R.I.P. Richard Wright

[Hurst2112]

Pink Floyd member Richard Wright dies age 65 - Yahoo! News

That's a big kick in the gut. Sad.

[dawgfan]

Damn - Pink Floyd has been a huge part of my musical experience in life. On the upside, I'm glad they decided to go through with the reunion for Live 8.

RIP Richard...

[Scoobz0202]

One of those bands I was hoping for a reunion for. Always wanted to see them. Watched a Pink Floyd Experience band, not the laser light show, but a really talented band going for the Floyd concert experience. Was blown away. Always dreamed of a Floyd concert.


Now it's one of those things I want so bad, but at the same it just wouldn't be the same. Zeppelin is the same..

[path12]

Listening to Shine on You Crazy Diamond right now. RIP.

[Tekneek]

If you ask Roger Waters, Rick Wright was redundant anyway.

These days I mostly enjoy listening to the first singles like "Arnold Layne", "See Emily Play", along with the first couple of albums, plus Wish You Were Here and Animals...although I used to like the entire catalog quite a bit.

Miss ya Rick Wright. I always felt you were under-appreciated, like John Paul Jones of Zeppelin.

[Scoobz0202]

I started listening to Atom Heart Mother after I heard about this and noticed this line in Summer 68, which I believe was written by Wright.

" Would you like to say something before you leave.
Perhaps you'd care to state exactly how you feel.
We said good-bye before we said hello "

[Crim]

ohmygosh

[Sgran]

In the earlier days Wright was an important member of the band, but as Waters took control he had less to do. Waters would often bring in sessions players to do the piano and keyboards on the albums. Wright did do some of the best parts of Dark Side of the Moon, including the piano part on Us and Them. But if you like the earlier stuff -- I love Umma Gumma, for example -- he was an integral part of the band. If you watch Live at Pompeii, you realize that he did a lot of vocals that you weren't aware of, like singing Echoes as a duet with Gilmore.

RIP Richard Wright, now playing the great gig in the sky.

[Hurst2112]

but as Waters took control he had less to do. Waters would often bring in sessions players to do the piano and keyboards on the albums.

yeah, he did that with Nick Mason too. Jeff Porcaro (Toto's first drummer) was the drummer on The Wall. I love waters but that part of his personality really still gets to me.

If you can, watch the DVD of the making of Dark Side. There's some really great footage of Rick talking about his parts for the album. You get a sense of accomplishment from him without any arrogance. He's very humble explaining his parts but you can sense his pride for what he (and they) created on that masterpiece.

I've always thought that that may be the perfect album in production, sonics, lyric content and songwriting. Everything came together and what was created, IMO, is the highest quality, most concise album the world will ever hear.

And that's coming from somebody who isn't the biggest Floyd fan. I only have that and Wish You Were Here in my collection.

oops! Also Animals! How can I forget that! It's my favorite album by them.

[Sun Tzu]

RIP Richard Wright.

Floyd always has been and more than likely always will be my favorite artist.

Thank you

[Tekneek]

Originally Posted by Hurst2112

yeah, he did that with Nick Mason too. Jeff Porcaro (Toto's first drummer) was the drummer on The Wall. I love waters but that part of his personality really still gets to me.

I like Roger and his work, but I do not understand his "my shit does not stink" attitude/arrogance that he still carries to this day.

[Hurst2112]

Originally Posted by Tekneek

I like Roger and his work, but I do not understand his "my shit does not stink" attitude/arrogance that he still carries to this day.

yeah. I don't either. There are those kinds of people in the music world. frustrating to know the true colors of your childhood heroes.

[Buccaneer]

They are still my favorite band of all time and their musical legacy will live on forever.

[saldana]

i am not normally one that laments musicians dying, but when i was a teenager, i probably listened to more Pink Floyd than anything else. i still have the Final Cut on vinyl around here somewhere...might have to go dig that out for some reminicences.

[Crim]

Interestingly, Final Cut is the only floyd album on which Rick didn't appear.

I've been thinking about what Rick's finest Floyd piece was. Haven't nailed down my favorite, but a few finalists spring to mind: Great Gig in the Sky (obvious contender), Shine (second side, mostly), and Careful with that Axe, Eugene (live Ummugumma performance).

I also have had Wearing the Inside Out from Division Bell going round in my head all day, but not so much from a performance standpoint, but from the poignant counterpoint of Rick's and Dave's vocals.

[dawgfan]

Us and Them was a Wright composition (with Waters providing the lyrics) - that's probably my favorite Wright piece.

