Born Roger Keith Barrett in Cambridge, England, Jan 1946, as founder member of Pink Floyd his quizzical, surrealistic Iyrics and visionary obsessions with interplanetary mysticism formed hard core of British psychedelia, circa 1967. Formed and named Pink Floyd 1965 while student at Camberwell Art School, London. Responsible for original concept of band, writing both their early UK hit singles, Arnold Layne and See Emily Play (both 1967), and group's first album, Piper At The Gate Of Dawn (same year). Dropping acid and becoming increasingly withdrawn and eccentric, personality problems gradually turned Barrett from asset to liability and in April 1968 he was replaced by David Gilmour. Set about recording solo album The Madcap Laughs in early 1970, completing half of it in just two days with assistance from Gilmour and Roger Waters, and in November same year completed a second solo set, Barrett, with Gilmour, Rick Wright and drummer Jerry Shirley. Although there was/has been much talk of a third solo album, Barrett hasn't been heard on record since. Over past five years various stories and legends have grown around him (a U.K. Syd Barrett Appreciation Society continues to publish a monthly newsletter "Terrapin") one being that he's spent most of recent times holed up in a Cambridge cellar. Early Floyd manager Peter Jenner made futile attempt to record him in 1974, and most recent story was that when Floyd mixed Shine On Your Crazy Diamond (dedicated to memory of Barrett) for 1975 Wish You Were Here album, Syd turned up in studio uninvited and unexpected and announced that he was "ready to do his bit". Dave Gilmour has said of him ". . . one of the three or four greats, along with Bob Dylan." Albums below subsequently re issued as Harvest double-set. Recordings: The Madcap Laughs (Harvest) Barrett (Harvest)