When Pink Floyd reformed after Roger Waters quit in the mid-1980s, Richard Wright was not immediately reinstated as a full member of the band due to the circumstances of his resignation in 1979. When Roger Waters quit Pink Floyd in 1985, he described the band as “a spent force creatively.” This resulted in a legal dispute over the rights to the Pink Floyd name and assets.
During the subsequent legal challenges, Richard Wright was technically classified as a session musician rather than a full member of the band. This status was determined by contractual arrangements established during the recording of the “The Wall” album, in which Wright departed the band and was later rehired as a salaried musician for the accompanying tour. This contractual agreement placed him in a distinct legal position than the other band members.
Regardless of his standing, Wright continued to collaborate with David Gilmour and Nick Mason on different Pink Floyd projects following Waters’ departure. Wright was eventually reinstated as a full member of Pink Floyd in 1994, when he took part in the making and touring of the album “The Division Bell” and subsequent tours.
In summary, Richard Wright was not formally reinstated as a member of Pink Floyd when the band reformed following Roger Waters’ resignation due to the legal and contractual difficulties surrounding his leave and rehiring during the recording and touring of the album “The Wall”.
