What's WRONG? At CLUB DEAD, the bell tolls for keyboardist Richard Wright, founding member of Pink Floyd, and author of several classics, including "Us and Them" and "Shine On You Crazy Diamond." Wright died of cancer at the age of 65. (His family is requesting privacy as to any additional information about his death.) Petty infighting removed him from his rightful place. Even if there were a Pink, it wouldn't have been him.
In Have a Cigar, Pink Floyd spoofs a comment by a record company exec, who, upon meeting the band, asks "Which one's Pink?" Even if there had been a definitive front man for the band, Richard Wright wouldn't have fit the bill. But it's hard to dispute the idea that his experimental keyboard stylings were the pistons under Pink's hood.
Musicians universally despise the "they sound like so-and-so" comment. They spend years crafting their art, and some aspiring journalist hears a few cuts, and brands them as a soundalike cover band. With Pink Floyd, there was virtually no obvious predecessor. But there was the everpresent sound of Richard Wright's keyboard, binding the parts together, its majesty infused with psychedelic tranqility.
Unlike bandmates, Syd Barrett, David Gilmour, and Roger Waters, Wright tended to escape the solo attention that came with being a rock star. As Pink Floyd emerged from the mid-Sixties London counterculture, Wright gradually shied from his place in the spotlight once Barrett left the band due to mental and emotional quirks, and especially with the unrivaled success of Dark Side of the Moon. The album spent fourteen years on the Billboard Top 200, the Bible of music industry retail sales.
The next Pink Floyd LP, Wish You Were Here featured a song Wright composed on Barrett's honor: Shine On You Crazy Diamond
Wright had a public falling out with the band, and was exiled from the inner circle after the release of The Wall, though he later made contributions to projects and tours by other Floyd members.
Live 8, the 2005 charity show, featured a reunited Floyd (minus Barrett) performing live in London for the first time in over two decades.
Shameless Plug: On my Steven Kelly Page at WABX.net, you'll find instructions for the "Dark Side of the Rainbow" synchronization of Pink Floyd and The Wizard of Oz
And here, some video of Richard Wright's contributions to the Floyd.
What might they have done had they not fallen from grace with each other?
On the other had, screw him; he's dead. Let's go look for crocodiles.
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