Rick Wright (1943 - 2008)

Where to begin.

Two down, three left. Rick Wright of Pink Floyd (pictured front and center above) died on Monday due to complications with cancer. Last year Syd Barret died (the band's founder). That leaves Roger Waters, Nick Mason, and David Gilmour (who joined the band later) left to carry on the legacy.

This apparently happened Monday, but I just found out yesterday, so my apologies to any die-hard Floyd fans who read this late.

Last night I went home and dug up some old Floyd albums I hadn't listened to in a long time. This morning, on my way in to work, I had Money blaring out of my truck speakers.

I'm in the high-fidelity first class travelling set and I think I need a Leer Jet!

Rick was the piano player/keyboardist for the 4 man band (5 members because David Gilmour took over lead guitar from Syd Barrett in 1969). Rick was one of the 4 original founders, and after a brief respite in the early 80s he returned to write and tour with them for another 25 years.

The band had a history of stormy weather from it's creation in 1967 through to present day. In 1969 Syd Barret (the band's founder) began to lose his mind in what many attribute to years of drug abuse. At that point David Gilmour took lead guitar and the band produced several more albums before making it huge with 1973's dark Side of The Moon (still one of Billboard Magazine's top 10 best selling albums of all times).

In the mid 70s they put out an album about every two years. Roger Waters began to steer the group at that point, and even said in a 1988 interview "By that time it was my band." In 1979 they realeased one of their better known albums, The Wall, which became a hit MGM movie the following year. It was after that album that Wright took a break from the group. It was said in interviews that Wright was going through a nervous breakdown of his own in those years, and tried to find relief in excessive cocaine use. Waters states that the lyrics he wrote for the song Nobody Home reflected his images of Wright at the time...

I've got nicotine stains on my fingers,
I've got a silver spoon on a chain,
Got a grand piano to prop up my mortal remains

Three years later Waters left the band, and in 1987 Wright returned and was a full participant again under the leadership of David Gilmour. They had two very successful albums in the late 80s and early 90s (A Momentary Lapse of Reason, and The Division Bell).

In 2006, during the St. Petersburg G8 Summit, Bob Geldof organised Live 8 and had several popular bands come together for days of concerts all to benefit African poverty. Waters and Gilmour had been at odds for years, and had not performed together for nearly 17 years. Geldof used his friendship with the band members to convince the four to get together once more for the sake of charity. I remember watching the Floyd set on TV that year, and it was moving to see all 4 of them up there together, putting aside their differences for the greater good. I don't think I'll ever forget that image of them standing there arm in arm waving to the ecstatic crowd after their set. The sense of togetherness was emotional and moving.

This is by no means supposed to be an epitaph or official obituary for Rick... Just some personal feelings that I had and wanted to share. Bye, Rick! You'll be missed, buddy!

Would you like to say something before you leave?

Perhaps you'd care to state exactly how you feel?

We said goodbye before we said hello...