David Gilmour calls the late graphic genius 'a shoulder to cry on and a great friend' both at work and in private, while Nick Mason remembers him as a 'tireless worker right up to the end.'
- Apr 20, 2013
AceShowbiz - