Please humour me while I go on about a band that nobody who reads this blog probably gives a toss about...
I think I must have had my head stuck up my arse for the past few days because the death of Rick Wright completely passed me by, only hearing about it today on the weekly music news segment on Ken Bruce's show.
I'm not normally one of those people who makes a song and dance over a musician's death - I'm not going to indulge in a Classic Rock mag-style 'he's joined the great band in the sky with Hendrix etc' post - but this one drew me up short as it was completely unexpected. Pink Floyd have for a long time been one of 'my bands', and to have them lose a member so suddenly made me feel especially sad today. I don't know why that should be, I don't recall the death of, say, Kurt Cobain to fill me with shock - probably because his death wasn't exactly unexpected.
Anyway, as a member of Floyd, Wright was completely understated, always letting the others shine while he remained in the background. Even on his most famous composition, the awfully-named Great Gig in the Sky, while all the plaudits go to Claire Torry's orgasmic wailing, Wright's always there with his understated piano and rumbling, but never obtrusive Hammond organ. He is completely responsible for the Hammond organ being my second favourite musical instrument.
From what I saw of him in documentaries and read about him, he was one of the good guys. There have only ever been five members of Pink Floyd, there are now only three left.
I think I must have had my head stuck up my arse for the past few days because the death of Rick Wright completely passed me by, only hearing about it today on the weekly music news segment on Ken Bruce's show.
I'm not normally one of those people who makes a song and dance over a musician's death - I'm not going to indulge in a Classic Rock mag-style 'he's joined the great band in the sky with Hendrix etc' post - but this one drew me up short as it was completely unexpected. Pink Floyd have for a long time been one of 'my bands', and to have them lose a member so suddenly made me feel especially sad today. I don't know why that should be, I don't recall the death of, say, Kurt Cobain to fill me with shock - probably because his death wasn't exactly unexpected.
Anyway, as a member of Floyd, Wright was completely understated, always letting the others shine while he remained in the background. Even on his most famous composition, the awfully-named Great Gig in the Sky, while all the plaudits go to Claire Torry's orgasmic wailing, Wright's always there with his understated piano and rumbling, but never obtrusive Hammond organ. He is completely responsible for the Hammond organ being my second favourite musical instrument.
From what I saw of him in documentaries and read about him, he was one of the good guys. There have only ever been five members of Pink Floyd, there are now only three left.
