David Gilmour’s Feelings on Syd Barrett’s Departure and His Post-Pink Floyd Visits

David Gilmour has never framed Syd Barrett’s departure as something he personally feels guilty about, but he’s been open about a broader regret — that the band, perhaps including himself, didn’t do more to help Syd transition or stay connected after he left. In interviews, Gilmour described the 1968 decision as inevitable because Syd was no longer functional, but he’s also said he “felt sorry” for how it all played out and that there was a “sense of loss” that never fully left.

Gilmour did visit Syd after he’d retreated to Cambridge. The most famous visit came in the early 1970s, when Gilmour and Rick Wright tracked Syd down to see how he was doing — they found him in a tiny flat, largely disengaged, and Gilmour recalled the meeting as sad and awkward. Later, in 2006, shortly before Syd died, Gilmour visited him again at his mother’s house. He told reporters Syd seemed at peace but barely spoke. That last visit, Gilmour said, was just to say goodbye — no unfinished business, just two old friends who’d gone down completely different roads.