Is Richard Wright's Death the Final "Brick in the Wall"?

As a once rabid fan of the English rock band Pink Floyd, I was saddened to learn of the death of founding member Richard Wright. The 65-year old keyboard player and composer died of cancer on September 15th. While it might be easy for a casual fan to overlook Wright's contributions to the band's signature sound, anyone who has studied Pink Floyd in depth realizes just how important he was. Not only did he write most of his own parts, but he also sang lead vocals on several memorable tunes, including "Astronomy Domine" (written by Syd Barrett), "Time" (from Dark Side of the Moon), and "Echoes" (from the seminal album of the same name).

Even before The Pink Floyd Sound existed in name (1965), Wright was considered a significant contributor by bandmates Barrett, Roger Waters and Nick Mason. Wright met Waters and Mason at Regent Street Polytechnic College of Architecture, and together they played under the names "The Abdabs" and "Sigma 6". Wright's imprint is all over the first Pink Floyd album, Piper at the Gates of Dawn. Although he eventually lost interest in being a songwriter, Wright continued to provide compositions for such classics as "The Great Gig in the Sky", "Us and Them", "One of These Days", "Careful With That Axe, Eugene", and "Interstellar Overdrive". Suffice it to say that the early period Pink Floyd would not have been the same without him.

Given Wright's important role in the development of the band, it's a shame that Roger Waters' eclipsing ego shunted him aside during the recording sessions for The Wall (around 1979). In fact Waters threatened to end the entire project if Wright did not leave the band. Still Wright agreed to play on The Wall tour as a "hired gun". It's worth mentioning that Wright and drummer Nick Mason are the only two members of Pink Floyd to appear on every tour the band ever did. After Waters left for good in the early-80's, Wright got back with guitarist David Gilmour and Mason for the recording of two albums and several tours. He also released two solo albums during his career (1978 and 1996) and one with a short-lived band called "Zee" (1984).

Even though Pink Floyd continued without Roger Waters, I always had a hard time accepting them under that name. Momentary Lapse of Reason and The Division Bell were fine records for what they were- which was an incomplete form of a band I used to call my favorite. As I only really engaged their music in depth long after they had ceased to be vital, I always hoped that one day they would all come together for another album. I've never heard Richard Wight's solo music, but I have heard the work of Gilmour and Waters performing separately. None of it reached the standard of excellence that distinguished Pink Floyd during initial run. In 2005, Roger Waters stepped onstage in London and played a short set with the rest of "Pink Floyd". I've never seen or heard that performance.

I've heard several interviews in which David Gilmour spoke about the possibility of a full reunion of Pink Floyd (sans Syd Barrett, obviously, who died in 2006). He never made it sound very promising. His point was that it was a bit self-indulgent and unnecessary to try to recapture one's youthful glory in the midst of middle age. I found this argument fairly convincing. The magic of art doesn't come with the mere congregation of creators. It's a function of context, shared experience, zeitgeist, compatibility, abilities, and a myriad of other details. Sure, there may be calls for some collective gesture in the wake of Richard Wright's death. Perhaps it will be the proper time to put old festering resentments aside. But that doesn't mean they should ever perform together again.

A Few Thoughts Upon the Death of David Foster Wallace.

In the midst of the slew of election coverage, I heard a very distressing message this past Saturday night. David Foster Wallace, perhaps the seminal author of the X-generation, was discovered by his wife on Friday, dead and hanging in his Claremont, CA house. At 46 years of age, many folks expected Wallace to continue writing and publishing both non-fiction and fiction for many years. I've read several of his books, and personally looked forward to what I thought would be numerous future installments from the brain of an extraordinarily articulate and nuanced thinker. His 1008 -page magnum opus Infinte Jest (1996) was (to my mind) one of the most substantial works created by any contemporary fiction writer.

I heard the tragic news in my car, while I was driving to a friend's house for a small get-together. I tried to locate someone by phone who had both heard of Wallace and had read his work. I wanted somehow to share a moment of consolation, and perhaps raise a virtual toast to his memory and achievements. It was tough to find someone who met that criteria, and I only did so after several attempts. In retrospect, I think it's a bit of a shame that so few intelligent, well-read folks have ever actually read David Foster Wallace. I suppose that fact speaks to the general lack of interest in challenging, well-written literature nowadays. No doubt there would be a rising chorus of melodramatic wailing if the latest American Idol hero had died instead.

