Why David Bowie was “passionately in love” with Syd Barrett
As he made clear over a long, meandering and pioneering career, many artists inspired David Bowie. Whether it be those from the realm of jazz, disco or folk, in many ways, the Londoner was the ultimate musical magpie, plucking bits from his favourites in order to create a dynamic sound that was undeniably his own, despite the evident nods to elsewhere. Although it might be somewhat surprising, one man Bowie mentioned as one of his definitive idols was former Pink Floyd leader Syd Barrett, an early master of the psychedelic genre.
Barrett’s story is a famous one. One of his day’s most proficient and distinctive creatives, his whimsical journeys into time and space in Pink Floyd’s early chapter remain majorly influential. However, he was also an early casualty of extensive LSD abuse and a sufferer of intense mental health issues, both of which his generation was sadly not equipped to deal with. After leaving the band in 1968 and producing a duo of revered solo albums in 1970, Barrett withdrew from public life and returned to his native Cambridge. He lived privately until his death in 2006.
Following Barrett’s death, there was a significant reappraisal of his work, and the following year, Bowie discussed his lifelong love of his efforts, revealing that he was “passionately in love” with Barrett’s style of songwriting. Speaking on the BBC series Seven Ages of Rock in 2007, he explained: “I was passionately in love with the writing of Syd Barrett from Pink Floyd. There was something slightly not quite with us about Syd that really appealed to me strongly. There was a Peter Pan quality about him.”
This was not the first time Bowie had detailed his passion for all things Syd Barrett. In a 2003 Vanity Fair interview, Bowie named 1970’s The Madcap Laughs as one of his all-time favourite albums. “Syd will always be the Pink Floyd for some of us older fans,” he said. “He made this album, according to legend, while fragile and precariously out of control. Malcolm Jones, one of his producers at the time, denies this vehemently. I will go with Jones, as he was there. Highlight track for me is ‘Dark Globe’, gloriously disturbing and poignant all at once”.
Following Barrett’s death, many influential musicians looked back on his career. In a statement, Bowie recalled watching Barrett and Pink Floyd live, and lamented his passing, describing him as a “major inspiration“.
Bowie said: “I can’t tell you how sad I feel. Syd was a major inspiration for me. The few times I saw him perform in London at UFO and the Marquee clubs during the ’60s will forever be etched in my mind.”
The ‘Life on Mars?’ musician concluded: “He was so charismatic and such a startlingly original songwriter. Also, along with Anthony Newley, he was the first guy I’d heard to sing pop or rock with a British accent. His impact on my thinking was enormous. A major regret is that I never got to know him. A diamond indeed.”
Watch David Bowie explain why he was “passionately in love” with Syd Barrett below.
