Rick Wright of Pink Floyd passes

The sky was the limit: Pink Floyd in the heady Syd Barrett days

This has been a bizarre day, to say the least.

Richard Wright (the guy leaning over the railing, far right), the keyboardist and a founding member of Pink Floyd, apparently died of cancer today.

This comes just two years after the death of Syd Barrett, the co-founder of the band who gave Pink Floyd its name (standing next to Wright).

First, my condolences to Wright's family and friends, and those who love this band.

This is VERY HARSH news for Floyd fans, not only due to the loss of Wright in and of itself, but also to the fact that his death represents no chance anymore that there could be any reunion tour.

That being said, here's what makes the news of Wright's death today even more bizarre...this article that ALSO CAME OUT TODAY with David Gilmour, who was talking about the prospect (or no prospect, depending on how you read into it) of a Floyd reunion tour. The article must have been release hours before the news of Wright's passing.

Since the Live 8 reunion over three years ago, rumors had been swirling around about a reunion tour with this band...it wasn't likely, but it was always possible. I can now say that it's theoretically impossible that Floyd will ever form to tour without Wright. I simply can't see that happening.

Unfortunately, I guess it was never to be. Crap.

I guess we'll just have to live with what we had, and the final curtain call they gave us with the Live 8 show. If Live 8 is the perfect ending, I can accept that. I guess we'll have to.

That was a very happy day...but for right now this is a sad one. S


(AGI) - London, 15 Sept. - Richard Wright is dead, the co founder and keyboard player for legendary Pink Floyd: he was 65 years old and had cancer for a long time.

His death, which occurred today, was made public by his family, a spokesperson, who did not give particular details, asked for a respect of the family's privacy.

His full name was Richard William 'Rick' Wright, born in London, the only member of the original band to be from the city. As an adolescent, he briefly attended the "London College of Music" obtaining his jazz like style.

He left early, and signed up for Architecture before meeting his future band mates, Roger Waters and Nick Mason, with whom Pink Floyd was born along with Syd Barrett, later substituted by David Gilmour.

Wright played on all of the discs with the exception of 'The Final Cut' in 1983, when he was distanced from the band again by Waters, which also occurred in 1979 during recording of 'The Wall'. He returned in 1987 to complete "A Momentary Lapse of Reason', and was taken in completely a year after for 'The Delicate Sound of Thunder'.

Together with Mason, he participated in every concert for the group. Besides his instrumental contributions, Wright also composed many of the songs, alone or with the other band members: most importantly 'Sysyphus'. 'Summer '68', 'The Great Gig in the Sky', Us and Them' as well as in more recent times, 'Keep Talking' and 'Wearing the Inside Out'. In some cases he was lead vocalist, where he displayed his melodic talent.

He also released two solo albums, 'Wet Dream' in 1978, and 'Broken China' in 1996: he also participated in many collaborations, remakes of older songs, and his experience with the group Zee together with Dave Harris, with whom in 1984 he came out with 'Identity'.