The Syd Barrett Estate has partnered with Syd Barrett Music Ltd to launch an official YouTube channel for the late Pink Floyd frontman’s solo work.
Swedish animator Alex Teglbjaerg has worked his magic on clips to accompany tracks including ‘Terrapin’ and ‘Dark Globe’ from 1970’s ‘The Madcap Laugh’ and ‘Dominoes’ from ‘Barrett’.
In a statement, the Estate said: “The channel is a natural extension of Syd Barrett’s existing online presence and will consist of artistic interpretations of his solo music, with accompanying music and lyrics. Together with the Swedish animator, Alex Teglbjaerg, known as The Artist on the Border, there will be new animated music videos released on an ongoing basis. It will initially focus on the solo songs which originally appeared on An Introduction To Syd Barrett (2010).”
Peter Barrett said on behalf of the family: “There isn’t all that much filmed Syd Barrett out there.
“You’ve already seen most of the material and the few bits that pop up are quickly placed in the digital public domain. We want to take his quirky and poetic lyrics and translate them into images.”
Animator Alex added: “I try to take the listener into a Syd Barrett dream of sorts. Syd was a craftsman when it came to writing intriguing lyrics for his songs. Many times utilising cut-up techniques. That’s what I am attempting to do as well. I take what we take for granted, Syd in a room with painted floorboards and find a way to discover more. Not just zoom in, I try to immerse the viewer in that room by using collages and elements from multiple sources. But in the end, the focus is not on the visuals themselves. It lies in Syd’s music and lyrics.”
Meanwhile, the documentary, ‘Have You Got It Yet? The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd’, is heading to cinemas in the UK on May 15.
It’s helmed by punk legend Roddy Bagawa and the late Storm Thorgerson.
Syd co-founded Pink Floyd with Roger Waters and Nick Mason in 1965 as a teen.
However, he was slowly replaced by David Gilmour as he battled an addiction to psychedelic drugs, leaving the group officially in 1968.
He died in 2006, aged 60, from pancreatic cancer.