R.I.P. Richard Wright
It’s a sad day for Pink Floyd and music fans alike. Keyboardist and multi-instrumentalist Richard Wright passed away this morning in his London home. At age sixty-five, Wright is the second of the four founding members of Pink Floyd to depart, after Syd Barrett’s death in 2006. The two had both suffered bouts with cancer, which gives new meaning to the lyrics for “Dogs”, off of 1977’s Animals, in which Gilmour sings: “Just another sad old man/All alone and dying of cancer.” Chilling, huh?
Just by listening to any of the Floyd albums, particularly 1967’s The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, one could tell that Wright’s strong instrumentals were a driving force not to be reckoned with. Though, it would be “The Great Gig in the Sky” and “Us and Them” off of 1973’s The Dark Side of the Moon that really set the bar for his musicianship, such extraordinary prowess would continue on throughout the years, especially with the epic “Shine on You Crazy Diamond” off of 1975’s Wish You Were Here.
Though the band had reunited in 2005 for “Live 8,” countless rumors spread for months on end that the fabulous four would return. Unfortunately, that never came to fruition, but fortunately we have the countless LPs and magnificent atmospheres to live and breathe in, thanks much to Wright’s work.
Our thoughts are with you, Wright.
no mention of Summer ‘68 arguably one of the most under appreciated Floyd songs, and my favorite. rest in peace rick.
Well said.
Gone but not forgotten.
“The time is gone, the song is over…thought I’d something more to say.” ~ Pink Floyd, ‘Time’
Summer 68 is good. In terms of old Rick tunes, I like Stay, from Obscured By Clouds, quite a bit. He will be missed but the music lives on.
I posted a tribute at my blog too, at http://isorski.blogspot.com/2008/09/pink-floyds-richard-wright-passes-at-65.html.