“I don't think I'm easy to talk about. I've got a very irregular head. And I'm not anything that you think I am anyway.”—Syd Barrett’s last interview, Rolling Stone, 1971 Roger Keith “Syd” Barrett (1946–2006) was, by all accounts, the very definition of a golden boy. Blessed with good looks and a natural aptitude for painting and music, he was a charismatic, elfin child beloved by all, who fast became a teenage leader in Cambridge, England, where a burgeoning bohemian scene was flourishing in the early 1960s. Along with three friends and collaborators—Roger Waters, Richard Wright, and Nick Mason—he formed what would soon become Pink Floyd, and rock ’n’ roll was never the same. Starting as a typical British cover band aping approximations of American rhythm ’n’ blues, they soon pioneered an entirely new sound, and British psychedelic rock was born. With early, trippy, Barrett-penned pop hits such as “Arnold Layne” (about a clothesline-thieving cross-dresser) and “See Emily Play” (written specifically for the epochal “Games For May” concert), Pink Floyd, with Syd Barrett as their main creative visionary, captured the zeitgeist of “Swinging” London in all its Technicolor glory. But there was a dark side to all this new-found freedom. Barrett, like so many around him, began ingesting large quantities of a revolutionary new drug, LSD, and his already-fragile mental state—coupled with a personality inherently unsuited to the life of a pop star—began to unravel. The once bright-eyed lad was quickly replaced, seemingly overnight, by a glowering, sinister, dead-eyed shadow of his former self, given to erratic, highly eccentric, reclusive, and sometimes violent behavior. Inevitably sacked from the band, Barrett retreated from London to his mother’s house in Cambridge, where he would remain until his death, only rarely seen or heard, further fueling the mystery. In the meantime, Pink Floyd emerged from the underground to become one of the biggest international rock bands of all time, releasing multi-platinum albums, many that dealt thematically with the loss of their friend Syd Barrett: The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and The Wall are all, on many levels, about him. In A Very Irregular Head, journalist Rob Chapman lifts the veil of secrecy that has surrounded the legend of Syd Barrett for nearly four decades, drawing on exclusive access to family, friends, archives, journals, letters, and artwork to create the definitive portrait of a brilliant and tragic artist. Besides capturing all the promise of Barrett’s youthful years, Chapman challenges the oft-held notion that Barrett was a hopelessly lost recluse in his later years, and creates a portrait of a true British eccentric who is rightfully placed within a rich literary lineage that stretches through Kenneth Graham, Hilaire Belloc, Edward Lear, Lewis Carroll, John Lennon, David Bowie, and on up to the pioneers of Britpop. A tragic, affectionate, and compelling portrait of a singular artist, A Very Irregular Head will stand as the authoritative word on this very English genius for years to come.

A Very Irregular Head: The Life of Syd Barrett

Chapman, Rob

Humor & Entertainment

Da Capo Press

Da Capo

Syd Barrett was the lead guitarist, vocalist, and principle songwriter in the original line up of Pink Floyd. During his brief time with the band (1966-68), he was the driving force behind the unit. After he left the band he made just two further solo albums which were both released in 1970, before withdrawing from public view to lead a quiet, and occasionally troubled life in Cambridge, the town of his birth. Rob Chapman's book is the first authoritative and exhaustively researched biography of Syd Barrett that fully celebrates his life and legacy as a musician, lyricist and artist, and which highlights the influence that he continues to have over contemporary bands and music fans alike.

Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head

Biographies & Memoirs

Arts & Literature

Faber&Faber

In Psychedelia and Other Colours, acclaimed author Rob Chapman explores in crystalline detail the history, precedents and cultural impact of LSD, from the earliest experiments in painting with light and immersive environments to the thriving avant-garde scene that existed in San Francisco even before the Grateful Dead and the Fillmore Auditorium. In the U.K., he documents an entirely different history, and one that has never been told before. It has its roots in fairy tales and fairgrounds, the music hall and the dead of Flanders fields, in the Festival of Britain and that peculiarly British strand of surrealism that culminated in the Magical Mystery Tour. Sitars and Sergeant Pepper, surfadelica and the Soft Machine, light shows and love-ins — the mind-expanding effects of acid were to redefine popular culture as we know it. Psychedelia and Other Colours documents these utopian reverberations — and the dark side of their moon — in a perfect portrait.

Psychedelia and Other Colours

Arts & Photography

Music

Faber & Faber Social

In Psychedelia and Other Colours, acclaimed author Rob Chapman explores in crystalline detail the history, precedents and cultural impact of LSD, from the earliest experiments in painting with light and immersive environments to the thriving avant-garde scene that existed in San Francisco even before the Grateful Dead and the Fillmore Auditorium. In the UK, he documents an entirely different history, and one that has never been told before. It has its roots in fairy tales and fairgrounds, the music hall and the dead of Flanders fields, in the Festival of Britain and that peculiarly British strand of surrealism that culminated in the Magical Mystery Tour. Sitars and Sergeant Pepper, surfadelica and the Soft Machine, light shows and love-ins - the mind-expanding effects of acid were to redefine popular culture as we know it. Psychedelia and Other Colours documents these utopian reverberations ― and the dark side of their moon ― in a perfect portrait.

