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Rick Wright estate worth £24 million

Posted September 29, 2009 by Floydian Slip

Rick Wright‘s will recently revealed the Pink Floyd co-founder and keyboardist’s estate was worth £23.7 million when he died last year.

Documents made public yesterday indicate the fortune will mostly be shared among his children James, 42; Gala, 39; and Ben.

None of Wright’s three ex-wives were mentioned in the will.

The U.K.’s Daily Mail also reported Wright set aside £20,000 to throw a “really good party” for his friends. The guest list will be the responsibility of James and Gala.

Sometime Floyd bassist Guy Pratt, who is also married to Gala, will receive Wright’s Bosendorfer piano.

Wright died of cancer at his home in London Sept. 15 of last year. He was 65.


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Rick Wright dead at 65

Posted September 15, 2008 by Floydian Slip

Keyboardist Rick Wright, a founding member of Pink Floyd, died today at his home in England following a short fight with cancer. He was 65.

His family declined to give more details of his death.

Wright was a member of Sigma 6, which evolved into The Pink Floyd Sound in 1965 — eventually shortened to Pink Floyd. He remained an integral part of the band until 1979’s “The Wall,” when he was forced from the band by Roger Waters, citing lack of creative input.

Wright didn’t participate in Floyd’s 1983 album “The Final Cut,” but returned late in the making of 1987’s “A Momentary Lapse of Reason,” after Waters had left the group.

As a songwriter, he’ll probably be best remembered for “Us and Them” and “The Great Gig in the Sky,” both from 1973’s “Dark Side of the Moon.”

Wright also released two solo works — “Wet Dream” (1978) and “Broken China” (1996) — and paired with ex-Fashion guitarist Dave Harris to form Zee, which release one album, “Identity,” in 1984.

Wright’s most recent Floyd-related work involved playing on Floyd guitarist David Gilmour‘s “On an Island” (2006) album, and subsequent tour.

“He was gentle, unassuming and private but his soulful voice and playing were vital, magical components of our most recognized Pink Floyd sound,” Gilmour said today. “I have never played with anyone quite like him.”


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Norman Smith dead at 85

Posted March 5, 2008 by Floydian Slip

Norman “Hurricane” Smith died March 3. He was 85.

Smith was a staff producer at EMI in the late-’60s, recently promoted from a successful stint as engineer for The Beatles, when we was assigned to produce Pink Floyd‘s debut, “The Piper at the Gates of Dawn” (1967). He went on to produce “A Saucerful of Secrets” (1968), “Ummagumma” (1969), and to executive produce “Atom Heart Mother” (1970).

He also did production work for The Pretty Things, Freddie & the Dreamers and Billy J. Kramer and the Dakotas.

As a recording artist, Smith had a #3 hit in the United States with “Oh, Babe, What Would You Say?” in 1972. His cover of Gilbert O’Sullivan‘s “Who Was It?” reached #49 in early ’73.


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Syd Barrett estate measured in millions

Posted May 21, 2007 by Floydian Slip

Syd Barrett, the co-founder of Pink Floyd who died last summer, left nearly $3.4 million to family.

Records opened to the public last week revealed Barrett bequethed nearly £1.7 million, the equivalent of approximately $3.4 million, to his two sisters and two brothers.

Brother Alan Barrett received £425,000. Donald Barrett, Rosemary Breen and Ruth Brown each received £275,000.

Rosemary, who took care of Barrett in his later years, also received £310,000, the proceeds of the sale of the Cambridgeshire house where the late singer lived since dropping from the public eye in the early 1970s; and Barrett’s personal possessions, some of which she auctioned for £119,000.


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Pink Floyd members surprise performers at Barrett tribute

Posted May 11, 2007 by Floydian Slip

The surviving members of Pink Floyd were surprise performers at last night’s sold-out Syd Barrett tribute concert in London.

“Madcap’s Last Laugh,” co-produced by Floyd producer Joe Boyd at Barbican Hall, promised names such as Chrissie Hynde, Robyn Hitchcock, Kevin Ayers and others.

But the audience got more than they planned for when Roger Waters, accompanied by Jon Carin, took the stage to perform “Flickering Flame” at the end of the evening’s first set.

David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright performed “Arnold Layne” at the end of the second set, only to join most of the evening’s performers in “Bike” to close the show.

Not a bad line-up for the show’s $30-50 ticket price.


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