Jimmy Page Reflects on His Biggest Musical Regret of Never Seeing This ‘Genius’ Musician Perform Live
via The Black Crowes / Youtube
Page’s Admiration for Syd Barrett
Jimmy Page, one of rock music’s most respected figures, recently shared that one of his biggest regrets is never seeing Pink Floyd’s Syd Barrett perform live. Though Page wasn’t known for embracing the psychedelic scene, he made it clear that Barrett stood out.
In a 2017 interview with MOJO magazine editor Phil Alexander, Page said, “I bloody well wished I had!” when asked if he’d ever seen Barrett play with Pink Floyd. “I definitely listened to them and in the day, I saw some of the footage that we’ve all seen now,” he added, according to Classic Rock. “Syd Barrett was absolutely unbelievable in terms of what he was doing. He took a step sideways and channelled all this amazing stuff.”
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Respect for Experimental Sound
Page made it clear that while some artists labeled as psychedelic didn’t impress him, Barrett’s work was different. “Their version of psychedelia was very, very cool. But there was stuff that was labelled psychedelia — and not wishing to name names — that was absolutely crap,” he said. “But what they [Floyd] were doing was seriously experimental and it meant a lot.”
His comments highlight how Barrett’s creativity went beyond the trends of the time. To Page, Barrett’s sound wasn’t just unique — it carried weight and meaning.
Earlier Praise from Page
This wasn’t the first time Jimmy Page praised Barrett. In Brad Tolinski’s 2012 book Light & Shade: Conversations With Jimmy Page, Page called Barrett’s early Pink Floyd work “inspirational.”
“Nothing sounded like Barrett before Pink Floyd’s first album,” Page said. “There were so many ideas and so many positive statements. You can really feel the genius there, and it was tragic that he fell apart. Both he and Jimi Hendrix had a futuristic vision in a sense.”
Barrett’s Departure and Legacy
Syd Barrett helped shape the early sound of Pink Floyd but was removed from the band in 1968 after a troubled tour. His mental health struggles made it hard for him to continue performing, according to American Songwriter.
Though he released a few solo records, Barrett left the music industry soon after. Still, his influence never faded. His creative mark remained in Pink Floyd’s later work and inspired other musicians as well. Barrett passed away in 2006 at the age of 60 from pancreatic cancer.
