The Camera Eye

by Richard Mahon

NOTE: The following concert videos are being graded as a guide to documenting the live performance history of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters. Past video reviews are posted at the following site - http://members.nbci.com/RichM66/sbarchive.htm

In keeping with the topic of this issue I will be taking a look at some of the Pink Floyd videos in circulation that feature Syd Barrett.

UFO Club, 33 Tottenham Court Road, London January 20, 1967

There are two excerpts from this performance in circulation. One is sourced from a Granada TV documentary "Underground Scene." A different segment was broadcast from a look at the music revolution of 1967 titled "It Was 20 Years Ago Today" (in honor of the 20th Anniversary of the Beatles' Sgt. Pepper album. More recently, this clip was featured on the Pink Floyd special "Behind The Wall", although the audio has interviews with the band members dubbed over the music. Though the clip is short it gives an excellent view of the UFO club. I grade this video A- and the audio VG-E.

Edited promo for "Arnold Layne" March 1967

This video has been shown as a sample many times but a complete version has never surfaced. Some of the footage was included on the MTV Pink Floyd Rockumentary in 1989. Other clips have surfaced from German TV. The video shows the band on the beach with a mannequin and includes excellent close-ups of the band members as they play to the camera. Stills from the video were projected on the background screen during Roger Waters' 1999-2000 tour. The video was aired in its entirety as a break during Waters' 1987 Radio KAOS tour. I grade this video A and the audio E-.
 

"Look Of The Week" BBC-TV May 14, 1967

One of the best live Syd Barrett performances was re-broadcast on the BBC TV series "Sounds Of The Sixties." This video was previously mislabeled as being from The Roundhouse. The clip begins with Barrett's face on the screen as the band starts into "Pow R Toc H". This ends after just 30 seconds. The band then performs "Astronomy Domine." A backdrop of liquid slides and a strobe light are used to great effect. Afterwards, Hans Keller conducts an (unintentionally) humorous interview with Waters & Barrett. Another segment of Barrett being interviewed during the broadcast appeared from a BBC TV special in 1988. I grade this video A and the audio VG-E.

Promo for "The Scarecrow" Pathe Newsreel BBC TV July 8, 1967

This video has been aired by quite a few sources. This is a more conventional music video as opposed to a performance set up. Stills from this film were also aired on the back projection screen during Waters' In The Flesh tour. Set outside, the band walks from place to place with a scarecrow. There aren't many good close-ups in this video. The video is also humorous as the band plays to the camera. I grade this video A and the audio E-.

"American Bandstand" US-TV November 6, 1967

This video, more than any other, offers the viewer a glimpse of Syd Barrett beginning to break down. His eyes are glazed as he half-heartedly mimes "Apples And Oranges." The band is set up on a small stage and the video provides nice close-ups of each band member. The video has a time code running through its duration. There is an interview from this appearance that appears briefly in a recent Pink Floyd video release. A complete version, without the time code, has never fallen into circulation. I grade this video A and the audio VG-E.

Richard Mahon is a staff writer for Spare Bricks