Rick Wright -- Pink Floyd keyboardist

[Guy Berger]

I'm currently going through my Floyd albums & bootlegs and thought I'd pay tribute to this guy. Usually people talk about Roger Waters's lyrics, Dave Gilmour's guitar or Syd Barrett's quirky songwriting, but not about the guy who as much as anybody else shaped Pink Floyd's sound. Despite being limited technically, he never let his imagination be limited by technique -- check out his improvisations on any live "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun" or the playing at the end of "Shine on You Crazy Diamond". Until Dave Gilmour joined the band, he was the group's most important instrumentalist. He had a big hand in some of Floyd's best compositions.

Unfortunately he started doing a lot of drugs in the mid 70s and stopped contributing after Wish You Were Here. I've only heard one of his solo albums (Broken China) and it isn't the worst thing I've ever heard.

Bonus: "A Saucerful of Secrets" is one of the best Floyd tunes ever. Some nice Wright playing throughout.

2nd bonus: though it's probably coincidence, Wright's predilection for playing Farfisa instead of Hammond makes some of his playing sound like Sun Ra.

Guy

Edited February 13, 2007 by Guy

[Quincy]

A friend of mine lent me a 3 disc DVD compilation of promos, live cuts etc. I guess sometimes it does help to see a band in action as I came to the same realization. Funny thing was after mentioning this set to another friend, the first thing he said was (honest) how it hit him the last time he played some Floyd how important Wright was to the band's sound.

There's either something in the water or in the air.

[Chalupa]

The song "Paintbox" which was the B side of "Apples and Oranges" was written(and sung) by Wright. It's a great song.

Not a fan of his keyboard playing in the pre-Gilmour days. But I love his sound on DSOTM. I'm guessing that's a Fender Rhodes?

Edited February 13, 2007 by Chalupa

[dave9199]

My favorite Wright song is Remember A Day on Saucerful Of Secrets. I remember liking Summer '68 on Atom Heart Mother also. The verses to his It Would Be So Nice are horrible, but I really like the bridge to the chorus & the chorus itself.

[Guest donald petersen]

so he didn't write fat old sun?

[WD45]

On the David Gilmour live DVD released a few years back Wright made an appearance to sing "Breakthrough" from Broken China. Netflix has it, and it is worth it for that cut alone. Beautiful melancholy tune.

[Guy Berger]

The song "Paintbox" which was the B side of "Apples and Oranges" was written(and sung) by Wright. It's a great song.

Yes, I really like that song.

Not a fan of his keyboard playing in the pre-Gilmour days. But I love his sound on DSOTM. I'm guessing that's a Fender Rhodes?

You know, I haven't listened to it for a while so I don't remember if he plays electric piano on that album. Definitely a lot of Hammond, mini-moog, and grand piano.

My favorite Wright song is Remember A Day on Saucerful Of Secrets. I remember liking Summer '68 on Atom Heart Mother also. The verses to his It Would Be So Nice are horrible, but I really like the bridge to the chorus & the chorus itself.

Which album is "It Would Be So Nice" on?

"Remember Day" is a nice tune. "See Saw" gets slammed a lot and while it isn't great, it isn't horrible either.

so he didn't write fat old sun?

Great tune, but that's David Gilmour.

Guy

edit: Doh, of course there is electric piano on Dark Side -- at least on that classic intro to "Time" (one of my favorite Floyd sequences). I will listen to the album next week and will listen for more Fender Rhodes.

"Sheep" also has a lot of Fender Rhodes in the intro.

edit 2: Yes, there is Fender Rhodes on "Breathe".

Guy

Edited February 26, 2007 by Guy

[chewy-chew-chew-bean-benitez]

it would be so nice was just a single-

[Guy Berger]

it would be so nice was just a single-

chewy (or anyone else) --

Is IWBSN in print?

Guy

[Chalupa]

it would be so nice was just a single-

chewy (or anyone else) --

Is IWBSN in print?

Guy

IWBSN is on the "Shine On" box set. The last disc contains all of their early singles.

The first time I heard IWBSN I immediately thought that The Flaming Lips must have heard it when they were recording "The Soft Bulletin". It sounds like an outtake or unrealized demo.