| Syd Barrett in 1969 |
| Learn A Little About - Syd Barrett - Pink Floyd Founding Member Syd Barrett was born Roger Keith Barrett on January 6, 1946 in Cambridge, England. Barrett was active as a rock musician for about seven years, recording two albums with Pink Floyd and two solo albums before going into self-imposed seclusion lasting more than thirty years. He left the group in 1968 amidst speculations of mental illness exacerbated by heavy drug use. Barrett acquired the nickname "Syd" at the age of 14, a reference to an old local Cambridge jazz Double Bassist, Sid Barrett. Syd Barrett changed the spelling in order to differentiate himself from his namesake. In 1965, Barett joined a band named "The Tea Set", and when they found themselves playing a concert with a band of the same name, Barrett came up with the name "The Pink Floyd ". He devised the name by juxtaposing the first names of two jazz singers, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. After suffering from diabetes for several years, Barrett died at his home in Cambridge on Friday 7 July 2006. He was 60 years old. The cause of death was pancreatic cancer. |
