[RanaldoNecro]

So where should I start when discovering the music of Syd Barrett?

[Pelle]

The Piper at the gates of dawn.

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by Pelle

The Piper at the gates of dawn.

I agree, Pink Floyd´s Piper is mostly Barretts greatest masterpiece! But you have to remember, that this great record don´t include Floyd´s great first singles, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play that were also Barrett songs (I don´t know do some cd-version include them?). EMI has released a Floyd compilation in the seventies ( with two different names the Best Of Pink Floyd and Masters of Rock) where are those first singles and also great b-side Candy and the Current bun. There are also the third Barret single Apples and Oranges and other Floyd classics: Julia dream, Paint Box, It Would Be So Nice. But even Barrett´s solos are not as great as the material he made with the Floyd, I think they´re also worth of listening. Maybe you can start that compilation that came two years ago (an Introduction to Syd Barrett) because there is both Floyd and his solo material.

[Murmer99]

as far as I'm concerned, Piper at the Gates of Dawn is my favorite pink floyd album. I consider them to be one of the best bands I rarely ever listen to. Even so, I'll take Barrett over Gilmour any day... Lucifer Sam.. Astronomy Domine are both better than anything they ever did after he was replaced. The Madcap Laughs is also worth a listen.

[dazedcola]

yes absolutely get Piper at the gates of dawn by pink floyd first. Its the height of barrett's creativity! If you can get the mono version too as that version was mixed by barrett and co instead of just the producer like on the stereo edition.

Its funny i never even heard the early floyd until i bought a pink floyd best of and heard see emily play and just fell in love with it. His solo stuff is good but id say grab a best of instead of the albums themselves as they can be patchy.

[TheDom]

Yes yes yes Piper in MONO & the early Pink Floyd singles with Syd (Arnold Layne & See Emily Play)

Then after that The Madcap Laughs. His discography isn't a huge thing to tackle but these are the best of the lot.

[EVOLghost]

Syd Carrot.

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by Murmer99

as far as I'm concerned, Piper at the Gates of Dawn is my favorite pink floyd album. I consider them to be one of the best bands I rarely ever listen to. Even so, I'll take Barrett over Gilmour any day... Lucifer Sam.. Astronomy Domine are both better than anything they ever did after he was replaced. The Madcap Laughs is also worth a listen.

This goes over the topic, but I disagree about the Floyd. Of course Piper is one of the greatest Floyd-albums, but I think Saucerful is as great even there is only one Barrett song. And also More has very much same atmosphere as those two even the whole entity is not as great as those two. Of course it´s very sad that Barrett got sick and couldn´t use his creativity more, but I think my life would have been much emptier if I hadn´t heard Saucerful, More, Ummagumma, Atom Heart Mother, Meddle, Dark side, Animals and the Wall in the very early age.

[hirsute_biped]

I don't have this release, but it would seem to be a fantastic place to start: http://www.amazon.com/Piper-at-Gates...s_all_3#disc_3

I would echo Mortte Jousimo, but stop at Dark Side. Actually Atom Heart Mother wasn't that good IMOHO. Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii is one of the greatest concert films ever, except the directors cut sucks, original release is a bonus on the DVD and the one I stick to. I got a bootleg LP compilation of all the early singles from the Syd and early Gilmour eras misleadingly titled "The Best of Pink Floyd", it seems to be the most comprehensive collection of that era's singles.

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by hirsute_biped

I don't have this release, but it would seem to be a fantastic place to start: http://www.amazon.com/Piper-at-Gates...s_all_3#disc_3

I would echo Mortte Jousimo, but stop at Dark Side. Actually Atom Heart Mother wasn't that good IMOHO. Pink Floyd Live At Pompeii is one of the greatest concert films ever, except the directors cut sucks, original release is a bonus on the DVD and the one I stick to. I got a bootleg LP compilation of all the early singles from the Syd and early Gilmour eras misleadingly titled "The Best of Pink Floyd", it seems to be the most comprehensive collection of that era's singles.

