Syd Barrett - Syd Barrett's First Trip (1966)

Before the soft acid ballads like "Dark Side of The Moon," British rock band Pink Floyd was an entirely different animal. This was largely due to the presence of musician Syd Barrett, a slightly insane, drug-addicted guitarist with a particular genius for writing psychedelic, oddly beautiful gems of songs. His mental state spiralling, Barrett left Pink Floyd in 1968, and many would argue that the band was all the worse for it. SYD BARRETT'S FIRST TRIP is an odd little short -- rare Super 8 footage (taken by his film student friend Nigel Gordon) which documents the madly brilliant man's first trip on magic mushrooms. Filmed in 1966, this footage marks Barrett's first step into the disintegrating fog of hallucinatory drugs. In addition, a video capturing Pink Floyd's 1967 signing to EMI Records -- a historic exchange which took place outside Abbey Road Studios -- is also included.