illness. He willingly shaved off all of his hair, as well as his eyebrows.

Yes in 1974. Syd went bald the natural way too. lol

I don't think his preference for jeans and a t-shirt (sometimes a tanky) is necessarily a symptom of his mental illness either. I believe Syd suffered from severe anxiety (among other thinngs) but the thought that he may have been schizophrenic is given far too much weight.

Syd was a talented guy who did too many drugs and discovered the music lifestyle didn't suit him. He preferred to paint, work in his garden, go for walks, come home  and  read. He had enough in royalties to do that. He just wanted to be left alone.

I originally wrote "content to paint"... etc... but I don't think he was ever content. He knew something was not right and was determined to self diagnose and self treat his illness. But I think schizophrenia is pretty much laughed off by anyone who truly knows.

I remember reading one interview where his sister Rosemary or Roseanne or whatever basically claimed that Syd was not crazy just selfish or something, that his mental illness was overblown and that it was more along the lines of what you just had posted. It was in on of those books I that I cannot remember the name of.

Rosemary Bremen, and the book you’re referring to was called Comfortably Numb by Mark Blake

I haven't read that one. I should check it out.

I have read "A Very Irregular Head" by Rob Chapman. A very good book. I highly recommend.

[JK]

Ye gods, it's time this topic was taken out of mothballs... 

"See Saw" is my favourite track on Saucerful of Secrets. I dedicate it to a good friend, who I know likes it too:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a_rp2UAj1Tg

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/See-Saw_(song)

[Ovi]

Love pretty much all albums until Waters left. Couldn't bring myself to listen to The Endless River yet...

[RangeRoverA1]

No Roger Waters = no Pink Floyd.

[JK]

The Waters stuff I like is few and far between. "Echoes", "Cirrus Minor", "See Saw", "Let There Be More Light"... Wish You Were Here is incredible.

For me, Piper remains their absolute pinnacle. RIP Syd and Richard.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eGU9fAkrc98

[pixletwin]

No Roger Waters = no Pink Floyd.

This. I do  agree with this.

 

[♩♬🐸 Billy C ♯♫♩🐇]

Agreed as well. I’m not even that big of a fan of the Waters-dominated Floyd as much as what came before (although I love Animals and even the Final Cut, the Wall never did anything for me), the post-Waters Floyd for the most part had no spark .

[beachcat]

No Roger Waters = no Pink Floyd.

Again, we agree. Although I liked Division Bell when it came out, in my head I don't think of it as a Floyd album.

As an aside, I saw Roger Waters' The Wall in 2010 and he totally owned it. Fantastic show.

[JK]

Talking of cats (which everyone seems to be these days):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvkRFOYcV0w

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer_Sam

[beachcat]

Talking of cats (which everyone seems to be these days):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvkRFOYcV0w

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer_Sam

 

Great choice, though, thanks for the link. Along those lines, I've often felt that "Cats" could have been a song on Animals...

[JK]

Talking of cats (which everyone seems to be these days):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HvkRFOYcV0w

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lucifer_Sam

 

Great choice, though, thanks for the link. Along those lines, I've often felt that "Cats" could have been a song on Animals...

My appreciation of Pink Floyd stops with WYWH (and there are many things before then that I can't warm to). I tried The Wall and I even own The Final Cut--although I do like some songs on both they could all fit on a single CD as far as I'm concerned. 

I have yet to hear Animals--maybe I've been sidetracked by that ridiculous pig which I believe escaped its moorings and floated off!  A good friend likes it so maybe I should give it a try...

Actually, that same friend has read two books on Syd (A Very Irregular Head and Crazy Diamond) and says they're both excellent and complement one another in terms of anecdotes.

[beachcat]

I have yet to hear Animals--maybe I've been sidetracked by that ridiculous pig which I believe escaped its moorings and floated off!  A good friend likes it so maybe I should give it a try...

Haha, don't let the floating pig dissuade you from listening, JK. "Animals" is actually about people. 

[JK]

I have yet to hear Animals--maybe I've been sidetracked by that ridiculous pig which I believe escaped its moorings and floated off!  A good friend likes it so maybe I should give it a try...

Haha, don't let the floating pig dissuade you from listening, JK. "Animals" is actually about people. 

I think I might have preferred it if it had been about animals.

But seriously, bc, the album left me cold. Too much guitar for my liking and too little keyboard. So WYWH marks the end of my Floyd fandom. Sorry about that! 

[beachcat]

I think I might have preferred it if it had been about animals.

But seriously, bc, the album left me cold. Too much guitar for my liking and too little keyboard. So WYWH marks the end of my Floyd fandom. Sorry about that! 

Aww, sorry to hear that! But at least you gave Animals a try. Though I love the album, I find I have to be in a rather dark mood to listen to it, myself.

[JK]

Aww, sorry to hear that! But at least you gave Animals a try. Though I love the album, I find I have to be in a rather dark mood to listen to it, myself.

Interesting, your last sentence. I find Waters' stuff almost consistently depressing! So from TDSOTM this is the Richard Wright composition "The Great Gig In The Sky", an example of a track where wordless vocals say more than lyrics ever could. It may be Wright's finest hour as a pianist.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cVBCE3gaNxc

[JK]

For me, the saddest Pink Floyd song of all is "Cirrus Minor". It's the first track on the first Floyd album not to involve Syd. The strange wail at the end above Wright's organ chords feels to me like a cry of anguish at Syd's departure.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GfPVM5dFlp8

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cirrus_Minor_(song)