Have You Got It Yet? The Story of Syd Barrett and Pink Floyd speaks to my love of documentaries about tortured geniuses. But, I still don’t like Pink Floyd. This is where people come out of the woodwork to moan about staying objective with this sort of thing. I get it and I realize that Pink Floyd has a big fanbase. But, I’ll say it took me 17 years to watch The Wall in its entirety. Take it away, Syd Barrett.
Guiding Lights burn out fast
Syd Barrett is more legend than artist anymore. So, it was fun to have the two directors sharpen this documentary to make people in 2023 understand Barrett’s importance. He created the sound and formula that would influence Psychedelic rock to this day. But, he was too real and found himself breaking down further and further. Even Pink Floyd left him far behind in 1968 and I don’t blame them.
What could have turned into a standard rock documentary becomes something else. Many will call it impersonal or say that it wasn’t human enough to Syd Barrett. But, I appreciate the feel that Have You Got It Yet gives us. Have you ever had a friend or a distant relation that people talk about in quiet whispers die or show up at random intervals. Nobody knows how to approach them, but they treasure what they brought in better days.
So when a bald random man shows up to the 1975 recording sessions and reveals himself to be Syd Barrett, you can understand how they were taken aback. The talking head interviews do a great job of capturing that unease of being brought face to face with the changed familiar. And, you even get that sense of sadness permeating throughout all of Have You Got It Yet.
Shine On, You Crazy Diamond
Pink Floyd became the band they are remembered for being when Roger Waters took over after Syd Barrett sat out. While Have You Got It Yet focuses on Barrett, so much of the material is about how the band responded around them. As Barrett losing his mental battles put the band in danger. After all, they were just breaking through to a wider audience and Barrett was mentally checking out.
It’s not fun to watch anyone you love mentally decline and the documentary manages to capture that in a way where Pink Floyd doesn’t even matter. Have You Got It Yet is about an artist realizing they were slipping away and trying to figure out how they were going to spend the rest of their life. I know we have some readers that bemoan including any Joe Rogan clips, but I felt the below piece from Roger Waters made an excellent side point to what is discussed in Have You Got It Yet.
Where Have You Got It Yet succeeds
Rock documentaries ebb and flow based on how much the involved artists are willing to contribute. Seeing as how Barrett is dead and his base audience is shrinking and shrinking, you are left hoping that you can connect with people on a basic human level. Syd Barrett is a tragic figure and you feel terrible for what happened to him.
But, Have You Got It Yet doesn’t dwell on the success or the art and wants us to feel for Barrett as a person. Between his surviving friends, co-workers and family…we get that sense and the careful narration brings us into this world. It’s a very endearing way to stage a documentary and one that I hope to see a lot more.
