An official Syd Barrett YouTube channel has been launched

The Syd Barrett Estate, along with Syd Barrett Music Ltd, has launched an official YouTube channel(opens in new tab) to highlight the late Pink Floyd man’s solo work.

The first videos to appear on the channel are animated films for Terrapin – originally the opening song on Barrett’s first solo album, 1970’s The Madcap Laughs – plus Dark Globe from the same album, and Dominoes from the follow-up, Barratt. The channel is working with Swedish animator Alex Teglbjaerg to bring the songs to life.

In a statement, the Estate said: «The channel is a natural extension of Syd Barrett’s existing online presence and will consist of artistic interpretations of his solo music, with accompanying music and lyrics. Together with the Swedish animator, Alex Teglbjaerg, known as The Artist on the Border, there will be new animated music videos released on an ongoing basis. It will initially focus on the solo songs which originally appeared on An Introduction To Syd Barrett (2010).

“There isn’t all that much filmed Syd Barrett out there,” says Peter Barrett on behalf of the Barrett family. «You’ve already seen most of the material and the few bits that pop up are quickly placed in the digital public domain. We want to take his quirky and poetic lyrics and translate them into images.»

Animator Teglbjaerg adds: «I try to take the listener into a Syd Barrett dream of sorts. Syd was a craftsman when it came to writing intriguing lyrics for his songs. Many times utilising cut-up techniques. That’s what I am attempting to do as well. I take what we take for granted, Syd in a room with painted floorboards and find a way to discover more. Not just zoom in, I try to immerse the viewer in that room by using collages and elements from multiple sources. But in the end, the focus is not on the visuals themselves. It lies in Syd’s music and lyrics.»

Late last month a trailer for a new Syd Barrett documentary was launched. Have You Got It Yet? The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd has been directed by film maker and former punk rocker Roddy Bagawa and the late Storm Thorgerson, who’s Hipgnosis design company were responsible for many of Pink Floyd’s iconic album sleeves,