It reached #40 in the UK at the time and was fairly well-reviewed, though many critics have since pointed out the nakedness of some of songs, such as 'Dark Globe' and 'Feel', to be somewhat despairing and reflecting Barrett's anguished mental state at the time.

'Octopus' was released as a single in November 1969 and the album itself followed in January 1970.

After several months of intermittent recording, the album was finally deemed complete. Even worse, Syd would not allow the musicians to rehearse or re-record their overdubs, insisting that they sounded fine. This was all much to the frustration of the session musicians a close listen to several tracks will reveal the backing band hovering uncertainly here, or being caught off-guard by a chord change there. Unfortunately, Syd's playing and singing were highly erratic and unpredictable-he skipped or added beats seemingly at random, or otherwise he would strum on a single note for a long time before unexpectedly reverting to the main portion of the song.

The album featured a rather unorthodox recording process, in which Syd would provide a backing track of his own singing accompanied by acoustic guitar, over which the session musicians would overdub the rest of the arrangement.

Roger Waters and David Gilmour were in the process of completing Pink Floyd's ambitious Ummagumma album when they got involved with The Madcap Laughs that July and helped Barrett finish his album.

His working style, which was often unfocused, proved to exasperate the production team, and after several sporadic sessions, two more producers - well known to Barrett - were called in to help. Session musicians, namely, members of The Soft Machine, as well as Humble Pie drummer Jerry Shirley were also called in to augment Barrett's songs.

In April 1969, Malcolm Jones took over the project and Barrett began working on newer material, while reworking the 1968 recordings.

Although the sessions were brief, and they produced some fine material, the project was abandoned for almost a year while Barrett spent much of the year as a recluse.

After leaving his parent group, Barrett began recording sessions with former Pink Floyd-turned-Syd Barrett manager Peter Jenner in May 1968.

Robert Wyatt - Drums on 2 and 3 (from Soft Machine).

Mike Ratledge - Keyboards on 2 and 3 (from Soft Machine).

Hugh Hopper - Bass on 2 and 3 (from Soft Machine).Dark Globe(Wouldn't You Miss Me?) (2:02).This is a neo-classic if there ever was such a thing. While the climbing is probably safe, long falls on this route are possible if you're trying hard, hence my giving it a PG-13 rating. This is the crux: huge lockoffs on good holds and fiddling in small wires in a vague, crack-like seam.ДЄ single 70m rope allows rappel from the anchors atop the formation all the way back to the staging area at the base.

In any case, regroup and launch straight up onto the overhanging, chocolaty checkerboard face above. This is a hands-free sit down rest and the route could be done in two pitches with a belay here. Anyway, a few more moves leads to a thank-god placement, then some easier climbing to an intermediate anchor at a small stance. A bolt here would have changed everything - I'm very appreciative of the FA's vision in leaving this thing naturally protected where possible, yet reasonably safe, even though as such it is all so unlikely.

Wiggling in 0 and 00 TCU's here is pulse-quickening. Launch up the arete, clipping three bolts, and then move through a steep section utilizing blind, thin horizontals. Here a small TCU in suspect rock will provide some peace of mind for an awkward sequence working leftwards past hollow holds to a very small stance at the base of the left arete of the formation. it's only one pitch, but it feels like an eternity.Д«egin by climbing up and into a huge, overhanging scoop of rock one bolt protects the initial moves, and another in the roof protects a grovelly move onto an airy perch. From the moment you leave the ground this thing keeps after you in one way or another for a long ways. Named after the Syd Barrett (Pink Floyd's early frontman) solo album, The Madcap Laughs is one fine pitch of rock climbing.

The madcap laughs