10. He watched a documentary about his own life – and didn’t like it.
Barrett didn’t like to revisit his pop-star past, and often became extremely upset by reminders of the period. But one notable exception took place in November 2001, when the BBC aired an Omnibustelevision special about his own life. Intrigued, he decided to tune in.
“I was very surprised that he did watch,” remembered Breen, who quietly assisted the documentary producers without her brother’s knowledge. “He came to watch it with me. He didn’t enjoy it. He didn’t like it – he didn’t quite know what was going on, I don’t think. He just said, ‘It’s very noisy. The music’s very noisy.’”
While he apparently enjoyed hearing the early Pink Floyd hit “See Emily Play” and seeing his old mentor, onetime landlord Mike Leonard, it was not a pleasant experience for Barrett. “He didn’t enjoy it, no,” says Breen. “Another life, another person.”