One of the founder members of Pink Floyd, Richard Wright, has died aged 65 following a short battle against cancer.
The self-taught pianist formed the band with bassist Roger Waters and drummer Nick Mason in 1965 at London’s Regent Street School of Architecture. The Great Gig In The Sky and Us And Them, both from the 1973 album ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’, were undoubtedly his most well-known compositions but he also wrote and sang numerous other tracks.
Wright left Pink Floyd shortly after they produced The Wall, when his relationship with Roger Waters became increasingly more difficult, and only officially rejoined after the departure of Waters. He was, however, contracted as a session musician for live concerts during 1980 and 1981. The only Floyd album he didn’t actually appear on was The Final Cut, released in 1983, but he did take part in every single tour.
He contributed keyboards and vocals on the excellent 1987 album ‘Momentary Lapse of Reason’ and co-wrote five of the tracks on the 1994 album ‘The Division Bell’, singing lead vocals on ‘Wearing the Inside Out’.
He joined the remaining members of the band for ‘Live 8’ in 2005 and also contributed vocals and keyboards to Dave Gilmour’s 2006 solo album ‘On An Island’ and performed with his own touring band in Europe and the US.
Wright released two solo albums, but they never attracted the band’s level of critical acclaim.
Richard Wright will be long remembered as a great part of a great band…R.I.P.