Anchor ads are not supported on this page.

4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs

Keyboardist Playing That Great Gig in the Sky

I'm on a jag with all these music related blogs. I'm sure in the next few days, I'll be back to bitching about OJ and stuff like that. I mean, how can I not? There's always something going on (I just heard that Dominic Dunne was rushed to the hospital, while in the court watching the proceedings).

But last week, I was at my parents house when my stepdad told me Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright died. I was shocked.

I wasn't shocked when their original guitarist/singer Syd Barrett died. Back in the 60s, he was put in an insane asylum. They said he did so many drugs, he just completely went nuts one day, and was never the same.

And, as great as that first album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is....Syd Barrett was really overrated. I thought Roger Waters, who became the main songwriter, was so much more talented.

Although, I also felt bad for the other members of Floyd. Apparently, Waters was difficult. I heard a story that late in their career, he came to the studio with two concepts already completed. The Final Cut, or The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking. The band voted for The Final Cut. And, Waters kicked Wright out of the band at that point. It was the only Floyd record he wouldn't be on (and, it's a rather awful album...two good songs: Not Now John and Two Sunsets).

Wright's two most popular songs were from the most popular album of all-time. Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, as many know, stayed on the Billboard charts longer than any other record. From the time of its release, it was in the Top 100 for something like 29 straight years. You can thank classic rock radio for keeping most of the songs on it in their rotation, and having new generations of fans buying the record (and later, the CD).

He sang lead on "Time", a favorite of mine from that album. He also did the music piece "The Great Gig In the Sky." Some nice piano on that track. And, I like to think he's playing that now, up there with, instead of David Gilmour on guitar, Jimi playing that strat left handed beside him.

And, the screams that Pink Floyd used in all their songs, can be done by another Jim. Jim Morrison.

Roger Waters issued a wonderful statement upon his death. But to be honest, I don't think that was enough. When he heard of Wright's battle with cancer, I think he should've reached out.

When Tom Fogerty, the ryhthm guitarist of CCR, died...his brother John had visited in the hospital. He tried to patch things up, but it didn't work out.

Waters had to know how difficult he was to work with. Hell, once Waters bailed on Pink Floyd, they immediately brought Wright back in again.

There was talk about a Pink Floyd reunion.

One of my musician friends called me and said "I guess it won't happen now."

And, I think he's right. Sure, the Doors toured without Jim Morrison. And, The Who, as I've said, should be called The Two, since they only have Daltrey and Townshend alive still.

But Gilmoure has released solo records, and I assume he'll do that again.

Drummer Nick Mason, last I heard, was doing those rock 'n roll fantasy camps.

Who knows what the future will hold for them.

I'm just glad they gave me The Wall, Dark Side, Animals, and Wish You Were Here. Those are four of the best albums of the 70s.

And to think, they all came from one band.

Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all

Previous article

Gonzo Report: Save Ferris brings a clapping crowd to the Belly Up

Maybe the band was a bigger deal than I had remembered
Next Article

Normal Heights transplants

The couple next door were next: a thick stack of no-fault eviction papers were left taped to their door.

I'm on a jag with all these music related blogs. I'm sure in the next few days, I'll be back to bitching about OJ and stuff like that. I mean, how can I not? There's always something going on (I just heard that Dominic Dunne was rushed to the hospital, while in the court watching the proceedings).

But last week, I was at my parents house when my stepdad told me Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright died. I was shocked.

I wasn't shocked when their original guitarist/singer Syd Barrett died. Back in the 60s, he was put in an insane asylum. They said he did so many drugs, he just completely went nuts one day, and was never the same.

And, as great as that first album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn, is....Syd Barrett was really overrated. I thought Roger Waters, who became the main songwriter, was so much more talented.

Although, I also felt bad for the other members of Floyd. Apparently, Waters was difficult. I heard a story that late in their career, he came to the studio with two concepts already completed. The Final Cut, or The Pros and Cons of Hitchhiking. The band voted for The Final Cut. And, Waters kicked Wright out of the band at that point. It was the only Floyd record he wouldn't be on (and, it's a rather awful album...two good songs: Not Now John and Two Sunsets).

Wright's two most popular songs were from the most popular album of all-time. Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, as many know, stayed on the Billboard charts longer than any other record. From the time of its release, it was in the Top 100 for something like 29 straight years. You can thank classic rock radio for keeping most of the songs on it in their rotation, and having new generations of fans buying the record (and later, the CD).

He sang lead on "Time", a favorite of mine from that album. He also did the music piece "The Great Gig In the Sky." Some nice piano on that track. And, I like to think he's playing that now, up there with, instead of David Gilmour on guitar, Jimi playing that strat left handed beside him.

And, the screams that Pink Floyd used in all their songs, can be done by another Jim. Jim Morrison.

