Richard William Wright was born in London on 28 July 1945 of a well to do family. His
parents, Bridie and Cedric Wright had two other children, daughters: Selina and Guinvere.
He went to the exclusive Harberdashers' school and at 17 he went to the Regent Street
School of Architecture and there he met bassist Roger Waters and drummer Nick Mason. They
set up a group at college and were joined six months later by lead guitarist Syd
Barrett.
Richard Wright:" It was great when Syd joined. Before him, we'd play the R&B classics,
because that's what all groups where supposed to then. But I never liked R&B very much. I
was actually more of a jazz fan. With Syd, the direction
changed, it became more improvised around the guitar and keyboards. Roger started playing
the bass as a lead instrument and I started to introduce more of my classical feel."
They went under various names, including The Meggadeaths, Sigma 6, The Abdabs(Juliette
Gale was part of the Abdabs who married Ricahrd Wright.), Leonard's Lodgers and The
T-Set, before settling on the name The Pink Floyd Sound, which was taken from of Syd
Barrett's favorite bluesmen, Pink Anderson and Floyd Council. As their confidence grew,
they went from pop and R&B covers to their own extended psychedelic improvisations.
Barrett became the band's chief songwriter in their early stages, contributing most of
their songs on their first album (The Piper at the Gates of Dawn) and their two hit
singles 'Arnold Layne' and 'See Emily Play'. After two Top 20 singles and a Top 10 album
in'67 , Pink Floyd looked set for a successful career but Syd's experiments with LSD led
him to become even more bizarre and eccentric, until eventually he was dismissed from the
group in April 1968, to be replaced by David Gilmour.
Albums :
Here is info about all the official some unofficial albums and singles.
1967
Arnold Layne / Candy and a Currant Bun (single)
See Emily Play / The Scarecrow (single)
The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
Apples an Oranges/ Paint Box (single)
Scream thy last Scream / Vegetable Man (withdrawn single)
1968
It would be so Nice / Julia Dream (single)
Tonight Let's all make Love in London
Syd Barrett is thrown out of the group, David Gilmour enters
Point me at the Sky / Careful with that Axe, Eugene (single)
A Saucerful of Secrets
Octopus / Golden Hair Syd Barrett solo (single)
1969
Ummagumma
More
Biding my Time
1970
The Madcap Laughs Syd Barrett solo
Zabriske Point
Atom Heart Mother
Music From the Body Roger Waters solo
Barrett Syd Barrett solo
1971
Meddle
1972
Obscured by Clouds
1973
Dark Side of the Moon
A Nice Pair
1974
Started a household objects music project but didn't finish
1975
Wish You Were Here
1976
1977
Animals
1978
David Gilmour David Gilmour solo
Wet Dreams Rick Wright solo
There's no way out of Here David Gilmour solo (single)
Definitely David Gilmour solo (single)
1979
Another Brick in the Wall, part 2 / One of my Turns
The Wall
1980
Fictitious Sports Nick Mason solo
1981
A Collection of Great Dance Songs
1982
When the Tigers Broke Free / Bring the Boys Back Home (single)
1983
The Final Cut
Not now John / The Heroes Return (single)
1984
Roger Waters split from the group and hoped the others would
give up Pink Floyd
The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking Roger Waters solo and
would-have-been-Pink Floyd album
About Face David Gilmour solo
Identity Zee (Rick's group) album
Blue Light / Cruise David Gilmour solo (single)
Love on the Air / Let's get Metaphysical David Gilmour solo
(single)
The Pros an Cons of Hitch Hiking / Apparently they were
Travelling Aboard Roger Waters solo (single)
Every Stranger's Eyes / For the First Time Today Roger Waters
solo (single)
Confusion / Eyes of a Gypsy Rick Wright solo (single)
1985
Lie for a Lie / And the Address Nick Mason solo (single)
Profiles Nick Mason and Rich Fenn solo
1986
But they didn't!! After several lawsuits David Gilmour and Nick
Mason started again
When the Wind Blows Roger Waters solo
1987
Momentary Lapse of Reason
Radio K.A.O.S Roger Waters solo
Radio Waves / Going to live in L.A Roger Waters solo (single)
The Tide is turning / Get back to Radio Roger Waters solo
(single)
Learning to Fly / One Slip / Terminal Frost
On the Turning Away / Run Like Hell
1988
Opal collection of Syd Barrett songs
The Peel Session collection of Syd Barrett songs
1989
Delicate Sound of Thunder(1988?)