Not a flashy player, but a very tasteful one. Seemed to lose creative steam after Wish You Were Here (but started to pick up some on Division Bell). Really loved his interaction with Gilmour, both his keyboard work in conjunction with Gilmour's guitar work and in their vocal interplay (Echoes, Time being great examples).

This one hits me pretty hard given the amount of Pink Floyd I listened to growing up.

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Crim

Interestingly, Final Cut is the only floyd album on which Rick didn't appear.

I've been thinking about what Rick's finest Floyd piece was. Haven't nailed down my favorite, but a few finalists spring to mind: Great Gig in the Sky (obvious contender), Shine (second side, mostly), and Careful with that Axe, Eugene (live Ummugumma performance).

I also have had Wearing the Inside Out from Division Bell going round in my head all day, but not so much from a performance standpoint, but from the poignant counterpoint of Rick's and Dave's vocals.

All of the above, plus every single track from PULSE, my favorite album. I love shuffling my Pink Floyd collection and getting "Not Now John" from The Final Cut come up.

[Greyroofoo]

Wow, I was listening to Broken China when I heard the news.

[Buccaneer]

This one hits me pretty hard given the amount of Pink Floyd I listened to growing up.

It didn't hit me because I suppose as one gets older (or my age), it becomes expected that as people age, they will pass away. It's the ones that die tragically young that gets me.

Despite a late start (non-music household), I've been listening to Pink Floyd regularly for 30 years. I will never forget hearing The Wall when it first came out. I was blown away. I had a friend record the album for me on a TDK High Cr02 tape and even at that quality, I wore that tape out.

[Crim]

Also Echoes.

[dawgfan]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

It didn't hit me because I suppose as one gets older (or my age), it becomes expected that as people age, they will pass away. It's the ones that die tragically young that gets me.

For me it's the opposite - tragically young deaths occur all the time in music, but when you see your musical heroes reaching the age where death by natural causes starts becoming common, it makes your own mortality that much more vivid.

Plus, I held out hope that Gilmour and Wright would record together again - I thought they did some interesting work together on The Division Bell that was worth pursuing further.

[path12]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

It didn't hit me because I suppose as one gets older (or my age), it becomes expected that as people age, they will pass away. It's the ones that die tragically young that gets me.

Despite a late start (non-music household), I've been listening to Pink Floyd regularly for 30 years. I will never forget hearing The Wall when it first came out. I was blown away. I had a friend record the album for me on a TDK High Cr02 tape and even at that quality, I wore that tape out.

Heh. I bought it new on 8-track. I'm with you as far as not being hit too hard by it since it was so long ago. Do you remember the original packaging on the Wish You Were Here album? Dark navy, but when unwrapped you had the white album with the picture of the guy on fire shaking hands. I had the stickers and poster from that album on the wall of my bedroom.

[Sgran]

Originally Posted by path12

Heh. I bought it new on 8-track. I'm with you as far as not being hit too hard by it since it was so long ago. Do you remember the original packaging on the Wish You Were Here album? Dark navy, but when unwrapped you had the white album with the picture of the guy on fire shaking hands. I had the stickers and poster from that album on the wall of my bedroom.

I don't remember getting anything with Wish you were here, but I still have the posters from Dark side of the Moon somewhere in my closet at my parents place. there is a small chance that I bought WYWH used. I'm sure my CD of it was used.

[Sgran]

Originally Posted by Crim

and Careful with that Axe, Eugene (live Ummugumma performance).

I love that track. The Live at Pompeii version is also good, but not as good as the Umma Gumma version. The version of Astronomy Domine on umgum is also excellent, but the version of Saucerful of Secrets gets a bit tiring. For me, Careful with that Axe, Eugene and Animals are the hidden riches of Pink Floyd.

[Julio Riddols]

Sucks I wasn't around early enough to be in on the history of this band, but I know I dig the sound and showmanship every time I watch a video of a live show or hear one of their albums..

But I guess God finally got his Dick Wright.

[Crim]

Originally Posted by Sgran

I love that track. The Live at Pompeii version is also good, but not as good as the Umma Gumma version. The version of Astronomy Domine on umgum is also excellent, but the version of Saucerful of Secrets gets a bit tiring. For me, Careful with that Axe, Eugene and Animals are the hidden riches of Pink Floyd.

Okee first, thanks for the ever so gentle correction on the spelling of Umma Gumma!

Second, want to give a shout out to Echoes on Live at Pompeii. Far far far far better than the studio version. I also love some of the in-the-studio footage of them working on Dark Side. The heavy-on-synth, absent-of-guitars version of On the Run spoke volumes to me of how much the band really needed the unique talents of both Roger and David, and illustrated why their best material was almost always when there was real collaboration between the two.

