Franka Wright was the second wife of the late Richard Wright (1943-2008), founding member and keyboard player of Pink Floyd. They were married for a decade, from 1984 to 1994. Both David Gilmour and Nick Mason (guitarist and drummer for Pink Floyd, respectively) recognize Franka’s contribution to the band’s reunion between 1986 and 1994.

Despite any obstacles brought by the quarantine, Franka Wright is preparing her biography, presenting her side of what was life like with the Pink Floyd and is expected to shed some light to many unknown aspects of the band which has sold more than 250.000.000 copies worldwide. The book is to be translated into Greek, as well as into Ancient Greek; at the same time, she has received a proposal for a documentary and a music film she would wish to start from Greece. Franka shares details ofher life next to the legendary composer of the Pink Floyd and his love for Greece as well as her photos from their iconic wedding at Vouliagmeni and her personal moments with the rock legend.

Indeed, I met Rick through an accident. I was at Lindos, on the island of Rhodes, and was heading down to Rhodes city when the jeep I was driving hit the mountain rocks; I was literally catapulted out of it, breaking all of my ribs and lower spine. I couldn’t even breathe.

Back then, I hadn’t met Rick yet and I had no idea that David Gilmour and Richard Wrightwere actually staying at Lindos.

I remained bedridden for two months, sustaining insufferable pain. 
However, every single day someone used to sent me a huge bouquet of pink roses. I had no clue as to who could that person be, since there were so many people visiting every day. 
Two months later, I was brought back to Lindos and  once I had recovered, my friends threw a party for me. It was then I discovered who was sending the roses. It was Rick! Ever since I thanked him, he never left my side ever again, not even once.

When we started dating, I noticed something odd: David and Rick didn’t even say hi to each other. I asked him what the case was since I was puzzled by that. He said that after the Wall in 1980, they had a fight and the group had sort of disbanded. However, the two of them happened to maintain a residence at Lindos, acquired years

years before that incident, for they both loved Greece so much. 

When I finally realized they did not speak to each other, I told him that that was really selfish because people wanted them all together not making solo discs, which didn’t even sell well. I told Rick I would speak to David, to which he replied that I should do as I wished. 

The following day, while at the beach, we joined the group of my Italian friends where David was also present. I went straight to him,and kissed him on the cheek; he asked how I felt and wished me a speedy recovery, so Rickhad to say hi too. 

So,everyone was happilyclapping when I hugged them both and proclaimed them brothers. Taking David aside, I told him Rick really loved him and that those two should take the big step of reuniting the Pink Floyd to bring people and the music world joy and hope.

David seemed convinced. He started laughing, hugged me and added: “Ok, ok Franka. Stop pushing , stop pushing. We will do it.”

To me that was a historic day. I helped them reconcile and proved in action that behind great men there are always quietly strong women.

Later on, when ΕΜΙ booked their concerts all over the world, for five consecutive years, my whole life was changed. For five years, I turned into a globetrotter, just to be next to my husband. It was a life of fairytale but also a life lived in danger.

The Pink Floyd loved Greece and its history and of course its bright light and energy. Before the group disbanded in 1980, Rick and David had bought estates at Lindos in Rhodes.  From the beginning of their careers, together with their first wives, they raised their children at the amazingly beautiful Lindos, where they spent time every single summer. At Lindos, there is a castle with a fortress, an acropolis, which is older than the Acropolis of Athens. There is also the Tomb of Cleovoulos, one of the Seven Sages of Ancient Greece. The energy of Lindos is so strong that it could actually make you reach the stars out of shear happiness or it could bring about your very doom, depending of course on the kind of energy you harbor. 

In my particular case, I experienced a holy union with Lindos. I loved it dearly due to itsunique beauty and strength… we fitted with each other. This is why it changed my life.

Most foreigners, especially of Italian origin, bought the most beautiful houses of unique architecture in Lindos. Rick and David, but also Ornella  Muti, Pirelli, Amanda Lear, Bulgari and many more famous and respectable people of the arts were among them. To me, Lindos was then much more beautiful than Sardinia. 

