post twenty-three; pink floyd, and early rock 'n roll deaths.

We listened to Pink Floyd in class today, and the response was apathetic. Lots of kids didn't like them, and I think I can see why. Syd Barrett's lyrics are ridiculous nonsense, the sound is trippy, and overall the music just doesn't make sense. I could make the argument and say "maybe his lyrics DID mean something deeper" but honestly I just believe he was really messed up. Misunderstood, maybe, but also insane and schizophrenic. Which isn't something that can be helped, but it showed in his songwriting. But, to be honest, I like Pink Floyd a lot. The Dark Side of the Moon is a fantastic album, most of the songs were written by Roger Waters and you could tell they had some sort of meaning, whereas Syd Barrett's lyrics were hopeless when it came to finding meaning. There was even a song on that album that was ABOUT Syd Barrett's mental struggles, along with the pressures from the rising elevation of fame. (Brain Damage) Don't fall asleep listening to that song, by the way. Listening to a song with lyrics like "the lunatic is on the grass, the lunatic is in the hall" at night isn't exactly the best way to sleep well. In fact, the album was mostly about Syd's leaving the band because he was so insane.
Syd Barrett is a prime example of someone who cracked under pressure, and eventually drove himself crazy, his schizophrenia being a contributing factor. Brian Wilson is also another example, but at least he pulled himself together. Syd Barrett was tragically institutionalized for the rest of his life.
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As rock 'n roll progressed, so did drug use. As artists got more into the pressures of fame, some found themselves needing an escape from it all. And they found that in drugs; artists like Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, Brian Jones, and Jim Morrison are known for their drug use because they're part of what is known as the "27 Club". All of these artists died at age 27 with deaths that had something to do with drugs. Janis overdosed on heroin, Jimi choked on his own vomit as a result of being overly intoxicated, Jim Morrison's death was ruled as heart failure but drugs were a contributing factor, and Brian Jones' death was RULED "death by misadventure" but drugs had to have been a contributing factor as well.
As fame grows, so does the pressure.