Why Jimmy Page Regrets Never Seeing This ‘Genius’ Musician Play Live originally appeared on Parade.
As one of the most legendary rock stars of all time, Jimmy Page has understandably high standards when it comes to music. So it’s no small thing that he credits founding Pink Floyd member Syd Barrett with transforming the rock and roll soundscape forever…or that he still regrets never seeing him play live.
Considering that Page has said he wasn’t a huge fan of the psychedelic music scene, his praise for Barrett over the years is especially significant.
In a 2017 interview with MOJO magazine editor Phil Alexander, Page admitted he that he never had the chance to see Barrett play with Pink Floyd, saying, “I bloody well wished I had!”
“I definitely listened to them and in the day, I saw some of the footage that we’ve all seen now,” he continued, per 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. 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. But what they [Floyd] were doing was seriously experimental and it meant a lot.”
What else did Jimmy Page say about Syd Barrett?
The 2017 interview wasn’t the first time Page raved about Barrett’s talent. In Guitar World magazine editor-in-chief Brad Tolinski‘s 2012 book Light & Shade: Conversations With Jimmy Page, the Led Zeppelin guitarist called Barrett’s writing with Pink Floyd “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.”
What happened to Syd Barrett?
Tragically, after helping to create the sound that would define Pink Floyd for decades, Barrett was kicked out of the band in 1968 following a disastrous tour that was reportedly complicated by his mental health struggles, according to American Songwriter.
After pursuing a solo career, Barrett left the music industry for good a few years later — though his influence would continue to be heard in Pink Floyd’s music, as well as rock and roll in general. He died in 2006 at the age of 60 from pancreatic cancer.
Related: Iconic ’60s Rockers Have Fans Saying They’d ‘Give a Kidney’ to See Them Reunite
Why Jimmy Page Regrets Never Seeing This ‘Genius’ Musician Play Live first appeared on Parade on Jul 29, 2025
This story was originally reported by Parade on Jul 29, 2025, where it first appeared.
