Random Precision: Recording the Music of Syd Barrett 1965-1974

Rating:
Summary: Excellent
Review: At last, it has happened. Ever since Mark Lewisohn published his momumental session-by-session "The Beatles Recording Sessions" in 1988, I have been waiting for other important artists to be given the same thorough, studious treatment. It's been a long wait, for while some vaguely similar titles have been published (including one about Jimi Hendrix), few of them could offer access to the same obsessive documentation that Abbey Road studios required of its engineers. Syd Barrett, the offbeat genius and erratic founder of Pink Floyd, also happens to have done most of his work at Abbey Road, and David Parker has been through every corner of the studio files to come up with this impressive offering. In it, we learn the date and content of every professional recording session Syd Barrett (with and without Pink Floyd) is known to have done during his finite career, from the first 1965 demos through the last, unheard, abandoned sessions in 1974. Some of Syd's engineers, friends and managers (Peter Jenner, etc.) contribute memories and comment perceptively on each of the songs and sessions. (Alas, no comments from members of Pink Floyd.)It should be noted that the author did not actually get to listen to many of the tapes; indeed, sometimes tape was recycled at the studios and the originals no longer exist. Nevertheless, the documentation is here. This is a wonderful, respectful reference work for any Syd Barrett fan, and an amusing read for anyone interested in recording sessions in general. Discographies, a compendium of live shows, and other appendices add to the completist fun. Wow, a winner.