[Buccaneer]

Thanks for the word on Echoes, need to find that one.

To honor Richard, I was looping Sysyphus several times today.

I was also listening to Eugene again today at work (from Ummagumma ) and it's one of those tracks that forces you to stop what you're doing and wait for it.

[Greyroofoo]

I love Echoes, though I prefer the Remember That Night version
YouTube - David Gilmour - Remember that night: Echoes pt.1

I heard that Wright was working on a new solo album before he died. I wish Gilmour would come in and finish it.

And I still believe Phantom of the Opera is a complete rip off of Echoes

[Buccaneer]

Thanks, now I can get Live at Pompeii onto my iPod.

[Mac Howard]

Thanks Greyroofoo (and Richard and the boys). I've added that to my Floyd playlist.

I've spent a lot of time trying to wean my 13 year old daughter off the likes of Hannah Montana on to music from superior times. Only one track has made any impact so far.



Though I personally prefer this version:



Thanks Richard. There's no measuring the joy you've brought.

[Blackadar]

Since I know this thread has a few Floyd fans...


There's little chance of Pink Floyd ever getting back together or touring again. But last night I swear I saw Pink Floyd live. It was a tribute band, endorsed by PF, called "Brit Floyd". Having seen the real thing 3 times, I can say that this show was as good as the others and better in some ways. It was AWESOME.

They played at least one song from each of the studio albums and virtually all of the hits. The stage setup was almost an exact copy of the Momentary Lapse of Reason sage from the '86 - '88 tours (the pig, lasers, crystal ball, etc.). The guys who performed weren't just good, they were spot-on great. They had singers who sounded much like vintage Waters and Gilmour, bringing back that great vocal contrast found on many of the classics. The light show was absolutely fantastic and Brit played for almost 3 hours.

So if you're a Floyd fan, spend the money and go see Brit Floyd. It's not just a pale imitation of the real thing, it felt and sounded just like the real thing. Given that it's endorsed by Pink Floyd, maybe it is supposed to be the real thing now.

[NobodyHere]

I think Roger is done with touring after his Wall tour (highest grossing tour by a solo artist). David only seems interested in playing one offs.

However both of them are reputably working on new solo albums. So maybe that will spark a tour or two.

I never heard the Brit Floyd sound until just now on YouTube and they do sound pretty great. The music is great and the guy singing Gilmour's parts were pretty much spot on. They were in my town about 2 months ago so I missed them. I wish I would've gone.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

I think Roger is done with touring after his Wall tour (highest grossing tour by a solo artist). David only seems interested in playing one offs.

However both of them are reputably working on new solo albums. So maybe that will spark a tour or two.

I never heard the Brit Floyd sound until just now on YouTube and they do sound pretty great. The music is great and the guy singing Gilmour's parts were pretty much spot on. They were in my town about 2 months ago so I missed them. I wish I would've gone.

When they come around again, make sure you see the show. It really is that good. I was skeptical when it started, thinking "what the fuck am I doing watching a tribute band?". After about the 3rd song, I was hooked. By the end of the first half, we were giving these guys a standing ovation. Their rendition of Pings (Three Little Ones) was INCREDIBLE and they closed the first set with that one.


EDIT: Found a Youtube video of it. I HIGHLY suggest watching it:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2RALs-uTI0


The guy who sings Gilmour's parts is quite good. But I noticed the guy who was singing the Roger Waters parts. His voice wasn't exact, but he got the tone and inflections pretty much perfect. Waters' and Gilmour's voices aren't what they used to be and thus these guys put on a clearly superior performance to anything from Waters or Gilmour in the last decade and a half.

[Sun Tzu]

I love Pink Floyd, and I don't use the term "love" lightly here. I can't, however, get into cover bands for one reason:

The quality of a cover band is judged on their ability to perfectly replicate the sound of a single studio recording.

The goal of seeing someone live, for me at least, is to have a different experience than the one I can have with headphones plugged into an iPhone. I want to hear variances. I want to watch and listen to Jimmy Page go on wild tangents while Robert Plant riffs on the mic. I want them to freely express their artistic creativity in-person, rather than focus every ounce of energy on cloning a verse.

These guys look and sound like the real deal, though.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

I love Pink Floyd, and I don't use the term "love" lightly here. I can't, however, get into cover bands for one reason:

The quality of a cover band is judged on their ability to perfectly replicate the sound of a single studio recording.

The goal of seeing someone live, for me at least, is to have a different experience than the one I can have with headphones plugged into an iPhone. I want to hear variances. I want to watch and listen to Jimmy Page go on wild tangents while Robert Plant riffs on the mic. I want them to freely express their artistic creativity in-person, rather than focus every ounce of energy on cloning a verse.