A new edition as part of the Faber Greatest Hits - books that have taken writing about music in new and exciting directions for the twenty-first century.\nSyd Barrett was the lead guitarist, vocalist, and principle songwriter in the original line up of Pink Floyd. During his brief time with the band (1966-68) he was the driving force behind the unit. After he left the band he made just two further solo albums which were both released in 1970, before withdrawing from public view to lead a quiet, and occasionally troubled life in Cambridge, the town of his birth.\nRob Chapman's book is the first authoritative and exhaustively researched biography of Syd Barrett that fully celebrates his life and legacy as a musician, lyricist and artist, and which highlights the influence that he continues to have over contemporary bands and music fans alike.

Syd Barrett

Faber Faber Ltd

Get the behind-the-music story of the New Barbarians, the short-lived band founded by the Rolling Stones lead guitarist Ron Wood!
In 1979, Rolling Stones lead guitarist Ron Wood founded the New Barbarians. The group's all-star lineup included Wood's fellow Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, jazz bassist Stanley Clarke, former Faces keyboardist Ian McLagan, Stones confederate and saxophonist Bobby Keys, and drummer Joseph "Zigaboo" Modeliste from the Meters. The band formed in 1979, toured, and played its final concert in 1980-gone, but not forgotten. Now fans can learn the untold story of this legendary band, recounted through never-before-seen photography and in-depth interviews. The New Barbarians offers an intimate look at the brief history of a band that built a cult following in record time.
The band became known for hard-edged music, but it also gained notoriety for events such as the riot at the New Barbarians' first concert in Milwaukee-a riot that broke out when the "special guests" did not appear during the show. This and more wild, rollicking stories are included in The New Barbarians, which features behind-the-scenes anecdotes about the band members as well as dirt about its famous tour, plus background on the widespread influence of its music.
Featuring never-before-published photography of the band by Bruce Silberman, who accompanied the New Barbarians on their US tour in 1979, this book is a feast for Stones fans and an essential contribution to rock and roll history. Includes a CD with 10 previously unreleased tracks from the band's 1979 U.S. tour.

New Barbarians: Outlaws, Gunslingers, and Guitars

Voyageur Press

The tradition of Pennsylvania Dutch PowWow is as old and charming as the PA Dutch culture.  This little but inclusive guide is a perfect introduction to the history, beliefs, and practices of the PowWow; written specifically for those who wish to begin practicing this magical art.  You will learn where PowWow came from, how it was and is still practiced within the PA Dutch culture, and how you can get started on the path of becoming a practitioner of this ancient and powerful magical art of healing and protection.

Charms and Cures in the tradition of Pennsylvania Dutch PowWow

Religion & Spirituality

Occult & Paranormal

CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform

Spirit is forever present, cradling you in Divine arms. Ancient Celtic spirituality speaks to our longing for connection, belonging, and a deep sense of purpose. In the midst of the fast-paced and often chaotic world we inhabit, the prayers in this book, written in the Celtic tradition, offer a respite-a gentle reminder that amid the rainstorms of life, we can find a warm hearth, a place of refuge, where we are held and embraced by the Divine. This book is a handbook for exploring the depths of your own soul, guided by the Light that illuminates your being. Each prayer is a doorway, an invitation to cultivate a profound awareness of the sacred in the ordinary moments of your life, to commune with the natural world, and to awaken to the presence of Spirit that permeates all existence. In the rhythm of daily prayer, find space to breathe, listen, and be transformed.

Ancient Whispers: Rediscovering Celtic Wisdom and the Transformative Power of Prayer

Christian Books & Bibles

Anamchara Books

<div>Despite just a three-year tenure with the band, co-founder Syd Barrett's influence on Pink Floyd was profound and long-lasting. If his guitar gave the early Pink Floyd a distinctive hallucinatory sound, his often obscure and surreal lyrics were perhaps even more intoxicating. The complete lyrics of Syd Barrett - 52 songs written for Pink Floyd and during his subsequent solo career - are presented together for the first time, along with rare photos and artwork, to form this beautifully illustrated book. Compiled in collaboration with the Syd Barrett estate, and featuring a foreword from former Pink Floyd manager Peter Jenner and a comprehensive introduction by biographer Rob Chapman, The Lyrics of Syd Barrett delves deep into one of rock'n'roll's most imaginative and searing minds.</div>

The Lyrics of Syd Barrett

Jenner, Peter

Barrett, Syd

Omnibus Press

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Chapman, Rob. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

Books by Chapman, Rob

See the best price to sell, buy, or rent books by Chapman, Rob. BookScouter helps to compare book prices from 25+ online bookstores and 30+ buyback vendors with a single search.

A Very Irregular Head: The Life of Syd Barrett

A Very Irregular Head: The Life of Syd Barrett

Syd Barrett: A Very Irregular Head

Psychedelia and Other Colours

Psychedelia and Other Colours

Syd Barrett

New Barbarians: Outlaws, Gunslingers, and Guitars

Charms and Cures in the tradition of Pennsylvania Dutch PowWow

Ancient Whispers: Rediscovering Celtic Wisdom and the Transformative Power of Prayer

The Lyrics of Syd Barrett