Pink Floyd founding member Syd Barrett is one of the most intriguing figures in the modern history of music. Having helped found what is one of the most influential acts in rock history, he also parted ways with the band early in its infancy. Much has been said and written of his departure and what happened after, in years since, but even with that little is still fully known. Now thanks to Mercury Studios, renewed attention has been placed on the late musician and his life and career through a new documentary, Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd. Released Friday on a dual Blu-ray/DVD set, the documentary is an engaging new examination of a man who remains enigmatic even now years after his death. The documentary succeeds in large part because of its story and how the story is told. This will be discussed shortly. While the documentary’s presentation is a clear positive, its packaging proves problematic. This will be discussed a little later. As problematic as the packaging proves, it is not enough to doom the presentation. To that end, there is one more positive, the bonus content that accompanies the documentary. This will be addressed later, too. Each item noted here is key in its own way to the whole of Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd. All things considered they make Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd still worth watching.
Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, the new documentary from Mercury Studios focusing on the life and career of Pink Floyd’s eccentric founding guitarist, is a fully engaging presentation. Its appeal comes in large part through its story and how the story is told. As noted, it is obviously about Barrett, his influence on Pink Floyd during the band’s infancy and his life and career after he parted with the band so early in its life. The story is told through firsthand accounts from his former band mates – Roger Waters and David Gilmour – and his friends and even former girlfriends. All involved dispel the long-held belief that Barrett’s departure from Pink Floyd was due to a drug-induced psychosis, instead collectively painting a picture of Barrett as being somewhat emotionally separated from others, including his own band mates. That is seemingly due to his being more artistically minded. That artistic bent is pointed out numerous times throughout the story by all involved. At the same time, one cannot help but wonder, as a result of some of the interviews, that maybe Barrett may have also suffered from some then undiagnosed mental illness, considering certain behaviors that are illustrated throughout. Even director Roddy Bogawa wonders about this during his bonus interview. This will be addressed at more length later. Overall, the story that is told by Barrett’s friends and family give a poignant new look at his life and career that is certain to keep audiences engaged throughout its approximately two-hour run time.
While the story featured at the heart of Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd is fully engaging, the foundation that it forms is somewhat weakened by the packaging of the discs on which the story is contained. The packaging in question is a cardboard “booklet” style container. The DVD and Blu-ray each have their own space inside. The problem is that they are not on any plastic spindle inside. Rather, they slide (in difficult fashion at that) in and out of the “case.” The worry here is that because the packaging of the discs is so tight, it is beyond easy to get fingerprints on discs, leading to the need to wipe them down quite often. It also creates the concern of the “case” ripping as the discs are pulled out. This is not the first time that Mercury Studios has gone through route in recent months with its releases. It did the same thing with its re-issues of recordings from Motley Crue and Peter Gabriel. Why officials with Mercury Studio continue to go this route with the packaging is anyone’s guess. Luckily it is not enough to doom the presentation even as concerning as it is to the whole. That being said, there is still at least one more positive to note. That positive is the bonus content that accompanies the documentary.
The most notable of the documentary’s bonuses is the previously addressed interview with director Roddy Bogawa. As previously pointed out, Bogawa questions to himself if Barrett’s much talked about life and career was the result of a potential mental illness that he might have had and how it could have been exacerbated by drug use. It is an intriguing thought that audiences cannot help but think about in receiving the consideration. Bogawa also tells the story of how the documentary came about. He explains that his partnership with late artist Storm Thorgerson started when he discovered that Thorgerson worked for a company that designed the art for a number of the albums that were in his own music library. He adds that so few Pink Floyd documentaries had focused primarily on Barrett, tying the two together to explain what led him to take on the project. The anecdote makes for its own share of interest.
Also of interest is the recitation of some of Barrett’s lyrics. One song in particular (Which will be left for audiences to take in for themselves) truly does prove so sad and perhaps offers a glimpse into Barrett’s mental state in being read sans any music. The other song, in being read aloud, comes across as someone who is just out there in another mindset. On the surface the readings do not seem like much but in the bigger picture do help to add to the bigger discussion on who Syd Barrett was, what made him write how he did, etc.
The two bonus performances of ‘Arnold Layne,’ which was written by Barrett add one more touch to the whole. The 2006 performance at the Famed Royal Albert Hall and featured a performance by another legend, David Bowie (R.I.P.), is so fun in itself. All things considered here, the bonus content that accompanies the documentary makes for its own share of engagement and entertainment. When that overall enjoyment pairs with the engagement ensured through the documentary’s primary content, the whole makes Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd well worth watching and another welcome addition to this year’s field of new overall documentaries.
Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd, the brand-new examination of Pink Floyd guitarist Syd Barrett, is an interesting new examination of a man who has come to be known as one of music’s most unique figures. The documentary’s appeal comes largely through its story and how that story is told. It is told through the words of those who knew Barrett best and paints quite an intriguing new picture of the eccentric musician and artist. While the story is sure to engage audiences, the packaging of the two-disc set proves problematic, taking away from some of the overall appeal. That is because the packaging leaves no doubt, audiences will have to wipe off fingerprints quite a bit while also hoping the packaging does not rip in trying to remove the discs from the tight cardboard “sleeve.” Getting back to the positive, the bonus content that accompanies the documentary adds its own appeal. That is because of the extra insight and entertainment that it offers. When it is collectively considered alongside the documentary’s main program, that whole makes the program overall well worth the watch by Pink Floyd and rock fans alike.
Have You Got It Yet?: The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd is available now through Mercury Studios. More information on this and other titles from Mercury Studios is available at:
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