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Pete Townshend reveals regret over Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett: “I wish I’d had more time to develop our friendship”
Pete Townshend has spoken about his friendship with Pink Floyd co-founder Syd Barrett, saying he wishes they had had more time to grow closer. Townshend admired Barrett’s performances and remembers being struck by Pink Floyd’s early live shows, offering a personal reflection on a musician whose health later declined.
Townshend said he saw the band 10 times in London during its first six months, when Barrett was still a member, and recalled taking Eric Clapton to see them at the UFO Club. He agreed with Roger Waters’s view that schizophrenia contributed to Barrett’s decline, while also recalling Barrett’s psychedelic guitar style and their occasional conversations. In the same interview, Townshend said he had reconsidered his earlier criticism of Led Zeppelin.
In short
- Townshend wishes he had developed a closer friendship with Syd Barrett.
- He saw early Pink Floyd perform 10 times in London.
- He has also reconsidered his past criticism of Led Zeppelin.
Explained simply
Pink Floyd formed in London in the 1960s, with Syd Barrett as an early singer and guitarist. His experimental guitar playing helped shape the band’s first performances, including shows at the UFO Club, a venue associated with the city’s emerging psychedelic music scene.
Pete Townshend was the guitarist and songwriter for the Who, another major British rock band of the period. Barrett later left Pink Floyd as his health worsened; Roger Waters, a fellow founder, has said schizophrenia contributed to his decline. Townshend’s remarks reflect on their brief friendship and the wider impact of Barrett’s life and music.