Pink Floyd member Richard Wright dies age 65 By MEERA SELVA | Monday, September 15, 2008 | 1 comment(s) LONDON - Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd,died Monday. He was 65. Pink Floyd's spokesman Doug Wright, who is not related to the artist,said Wright died after a battle with cancer at his home in Britain. Hesays the band member's family did not want to give more details abouthis death. Wright met Pink Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason in college andjoined their early band, Sigma 6. Along with the late Syd Barrett, thefour formed Pink Floyd in 1965. The group's jazz-infused rock and drug-laced multimedia "happenings"made them darlings of the London psychedelic scene, and their 1967album, "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn," was a hit. In the early days of Pink Floyd, Wright, along with Barrett, was seen asthe group's dominant musical force. The London-born musician and son ofa biochemist wrote songs and sang. The band released a series of commercially and critically successfulalbums including 1973's "Dark Side of the Moon," which has sold morethan 40 million copies. Wright wrote "The Great Gig In The Sky" and "UsAnd Them" for that album, and later worked on the group's epiccompositions such as "Atom Heart Mother," "Echoes" and "Shine On YouCrazy Diamond." But tensions grew between Waters, Wright and fellow band member DavidGilmour. The tensions came to a head during the making of "The Wall"when Waters insisted Wright be fired. As a result, Wright was relegatedto the status of session musician on the tour of "The Wall," and did notperform on Pink Floyd's 1983 album "The Final Cut." Wright formed a new band Zee with Dave Harris, from the band Fashion,and released one album, "Identity," with Atlantic Records. Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 and Wright began recording with Mason andGilmour again, releasing the albums "The Division Bell" and "A MomentaryLapse of Reason" as Pink Floyd. Wright also released the solo albums"Wet Dream" (1978) and "Broken China" (1996). In July 2005, Wright, Waters, Mason and Gilmour reunited to perform atthe "Live 8" charity concert in London _ the first time in 25 years theyhad been onstage together. Wright also worked on Gilmour's solo projects, most recently playing onthe 2006 album "On An Island" and the accompanying world tour. A service of the Associated Press(AP)
GOODBYE PINK FLOYD FOREVER!!!!!!!! IM GONNA GO CRY NOW!!!!
