DVD Review: The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story

The Pink Floyd & Syd Barrett Story

Eagle Rock [Release date 19.05.14]

Essentially the Syd Barrett story, you’d have to have been living under a rock to not have seen this 50 minute BBC Omnibus documentary originally aired in 2001 and a regular late night repeat on the likes of BBC3/4. But it’s not been available to buy for a while and this reissue sees it padded out to a 2 disc set to attract the punters.

But don’t expect anything revelatory – the story’s been told to death, many times over. But what you get here is a decent amount of ‘bonus’ material. ‘Fillers’ in the true sense of the word are a ‘Robyn Hitchcock on Syd Barrett’ feature, and Blur’s Graham Coxon performing Barrett’s ‘Love You’. Both are readily available on You Tube, and I rather enjoyed the comment that Hitchcock is like a Barrett obsessed James May.

But the ‘meat’ of the ‘extras’ are the full interviews with Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Richard Wright and Nick Mason from which their documentary contributions are culled, in all adding up to about 2 and half hours’ worth of viewing. And their articulate reminiscence of the era is compulsive viewing.

Ultimately though, it’s a rather sad tale of how Barrett’s shining star imploded, but inextricably tied in with formative Floyd years and with Rick Wright no longer with us, it’s probably the definitive version of the story. And at the price of a reasonably priced bottle of wine, it’s probably the perfect Father’s Day gift. ****

Review by Pete Whalley

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