Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd

This film is spectacularly well done, taking the time to tell the story of Roger Barrett as a child, his transformation into Syd Barrett through childhood, and the formation of Pink Floyd before exploring the tragic turn of events which lead to his sudden and mysterious exile.

With insightful interviews of friends and bandmates (which is amazing unto itself given the state of Pink Floyd in the post Waters era), beautiful visual and sound design, and story arc - Bogawa and Thorgerson take the audience of an emotional journey of an amazing person who was caught in the crossfire of childhood and stardom.

Careful to avoid any tabloids or cheap shortcuts pointing to easy answers. Barrett's story is told in a compassionate and caring narrative. We learn about the duality of Roger and Syd - how they seemed to be two different people trapped in one mind, and how his psychological breakdown leaves no easy explanations and continues to remain a tragic mystery - and while there is a Brian Jones, Peter Green, or Pete Best - no one shaped a band like Barrett did and then departed in such a tragic way before that band reached such highs.

Greetings again from the darkness. "Wish you were here" is one of the songs Pink Floyd wrote in tribute to the band's enigmatic founder, Syd Barrett. These days, fifty-five years after he left the band and seventeen years after his death, Barrett remains a mysterious cult figure in rock lore, enveloped by rumors and conjecture. Co-directors Roddy Bogawa and Storm Thorgerson (graphic designer of such classic album covers as Pink Floyd's "Dark Side of the Moon") attempt to present the facts by talking to a stream of folks who were there.

It might seem odd for a Syd Barrett documentary to be timed to coincide with the 50-year anniversary of Pink Floyd's best-selling album, "The Dark Side of the Moon", since Barrett didn't perform on the album and had been gone from the band for five years. However, since the inspiration for the album's concept and songs were derived from the band's feelings towards Barrett, the timing does make sense. Bassist Roger Waters admits that Pink Floyd would not have existed without Barrett, and that is a crucial element to keep in mind despite the band having so much commercial success in the post-Barrett era.

"Creative genius" is an overused label, but Syd Barrett earned it, despite his short musical career. Enigma and mystery also apply to his story since he was basically kicked out of his own band and later retreated from public life ... along the way displaying unconventional behavior. Did the LSD habit have detrimental effects? Did he suffer from an undiagnosed mental illness? Was he on the spectrum? Did he prefer a simpler, quieter life far from the rock star lifestyle? The directors offer many folks the chance to chime in with their memories and theories. Those interviewed include former band members, Barrett's sister, his girlfriends, numerous childhood friends, influenced musicians, teachers, and psychologists.

Pink Floyd members Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and David Gilmour are respectful in their comments and give credit to Barrett for his influence. Also documented is the infamous day a barely recognizable Barrett dropped into Apple Studios while the band was recording "Wish You Were Here". The photographs are shown and provide the startling contrast between that Barrett and the one we had seen a few years prior. The Syd Barrett described as "fun", "artistic", and "intelligent" was not the one sitting in the studio that day.

Rock legend Pete Townshend describing the psychedelic heavy metal sound of Barrett's band is a highlight of the film, as is the somewhat sad story of the band deciding not to pick up an unpredictable Barrett before a gig ... with the punchline, "why bother?" Another interesting bit of trivia is learning that Barrett named the band via a blues mashup of Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. The reverence displayed by each interviewee solidifies his lasting impact, and the utter confusion surrounding exactly what happened with him. We always hear 'painters must paint', and 'writers must write', and we wonder if Syd Barrett is the exception. Is his a sad story, or one of a man who found the life he preferred? We now know more, though we will never know that.

Available July 12, 2023.

As a lifelong Floyd fan, I was gutted by this doc, which seems to be less about Syd the musician, Syd the creative genius, Syd the artist of my heart, and more about the people left behind in the wake of Syd's social decline. I loved Syd and mourn his loss each time I hear Shine On...but he gave what he gave, and I respect that his mental health declined. It's a tragedy, but it's a tragedy that's not about me. The film is rife with the bitterness and unresolved anguish of not only the interviewees but the filmmaker himself. It shows in the editing; unlike the recently issued Led Zeppelin doc, which gifts viewers with live footage of full length songs to celebrate the music, this doc has people TALKING DIRECTLY OVER SYD'S MUSIC. WT actual F? And the pretentious re-enactment scenes left me cold and wondering why - with scads of actual film footage of the band's journey in existence - that it was considered necessary or even preferable to create a contrived visual narrative that did not remotely support or enhance Syd's own story. I can't unsee this. The precious moments of gold - the complimentary things bandmates said about him, the footage of Syd at work - were completely overshadowed by the persistent British stiff-upper- lippedness that is baffled by one who runs counter to the establishment. Let Syd's genius be revered and honored, not shoved into a box of regrets that he snubbed your invitation to tea. Syd, you deserved better.

There are many documentaries about Pink Floyd's early days with Syd, but they really gloss over it quickly. This documentary is very in depth, and they interview people that actually knew him. It tells his story in great detail, and has a lot to offer Pink Floyd fans.

You get to see them talking about some of the gear Syd used, and how big of a deal Syd Barrett was in their early days. It's good to remember that without Syd there would not have been a Pink Floyd. He was the inspiration for a lot of their songs, and he had things the other members did not. I would argue with other negative reviewers and say this is the best Syd documentary I've seen yet. Give it a watch! :)

I've watched this 5 times since it was released a week ago. I wish they'd interviewed Twink. Maybe the only drawback. I'm one of these people who became aware of Pink Floyd in the late 70's through The Wall, DSOTM, Wish you were here, and Animals. Without their success without him, I don't know how much he would've stood out to me. I just remember telling a friend in high school (mid 80's) how much I loved their music. He asked if I'd heard Piper, and I said " Yes, but it's really strange". After that, I gave it another listen. From then, on I've placed it as my favorite work by Pink Floyd.

This film is for any musician or music fan who feels like an outsider.