These guys look and sound like the real deal, though.

I understand that point. I tend to like to see them "going off the reservation". But then again in some ways the audience gives them the artistic license to do that because of the very reasons you state. Occasionally it doesn't work out too well (there was a famous concert in the 70s where like everyone walked out - it may have been Bob Dylan), but most times the audience is receptive to it.

A tribute band doesn't get that same leeway. If they tried to somehow "enhance" the Floyd music with different solos or changing up the tunes, they'd get booed off stage. The audience would be furious.

Now with that being said, The Wall stuff is tough to duplicate in concert. So they followed more of the Gilmour-type live renditions of it. But overall, yeah, they did try to duplicate it almost exactly.

The way I look at it, Floyd is more the music and not the musicians. There have been 3 leaders of that band - Barrett, Waters and Gilmour. Guys like Richard Wright were in, out and then back in again. Nick Mason is the only constant and lets' face it, Floyd isn't famous for the drum parts. So a tribute band was less of a concern to me for Floyd than it would be for someone like Rush, The Who or the Rolling Stones, where the established leaders and members of the band have been around forever.

HOWEVER, I had much of the same misgivings before the concert. "What am I doing listening to a tribute band?" crossed my mind more than once before the concert started. After about 3-4 songs though, I wasn't watching/listening to a tribute band. I was seeing Pink Floyd live again - something I never thought would happen - and that made all the difference. There's a reason why they got a standing ovation at the end of the first set and the entire floor section didn't sit down for much of the second set.

[panerd]

There's a local group (I think they are local) called El Monstero that puts on a pretty good show but I will definitely have to catch these guys some day. (It looks like I missed them this year in St. Louis back in March)

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Sun Tzu

I love Pink Floyd, and I don't use the term "love" lightly here. I can't, however, get into cover bands for one reason:

The quality of a cover band is judged on their ability to perfectly replicate the sound of a single studio recording.

The goal of seeing someone live, for me at least, is to have a different experience than the one I can have with headphones plugged into an iPhone. I want to hear variances. I want to watch and listen to Jimmy Page go on wild tangents while Robert Plant riffs on the mic. I want them to freely express their artistic creativity in-person, rather than focus every ounce of energy on cloning a verse.

These guys look and sound like the real deal, though.

By the way, they did go off the reservation occasionally on the solos. When they did, they kicked serious ass.


In other news, Pink Floyd is coming out with a new album. Yep, you heard that right. It's mostly ambient and instrumental music based on Richard Wright's extended Division Bell sessions, but I know Gilmour sings on at least one song.

"The Endless River" should be available before Christmas.

Sadly, no tour and Roger Waters has no involvement in it.

[frnk55]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

By the way, they did go off the reservation occasionally on the solos. When they did, they kicked serious ass.


In other news, Pink Floyd is coming out with a new album. Yep, you heard that right. It's mostly ambient and instrumental music based on Richard Wright's extended Division Bell sessions, but I know Gilmour sings on at least one song.

"The Endless River" should be available before Christmas.

Sadly, no tour and Roger Waters has no involvement in it.

That's awesome! I didn't know that and look forward to it!

[Buccaneer]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

It's mostly ambient and instrumental music

That will be so awesome as I love their musicianship more than anything else.

[NobodyHere]

[Blackadar]

Posting that should result in an automatic lifetime ban.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Blackadar

Posting that should result in an automatic lifetime ban.

OK fine, is this better?

[Kodos]

Every time I see this thread, I think Steven Wright.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by NobodyHere

OK fine, is this better?

Significantly. I am soooooo bummed out I didn't get to see that tour. I had to leave the day before to go on a trip to Yosemite (one I had scheduled a year before).

[Buccaneer]

I have lost track of how many Comfortably Numb versions and covers I have listened to (since it is my all time favorite song) but I think this one is my favorite cover:

[Blackadar]

I prefer this version (solo starts at 4:30):

[Buccaneer]

Sure, but I make a distinction between a band and an individual playing the Solo, esp one that can give it a slightly different interpretation.

[Blackadar]

Originally Posted by Buccaneer

Sure, but I make a distinction between a band and an individual playing the Solo, esp one that can give it a slightly different interpretation.

That's fine. The one you link is talented, but there's too many mistakes.

I prefer this one - much better technically and much closer to the original (which I think is probably the most perfect guitar solo ever):

[Buccaneer]

Of all of the David Gilmour solos, this one is my very favorite (solo starting at 4:33)

[NobodyHere]

My favorite CN solo is the Pulse one.

My favorite version of the whole song is the Live 8 one since it was that last time the band would ever play together.