THE PINK FLOYD & SYD BARRETT STORY

What if....?

Some of us have an interest in the historical context of musicans, bands and genres. Some of us want to know why music was made, in which environment and who it developed. I'm one of those persons, my interest in late '60 and early '70 prog isn't solely about the music: it's partly about history. These ancient progressive bands have become a nesting place for mysterious thoughts, I've never lived in these roaring times (I'm now 21) and this specific period of time has amazed me since I was young. After some time history becomes a mystery, and documentaries like this Syd Barret story become valuable.

Having this said I must say this is a nice documentary to watch. It shows the beginning of Pink Floyd with Barrett as a special front-man. His ideas are supposed to have changed music history in his own psychedelic fashion. Combining psychedelic music with rock and introducing space rock and children's stories is quite an achievement for the timespan this had all happened. Unfortunately this doc doesn't have a happy ending: due to drugs experimentation and demise of his artistic freedom because of the music industry Syd Barrett had become a insufficient member for the group and he was just partially there when the second album was recorded.

The doc give an inside view about the whole situation with new interviews with the member specially for this doc. The footage used is interesting, but don't expect great early material of the band because you ain't going to get it. If even an halve an hour of '68 Pink Floyd playing live was shown this would have easily been a four star dvd, but it isn't. It's just a doc.

Conclusion. This dvd is not per se for fans of progressive music, because you ain't going to get a lot of music. This dvd is for people like me who are interested in the context of a band and it's influence on prog history. After watching this two times the fun is over and you won't get that much for you money, but it remain an historical document of a special period of a special band. The bad ending gives this affair an inspiring bitter feel and leaves us with one lingering question: what if...?

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