'He was a very bright and sparkly character… Syd was impressive, even amongst a group of quite impressive people.' – Duggie Fields
Pink Floyd's founder member, original frontman, and primary songwriter, Syd Barrett, remains one of rock music's true cult figures. Recalled by the late Mick Rock as 'richly talented, totally unique and very beautiful,' Barrett and Rock met in Cambridge in the mid-1960s. Their friendship flourished and they subsequently lived and worked together in London from 1969 to '71.
'We were psychedelic renegades exploring an inner landscape where everything was turned upside down.' – Mick Rock
Psychedelic Renegades is a magnificent book of photography from the period, including the sessions that culminated in the cover for Barrett's first solo album, The Madcap Laughs. As well as the iconic portraits for which Rock and Barrett will be forever associated, many images are seen here for the first time and Rock's memories illuminate the work. The late artist Duggie Fields, Barrett's close friend and roommate, joins Rock in Pscyehdelic Renegades, sharing his own first-hand recollections of the times.
'The inspiration that Syd brought to my eyes and my lens set me on a path that has defined my own life and art.' - Mick Rock
Not only does Psychedelic Renegades exquisitely reproduce many of the most famous images of Syd Barrett ever taken, the edition also includes a wealth of previously unpublished photographs. Until the creation of Psychedelic Renegades, many of these portraits and observational images had remained unprinted from Mick Rock's original historic negatives.
'Now I can share them with you, gentle reader. In truth this is the first time I too have seen certain photos, which were either under or over-exposed and therefore did not register clearly on the contact sheets. Talk about a blast from the past...' - Mick Rock
'Most people have an image of Syd as a dark, brooding, secretive and inarticulate prince of psychedelia gone haywire. And that probably is a legitimate part of this curious tale, but it is only part of it.' - Mick Rock
'Syd was a beautiful man who got away with a lot because he was beautiful.' - Duggie Fields
'Images and eye-witness accounts of a golden age that will never return.' - La Repubblica
Published in a limited edition of only 950 copies, each hand-bound book is numbered and signed by the author, Mick Rock.
'Syd was unique; he was the main man and Pink Floyd formed around him. When I first met David Bowie, he wanted to hear about Syd. We talked about how Syd had had it all. David's 'The Man Who Sold The World' always makes me think of Syd. It's a perfect description of him... a fabulous enigma.' - Mick Rock
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Collector | No longer available |
Pink Floyd's founder member Syd Barrett and legendary photographer Mick Rock lived and worked together in London from 1969 to '71. Psychedelic Renegades is a magnificent book of photography borne out of the period. As well as the iconic portraits for which Rock and Barrett will be forever associated, many images are seen here for the first time. The work is illuminated with recollections of Barrett by Rock and British artist Duggie Fields.
Since 1974 Genesis has created signed limited edition books on behalf of authors and artists ranging from the Beatles to Buckingham Palace.
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