Syd Barrett's Surprise Visit to Abbey Road During 'Wish You Were Here' Sessions

The most heartbreaking moment in Pink Floyd lore might be the day Syd Barrett wandered into Abbey Road Studios in 1974 while the band was mixing “Shine On You Crazy Diamond”—a song written as a tribute to him. He was heavy, bald, with shaved eyebrows; nobody recognized him at first. Someone finally asked who he was. He said, “I’m Syd. Who are you?”

He sat in the control room and listened to the song about his own mental collapse, occasionally offering a vague comment like “I’ve got a car, you know.” He didn’t seem to connect the lyrics to himself. After a few minutes, he stood up and left. The band watched him walk away, crushed. That was the last time most of them ever saw him.