bmusic - Newsletter No. 227

bmusic
Newsletter No.227
July 17th - July 23rd 2006

"The band are naturally very upset and sad to learn of Syd Barrett's death. Syd was the guiding light of the early band line-up and leaves a legacy which continues to inspire."

So said Pink Floyd in an official statement released this week following the news that Pink Floyd founding frontman Rooger (Syd) Barrett had passed away on July 7th. News of his death wasn't reported until a few days later that Syd had passed away as a result of complications from diabetes in the home he retreated to as a recluse more than 30 years ago in Cambridgeshire, England.

I've been considering this week Syd's story. I can't work out whether it's a rock tragic story, a sad story of an unwell man, the eccentricities of a genius, a tale of the perils of drug abuse, or just a story about a guy who really, truly wasn't where he wanted to be and dropped out to a better place as he saw it. Plenty of artists have dropped out of their scene spectacularly over the years, such as Fleetwood Mac's Peter Green's spectacular departure from public life, or our own Stevie Wright's huge fall from dizzying heights. But most come back, the two just mentioned included, at some stage to an appreciative and patiently waiting audience. But Syd Barret didn't, he never even looked like resembling anything even remotely close to returning to public life. But why? He must've had the opportunities presented him or his family for insane amounts of money to do something sometime in the last 30 years. The "why" I'm sure we'll never know, something that will no doubt cement Syd Barrett's story as a thing of mythology as much as it is an actual real life story.

You can't help but wonder what he did with his time, he painted, we know that much. But how often, if at all, did he pick up a guitar and strum a few tunes, did he compose for himself music that was heard but once and never to be heard again? He never revealed his painting, maybe he continued to make his music and kept that to himself too. Whether Syd was suffering from a mental illness before his drug use began or suffered an illness due to the drugs, or had an illness at all, may never be known.

It is sad to think of Syd Barrett waiting patiently on the side of the road in Southampton for his Pink Floyd bandmates to pick him up and take him to a gig. David Gilmour had been secured as a second guitarist and back up on vocals in case Syd went on a "bender" during a show, and this time the band couldn't go through another Syd bender. They never picked him up for that show, and it was the beginning of the end. Once again, we'll never know what Syd thought about that. Perhaps it's what he actually wanted, not comfortable performing and being who he was at that time.

It would be simple, and maybe true, who knows, to blame it all on drugs and thereby lay the blame squarely on the shoulders of Syd Barrett for everything that was to come in his life. But I'm quite sure there was something significantly more powerful at work. David Gilmour was quoted as saying in a recent documentary:

"It was a deep-rooted thing. But I'll say the psychedelic experience might well have acted as a catalyst. Still, I just don't think he could deal with the vision of success and all the things that went with it." Maybe Syd Barrett led a sad existence, maybe he led a very happy existence, maybe he's just like you and me and wanted to be just Roger Barrett of Cambridgeshire and nobody else. Syd Barrett took his secrets with him to the grave, and such is the legend of his story that the tale has had a befitting end.

There is a mass of resources on the internet if you'd like to learn a little more about Syd Barrett if you're not familiar with his work and his life. Google will give you an endless supply of such things of course, but there are a few to check out first if you've not already. There have been a few good documentaries made about him, one has been screening in recent times on Foxtel's Biography Channel and is well worth checking out if you get the opportunity. A VH1 special on Syd Barrett can be seen on YouTube HERE. Astral Planet is an excellent Syd Barrett fan site at www.sydbarrett.org. We've also included our Syd Barrett Where Are They Now? feature from a couple of years ago with the only updates we ever received this week, there are so many more words that could be written about the guy, and so many that have been far better than I can, but check out our feature that includes some excellent sleeve notes by Mark Paytress written for a 2001 "Best Of..." release.

Many words have been written and blogs posted since the news of Syd's death came out, most of it excellent, but I picked one quote out that seemed very apt and wonderfully well crafted. It was from the UK's Daily Guardian site and written by Caroline Sullivan:

