A special and sad one today. In memoriam of Richard Wright, the keyboard player from Pink Floyd who died this week, too young at 65 from liver cancer. I have been listening to a lot of Floyd this week.
I never liked Floyd much when I was a kid. I was more into punk. Many of my friends were huge fans and thought I was a dope. How could I not love this band? I even had the view of the Battesea Power Station from my window, made famous by the cover of Animals. Stupid really. I missed seeing them live in their prime. It was later as my tastes matured that I grew to appreciate and love their music.
They are such a classic band and their music is so enduring. Much more so than the stuff I was listening to in my pseudo-angry teen years. It’s wonderful that even now, their music still attracts new fans. My teenage son came to them on his own. It’s so amazing when you see young guys wearing a DSOM prism shirt or other Floyd paraphernalia, not just because it’s retro cool but because they genuinely love their music.
I think this quote by David Gilmour summed up the guy. Here he is opening Comfortably Numb with David Gilmour.
“In the welter of arguments about who or what was Pink Floyd, Rick’s
enormous input was frequently forgotten. He was gentle, unassuming and
private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical
components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound.”
It was hard to find a good video of Richard Wright as he fell out with Roger Waters and never played with Floyd again whenever Roger Waters was in the band. I found the one below from a recent concert with David Gilmour. .
I discovered when the offspring gave me an iPod for Mother’s Day and he shared his iTunes with me, he had everything Pink Floyd ever did on there. It was heartwarming.
It’s amazing how music like Floyd transcends generations
Wright played with the band at the reunion for the G8 concerts, which was spectacular to watch even on television:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=11UUVzlI6hI&feature=related
I have been thinking for some time now that theirs is actual classical music. Not classic rock. Certainly the grandest music to come from rock.
I love this band.
I have been with Floyd all the way, all the time. I didn’t discriminate when they fell apart. I just kept track of them individually and collectively still going to all the concerts where ever and when ever. Now they are three, and David wants to go forward, but with all the old Floyd stuff if his latest Gdansk CD!!!
Their music will last forever and so will Rick’s memory. Bury the hatchet. Enough is enough. Peace and love