Baker's Dozen

Artists discuss the 13 records that shaped their lives

2. Syd BarrettBarrett

I’ve actually got into Pink Floyd, even post-Barrett, because I love Dark Side Of The Moon. But the Barrett album has got ‘Love Song’, ‘Baby Lemonade’, ‘Gigolo Aunt’ – these are incredible songs. I’m friends with his nephew Ian actually, he makes jewellery and stuff like that: I sent him a copy of the book [Creation Stories: Riots, Raves And Running A Label] and he’s going to make me a ring or something. Syd’s another unbelievable British talent, a total maverick, and in the greater scheme of things, still pretty unheard of. Unlike Bowie, Syd Barrett’s still an underground phenomenon, you’ve really got to be an aficionado to like Barrett. They just kept giving him the acid didn’t they? And he went fucking mad.

Selected in other Baker’s Dozens: Richard Hawley, Cate Le Bon, Hey Colossus
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