Pink Floyd founder Richard Wright dies of cancer
Richard Wright, founder of Pink Floyd, dies of cancer aged 65
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Monday, 15, Sep 2008 04:47
Richard Wright, a founding member of rock legends Pink Floyd, has died of cancer aged 65.
Wright met fellow band members Roger Waters and Nick Mason at the Regent Street Polytechnic College of Architecture and was part of the Pink Floyd Sound - as they were originally called - as well as the band's previous incarnations Sigma 6 and the Screaming Abdabs.
His spokesman said on Monday: "The family of Richard Wright, founder member of Pink Floyd, announce with great sadness, that Richard died today after a short struggle with cancer.
"The family have asked that their privacy is respected at this difficult time."
Wright was forced to resign from the band during the recording sessions for their seminal album The Wall, as his personal relationship with Waters grew untenable, though he appeared as a salaried session musician during the subsequent tour in 1981 and 1982.
Like Nick Mason, he appeared on every Pink Floyd tour and is only absent from one album, 1983's The Final Cut.
Wright is survived by his third wife Millie, to whom he was married since 1996, and their son Ben.
Pink Floyd last performed at the Live 8 charity concert in 2005, raising hopes of a full reunion, with Waters and Dave Gilmour appearing on stage for the first time in almost a quarter of a century.
However, Gilmour has recently ruled out a reunion, saying he has 'moved on'.