"Enigmatic to the last, Barrett was one of the few pop stars about whom almost nothing is known beyond the fact that he had it all, and gave it all away."
On a lighter note, RockStar's into it's second week and, if you caught last week's monster issue, you'll know I'm right into the current series. Some performers seemed to try to be a little more ROCK than perhaps they are this week, actually a lot of them did. I'm sure that will be tempered over time and some even redeemed themselves in their bottom three second performances. The best news is our Aussie contender Toby Rand got selected to do the encore performance of his piece. In my opinion, and I have to say though that I don't know a lot of Toby's work before this, that even he fell prey to getting just that little bit more "rock gravelly" than perhaps he ordinarily is toward the end of his tune, but it came off better to me than the week before's "Knockin' On Heaven's Door". Not that he performed it poorly, not at all, but there was that slightest hint of 'Shannon Noll' in his tone on that. Everyone that's been getting this lil' old newsletter for any amount of time also will know I'm not the world's biggest Shannon Noll fan. I think maybe it wasn't so much Toby had that 'Noll' thing going on, but that his Australian influences from the same people who influenced Noll, such as Jimmy Barnes et al, come through more glaringly in a performance when it's packaged with a bunch of American performers. And a ballad like he had to perform makes such influences even more apparent, whether they're favourite performers of his or not, he is an Aussie at the end of the day and he would be influenced in one way or another by Australian musicians like Barnes & co. If I'm wrong and that is what Toby is as a singer in terms of the real heavy kind of rock thing my apologies of course, I guess I'll find out more about that as the series progresses. For the record I like it pretty heavy myself and have listened to a lot of heavy singers for a long time now, it would be a tough thing to deliver to a guy like Jason Newsted in particular, he and a certain frontman he used to play with are about as heavy as they came once upon a time, and big influences over the genre itself ever since. Either way, I liked Toby's performance this past week more than the last, and he did throw in the good ol' "How ya g'arn?". Nice one mate! Oh, and apparently the ladies dig him, that can't hurt his chances. For the record, I've no position on that side of Toby Rand! More on RockStar next week.

Regulars including Feature Article, The Week Ahead in Music History, Featured Artist and more are all inside Issue 227 of the bmusic Newsletter.
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Thanks to everyone for reading, we'll see you next week!

TABLE OF CONTENTS (You will need to be online to use the Table of Contents to jump through sections)

Where Are They Now? - Syd Barrett (Updated)

This week's Music Quote

Featured Product - Hughes & Kettner Tube Tools Pedals

This week's Specials

This week's Feature Article - Mastering: What It Is And Why You Shouldn't Do It In Your Garage

This week's Feature Artist - Truth Corroded

Musicians Wanted

Gear Wanted

Band Links

The Week Ahead In Music History
           Events
           Births
           Deaths

Give us your suggestions

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In 1965, Mick Jagger, Keith Richards and Bill Wyman of the Rolling Stones were fined five pounds each for insulting behavior after urinating on the wall of a London gas station. The owner had refused to give them the key to the men's room.

In 1967, Jimi Hendrix either quit or was fired as opening act for the Monkees' U-S tour after only five days. His replacement was Vanilla Fudge.

In 1967, the openineg act for the Monkees Forest Hills Tennis Stadium show in New York was the Jimi Hendrix Experience.

In 1968, Iron Butterfly's "In-a-Gadda-da-Vida", featuring the 17-minute title track with one of the longest drum solos in rock history debuted on the U.S. charts.

In 1968, the animated Beatles' film "Yellow Submarine" premiered at the London Pavilion, with John, Paul, George and Ringo in attendance.

In 1969, the Spencer davis Group disbanded.

In 1969, John Sinclair, manager of hard-rock band MC-5, was sentenced to a maximum ten years in jail on marijuana possession charges. Sinclair was also head of the radical White Panther Party.

In 1972, a deliberate dynamite explosion destroyed around 30 speakers stored in a Rolling Stones tour truck at Canada's Montreaux Forum. Many people caled local radio stations claiming responsibity for the bombing but no arrests were ever made and the crime went unsolved.

In 1974, Joey Ramone stepped out from behind the drum kit to take on the job as lead vocalist for The Ramones.

In 1974, the Moody Blues opened a 32 track recording studio in London. The studio was the first in Britain to be equipped for quadraphonic recording.

In 1974, John Lennon was ordered out of the U.S., the U.S. Immigration and Naturalization Service denying him an extension of his non-immigrant visa as a result of Lennon's guilty plea to U.K. possession of marijuana charges in 1968.

In 1976, pioneering rockers Deep Purple broke up (for the first time).

In 1977, Led Zeppelin drummer John Bonham, Zeppelin manager Peter Grant and two bodyguards were arrested for beating up three employees of promoter Bill Graham following a show in Oakland, California. The four pleaded guilty to misdemeanors and settled out of court for about US two-million dollars in damages.

In 1978, Sex Pistol singer John Lydon, aka Johnny Rotten, formed Public Image Limited.