1990
The Wall live in Berlin Roger Waters and several other artists
1991
1992
Amused to Death Roger Waters solo
1993
1994
The Division Bell
High Hopes / Keep Talking / One of These Days (single)
1995
PULSE
1996
Broken China Rick Wright solo
Records sold :
1. Dark Side of the Moon 25 Million
2. The Wall 17 Million
3. Wish You Were Here 10 Million
4. Animals 6 Million
5. A Momentary Lapse of Reason 6 Million
Tours & Shows :
1967 - The Piper at the Gates of Dawn
1968 - A Saucerful of Secrets
1969 - The Man/The Journey/More
1970 - Atom Heart Mother/Colourful meadows
1971 - Meddle/Mauerspechte (dubbel live)
1972 - Obscured By Clouds
1973 - The Dark Side of the Moon
1975 - Wish You Were Here
1977 - Animals
1979 - The Wall
1981 - A collection of great dance songs
1983 - The final cut
1987 - A Momentary Lapse of Reason
1988 - Delicate sound of thunder
1993 - Shine on
1994 - The Division Bell
1995 - Pulse
Diverse Tour's
oOctober 1967 - First tour of the United States
oNovember 1967 - The Jimi Hendrix Experience tour
oJuly 1968 - A Saucerful of Secrets tour
oMay 1969 - The Man/The Journey tour
oSeptember 1970 - Atom Heart Mother tour
oOctober 1971 - Meddle tour
oMarch 1973 - Dark Side of the Moon tour
oNovember 1974 - British Winter Tour 1974
oApril 1975 - Wish You Were Here tour
oJanuary 1977 - Animals tour
oSeptember 1987 - A Momentary Lapse of Reason tour
oMarch 1994 - The Division Bell tour
Upcoming projects :
This information is not official yet.
From MTV news:
Good news for maturer rock fans who're planning to celebrate the turn of
the century. British rock band Pink Floyd are scheduled to play at a
millennium concert in Greenwich, London to mark the 21st Century.
The massive events in 3 years time is going to take place next to the
world's largest Ferris wheel which is also being built to celebrate the
century.
This story was also carried on Virgin Radio, HM Government has set aside
?200 million pounds for this millennium celebration!
Pink Floyd will make a last album called The Final Album in 1997.
They will make their last gig called The Final Tour in 1998.
"Pink Floyd will reunite with Roger Waters for a massive (believe it or not) Wish You
Were Here tour!!!" Look for 1997 (summer) for this massive tour!"
Someone heard on a radio interview with Rick Wright, that even if Wright isn't in contact
with Roger Waters, Waters will probably rejoin the Floyd due to massive public demands.
Pink Floyd have been RECORDING for a new album in May 96 in secret. They
have been recording with Morriston Orpheus male voice choir, near Swansea,
South Wales. According to a choir member, they have been working on a
wall-esque piece by Pink Floyd. It would also seem that in the early
stages, Nick Mason was unable to play the drums due to an accident, so
another drummer was brought in. It is unconfirmed, but it is believed to
have been Phil Collins (ex Genesis). I'll keep you posted of any further
developments. I know nothing more to date (Dec, 1996).
Also, a Canadian production company has supposedly approached The Floyd to
do an outdoor concert in Nova Scotia. It is unclear at present whether the
band have accepted the offer, but indications from management are that they
will not be touring for some time, and it is unlikely that they will include that venue.
"I heard on the radio and read it in the news paper that Floyd might tour
in 97. The only thing I could think of that the 25th anniversary of Dark
Side is coming soon......"
The last rumour is that Pink Floyd might release a "Unplugged" album.
Rick Wright said that to a Norwegian newspaper.
Time Line :
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1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10
1 1967 Montreal universal exposition
2 Man walked on the moon in 1969
3 Montreal Olympic summer games in 1976
4 The death of John Lennon in 1980
5 Explosion of the Challenger vassal in 1986
6 Earthquake in San Francisco in 1989
7 The Berlin wall went down in 1990
8 Gulf war in 1991
9 Oklahoma city bombing in 1995
10 Saguenay was flooded in 1996
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