Once I was able to contact a few individuals with some knowledge of DFW, I began to reflect on whether or not it was appropriate for me to experience a genuine emotional reaction over the death of someone I had never met. To be honest with you, I felt just a little bit silly. It made me recall the day Charles Bukowski died, and where I was the moment I heard the news from MTV's Kurt Loder. I didn't feel nearly as self-indulgent in my youth for shedding a tear or two for a literary hero. It's a bit embarrassing today to admit that I sat down and wrote a poem in honor of the fallen scribe. Granted its message was intentionally unsentimental, but the gesture itself didn't avoid that trap.

So downing a shot this past Saturday seemed about right. The people I was with had enough grace not to make fun of me for feeling a bit down. After all, another great writer will never again put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard, as is the current convention). That's sad, but a result of a wholly intentional action. Not knowing the man personally, I wonder why he was driven to make such an extreme and final exit. A very brief internet search has revealed that DFW had been clinically depressed off-and-on for over twenty years. To be completely honest, that would have been hard to guess from his writing. He seemed to have such a deep sense of humor about the world. He was not without a certain level of cynicism, but he didn't appear to be a complete malcontent.

Obviously it is his friends and family members that have the most insight into David Foster Wallace, and thus I will leave it to them to speculate as to why he checked himself out of this existence. Yet I will mark the news of his suicide by suggesting that serious literature fans check out the author's works, if they haven't already done so. DFW did leave a significant body of work behind. We don't necessarily have to dwell on what he could have done, had he chosen to remain alive. Check out A Supposedly Fun Thing I'll Never Do Again (1997) for a selection of essays that revealed an extraordinary mind and a deft facility for seeing through the thin facade of modern life. And if you're feeling really ambitious, tackle his masterpiece- Infinite Jest.

Independence Day Brings a Special Treat; The Death of Jesse Helms.

While it's always great to have the day off from work and the opportunity to see friends, the idea of the holiday itself left me a bit cold yesterday. As far as I'm concerned this isn't an era for nationalism. It seems that the urge to identify with the country is decreasing, just as the compulsion to go to church every week is disappearing for many people. In my opinion, it can't happen fast enough. Our problems truly are global nowadays and the entire border-state mentality seems to have been rendered largely ineffective. So what does that leave me with every Fourth of July? Should I search for some elusive kinship with the citizenry? No thanks- I'm not even that interested in mingling with the majority of inhabitants of the city I live in.

Truth be told I nearly despaired of finding anything to celebrate. Fortunately the fates conspired to provide me with a single shining ray of light. I turned on the radio to discover that Jesse Helms died earlier in the morning. It occurred to me that maybe it wasn't appropriate to let the death of a fellow human being put an extra little jaunt in my step. But that reservation only lasted about a second-and-a-half, and then I found myself beaming again. I do believe philosophically that the removal of certain individuals from the Earth would benefit not only mankind, but all living creatures. I would never seek to affect such a change personally (I'm not willing to pay that price), yet I'm not above the happiness such an event brings.

Maybe if I though the human species was sacred, I'd have a different viewpoint. But like I say quite often- we are no better than animals... and I eat animals. Helms death is simply addition by subtraction. It's a shame it didn't happen in 1972, the year he was elected into the US Senate, or even well before then. The man's single greatest enduring legacy will be his unwavering commitment to racial bigotry. In at least one way his succession to federal government was a milestone- he was the very first Republican Senator from North Carolina since before Reconstruction. But he was also a petty tyrant who sought to impose his extremely hateful views on the rest of the country.

His entry into politics was as an aide to the 1950 Senatorial candidate Willis Smith. During that campaign, Helms was credited with the creation of a series of attack ads in which he attacked Smith's opponent with the following copy- "White people, wake up before it is too late. Do you want Negroes working beside you, your wife and your daughters, in your mills and factories? Frank Graham favors mingling of the races." In the 1960's he notoriously attacked Black civil rights leaders (like Martin Luther King, Jr.), calling them "Communists and Sex Perverts". He hinted at his strategy for resolving race conflicts by saying, "The Negro cannot count forever on the kind of restraint that's thus far left him free to clog the streets, disrupt traffic, and interfere with other men's rights."

Helms was a singular asshole, and his vitriol extended to homosexuals as well. He fought against government funding for AIDS research and punctuated his position by stating "There is not one single case of AIDS in this country that cannot be traced in origin to sodomy." He also notoriously opposed legislation extending voting rights, supporting the United Nations, funding the arts, and creating the Nuclear Test Ban Treaty. His flaws were numerous and distinct, but (arguably) his greatest crime against humanity was helping to clear Ronald Reagan's way to the White House. In 1976 he was influential in making sure that North Carolina voted for "The Gipper" in the primary election, and that victory helped give Reagan a platform at the national convention. Good Riddance, Jesse Helms... many rejoice at your passing.

