Owning exactly zero early Floyd CDs...

No. Piper is almost ALL Barrett's stuff but it's definitely different from his solo work, mostly for the sound. It would probably disappoint you nevertheless. Subsequently, PF developed their own style, beginning their transition with Saucerful, which still has Syd's influences here and there (and one Syd's song), but it's already the work of a different band. Anyway I think that the period from Saucerful to Atom Heart Mother has plenty of excellent music, some is weird, OK, and some is just weak (Ummagumma studio), but most of it is worth to be discovered IMO. And no Syd style anymore if it's what you want to know. Why don't you just download some stuff from the net, just to get a sample of what you are going to buy?

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits

I'd start at the beginning if I were you. Enjoy the revelation offered through the evolution.

The Chancellor

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"I'm not such a bad pilot myself"

That sort of nullifies the whole "$30 to spend" thingy, doesn't it?

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is snuggly

Ooops! Silly me- I think that I must have glossed over that part- sorry! Anyway, my advice is still sound, outwith that.

The Chancellor

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"I'm not such a bad pilot myself"

Meddle all the way! The first two albums suck ass.

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Come in here dear boy
have a cigar
you're gonna go far

-RW '75

Good in their own way but the early ones aren't as developed as the later stuff.

suck ass?

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last orders please.

Not necessarily. Just not as good as what came later.

to FULLY understand the Pink Floyd sound, you have to put them in an order and listen to them......

start with Tonite Let's All Make Love In London and Piper At The Gates Of Dawn, then move on to Saucerful Of Secrets, and keep going with the Floyd albums up to Darkside Of The Moon, while listening to Syd's solo stuff on the side, up until around Wish You Were Here, and you can stop listening to his solo stuff, then listen to Animals, and listen to David Gilmour's self titled album on the side (so nice), then The Wall, The Final Cut, while listening to Nick and Rick's stuff on the side, then get yourself 'Momentary Lapse of Reason' and 'Division Bell', while also listening to Rogers solo stuff (so nice), then if you want, buy Echoes The Best Of albums. now you can go back, find the ones you like/dont like, and search for bootleg stuff, live stuff, and rare track albums. of course i didnt list all albums, im just trying to help. you dont need to jump from Piper to Animals, you'd get lost.

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"I open the door, to an empty room, then I forget."

Sounds good.

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"Don't you know there ain't no devil, it's just god when he's drunk." Tom Waits