In 1978, Gerry Rafferty, former Stealers Wheel member, earnt a U.S. gold record solo hit with his song "Baker Street".

In 1979, guitarist Gary Moore left Thin Lizzy and was replaced in the band by Midge Ure.

In 1984, dozens of people from an 18,000 strong crowd collapsed from heat exhaustion during a concert by Huey Lewis and the News and Juice Newton in North Dakota.

In 1986, Jon Moreland stabbed himself repeatedly with an 18 cm hunting knife during a Los Angeles concert by The Cure. Moreland told police he did it because he couldn't have the woman he loved. The 18,000 fans thought the stabbing was part of the show and cheered Moreland on.

In 1987, a jury in New York ruled that Morris Albert's 1975 composition "Feelings" was plagiarised from "Pour Toi," a song written in 1956 by French composer Lou Lou Geste. It was ruled Geste was owed at least US$500,000 from the success of "Feelings".

In 1987, Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards signed a solo deal with Virgin Records.

In 1988, CBS Records and Ozzy Osbourne successfully defended an appeal brought against them in the California appeals court that disputed an earlier decision by a lower court. Both courts dismissed the case brought against them that involved claims Ozzy Osbourne's song "Suicude Solution" contributed to the 1984 suicude of a teenage boy.

In 1990, about 200-thousand people gathered at a site in East Berlin where the Berlin Wall once stood for a benefit concert that included an all-star cast performing Pink Floyd's "The Wall."

In 1991, the revamped Lynyrd Skynyrd opened its world tour in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. Fourteen years earlier, the band was on its way to a concert in Baton Rouge when their private plane crashed, killing three members of the group, including lead singer Ronnie Van Zant. Van Zant's brother, Johnny, fronted the new Lynyrd Skynyrd which also included several original members including guitarist Gary Rossington.

In 1991, former Guns n' Roses drummer Steven Adler filed suit against the band claiming they had forced him to use heroin, then made him quit the band while he tried to kick his drug habit.

In 1994, the IAU (International Astronomical Union) named an asteroid orbiting between Mars and Jupiter after Frank Zappa, who had died in December, 1993

In 1995, a judge in Los Angeles threw out a lawsuit against Michael Jackson by five of his former security guards. The guards had claimed they were fired for knowing too much about nighttime visits by young boys to Jackson's estate.

In 1995, Al Hendrix, father of the late Jimi Hendrix, regained the rights to his Jimi's music. Al Hendrix paid an undisclosed amount to companies that had controlled the rights for 20 years.

In 1995, Elvis Presley's former doctor lost his licence when the state of Tennessee decided he over-prescribed addictive drugs to patients, including Jerry Lee Lewis.

In 1996, days after their touring keyboardist, Jonathan Melvoin, was found dead of a heroin overdose, the Smashing Pumpkins fired drummer Jimmy Chamberlain. Chamberlain was arrested on drug charges following Melvoin's death and was beieved to have been partying with the keyboardist on the night he ost his life. Chamerblain was rehired for the final incarnation of the Smashing Pumpkins a few years later after cleaning up his act.

In 1996, Scottish folk singer Donovan was forced to postpone a comeback tour of the US because of a 30-year-old marijuana conviction in Britain.

In 2002, Oasis' Noel Gallagher had a shot at the Rolling Stones on the eve of their upcoming Stones world tour. Gallagher said the Stones only ever made one good album, 'Let It Bleed', and reckons, "The rest of them, I just can't sit through all that nonsense". Knowledgeable Noel said it was time the Mick Jagger and co. should give it away, "They should just call it a day. I would like to say to them, 'Have you got anything better to do?' I mean, surely to God!"

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Births In 1942, Spencer Davis, leader of the Spencer Davis Group, was born in Swansea, Wales.

In 1947, legendary Queen guitarist Brian May was born in Hampton Hill, England.

In 1948, Grateful Dead keyboardist Keith Goodchaw.

In 1940, vocalist George Clinton from funk groups Parliament and Funkadelic, was born in Kannapolis, North Carolina.

In 1944, vocalist and keyboards player with Supertramp, Rick Davies, was born in England.

In 1947, singer and songwriter Cat Stevens, whose real name is Steven Georgiou, was born in London. After the 70's Stevens dropped out of music and became a Muslim, adopting the name Yussuf Islam. In 1989, he attracted some controversy by supporting Ayatollah Khomeini's call for the execution of Salman Rushdie, author of "The Satanic Verses."

In 1947, Don Henley, vocalist and drummer with the Eagles, was born in Gilmer, Texas.

