Pink Floyd Book:

		List Price: $22.99		Publisher: Boxtree Ltd Salesrank: 1125378
		Used Price: $85.55
		Media: Paperback

Lost in the Woods - Syd Barrett & the Pink Floyd Reviews:
Lost in the Woods
2007-10-16 - "Most illuminating is Julian Palacios' 'Lost in the Woods'. It deals with the realities of Barrett's mental state without ever letting this overshadow his work. A fine book that gets to grip with the mechanics of his songwriting, his pioneering guitar-playing and the wider cultural backdrop."
- Mark Paytress, Record Collector

"Julian Palacios tells this melancholy modern myth with vitality, compassion and extraordinary..detail. Palacios has talked to key figures in the British underground, and brings the psychedelic scene, from the UFO club to the 14 Hour Technicolor Dream at Ally Pally, to vivid life."
-The Daily Telegraph

"Barrett's story has never before been told in such visceral detail. A definitive work."
- Q

"A perfect Syd Barrett book...believable and full of insight."
- Record Collector

"Certainly better written than the other Barrett bios, 'Lost in the Woods' is not only about Barrett but the era that he stood for."
- Mojo

moonshine, washing line...
2006-09-30 - A thorough yet digestable bio of the late Syd Barrett. Captures the pre and post Floyd Syd.

Similar to Mike Watkinson's "Syd Barrett & the Dawn of Pink Floyd: Crazy Diamond", but with some more meat on the bones. Particularly interesting is an interview with Barrett's nephew, which sheds light on Syd's activity during his later years.


Syd Barrett, RIP
2006-07-11 - Syd Barrett will be greatly missed. His whimsical songwriting style was unique and greatly influenced many famous musicians like David Bowie. This book is an essential purchase for those wishing to know about a genuis.



AUN BRILLA EL DIAMANTE.....
2004-11-28 - La vida de Syd Barret sin duda alguna que se enmarca dentro de los mitos en la historia de rock, es triste ver la historia de un joven con proyectos e ilusiones, quien junto a sus amigos creo una banda que fusiono el arte con la musica....pero se le escapo de las manos. Aca Julian Palacios nos hace ver como en forma progresiva la mente de Syd se transforma, como la maquina de excelentes canciones comienza su erratico caminar hacia un aislamiento total, donde se plasma la sombra de un genio y figura. Sin duda alguna que este libro sera un verdadero tesoro para los amantes del primer Pink Floyd, aquel lúdico y psicodelico grupo, los datos aportados y testimonios recogidos son de primera fuente, evitando caer en supuestos y errores....en definitiva imperdible.

Shine on You Crazy Diamond
2002-01-10 - Mainstream rock knows Pink Floyd. The all too familiar grandoise 70's tours that gave thier audiences experiences of a lifetime. They recognize the string of lyrically and musically woven work that is considered some of the finest productions ever. This is the stuff which "legendary" is all about. The stuff of Meddle, Wish You were Here, Animals. The Wall. The sonic Dark Side of The Moon.
Beyond this, few rock novices know about the groups early history. This was a very different Pink Floyd. One that was controlled by Syd Barrett.
Roger "Syd" Barrett grew up like any normal post world war II english boy. Originally yearning to become a painter, an exposure to Elvis and Little Richard provoked him to take an interest in music as well. Being an art student in England within the early to mid sixties was an experience. Influences were abundant everywhere; American R&B and Jazz. The Blues. Also abundant was the uncontrolled avialability of pot. Syd, always wanting fresh, new experiences took thatin as well. Eventually his guitar playing bcame better than his artwork. He hooked up with the son of one of his teachers, Roger Waters. Together they formed bands and played small venues for a little more than a year and a half. Then came the infamous "First Trip" where Syd experiences LSD for the first time through magic mushrooms (this is forever immortalized on the celluoid "Syds First Trip", a sought after tape of himself being filmed by the student buddy showing Syd completely on his magic swirling ship. Syd liked this so much that he continued to use it on a regular basis, knowing that the more he could ingest, the more his development as an artist would blossom. He eventually got the acid in its most available form. Soon these Physedelic experiences reflected in his playing and concept. Lighting Display, which was almost unheard of for a pop act became a central focus for the band-now named The Pink Floyd by Syd-the philosphy being that what you cannot make in your playing you can make up for with a visual experience. It was this, and not the Floyds early music that made the band so sucessful in the early going.
Syd in those days ws considered a visionary. On LSD he...sure was. His musical ideas and concepts were fresh and uncharted-eventually his wirting skills developed as well as his bands presentation. The first sinle "Arnold Layne" made top 20 in England, but it was the second record, "See Emily Play" that established the Floyd as THE trip band. The formula was there; crazy lyrics, studio effects, unusual sounds and a tight arrangement-all completely orchestrated by Syd. Thier first album The Piper at The Gates Of Dawn (which includes uncanny songs such as "chapter 24", "Lucifer Sam", The Scarecrow, the phenomenal "Bike" and the extended space jam "Interstellar Overdrive") captured not only the essence of Syd Barretts Pink Floyd, but the London Underground as well. Soon it was Top of the Pops. Top 10 single and album. The Beatles visits, The UFO club. It was wall coming together rapidly for Syd.
Then came the fall.
Syd was still on a steady diet of LSD. His behavior was rapidly getting out of hand. The once focused and vibrant musician/songwriter was slowly but surely turning into an acid casualty. Acid didn't effect Syd's performance, it effected his actual functionality in life itself.
His mental state becoming more eratic, his behavior was even more intolerable. Add thhe responsibilities of writing music and touring,it became to obvious it was too much to bear (see aural evidence with the single "Apples and Oranges" and the still unreleased "Scream thy Last Scream" and visual evidence of the infamous American Bandstand appearance on thier first American tour)and became clear that he was basically incoherent-the proverbial "lights on but nobody home" scenario. Eventually the band discharged Syd altogether-replacing him with David Gilmour. It was Gilmours-not Syds-guitar style that became most identifiable with Pink Floyd.
Syd lived in a flat in London after this ouster and grew worse; outta touch with his music and the world. He managed to produc (with the help of the Floyd) two solo albums The Madcap Laughs and Barrett (both 1970). Though it was music, with some notable exceptions, they were clearly an unfocused and disjointed affairs. (highlights include "Terrapin","Octopus","Golden Hair", Gigolo Aunt" and one of syd's first written songs,"Effervescing Elephant").
His deterioration continued well into the mid-seventies. Chronically usntable and mentally challanged due to prolonged ingestion of drugs he wound up being institutionalized. Released later to the daily care of his family, he shacked up in his mothers basement where he lives comfortably and carefree to this day almost unrecognizable from his prime, but suffers from a diabetic condition.
One of the most brightest and gifted artists to come out of the rock era, Syd Barrett became one of the first burned-out rock stars, a physical toll being monumental, an emotional one being inmeasurable. Syd today eschews his past. Wordly known as the founder of Pink Floyd, he received entry to the Rock N' Roll Hall of Fame(did not attend)and is held in reverence to numerous young musicians worldwide.
For one shining moment, albeit brief, Syd Barrett became the darling of The London Underground and one of England's brightest Pop stars before it all came crashing down. Syds story is nothing sort of tragic, a chronicled tale of drug abuse and the troughs of the Rock N Roll lifestyle. His price that he paid for entering that arena reserved for those of groundbreaking visionary status. The book documents this expertly, and doesn't leave too much detail out, in fact I feel there is too much detail. Syd will forever remain a footnote in the bands history. To this day Pink Floyd cannot denounce (or shake off) the influence and original vision he had for the band.
One might ask oneself, "What could have been"?