Felix Atagong's Unfinished Projec

Gretta Speaks

Entry 1658

In the interview that Ig - or should we say Evelyn? - gave after nearly 40 years of silence in The Croydon Guardian she remembers how she helped Syd to paint the floorboards that would give an extra psychedelic feel to The Madcap Laughs cover picture.

When Mick turned up to take the photos I helped paint the floor boards for the shoot, I was covered in paint, I still remember the smell of it.

But Ig, as we will keep on calling her, isn’t the only one remembering. Also present were Rusty and Margaretta, better known as Gretta:

I remember that Iggy was involved with the floor painting project and that she had paint all over her during the floor painting time but I was not involved with the painting of the floor.

For the first time in over 40 years and exclusively to The Holy Church of iggy the Inuit Margaretta 'Gretta' Barclay talks about her Syd Barrett days: Gretta Speaks.

Iggy's first interview in 40 years

Entry 1629

Last week The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit published the incredible news that Ig had been traced back. This was a world exclusive as no other news medium had reported this before.

Kirsty Whalley, from The Croydon Guardian, has now managed to interview Iggy, an interview that can be found in today’s issue of this newspaper.

Iggy's first interview in 40 years

In the next weeks the Church will scrutinize the interview, and comments will be added where appropriate.

Goofer Dust

Entry 1627

The Holy Igquisition has been summoned to investigate the many rumours that an article in the March issue of the highly appreciated music magazine Mojo, In My Room, written by heretic Paul Drummond, uses many facts and figures that have been originally published by the Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit, but without acknowledgment whatsoever.

If after deep consideration, examination and cogitation this should be considered proven, the Holy Igquisition warrior troops will siege the Mojo headquarters under the motto ‘"Tuez-les tous; Iggy reconnaitra les siens".

And if that will be asking a little bit too much, a new article at The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit might me envisaged as well: Goofer Dust.

(I've got my) Mojo (working...)

Entry 1625

As if the world has suddenly been hit by a temporal rift in spacetime the March 2010 issue of Mojo music magazine has hit the stores bearing a big (slightly photoshopped) portrait of a mister Syd Barrett. The well-written and rather accurate cover article, by Pat Gilbert, ranges from page 70 to 81 and tells the story of The Madcap Laughs, Syd Barrett’s first solo album.

Two other articles are of particular interest to the Church as they describe the mythical presence of a ‘girl whose naked body graced the back cover of The Madcap Laughs’.

This week's instalment at the Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit discusses Mark Blake's Who’s That Girl article. Next week's post will cover the second Iggy-related article from Mojo 196: In My Room, written by Paul Drummond, containing interviews with Duggie Fields, Mick Rock, Storm Thorgerson and Jenny Spires.

A Bay of Hope

Entry 1612

Last week a professional rock memorabilia seller put some pictures for sale that he described as:

4 X ORIGINAL MICK ROCK PHOTOGRAPHS TAKEN AND PRINTED IN 1974 SHOWING SYD IN HIS FLAT WITH PAINTED BOARDS

The 4 prints show Syd Barrett in his apartment and date from The Madcap Laughs photo sessions where both Mick Rock and Storm Thorgerson showed up.

The most recent article at The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit explains that:

¤ the pictures date from 1969, not 1974
¤ belong to the Hipgnosis photo shoot (not Mick Rock's)

...and introduces a new photo gallery called StormWatch, dedicated to the fine art of Mr. Storm Thorgerson.

A Bay of Hope, now appearing on browsers all over the world.

From Dusty till Dawn

Entry 1599

When JenS, who may well have been the person who introduced Ig to Syd Barrett, told the Church that they both went to a Dusty Springfield party the Reverend was absolutely certain that he had found a solid path to unravel more about Ig’s past.

The Church found it relevant to investigate if there really had been an Ig – Dusty – Ready Steady Go! connection somewhere and if some witnesses still remember her...

The latest post at The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit contains testimonies from:
Douggie Reece, bass player (and singer) of Dusty's 60's band The Echoes and
Vicki Wickham, friend, manager and author of Springfield's biography.

The Style Council

Entry 1592

The Cromwellian existed since 1964 or 1965 and in the autumn of that year jazz-singer, writer, critic and generally bad tempered journalist Georges Melly wrote a piece about the place, that was later re-printed in his excellent account of the pop art days in Britain Revolt Into Style. In contradiction with most flower power studies his book did not appear two decades or more after the facts happened. Melly wrote his essays when Swingin’ London was still swinging although it was slightly running out of breath. The Reverend finds it funny how many of the anecdotes that Melly has noted on the spot can now be found in other books.

Starring in the latest post from The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit (in order of appearance):

Georges Melly
Roy Harrod
Bart Kimber
Georgie Fame
The Zombies
The New Faces
Jonathan King
Dusty Springfield
The Beatles
The Rolling Stones
The Animals
Princess Margaret
Lord Snowdon
Jimi Hendrix
Syd Barrett and... introducing...
Iggy the Inuit

Catwoman

Entry 1589

Rejoice, dear followers of the Esqimau, as The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit celebrates its first birthday. On the eight day of the eighth month of the eight year of the second Millenium the Church was born.

In the summer of 2006 Denis Combet, professor at Brandon University, wrote a collection of poems as a tribute to the musician and painter Roger Keith Barrett who passed away in Cambridge on the 7th of July 2006. The poems describe fragments of Barrett’s life, his youth, his hometown, his friends and relatives and one of them is all about Ig.

The poem From Quetesh to Bastet and its (unpublished) French counterpart De Quétesh à Bastet can be found on The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit.

When I'm 64

Entry 1587

Brethren Dan5482 visited the several Church locations that can be found on the World Wide Web and confessed the following to the Reverend:

Despite all that collective amnesia I think that Iggy can still be found. There are journalists, detectives... who have found more difficult "targets".

However, an intense and widespread interest for her is a necessary condition. Your Church is a source of hope in this sense. It lets many people know that once such a mysterious woman existed.

Time for a roundup.
What happened to Iggy when she closed the door in April, early May of 1970, Ig and left Wetherby Mansions?

All this and more at The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit.

Rock - Paper - Scissors

Entry 1476

Mick Rock in Psychedelic Renegades:

Known only as Iggy, the half-Eskimo girl had momentarily made her way into Syd’s life, and flat, at the time when the (Madcap Laughs) photos were taken. Though not part of the original shoot plan, Iggy was an intriguing accomplice. With no job and little to call her own, Iggy epitomised the free natured spirit of the psychedelic underground.

The Holy Church of Iggy the Inuit is very proud to announce you 3 new Iggy galleries:
Street Life, black & white pictures of Iggy in front of Syd Barrett's house and car.
Bare Flat, colour pictures of Iggy, posing on the background in Syd's apartment.
Rock Bottom, black & white study of Ig.

The rest of the article is well worth the read as well: Rock - Paper - Scissors...