Actually I think Atom Heart Mother is the best Pink Floyd album. Of course the tittle track really isn´t "the happiest song of the world" but I really love that quite sad and dark feeling into it. And also second side songs are just great! Maybe one reason why I think it´s the Floyd´s greatest album is that there is something from that old, great psychedelic period, but also something that came in the future.

I really love also that Pompeii-film, yeah the cutting is quite odd but I think it fits into that film. I have Masters of the rock-version from the "Best of Floyd" and I also think it´s lot greater compilation than for example relics. But it´s a pity there isn´t Point me at the sky and Carefull with that axe. I have also two swingin pigs-bootlegs, Embryo and One Of these days, the first is from John Peel Sessions and the second is live recording, that includes great version from Fat Old Sun and quite the studio kind of versions from One Of these days and echoes.

[tesla69]

You'll want Piper and then just get the 3 CD Syd box set.

[hirsute_biped]

Originally Posted by Mortte Jousimo

I have Masters of the rock-version from the "Best of Floyd" and I also think it´s lot greater compilation than for example relics. But it´s a pity there isn´t Point me at the sky and Carefull with that axe.

The comp I mentioned has those too:

Side 1:
Arnold Layne
Candy and a Currant Bun
See Emily Play
The Scarecrow
Apples and Oranges
Paintbox
It Would Be So Nice
Julia Dream

Side 2:
Let There Be More Light
Remember A Day
Point Me At The Sky
Careful With That Axe, Eugene
The Nile Song
Ibiza Bar.

The 3cd barret box is nice too.

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by hirsute_biped

The comp I mentioned has those too:

Side 1:
Arnold Layne
Candy and a Currant Bun
See Emily Play
The Scarecrow
Apples and Oranges
Paintbox
It Would Be So Nice
Julia Dream

Side 2:
Let There Be More Light
Remember A Day
Point Me At The Sky
Careful With That Axe, Eugene
The Nile Song
Ibiza Bar.

The 3cd barret box is nice too.

Looks very great comp! What about the sound quality, is it as great as in original releases? I have Point me and careful single versions on cassette (I recorded them from the Floyd box-set, where is Bonus-cd from those 60-singles) but it would be great to have those two songs in vinyl or at least in cd. By the way, what do you like The Wall-movie?

[hirsute_biped]

I have a sneaking suspicion that the source for this handsome vinyl bootleg is just the same CD you refer to, which I do not have. I'll have to listen again for quality. I was not into The Wall movie, or the whole Roger Waters dominated part of the band's history (mid to late 70's), or their post-Waters stuff either (80's-90's). There are moments that are okay, but for me it just did not sustain interrest. However, I understand that many do like it, and that aesthetic taste is subjective.

[Mortte Jousimo]

Originally Posted by hirsute_biped

I have a sneaking suspicion that the source for this handsome vinyl bootleg is just the same CD you refer to, which I do not have. I'll have to listen again for quality. I was not into The Wall movie, or the whole Roger Waters dominated part of the band's history (mid to late 70's), or their post-Waters stuff either (80's-90's). There are moments that are okay, but for me it just did not sustain interrest. However, I understand that many do like it, and that aesthetic taste is subjective.

I have that "Masters" on vinyl. Maybe best solution to me will be that I try to find that original Point me/careful -single. I haven´t seen it ever, so it could be rare and expensive. But I haven´t ever search singles actively, the singles I have have come to me kind of accidently.

I really love that Movie like Animals and The Wall-albums. I think Waters was the most important creative force right after Barrett although Wright and Gilmour made also songs (there´s not any Gilmour-song for example in those great singles). the Final Cut sounds to me much more Waters-solo album than Floyd album, although there are some great Gilmour solos. I used to hate Momentary and Division, but I listened them again few years ago. I started to like them, of course they´re nothing comparing their great albums, but there are that some kind of magic Floyd-atmosphere that any other band couldn´t achieve.