Book Review: Lost in the Woods by Julian Palacios

June 1999

Syd Barrett is one of rock music's great mysteries. Was he a tortured genius or a madman? Julian Palacios's book takes the reader through the early years of the Pink Floyd and looks to ascertain why everything went wrong for the driving force behind one of the most innovative groups of the 1960s, if not of all time. The quality of Barrett's work with the Pink Floyd is not in doubt. However, he has become a man of mystery as people have tried to fathom why he turned his back on success and lives as a near recluse in his home town of Cambridge.

The word schizophrenic is used frequently. Barrett's life appears to have consisted of a series of stark contrasts and these possibly help explain the designation. There is the relative tranquillity of the East Anglian town of Cambridge where Barrett grew up contrasted with the Underground scene in mid to late 1960s London where Barrett was the clear leader in the Underground movement's "house band." There is the contrast between the two Pink Floyds. One was the live experience, creating new sounds and light shows. Interstellar Overdrive represents this experimental side while the group was having chart hits with songs such as Arnold Layne and See Emily Play. While these were undoubtedly great singles, there were not representative of the group's act and the band tried to avoid playing them live. This led them into conflict with audiences, especially outside London, who had come to hear the hits. The third contrast is in his name. Born Roger Barrett, he was given the nickname of "Syd" and this "Syd" character evolved away from his own reality.

Lost in the Woods does not fully explain why there was a change in Barrett. It is clear that he was talking a lot of drugs, notably LSD and Mandrax but his decline should be attributed to more than this. It appears from the book that he changed almost overnight and this is perhaps a fault of the author's. It fails to chronicle any descent into his schizophrenia and leaves the reader wondering about the causes. Later in the book, however, there is more reflection on the causes. Perhaps Syd was being pulled so far away from Roger that he yearned to get back to himself. At the same time, he was on the treadmill of pop stardom caught up in an endless round of gigs, recording sessions and LSD trips. He was running to stand still but looking to go back. Even when back in Cambridge, he felt unable to perform in small groups because the expectation was too high. He had been constrained by his success and was unable to escape it, even when playing small gigs with friends in his home town.

Although he is still alive and living a quiet life in Cambridge, Barrett has much in common with other guitarist/songwriters such as Buddy Holly and Jimi Hendrix. In all three cases they left an important and influential body of work and one wonders what would have happened had they been able to continue it.

The book is a very interesting read for anyone interested in the Underground movement and the early Pink Floyd. It is unable to get deep inside Syd Barrett. This is probably no fault of the author's as he was unable to interview the man himself. It does leave you wondering, though, who is the madcap? Barrett took himself off the treadmill and retired to a more tranquil life indulging in his main love of painting? While he may be portrayed as one the casualties of the sixties, he is still alive and in control of his life, unburdened by over-attention of well-meaning fans and journalists.

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Details

ISBN: 0-7522-2328-3

Published 1998 by Boxtree

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