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RIP Richard Wright

Rick Wright, keyboards and founding member of Pink Floyd, died yesterday. His playing, singing and composing skills were a huge part of the Floyd sound, particularly from my favorite era 1968-1972. Just listen to his solo album from 1979, Wet Dream, which sounds more like Pink Floyd than any of Dave or Roger's.

From my vantage point Rick is a major influencer and mover for electronic and ambient music, although this was never his intention. His floaty and echoed Farfisa organ from the late 60s is a direct antecedent to the groundbreaking early works of Tangerine Dream and Klaus Schulze. Just listen to Rick's organ work on More, particularly the piece Quicksilver.

It's easy for ambient musicians to point to Brian Eno (obviously) but Rick's keyboard work throughout the Floyd is a study in atmospherics. As a synthesist he was one of my hugest influence. I remember listening to Atom Heart Mother as a kid and hearing his floaty solos and wishing there were entire albums that captured that same type of atmosphere.

I'm glad he got his due again touring with Dave and that there's so much coverage of his passing.

052608 Haikus

i
Birds on the cut lawn
are you listening to me
or the worms hiding


ii

We’ve become our folks
wide middles sagging bottoms
leaves still fall from trees

052508 Haikus

i

An empty wrapper
behind the bamboo thickets
the east side of town


ii

There’s no words for this
road the interior
what defines the trees

052408 Haiku

Empire of lights
soon to accelerate on
so many wet leaves

052008 Haiku

A single tear burns
the moon turns the curtains gray
wide awake from snores

051608 Haiku

Past my prime and I
don’t warrant a second glance
pollen hits the dirt