Sydney Pollack R.I.P. May 26th, 2005.

For those of you not aware, Sydney Pollack died on Monday at the age of 73. He had been suffering from stomach cancer for the last nine months. The noted film director had made more than 21 films over his long career, including The Way We Were (1973), Tootsie (1982), Out of Africa (1985), and The Firm (1993). He was also an important producer, listing among his credits The Fabulous Baker Boys (1989), The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999), Cold Mountain (2003), and the recently released Michael Clayton (2007). Unlike many filmmakers, Pollack wasn't afraid to appear on screen. He can be seen in such diverse works as Husbands and Wives (1992), The Player (1992), Eyes Wide Shut (1999), Will & Grace (2000), The Sopranos (2007), and Entourage (2007).

Pollack was born in Lafayette, IN to Russian-Jewish immigrant parents. His father David was a professional boxer and pharmacist. His mother died when he was a teenager. After graduating high school, he moved to New York City and got involved in theater. He served a short stint in the Army, and then returned to the Big Apple to teach stage acting. Eventually he moved into film work, and found success behind the scenes. His diverse body of work earned him several Oscar nominations, and an Academy Award for Out of Africa. Pollack married Claire Griswold, and stayed with her throughout his life. They had three children, one of which (Steven) died in a 1993 airplane crash.

Known as a consummate professional, Pollack is the only filmmaker with two of his movies ranked near the top of the American Film Institute's 100 Most Loved American Movies (The Way We Were and Out Of Africa). He was selected to be the President of the Cannes Film Festival jury in 1986, and was lifelong friends with Robert Redford. He was well known for his excellent relationships with the actors he worked with. The mutual respect he shared with his players paid off- he directed 12 different actors in movies for which they received Oscar nominations (Jane Fonda, Gig Young, Susannah York, Barbra Streisand, Paul Newman, Melinda Dillon, Jessica Lange, Dustin Hoffman, Teri Garr , Meryl Streep, Klaus Maria Brandauer and Holly Hunter). Gig Young and Jessica Lange won the awards.

Unlike many of the directors that were active during the 1970's, Pollack is not known as an 'auteur'. There really isn't any distinctive stylistic stamp to connect his diverse projects. Still he has made many memorable films. His career included stirring epics, light comedies, and scorching dramas. He was always capable of injecting stirring emotion into challenging material. They Shoot Horses, Don't They (1969) remains among the bleakest flicks that I have ever seen. Centered around a 1930's dance marathon, it depicts the pessimism and world-weariness of its main characters (played effectively by Jane Fonda and Michael Sarrazin). On the other hand, Tootsie was a trifling crowd-pleaser.

One of his most interesting projects was his last release- Sketches of Frank Gehry (2005). Pollack had never before made a documentary, but when invited by his architect-friend to tell his story, he decided the opportunity was too good to pass up. Somehow he was able to draw the connection between Gehry's artistic temperament and his vibrantly extravagant building designs. Despite Pollack's self-admitted lack of architectural understanding, he managed to communicate the magic and movement of Gehry's creations with his camera. As with his other films, Pollack allowed the material to speak for itself. This obviously meant a lot to the director, as he actually once sued a Danish television station for airing Flight of the Condor (1975) in pan-and-scan format.

Who Was Gordon B. Hinckley?

As one Mormon aspires to the US Presidency, the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Days Saints has passed on. Gordon B. Hinckley was the 15th president in LDS history, and served almost 13 years in that position. He was 97 years old. His grandfather actually knew and traveled with the church's founder- chief prophet Joseph Smith himself. Those kind of credentials apparently enhanced his standing from the very beginning. His father ran the LDS business college and his mother was a former English teacher. Young Gordon originally aspired to be a journalist, but fate had a different role for him to play. He would actually be chosen as a direct prophet of God instead.

The Hinckley era was noted for its missionary zeal, and the man himself began that work in England in 1933. He soon noticed that the promotional materials for the relatively young religion were insufficient for the task of conversion, and was placed in charge of updating them. He became known for producing a temple film to explain the rituals to new members, and it's reportedly still being used overseas to this day. From that success Hinckley was promoted to a high-ranking leadership group called the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles in 1961. In the early 80's, he ascended to the penultimate governing body- the First Presidency, a body that counsels the president of LDS. In 1995 he was ordained in the top position.

As president of the Mormons, Hinckley continued to devote his efforts to overseas growth. It is said that during his tenure, the faith attracted four million new members. He personally designed a template for a smaller temple that could be reproduced quickly and cheaply to provide new members with an essential place of worship. He also used his substantial P.R. experience on the ongoing struggles to redefine the LDS as a legitimate religion, as opposed to a cult. In order to do this, he attempted to clarify the association of the Mormons as a sect of Christianity. He also addressed thorny aspects of church history, such as the role of followers in the 1857 massacre of a wagon train of Western pioneer emigrants.

