Syd Barrett, original lead singer of Pink Floyd and inspiration to dozens – maybe even hundreds – of British eccentrics dreaming of being pop musicians, has died.

Barrett, who had retired from music in the early ’70s and lived an anonymous life in his home town of Cambridge, had suffered from diabetes for many years. His work on Pink Floyd’s debut album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, remains a touchstone for British psychedelia, and his solo albums – The Madcap Laughs, Barrett, and rarities/outtakes collection Opel – are sadly brilliant (if occasionally shambling) documents of a man who spent the late ’60s and early ’70s on the brink of madness, occasionally teetered onto the wrong side of dementia. His fellow members of Pink Floyd never forgot their founder; in addition to being paid tribute to in many of the band’s songs, most famously in “Shine On You Crazy Diamond” (but almost certainly on “Brain Damage” as well), David Gilmour made a point of including Barrett’s “Astronomy Domine” on the group’s mid-’90s live album, Pulse.

Farewell, Syd. On “Dark Globe,” you posed the questions, “Won’t you miss me? Wouldn’t you miss me at all?” The answer is utterly unqualified: yes, we will.

A brief discography of Barrett follows after the jump.

For all your Syd Barrett listening needs:

Pink Floyd, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn

Pink Floyd’s debut album sounds so little like the band into which they’d eventually evolve that it’s no wonder fans of Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall are occasionally shocked to discover that anyone other than Roger Waters or David Gilmour has ever been the group’s singer…but, then, it’s not like this album gets much play on classic rock stations. It has, however, influenced a lot of musicians. “Lucifer Sam” has been covered by the Lightning Seeds, however, and heavy metallers Voivod did a faithful version of “Astronomy Domine.” Both Camper Van Beethoven and Teenage Fanclub have tackled “Interstellar Overdrive,” and “Bike,” while not one that’s been covered very often, is one of the great psychedelic pop songs of all time.

Pink Floyd, A Saucerful of Secrets

There’s actually only one Syd Barrett song on this disc, as he was out of his mind on acid – and practically out of the band – by the time the album was recorded. Still, the song in question, “Jugband Blues,” is a perfect closer, both to the album and to Syd’s time with the band. “It’s awfully considerate of you to think of me here,” he sings, “and I’m most obliged to you for making it clear that I’m not here.” Ouch.

Syd Barrett, The Madcap Laughs

It’s a pretty harrowing experience listening to this, Barrett’s solo debut, knowing that not only had he done his fair share of acid, but he’d also done your share, my share, and the share of probably a third of England. Some of it goes absolutely nowhere, like the off-key “Feel,” but when it works, as on “Love You,” “Dark Globe,” opener “Terrapin,” the carnival-esque “Octopus,” and the swirling “No Good Trying,” it’s simply wonderful. “Golden Hair,” based on a James Joyce poem, is particularly transcendent. The album is half produced by Roger Waters and David Gilmour, half by Malcom Jones, head of Harvest Records, the label on which it was released; on the whole, it’s Jones’s work that holds up best.

Syd Barrett, Barrett

Done with further Floyd assistance (Gilmour plus organist Rick Wright) as well as help from Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley, this is a better-produced work that, on the whole, isn’t as strong as its predecessor…but the songs that are good, like “Baby Lemonade,” “Gigolo Aunt,” and the brilliantly silly “Effervescing Elephant,” are among the best in Barrett’s catalog. Come to think of it, “Wined and Dined” is pretty good, too.

Syd Barrett, Opel

Though really just a collection of outtakes and alternate takes, this is arguably just as good as the two proper Barrett albums. The title track is one of the best thing he ever recorded, the version of “Dark Globe” (known here as “Wouldn’t You Miss Me”) is ostensibly better than the one that made the cut for The Madcap Laughs, and, well, can’t say much for “The Word Song,” but “Let’s Split” is simultaneously silly and depressing as it shows how hard it was for Syd to concentrate in the studio.

There are two best-of collections, as well as a box set that’s chock full of alternate takes, a “Peel Sessions” EP, and a disc of Barrett’s Radio One sessions. Either of the best-of discs are a good starting point, but the most recent is probably your best bet:

Wouldn’t You Miss Me – The Best of Syd Barrett