Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett was born Roger Keith Barrett in Cambridge, England in 1946. He joined Pink Floyd in 1965 as their lead guitarist and vocalist, and his time with the band was brief but formative. Their 1967 debut album 'The Piper at the Gates of Dawn' featured his songs like 'Terrapin,' which had a surreal, experimental quality that helped define the band's early psychedelic sound.

Barrett left Pink Floyd in 1968 and released two solo albums in 1970, 'The Madcap Laughs' and 'Barrett.' These records included songs such as 'Baby Lemonade' and 'Dark Globe' that continued in the same idiosyncratic vein as his earlier work, with fragmented lyrics and unusual melodic turns. They didn't find much commercial traction at the time.

He spent his later years living quietly in Cambridge, largely removed from music. Barrett died in 2006. The songs he wrote during his short period of activity have maintained a particular resonance for listeners drawn to that era's more unorthodox corners.