In the month of August, we used to do sailingraces and then at night, it was time for my well-established Fantasia parties; everyone had prepared a gorgeous outfit as well as a different Italian sauce for the spaghetti being cooked into big pots. Outside, in the gardens, lit torches were scattered everywhere and vodka was offered into carved watermelons.

I played the music, picked the most beautiful Italian men and women, and following a few quick rehearsals, we presented our musicals such as the Cabaret as well as fashion shows with the amazing outfits sold at the little shops of Lindos. 

That was why Rick and everyone else loved me. I was their Greek lady. His Caryatid, as Rick used to call me.

We spent summertime in the sea, on our sailing boats.

Sailing had a calming effect on Rick andI used to sit in the front, watching the dolphins dance around the boat and caressing my feet. 

Music was playing on the outside through special speakers; the sea was blue and together with the bright sun, they were giving the most amazing concerts of this inspiring Nature. You were left with feelings of wonderment and awe, to say the least...

Rick’s two children, Gala and Jamie, aged 8 and 6 at the time, grew up with us. I adored them and they loved me a lot too. Our only problem was their mother who was always upset that the children preferred staying with their father and me. I tried to be as polite as possible, but she never forgave Rick for marrying me, even though they were divorced before he even met me.

We split our life between the UK and France, spending wintertime in England, at a castle,which did not really match my Greek DNA; however, it was one of our homes, located at my husband’s homeland. During spring time, we were relocating to Nice and the French Riviera, living in an incredibly beautiful house with a studio where Rick could compose his music. Eric Clapton and many other artists used to join us there. I used to write lyrics and sometimes I even finished a painting or two. Close to Cannes, we had another sailing boat. It was called Evrika. We took a trip, sailing the Caribbean. In my life, I experienced so many miles and such strong winds at sea. I couldn’t have it otherwise though. That was myhusband’s life, with its advantages but also with its downsides, as is the life of any rock star.

Of course, that was all before the concerts started. For five consecutive years, I travelled nonstop, all around the globe! I watched the concerts a thousand times. The best of them all was in Venice where it took place literally in the water, at the Piazza San Marco. It was a free concert and indeed a miracle of music, neverachieved by any other band in the world; And it cannot be reproduced in the future either, because technically only Pink Floyd managed to pull that: there were people from all over the world, from Hollywood even people with lesser means.

When Rick opened the concert and played the first notes, it was absolutely sensational. The boats and gondolas, full of flowers started getting closer, and because of the ripples on thewater surface, the lasers, which have a specifictarget and “leave” before the sound, were literally all over, lighting Venice with the colors of the rainbow. The people went crazy with thiscolorful feast for the eyes, coupled with this amazing music they listened to.

An other very interesting concert was in my country Greece in 1989 and I felt very proud of him. Roger Waters wrote the lyrics of “the Wall” in Pasalimani in Piraeus and David Gilmour wrote the 

«Castellorizon». 

It’s important to remind you that they didn’t give autographs to Melina Merkouri, they took from her and they spoke about the return of the marbles of Parthenon.

Our marriage also became a nice dream. The ceremony was in Vouliagmeni in Greece.Rick was in love with Greece. 

All these aspects are nice but there is also theother side of the coin, particularly for a woman; due to the weariness of the trips, I was hospitalised once more for a miscarriage. 

As you can tell, there are also the less happy aspects, which I do not plan to describe but I believe anyone can understand what I mean. Being married to a living myth and rock star of the international music industry is not an easy task. 

I do wish, however, that he were remembered as an important artist who loved Greece and who never missed a chance to show it. That’s why is very important for me to remind it. And I will very soon!

 “Hellas” means the country of light. For thousands of years, the entire humankind has been enlightened and reborn through the sacred marbles of the Ancient Greeks.
My biggest dream is that this film honors my country, Greece, the country of light that inspires everyone and connects all countries on this good Earth.

It was in Greece that, with my help, the Pink Floyd were reunited and in their turn, through their music, honored Terpsichore, the Ancient Greek Muse of music.
So, this is my heart’s desire: to reunite Greece with the enlightened divine music of the Pink Floyd through an amazing historic film that everyone will definitely love for it is indeed a powerful project.