Founding Pink Floyd Member Richard Wright Dead at 65

Richard Wright, the keyboard player and founding member of Pink Floyd, died yesterday at his home in Britain. He had cancer and was 65 years old. Wright was one of four original 1965 members of Pink Floyd along with Roger Waters, the late Syd Barrett, and Nick Mason. Barrett was later replaced by David Gilmour. Wright played with this Pink Floyd configuration through 1982's Pink Floyd "The Wall" Album and tour. There were lots of tensions between bandmates at this time and Roger Waters wanted Wright to be fired. Wright wound up playing as a "session player" on this tour and was not on "The Final Cut" Album, which was heavily influenced, and obviously creatively controlled by Roger Waters. Wright later resurfaced with the reformed Pink Floyd in their post-Waters incarnation on both "The Division Bell" and "A Momentary Lapse Of Reason" albums and tours. He also released his own solo albums "Wet Dream"(1978) (which I've heard and is very good) and Broken China(1996). What comes to my mind when thinking of Wrights playing is Pink Floyd's "Animals". His playing is incredible on this album. "Sheep" in particular is running through my head.

Harmlessly passing your time in the grassland away...

Wright, Waters, Gilmour, and Mason did reunite for one show in July '05 for the Live 8 charity concert in London. This sparked some speculation as to whether they would tour again, and I for one was very hopeful at the time. I had only seen Pink Floyd once on the "Momentary.." tour at Giant's Stadium. It was an incredibly spectacular event musically and visually. I also saw Gilmour two or three times on his solo tours in the 80's at Jones Beach and the Beacon Theatre in NYC. I thought these were great shows. I also saw Roger Waters twice on his "Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking" Tours, once with Eric Clapton on guitar and once without him (Andy Fairweather Low played at Radio City Music Hall), on his "Radio KAOS" tour, and on his recent tours in the past 10 years or so. Once recently at Madison Square Garden playing "Dark Side of The Moon" and other great Pink Floyd material. Too bad the Pink Floyd didn't tour together as the quartet before Wright passed away. I would have loved to have seen it happen.

Shine On You Crazy Diamond...Your at that Great Gig In The Sky...