BBC Radio 4, in conjunction with John Harris (author of the DSOTM book), explore the tragic breakdown of Syd Barrett, and how his fellow band members and family coped, in an upcoming programme.
The Twilight World Of Syd Barrett airs on Thursday June 9th at 11:30am - 12pm. Band members reveal the concerns they had when he began to go catatonic on-stage, playing music that had little to do with their material, or not playing at all. By spring 1968 Barrett was out of the group but he re-emerged in 1970 with a pair of albums, which failed to chart. Barrett retired to a hermit-like existence under the watchful gaze of his sister Rosemary.
The programme includes interviews with Rosemary, as well as David Gilmour and Nick Mason, plus one of Rick Wright's final interviews before he died. Band members describe how there was then little understanding of mental illness and that steps taken to help him might not have been appropriate.
BBC Radio 4 can be heard on FM and DAB radio, digital cable, satellite and freeview, and via the BBC website where they have their "Listen Live" and "Listen Again" facilities, allowing you to hear the broadcasts for up to seven days following transmission. Our thanks to Matthew Samuel for tipping us off about this show.
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