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With The Division Bell 20th anniversary box set, vinyl (and standalone DVD) grabbing headlines with its release around this weekend depending on where you are in the world, another set of releases that are due on Monday (June 30th) in the UK and Europe, are sure to be just as eagerly awaited by the vinyl junkies amongst you, and really shouldn't be overlooked - hence this reminder for you.
On that day, Rhino are releasing Syd Barrett's The Madcap Laughs, Barrett, and Opel albums on heavyweight 180g vinyl. With the resurgence of interest and take-up of vinyl, these high quality new editions are sure to be popular.
For the Syd novices out there, The Madcap Laughs was his first solo album, released January 1970. Featuring a band including David Gilmour on various instruments, Jerry Shirley, Willie Wilson and Robert Wyatt, there are some very highly regarded tracks throughout the record. Barrett was to follow, in November of the same year. Again, David Gilmour performs on the album, as does Richard Wright. The songs on the album generally have a lighter tone than Madcap, but this was to be his second and final conventional album. Opel was released in October 1988, and was a collection of unreleased material and alternate takes from the Madcap and Barrett sessions.
more interesting, one of the last known barrett performances has been issued on cd
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Six Hour Technicolor Dream, a legendary live recording of a show by the Last Minute Put Together Boogie Band, which for many Syd Barrett fans has been seen as "the Holy Grail" as it is probably the last recorded live performance by Barrett, has this month had an official CD release on the Easy Action label.
The show took place at Cambridge Corn Exchange on January 27th, 1972, and includes as part of the show, Syd (along with Fred Frith) jamming with the band which consisted of Jack Monck, Twink, and Bruce Paine. Syd had attended their show the previous evening, and jammed with them. Clearly taken by the experience, he joined them again for this show, which was captured on tape. A couple of days after this show, the band - including Syd - transformed into the short-lived Stars, which focused on Barrett material and some blues jamming.
The release is well packaged, using a gatefold cover, featuring the rare poster for the show that reveal tickets were a mere 60p in advance, or 70p on the door. The poster is repeated inside, as the cover of the booklet which gives more information on the show, and a revealing interview with Twink, talking about those days with Syd. The CD label itself is rather droll, with the spindle hole replacing the big cat's open mouth.
Syd and Fred don't appear until track five, Drinkin' That Wine, and they also appear on the subsequent Number Nine and Gotta Be A Reason. Sound quality throughout the CD is pretty variable with the occasional tape and recording drop-out (with the tape deck on stage, cables were occasionally caught and pulled out!). Despite this, you can hear the clear difference musically on the three Syd-featuring tracks. His playing can be easily heard and for me, make for a very interesting third of this recording. Don't, however, expect too much - this is more aimed at the hardcore Syd fans amongst you. An amount from the sale of this release has gone to the Syd Barrett Estate.
