Pink Floyd co-founder dies

[gomro]

Pink Floyd co-founder and keyboard player Richard Wright died yesterday of cancer.  He was not a flashy virtuoso, like many "progressive rock" keyboard players of his era, but the textures and sounds he evoked from his instruments were responsible for defining the "Pink Floyd Sound," and he wrote quite a few of their most famous numbers. Eventually he and bass player Roger Waters fell out -- something that apparently happens to anyone that stays in Roger Waters' company more than ten minutes --and he left the band, though he returned for David Gilmour's Waters-less version of the band and their two discs, Momentary Lapse of Reason (one of the best things recorded by any band called Pink Floyd, imho) and The Division Bell (which proved that, finally, the band had nothing left to say. Also imho, natch.).

R.I.P., Rick  -- enjoy the great gig in the sky.

[Great Gable]

I am shocked to see so little reponse to this, even if this is a classical forum.

A truly sad day - Rick Wright, by all accounts, was a smashing guy. His contributions, often understated, were an essential element for the Pink Floyd sound. I, for one, will miss him.

[Solitary Wanderer]

Yep, I gasped when I read this on the BBC site first thing this morning.

These 'rock' musicians sure don't live long into old age. 65 is too 'young' to be shuffling off your mortoil coil these days.

His keyboard textures on Wish You Were Here are sublime.

RIP  0:)

[vandermolen]

Was sad to hear this. Meddle and Wish you were Here are my favourites RIP.

[karlhenning]

These 'rock' musicians sure don't live long into old age. 65 is too 'young' to be shuffling off your mortoil coil these days.

The only time I 'saw' Richard Wright, was in video for whose filming Wright's preparation seemed largely to consist of illicit substances.  Maybe 65 is advanced age for that lifestyle.

[Dundonnell]

Having gone to see the band twice in my earlier days, I would endorse these sentiments

Of all 'rock' bands Pink Floyd produced the most glorious 'orchestral' sounds at times and certainly stand the best chance of immortality. It is amazing that so many young people are continually discovering their music-which is a relatively rare phenomenon in popular music.

[маразм1]

sad day!

[mn dave]

Most rock guys I know can't stand Pink Floyd.

Too bad though. I was a fan at one time.

[karlhenning]

Most rock guys I know can't stand Pink Floyd.

Too bad though. I was a fan at one time.

I never took to the pre-Dark Side recordings;  and Animals (worse still, Brick) struck me as Waters spiraling into self-indulgence.

But Wish You Were Here seems to me perfect and magnificent.

[ChamberNut]

I never took to the pre-Dark Side recordings

I LOVE the pre-Dark Side era.  Favorite albums being Atom Heart Mother and Meddle.  Ummagauma is quite interesting too.

One of the very few 'rock' bands I can still stomach listening to, and even that, is seldom.

R.I.P. Richard Wright.   0:)

[karlhenning]

A year or so ago, I read with avid interest The Act You've Known for All These Years: A Year in the Life of Sgt Pepper and Friends. (The Floyd were recording Piper at the Gates of Dawn at Abbey Road in the same period that the Beatles were at work on Sgt Pepper.)  Then more than ever, I thought I should give the debut album a listen (roughly coincided with the lavish cd reissue);  but I find it nearly unlistenable.

Who knows, though, maybe I'll try it again in ten years, and think the world of it?

[mn dave]

I like their very first album best.

[karlhenning]

I LOVE the pre-Dark Side era.  Favorite albums being Atom Heart Mother and Meddle.  Ummagauma is quite interesting too.

I like their very first album best.

Well, and an old mate from undergrad days was a great Floyd fan, loved all their stuff from Piper on through The Wall . . . so I realize it's just my ear not aligning with the music.

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

I am shocked to see so little reponse to this, even if this is a classical forum.

I honestly didn't care.

[Lethevich]

I honestly didn't care.

I've never even heard a full song by them (just the usual clips of stuff on TV, etc), eek. I guess there are quite a few non-Floydians like us on the forum

[маразм1]

I honestly didn't care.

that's a shame! 

[Tapio Dmitriyevich]

Their music is completely uninteresting for me. I guess this is allowed

[маразм1]

Their music is completely uninteresting for me. I guess this is allowed

give some examples of music that does interest you.

[drogulus]

    My favorites were the first one with the original singer/guitarist Syd Barrett, also the principle songwriter. After that Ummagumma and Meddle were outstanding. The Dark Side album suffers a great deal from the Stairway to Heaven syndrome. I've heard it so much that I no longer want to hear it. It's too bad, since it's one of the great albums of that era. Wish You Were Here and Animals are fine works.

    I particularly admired the bands commitment to sonic and production excellence. They were quite innovative in that respect. And they were very good at recreating that sound in live performances.

[vandermolen]

I rather liked the album 'Animals', especially the cover image of the flying pig over Battersea Power Station.