Counter-culture Journals (文革)

Counter-culture Journals (文革)

Monday, September 15, 2008

Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink

One of my favourite musicians responsible for one of my favourite all time bands has died. Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group Pink Floyd, died Monday. He was 65. He has always been a driving force in the band and when he left after a dispute with the album and film, The Wall, the band was never the same again. For all practical purposes, Pink Floyd had died. --史蒂夫・奥多

By MEERA SELVAAssociated Press WriterLONDON -- Richard Wright, a founding member of the rock group PinkFloyd, 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.He says the band member's family did not want to give more detailsabout his death.Wright met Pink Floyd members Roger Waters and Nick Mason in collegeand joined their early band, Sigma 6. Along with the late SydBarrett, the four 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 seenas the group's dominant musical force. The London-born musician andson of a 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"Us And 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 wasrelegated to the status of session musician on the tour of "TheWall," and did not perform 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 Masonand Gilmour again, releasing the albums "The Division Bell" and "AMomentary Lapse of Reason" as Pink Floyd. Wright also released thesolo albums "Wet Dream" (1978) and "Broken China" (1996).In July 2005, Wright, Waters, Mason and Gilmour reunited to performat the "Live 8" charity concert in London — the first time in 25years they had been onstage together.Wright also worked on Gilmour's solo projects, most recently playingon the 2006 album "On An Island" and the accompanying world tour.

Free Four
Pink Floyd
Obscured by Clouds

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