Music Banter - 3 Artists that NEED to be better known

1. Syd Barrett (1946 - 2006). After Pink Floyd gave him the boot in 1968 for his ever-diminishing mental health, he put out 2 albums (The Madcap Laughs (1970), Barrett (1970)) that were just a little off-beat, a little out there, but in fact were strikingly demonstrative representations of the psyche of a man who didn't quite see eye to eye with the rest of the world. His music was different. It was childish, and at times just flat-out bizarre, but after a while it's endearing, and his music can be a refreshing change-of-pace from the music that so desperately needs to fit formula.

2. Nick Drake (1948 - 1974). He released 3 albums during his all-too-short time among the living (Five Leaves Left (1969), Bryter Layter (1970), Pink Moon (1971)), and to all those lucky enough to have had the opportunity to hear what he was able to produce, they are all regarded with the best ever made. Although each of Drake's records varied substantially, they all revolved around his outstanding-in-its-subtlety guitar playing and his smooth baritone that, when combined with the mellow compositions he made, created an atmosphere that was at times both nostalgic and mesmerizing. Although he wasn't widely recognized until after his death (officially an accidental overdose of anti-depressants), he is considered now, by those who've heard him, as one of music's greatest folk singers. Drake's music and poetry reflect a life lived by a man able to view the world from the outside, his art comes from a prospective profoundly unique, that contributed to his increased isolation and depression in later years, and eventually, to his untimely death.

3. Jeff Buckley (1966 - 1997). Buckley got his start playing in clubs in the East Village of Manhattan, most notably the Sin-e Cafe, where he began to build up a buzz for his deeply personal, highly emotionally-charged performances, his outstanding guitar playing ability, and an ethereal voice that would prove to be one of the best in popular music. His reputation became so widely renowned that Columbia Records signed him, and first recorded 2 sets of the solo music that made him (locally) famous. His first record (Grace (1994)) was acclaimed by critics and fellow musicians for its originality, the same reason it wasn't so widely commercially successful. Jeff drowned in Memphis, Tennessee while still in the process of making his second album "My Sweetheart The Drunk", although what was recorded was released as they were at the time of his death as "Sketches for My Sweetheart The Drunk" in 1997. His guitar playing ability was among the greats. His vocals were unrivaled. His compositions were profound and original. His lyrics were striking, and powerfully heartfelt, and he was driven by a constant desire to improve himself, and to make himself the best artist he could be that made him the most prominent "could-have-been" in music history.

Give these three guys a listen, please discuss, and feel free to post anyone you think needs to be better recognized.