In 1947, British singer and actor David Essex.

In 1947, Carlos Santana was born.

In 1950, Blair Thornton, guitarist with Bachman-Turner Overdrive, was born.

In 1951, Rob Halford, former Judas Priest frontman.

In 1954, jazz fusion guitarist Al Di Meola.

In 1955, singer and record buff Elvis Costello.

In 1955, Van Halen and Sammy Hagar bassist, Michael Anthony, was born.

In 1961, guitarist Jim Martin, formerly of Faith No More.

In 1961, Martin Gore of British group Depeche Mode.

In 1961, Paul Geary, drummer with Extreme.

In 1961, Gary Cherone, former Van Halen and Extreme vocalist.

In 1963, ex-Soundgarden and current Audioslave vocalist, Chris Cornell.

In 1965, guitarist Slash, real name Saul Hudson, of Guns n' Roses.

In 1967, Pat Badger, bassist for Extreme.

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Deaths In 1974, Louisiana bluesman Lightnin' Slim, whose real name was Otis Hicks, died in Detroit of a stomach tumor. He was 61.

In 1977, Robert Plant's six year-old son, Karac, died suddenly of a respiratory ailment.

In 1977, Gary Kellgren, operator and part owner of two of the most popular recording studios on the West Coast of the USA, the Los Angeles Record Plant and the Sausalito Record Plant, drowned in a Hollywood swimming pool. He had engineered and produced albums by Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Ringo Starr, George Harrison, Rod Stewart, Barbara Streisand and Sly & the Family Stone. He was 38.

In 1980, Keith Godchaux, former keyboards player with the Grateful Dead, was killed in a car accident in California. Godchaux and his wife, Donna, a background vocalist, had been with the Dead from 1971 until 1979, when they were asked to leave.

In 1984, blues singer Willie Mae (Big Mama) Thornton died in Los Angeles of a heart attack at age 57. She is best known for recording the original version of the Elvis Presley hit "Hound Dog."

In 1984, Michael Osborne, guitarist with metal band Axe, was killed in a car crash.

In 1989, Steve Rubell, one of the men behind Studio 54 in its late 1970's heyday, died at age 45 of complications from hepatitis and septic shock.
Rubell and Ian Schrager built Studio 54 into the most famous disco in North America. Both men were sentenced to 3 1/2 years in prison in 1979 after being convicted on tax evasion charges.

In 1990, Brent Mydland, who replaced Keith Godchaux as keyboardist for the Grateful Dead, was found dead of a drug overdose in his home in Lafayette, California. He was 37. The original keyboard player for the Dead, Ron (Pig Pen) McKernan, died in 1973 at age 27.

In 1990, singer Bobby Day, who had the 1958 hit "Rockin' Robin," died of cancer in Los Angeles. He was 60.

In 1992, singer of Motown's first number-one record, "My Guy," Mary Wells, died in Los Angeles of cancer. She was 49. Wells released "My Guy," in 1964.

In 1995, two teenagers drowned in a river during an REM concert at an Irish castle northwest of Dublin. The show which attracted 70,000 people was not interrupted.

In 1995, country singer Charlie Rich died in Hammond, Louisiana of a blood clot in the lungs. He was 62. Rich began as a rockabilly artist for Sun Records in 1958.

In 1995, Laurindo Almeida, one of Brazil's greatest guitarists, died in Los Angeles at age 77. He had lived in the US for nearly 40 years.

In 1995, Hungarian born, Academy Award-winning composer Miklos Rozsa died in Los Angeles at age 88. One of the three scores Rozsa won Oscars for was the epic "Ben Hur".

In 1996, Chas Chandler, bassist for The Alan Price Trio and The Animals, as well as being Jimi Hendrix's manager died from an aortic aneurysm.

In 1996, Rob Collins, keyboard player with UK band, The Charlatans, died in a car accident in Wales. The band was working on its fifth album at the time.

In 1998, be-bop jazz guitarist Tal Farlow died of esophageal cancer at age 77.

In 2002, 59 year-old Gus Dudgeon. and his wife Sheila died tragically when their Jaguar XK8 ran off the M4 near Reading, England. The car fell 20ft, crashing into a concrete embankment. Dudgeon was the producer of some of Elton John's classic hits.

In 2003, three members of punk band The Exploding Hearts were killed when their tour band left the road and rolled in Oregon. Those killed were Matthew Fitzgerald (aka Matt Lock), Jeremy Gage (aka Kid Killer), and Adam Cox (aka Baby). Each of the members were aged in their very early twenties.

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