Syd Barrett

The co-founder of the British rock group Pink Floyd, Syd Barrett was better known as one of popular music's most legendary recluses, driven into self-imposed exile after suffering significant mental trauma that forced his departure from his group just as they began to burst onto the international music scene. Barrett was the chief architect of Pink Floyd's sound in its early years, pushing it from a standard-issue R&B band into experimental waters through his innovative guitar playing and surreal but humorous songwriting. After leaving Pink Floyd and releasing a pair of rough-hewn solo albums in 1970, he virtually disappeared from view. His former bandmates mourned his loss in song, most notably with the album Wish You Were Here and its song "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." Barrett developed a cult following in the 1980s among fans and musicians alike, but he steadfastly refused to emerge from his family home to receive their praise until his death in 2006. Barrett's passing only increased his mythological standing in rock circles as a visionary figure.