Life as the spiritual leader of a religious community with 12 million members did present some significant challenges. Hinckley held the line as a traditionalist when it came to the "institution" of marriage. He was active in the political fight to define the concept as the union of a man and woman. His church financed constitutional amendments and political campaigns to ban same-sex marriages at both the federal and state levels. As a prophet, Hinckley received and announced revelations that families live on together after death, and that gender is a defined characteristic prior to one's birth. He did however strike a blow to the hearts of traditionalists by condemning domestic abuse.

Overall Hinckley did a lot within his long life to spread the Mormon message, as a "good" apostle should. Unlike most previous Mormon leaders, Hinckley was not shy about representing his religion in the media. He appeared on 60 Minutes with Mike Wallace, on Larry King Live and within the pages of Time Magazine. He is probably more responsible than anyone else in history for convincing a large portion of America (including some Mormons themselves) that The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints is indeed a "Christian" church. Regardless of the theological details and disputes behind this assertion, Hinckley is to be credited with achieving social respectability for a long misunderstood religion.

Who Was Benazir Bhutto?

As we were all settling into the torpor following the Christmas holiday, a woman on the other side of the Earth died in an intentional explosion. Like many others in this country, the news flew past me without notice. I had gift certificates to spend, and was preoccupied with some focused relaxation. I wasn't tuned in to the news media at all. So I don't really recall when I heard the news that Benazir Bhutto, former prime minister of Pakistan, was killed. Although I knew very little about Bhutto, I was immediately aware that her death was a big deal. After all she had been the very first female head of a Muslim nation, having been elected to the Prime Minister position of Pakistan twice. She had been removed from office due to corruption charges, and had even left her homeland for Dubai. But recently she had returned to her homeland, in an attempt to re-establish her political influence.

Benazir Bhutto was the eldest child of a former Pakistani Prime Minister. She was born a Shiite, but attended Christian primary school. She continued her education in the United States at Harvard. Later she studied philosophy, politics and economics at Oxford University in England. Soon after completing her academic studies, her father was overthrown by a military coup, and executed. Benazir and her mother were kept on house arrest until they were allowed to flee to the United Kingdom. From the UK, Benazir led her father's center-left political party- the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). In 1988, when the PPP won the most seats in the Pakistani National Assembly, Bhutto was sworn in as Prime Minister. She served twenty months until she was removed from office, and then returned for an additional three years in 1993. Bhutto drew much acclaim from the West, and overwhelming criticism in Pakistan, for her attempts to modernize the nation.

Although she had pledged to help the plight of women during her campaign for office, intense political opposition kept her from following through on her promises. Ironically, as Prime Minister, Bhutto supported the rise of the Taliban in neighboring Afghanistan. She believed they would stabilize the troubled nation, and provide trade access to Central Asian republics. There is ample speculation and some documented evidence that Bhutto valued personal economics at the expense of national aims. Along with her husband, she had been accused of striking multiple government deals that resulted in huge windfalls for herself and her extended family. In exile she became the target of International Police for those activities, but that did not stop President Bush and Republican Congressional leaders from embracing her.

Until very recently, Benazir Bhutto had been highly critical of current Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf and his policies. Musharraf was seeking to delay her return to her homeland until after the general elections. Throughout 2007, the United States had attempted to get Musharraf to step down as military head, and install Bhutto as Prime Minister (despite Pakistani term limits that would prohibit this). The suggestion of amnesty for existing corruption charges and whisperings about a Bhutto/Musharraf power-sharing agreement paved the way for Benazir's final trip home. In exchange for protection against outstanding charges, Bhutto agreed to convince the PPP not to boycott the upcoming presidential elections.

In November of 2007, Musharraf pronounced a state of emergency due to a wave of religious extremism. Bhutto called for its end, and claimed that an open and fair election was not possible under such conditions. She produced a list of demands to be met if Musharraf wanted to stop the PPP from boycotting the election. On December 27th, 2007, Bhutto was assassinated while leaving a PPP campaign rally. Responsibility for the explosion that killed her remains unclear. The Pakistani government claims that Lashkar i Jhangvi (an al Qaeda afilliate) planned and executed the act. Apparently certain al Qaeda commanders considered Bhutto a major American asset and thus wanted her eliminated. The United States government seems to accept this account of the event. However the Bhutto family and the PPP dispute it. They suspect the involvement of Pakistani intelligence agencies, and are calling for a UN investigation into Bhutto's death.