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is Julian Palacios' exploration of the life
and career of Syd Barrett, Pink Floyd founder member and one of the Sixties'
most celebrated and tragic British acid casualties. A journey through the often-contradictory
memories of those who knew him and went through many of the same hazy,
drug-fueled experiences. In his
atmospheric portrayal of the British Summer of Love, Palacios culls the
recollections of such London counterculture movers and shakers as Barry Miles
(also the author of the superb Sixties retrospective HIPPIE), then-Pink Floyd
manager Peter Jenner, and alternative impresario John ‘Hoppy’ Hopkins.
Barrett was possessed of a fervid imagination capable of creating stunningly
brilliant works like the campily psychedelic ‘Arnold Layne,’ the story of a
laundry-stealing cross-dresser, and the childlike, toy percussion-laced ‘Bike.’
But his habitual use of psychedelics shattered his fragile psyche: he was
fired in 1968 by the band he had founded. As Palacios vividly describes, his
tragic decline mirrored that of the British underground movement--by 1972,
both were burnt-out cases. A salutary exposition of the dark side of the
carefree pharmaceutical experimentation of the Sixties, SYD BARRETT: LOST IN
THE WOODS is a trip in all senses of the word. |
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2007: The best
books - Jon Savage,
Guardian & Observer ‘Most
illuminating is Julian Palacios' 'Lost in the Woods'. It deals with the realities of Barrett's
mental state without ever letting this overshadow his work. A fine book that gets to grip with the
mechanics of his songwriting, his pioneering guitar-playing and the wider
cultural backdrop.’ - Mark Paytress,
Record Collector, April 2001 ‘Julian Palacios
tells this melancholy modern myth with vitality, compassion and extraordinary
detail. Palacios has talked to key figures in the British underground, and
brings the psychedelic scene, from the UFO club to the 14 Hour Technicolor
Dream at Ally Pally, to vivid life.’ -The Daily
Telegraph, June 1998 ‘Barrett's story
has never before been told in such visceral detail. A definitive work.’ - Q, June 1998
[recommended book: July-October 1998] ‘A perfect Syd
Barrett book...believable and full of insight.’ - Record
Collector, June 1998 ‘Certainly
better written than the other Barrett bios, 'Lost in the Woods' is not only
about Barrett but the era that he stood for.’
- Mojo, August
1998 The definitive
Syd Barrett biography, ‘Syd Barrett: Lost in the Woods’ is a 300 plus page
analysis of Barrett's life and work. Extensive interviews
with those who knew and worked with Barrett, include: Miles (intellectual leading light of the London Underground) John 'Hoppy' Hopkins' (Underground luminary who ran UFO, the
Underground nexus) Keith Rowe (of AMM, Barrett's key musical influence) Nigel and Jenny Lesmoir-Gordon (longtime friends of Syd from Cambridge
and London) Mike Leonard (head of the Sound-Light Workshops, and landlord to the
early Pink Floyd) Joe Boyd (legendary producer of Nick Drake and Fairport Convention, who recorded 'Arnold
Layne') Jenny Spires (close friend of Syd) Emily Young (inspiration for ‘See Emily Play’) Jenny Fabian (famed consort to the Underground's bands, lover and
confidante of Syd) Duggie Fields (Barrett's flatmate during his solo album sessions, and
witness to his disintegration) Peter Whitehead (film-maker and director of Pink Floyd's 1967 studio
session) David Gale (childhood and teenage friend of Syd, in whose home Barrett
did his earliest LSD trips) Jack Monck (bass player in Stars, Barrett's final band) Joly MacFie (stage manager and promoter for Stars) Seamus O'Connell (teenage friend of Syd and Roger Waters) Kevin Ayers (ex-Soft Machine guitarist) |
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To
read excerpts from 'Lost in the Woods': The 14
Hour Technicolour Dream |
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Order from Amazon.co.uk
(UK/Europe)
Order from Amazon.com
(USA)
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