Remember a day

Pink Floyd keyboardist Richard Wright dies, 65; Gilmour: "I never played with anyone quite like him."

By AP, JONATHAN BECK
richard wright 224.88 (photo credit: AP)
richard wright 224.88
(photo credit: AP)
Richard Wright, a founding member of the legendary rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. He was 65. Pink Floyd's spokesman Doug Wright, who is not related to the artist, said Wright died after a battle with cancer at his home in Britain. He said the band member's family did not want to give more details about his death. Wright met Pink Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason in college and joined their early band, Sigma 6. Along with the late Syd Barrett, the four formed Pink Floyd in 1965. The group's jazz-infused rock and drug-laced multimedia "happenings" made them darlings of the London psychedelic scene, and their 1967 album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn, was a hit. In the early days of Pink Floyd, Wright, along with Barrett, was seen as the group's dominant musical force. The London-born musician and son of a biochemist wrote songs and played the keyboard. "Rick's keyboards were an integral part of the Pink Floyd sound" said Joe Boyd, a prominent record producer who worked with Pink Floyd early in its career. Pink Floyd released a series of critically acclaimed and commercially successful albums, of which 1973's Dark Side of the Moon, which has sold more than 40 million copies, has earned the distinction of being one of the most widely known albums not only by Pink Floyd but in all of Rock 'n Roll. Wright wrote The Great Gig In The Sky and Us And Them for that album. In the experimental album Umma Gumma, a double album comprised of one record documenting a live show and another record divided into solo compositions by the four Pink Floyd members, Wright's contribution reveals an artist with influences reaching at times as far as avant-garde composer Gyorgy Ligeti and on the other hand a lyrical ability of almost chopin-esque quality. Wright's contributions to Pink Floyd albums were often among the band's most lyrical moments. Notable examples include Remember a Day and See Saw from A Saucerful of Secrets and Summer '68 from Atom Heart Mother. Wright also worked on the group's epic compositions such as Atom Heart Mother (1970), a seminal album in the history of rock in its spilling-over into the realm of concert music; Echoes from the album Meddle and Shine On You Crazy Diamond, from Wish You Were Here, an album which was dedicated to Syd Barrett, who left the band early in its history and passed away in 2006. But tensions grew between Waters, Wright and fellow band member David Gilmour. The tensions came to a head during the making of Pink Floyd The Wall when Waters insisted Wright be fired. As a result, Wright was relegated to the status of session musician on the tour of The Wall, and did not perform on Pink Floyd's 1983 album The Final Cut. Wright formed a new band, Zee, with Dave Harris, from the band Fashion, and released one album, "Identity," with Atlantic Records. Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 and Wright began recording with Mason and Gilmour again, releasing the albums The Division Bell and A Momentary Lapse of Reason as Pink Floyd. Wright also released the solo albums Wet Dream(1978) and Broken China (1996). In July 2005, Wright, Waters, Mason and Gilmour reunited to perform at the Live 8 charity concert in London - the first time in 25 years they had been onstage together. Wright also worked on Gilmour's solo projects, most recently playing on the 2006 album On An Island and the accompanying world tour. Gilmour paid tribute to Wright Monday, saying his input was often forgotten. "He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound," he said. "I have never played with anyone quite like him."