10 Grapevine GRAPELEAVES — 1946-2006

Roger Keith “Syd” Barrett, founding member of and an almost mythical recluse since being fired from News & notes: Garth Hudson, for- bored with your record collection or just the group in 1968, died July 7, 2006, at mer keyboardist for The , will want to explore what else is out there, his home in Cambridge, England, from make a leap into the jazz world this fall check out music from countries ranging complications related to diabetes. He with a solo for the Savoy Jazz from Angola and Albania to Romania was 60 years old. label... Former McAuley Schenker and Rwanda. Barrett was born Jan. 6, 1946, in Group (MSG) frontman Robin McAuley For couch potatoes: Music Video Cambridge, the youngest of five chil- has replaced Jim Jamison as the new Distributors/Sexy Intellectual’s Radiohead: dren. The first instrument he played, lead vocalist for Survivor... Grateful OK Computer — A Classic Album Under the banjo, was given to him by his Dead Productions (GDP) has appointed Review is a 53-minute documentary/review father. He later took up guitar and Rhino Entertainment as the exclusive of this very influential album. It includes played in the Cambridge bands Geoff manager of its entire repertoire of intel- rare musical performances such as live and

www.goldminemag.com GOLDMINE #680 August 18,2006 • GOLDMINE #680 August www.goldminemag.com Mott And The Mottoes and The lectual property. Under the license studio versions of each song on OK Hollering Blues; he also played acoustic agreement, Rhino assumes primary Computer and comments, criticisms and guitar around town with another responsibility for the full range of insights on every track from the album by friend, David Gilmour. He was given already evincing signs of mental insta- Grateful Dead assets, recorded and oth- various music writers. The Rolling Stones the nickname “Syd” in reference to bility. As the band increased in popular- erwise, including the archive of unre- — Under Review 1962-1966 (MVD/SI) is a Cambridge drummer Sid Barrett, ity, he began to complain about record leased live concert recordings, the band’s 90-minute film reviewing the music and adding a “y” to differentiate himself company pressures and became less Web site (dead.net), all related direct-to- career of the Stones during their formative from the other musician. social with his friends and associates. consumer and merchandise businesses, years. Features include rare musical per- After attending Cambridge’s College He was also regularly consuming large digital initiatives and select band-related formances, interviews and live and studio Of Arts And Technology, Barrett moved amounts of marijuana, hash and LSD. name and likeness licensing. The agree- recordings of Stones classics such as “The to London, studying art at Camberwell During a brief tour of America that year, ment does not include Grateful Dead Last Time,” “Not Fade Away” and “Little Art School. He then joined a group start- Barrett would simply stop playing dur- music publishing, which will continue Red Rooster.” ed by yet another Cambridge student, ing shows, and during TV appearances to be managed exclusively by Ice Nine... On the bookshelf: Unveiling the mys- Roger Waters. After some lineup he would refuse to mime. Pete Townshend’s solo catalog, which terious life (and death) of singer/song- changes, the group settled into a four- As a result of Barrett’s increasingly currently includes several out-of-print writer Nick Drake is not for the timid. piece outfit, with Barrett on guitar, erratic behavior, Gilmour was added to titles, will be reissued Aug. 29 by Hip- However, Trevor Dann’s biography — Waters on bass, Rick Wright on key- the lineup, and Barrett was subsequent- O/UME. Most of the titles will feature Darker Than The Deepest Sea — The boards, and Nick Mason on drums. ly dropped in early 1968. He then pur- new bonus tracks... Nashville/Legacy’s Search For Nick Drake (DaCapo, ISBN: Barrett named the group The Pink Floyd sued a solo career, releasing two upcoming Waylon Jennings box set, 0306815206) — does an admirable job Sound (the “The” and “Sound” were later albums, The Madcap Laughs (which Nashville Rebel, will include a previous- of reconstructing Drake’s too-short exis- dropped), taking it from the names of reached #40 in the U.K.) and Barrett, in ly unreleased duet with Johnny Cash tence, using many newly discovered doc- two American blues musicians, Pink 1970. In contrast to Pink Floyd, recorded in 1978 titled “The Greatest uments and all-new interviews. Dann Anderson and Floyd Council. Barrett’s albums feature stark produc- Cowboy Of Them All.” Look for the set traces Drake’s life from his proper English The band quickly moved on musical- tion and a vocal delivery that just bare- Sept. 26... To support his new album, upbringing in a family of privilege, ly from their R&B roots and became ly seems to stay on key. He made a few Modern Times, Bob Dylan will kick off through his hash-fueled school days at leaders in London’s burgeoning under- radio appearances promoting the his third annual tour of minor-league Cambridge University, to the missed ground music scene, holding court at albums (later released on Peel Sessions ballparks — touted as the Summer ’06 opportunities and mismanagement that the legendary psychedelic club UFO. In and The Radio One Sessions) and a live Baseball Tour — Aug. 12 at Fifth Third defined his career. Friends and colleagues 1967, they signed a contract with EMI appearance at London’s Music and Ballpark in Comstock Park, Mich. Dylan describe the difficulties that he faced as and released their first single, “Arnold Fashion Festival June 6, 1970. Back in and his band will be supported various- each new album was released, only to Layne,” which reached #20 on the U.K. Cambridge, he formed the band Stars ly by Jimmie Vaughan with Lou Ann fail, and the despair that consumed him. charts, despite a ban due to its subject with bassist Jack Monck and former Barton, Junior Brown, and Elana James Complete with discography and rare matter (the title character being a trans- Pink Fairies drummer John “” & The Continental Two. Visit bobdy photos. (Sept. 11) vestite who steals women’s underwear); Alder in 1972, but the group disbanded lan.com/live for complete tour dates and For analog kids: In 1978, all four their second, “See Emily Play,” reached after a few shows. His final live appear- the latest news. members of Kiss — Gene Simmons, Paul #6. The singles and the bulk of the ance is believed to have been at a poet- Digital bits and bytes: Sony BMG Stanley, Ace Frehley, and Peter Criss — group’s debut album, The Piper At The ry reading in Cambridge in 1973; his became the first major record label to released solo albums on the same day. Gates Of Dawn (taken from a chapter final recording sessions (which remain sell an unprotected digital song when it Each of those has been reissued as a pic- title in the children’s book The Wind In unreleased) were held in 1974. offered Jessica Simpson’s “A Public ture disc on 180-gram vinyl from the The Willows), were written by Barrett, In the early ’70s Barrett alternated Affair” for sale at Yahoo! Music. The Russian label Lilith. Other recent import who was the group’s dominant artistic between living in London and in the song is compatible with all portable vinyl pressings of note include voice during their early years. basement of his mother’s home in music players. Colosseum, Daughter Of Time (180-gram, Piper reached #6 on the U.K. charts Cambridge. The last time the members Sites and sounds: National Earmark); Van Morrison, Blowin’ Your and was hailed as an innovative mix of of Pink Floyd saw him was when he Geographic has launched a world music Mind (Sony); Bob Marley, Kaya (180- psychedelic music, fairytale whimsy dropped in on a recording session dur- Web site at worldmusic.nationalgeo gram, Universal/Polydor); and Phil and a decided British sensibility. But by graphic.com containing features, music Collins, No Jacket Required (Virgin). the time of its release, Barrett was news and celebrity DJ playlists. If you’re — Todd Whitesel (Please see Syd Barrett page 65)