Roger Waters issued a wonderful statement upon his death. But to be honest, I don't think that was enough. When he heard of Wright's battle with cancer, I think he should've reached out.

When Tom Fogerty, the ryhthm guitarist of CCR, died...his brother John had visited in the hospital. He tried to patch things up, but it didn't work out.

Waters had to know how difficult he was to work with. Hell, once Waters bailed on Pink Floyd, they immediately brought Wright back in again.

There was talk about a Pink Floyd reunion.

One of my musician friends called me and said "I guess it won't happen now."

And, I think he's right. Sure, the Doors toured without Jim Morrison. And, The Who, as I've said, should be called The Two, since they only have Daltrey and Townshend alive still.

But Gilmoure has released solo records, and I assume he'll do that again.

Drummer Nick Mason, last I heard, was doing those rock 'n roll fantasy camps.

Who knows what the future will hold for them.

I'm just glad they gave me The Wall, Dark Side, Animals, and Wish You Were Here. Those are four of the best albums of the 70s.

And to think, they all came from one band.

Sponsored
Here's something you might be interested in.
Submit a free classified
or view all
Ask a Hipster — Advice you didn't know you needed Big Screen — Movie commentary Blurt — Music's inside track Booze News — San Diego spirits Classical Music — Immortal beauty Classifieds — Free and easy Cover Stories — Front-page features Drinks All Around — Bartenders' drink recipes Excerpts — Literary and spiritual excerpts Feast! — Food & drink reviews Feature Stories — Local news & stories Fishing Report — What’s getting hooked from ship and shore From the Archives — Spotlight on the past Golden Dreams — Talk of the town The Gonzo Report — Making the musical scene, or at least reporting from it Letters — Our inbox Movies@Home — Local movie buffs share favorites Movie Reviews — Our critics' picks and pans Musician Interviews — Up close with local artists Neighborhood News from Stringers — Hyperlocal news News Ticker — News & politics Obermeyer — San Diego politics illustrated Outdoors — Weekly changes in flora and fauna Overheard in San Diego — Eavesdropping illustrated Poetry — The old and the new Reader Travel — Travel section built by travelers Reading — The hunt for intellectuals Roam-O-Rama — SoCal's best hiking/biking trails San Diego Beer — Inside San Diego suds SD on the QT — Almost factual news Sheep and Goats — Places of worship Special Issues — The best of Street Style — San Diego streets have style Surf Diego — Real stories from those braving the waves Theater — On stage in San Diego this week Tin Fork — Silver spoon alternative Under the Radar — Matt Potter's undercover work Unforgettable — Long-ago San Diego Unreal Estate — San Diego's priciest pads Your Week — Daily event picks
4S Ranch Allied Gardens Alpine Baja Balboa Park Bankers Hill Barrio Logan Bay Ho Bay Park Black Mountain Ranch Blossom Valley Bonita Bonsall Borrego Springs Boulevard Campo Cardiff-by-the-Sea Carlsbad Carmel Mountain Carmel Valley Chollas View Chula Vista City College City Heights Clairemont College Area Coronado CSU San Marcos Cuyamaca College Del Cerro Del Mar Descanso Downtown San Diego Eastlake East Village El Cajon Emerald Hills Encanto Encinitas Escondido Fallbrook Fletcher Hills Golden Hill Grant Hill Grantville Grossmont College Guatay Harbor Island Hillcrest Imperial Beach Imperial Valley Jacumba Jamacha-Lomita Jamul Julian Kearny Mesa Kensington La Jolla Lakeside La Mesa Lemon Grove Leucadia Liberty Station Lincoln Acres Lincoln Park Linda Vista Little Italy Logan Heights Mesa College Midway District MiraCosta College Miramar Miramar College Mira Mesa Mission Beach Mission Hills Mission Valley Mountain View Mount Hope Mount Laguna National City Nestor Normal Heights North Park Oak Park Ocean Beach Oceanside Old Town Otay Mesa Pacific Beach Pala Palomar College Palomar Mountain Paradise Hills Pauma Valley Pine Valley Point Loma Point Loma Nazarene Potrero Poway Rainbow Ramona Rancho Bernardo Rancho Penasquitos Rancho San Diego Rancho Santa Fe Rolando San Carlos San Marcos San Onofre Santa Ysabel Santee San Ysidro Scripps Ranch SDSU Serra Mesa Shelltown Shelter Island Sherman Heights Skyline Solana Beach Sorrento Valley Southcrest South Park Southwestern College Spring Valley Stockton Talmadge Temecula Tierrasanta Tijuana UCSD University City University Heights USD Valencia Park Valley Center Vista Warner Springs
Close

Anchor ads are not supported on this page.