Pink Floyd took a number of massive jolts to its infrastructure over its active period, but the band—and the brand—stayed remarkably resilient. As they changed their styles over the years, some key members came and went.
Videos by American Songwriter
In 1979, Rick Wright, one of the band’s founding members and an integral part of the sound when they broke through to the mainstream, was dismissed from the band. It wasn’t big news at the time, in large part because it was mostly done behind the scenes. But it certainly represented a massive change in the band’s hierarchy going forward for the next few years, at least until it all changed again.
Wright’s Contributions
Richard Wright was one of the founding members of Pink Floyd, which made a huge splash with their 1967 album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn. He then helped steward the band through the rough patch following the firing of original lead singer Syd Barrett, as Floyd took a few years to forge their identity.
On their 1973 masterpiece Dark Side of the Moon, Wright’s keyboards add the dreamy, hallucinatory texture that’s so much a part of that album’s allure, while his ghostly vocals are also prominent. His playing in the final moments of the 1975 album Wish You Were Here did as much to communicate the band’s complicated feelings about former frontman Barrett as any of the lyrics.
But by the time Floyd started making the double album The Wall, chief songwriter Roger Waters was directing the band toward a more in-your-face, less ambient musical approach, when not putting his lyrics at center stage. It left Wright largely on the outside looking in when it came to contributing to the creation of the music.
A Quiet Departure
Whenever someone leaves a band either voluntarily or because they were forced to do so, there are always differing accounts of how and why it happens. Wright insisted nothing he could do in the sessions for The Wall pleased Waters, which is why, as those sessions came to a close, he chose to stay in Greece rather than return to participate.
Waters felt Wright wasn’t contributing anything, and he contended that Floyd had to use producer Bob Ezrin to play many of the keyboard parts. It’s important to note that at this time, Floyd guitarist David Gilmour agreed Wright just wasn’t pulling his weight.
The end result: Wright was removed from Pink Floyd, leaving him with no ownership stake in their proceedings. He was paid a salary to participate in the live shows for The Wall, which is why many fans didn’t even realize he was no longer technically a member of the band.
The Aftermath
Ironically, Wright’s new status as a for-hire player benefited him financially. The remaining Floyd members (Waters, Gilmour, and drummer Nick Mason) were on the hook for the mounting costs of making the album and putting on the massive stage show. They ended up taking a loss on the project (at least in the initial years after its release).
Roger Waters continued to insist on controlling all artistic aspects of Pink Floyd until Gilmour and Mason got fed up following the making of The Final Cut in 1983. As Waters went solo, Gilmour decided to revive the Floyd brand (despite efforts by Waters to shut it down via legal means) on the 1987 album A Momentary Lapse of Reason.
One move Gilmour made to help that project seems like a legitimate Floyd record: He rehired Rick Wright as a guest player on the album and touring member. When Pink Floyd made what was essentially their final studio album (The Division Bell) in 1994, Wright was once again a full-fledged member of the group.
Photo by Jorgen Angel/Redferns
Leave a Reply
Only members can comment. Become a member. Already a member? Log in.