‘Have You Got It Yet? The Story Of Syd Barrett And Pink Floyd’ Review – A Must Watch For Pink Floyd Fans

Directed By: Roddy Bogawa and Storm Thorgerson

Featuring: Jason Issacs (narrator), Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason, Pete Townshend, Andrew King, Peter Jenner, Noel Fielding

Plot Summary: Syd and Pink Floyd crystallized a cultural moment where anything seemed possible, but where that freedom comes a cost. Was Syd just another drug casualty? Did he suffer from an undiagnosed mental condition? Or did he dislike the attention and the fame as the fun of stardom turned to work and pressure? While there are no clear answers to these questions, there is the feeling by all those around Syd that something went terrible wrong. Have you Got It Yet? is a chronicle and a mosaic of Barrett’s creative and destructive impulses, his captivating presence and absence, a portrait of the complex puzzle that was life.

Call me an old soul but I was obsessed with Pink Floyd as a teenager, and as I grew older, I started to fully appreciate the depth and complexity of their music. When I first started really exploring Pink Floyd’s older music, I of course heard about Syd Barrett. Mainly, that Barrett was something of a mad genius that was so unhinged that he was pushed out of the band. Rumors of his LSD usage were legendary, even by ‘60s standards. Not long after his removal, Pink Floyd would release “The Dark Side of The Moon” on March 1st of 1973. Rightly, it’s considered to be the greatest album of the 20th century and, to this day is the fourth highest selling LP of all time. Director Roddy Bogawa takes fans beyond the rumors, half truths and outright lies, to peel back the fascinating history of a genius. Also, at the same time, the formation of a band would forever change the landscape of music.

Telling the story of a reclusive artist is never easy. Yet, Roddy Bogawa gets the closest to cracking the enigma, dispelling myths that surround Barrett to this day. Interviewed are the remaining members of Pink Floyd, and his colleagues in the industry such as The Who’s Pete Townsend and Blur’s Graham Cox. Not to mention, former friends and girlfriends also help shed light on Syd. This tragic pull between Syd Barrett the drug fueled rockstar and the sensitive Roger (Syd’s real name), is a compelling thread that the film does a great job at exploring.

It also does an admirable job of exploring where rumors about Barrett’s personal life came about and tries to set the record straight. While yes, this is probably the clearest image of Barrett we are likely to get, you cannot help but feel like you never get a strong sense of who he was a person. Though, it is unclear if this was due to interview subjects slightly holding back, or maybe the artist was just that reclusive. Perhaps its because we are used to a time when celebrities have more of a platform to share their inner-thoughts and glimpses into their personalities.

There are touches that make this documentary truly stand out. One of which is the fantastic interstitials of a boy roaming through a very surreal, Pink Floyd style scene. Right away, it is clear that these segments neatly mirror the bands iconography. These are used sparingly, but incredibly effectively. It perfectly captures this dreamy vibe that Barrett conjured up when forming the band. While the story is no doubt a tragic one, the tone is always kept consistent and thankfully, it ends on a sweet note. There are questions that are tough to really answer. What would Pink Floyd have been had Syd Barrett stayed? Would we still have icon albums like “Dark Side of the Moon”, “Wish You Were Here”, “The Wall” and many more? While we will never know, it is vital that props are given to one of the founding members, and the writer of their early hit songs.

For Pink Floyd fans this is a must watch documentary.

Have You Got It Yet? The Story Of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd is currently playing in select theaters courtesy of Abramorama. 

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FtR19VBThkA]