While riding on the back, Syd Barrett records his friend's 1966 BSA Lightning with a handheld cassette recorder. Tripping on acid. The recordings will eventually be used on the "Rhamadan" demo track. Looking through at some bits of paper with Rhamadan down Malcolm Jones (producer) recalled the 3 hours that they tried to put overdubs of a motorcycle onto the Rhamadan track. The song would last nearly 18 minutes with no apparent direction what-so-ever.
Malcolm Jones: "Oh it's a good idea, the motor bike, it's just that the thing he had was this terrible little cassette player, I mean you know what cassette players were like in those days."
Sure, Malcom, blame the cassette recorder not the guy on acid hanging off the bike trying to record it.
The 1966 BSA A65L Lightning was the successor to the A65 Royal Star which was discontinued in 1965. Roger Waters became Pink Floyd's primary lyricist after Syd Barrett was discontinued in 1968.
Today in motorcycle history proudly supports the National Association for Bikers with a Disability (NABD). Check 'em out at www.nabd.org.uk
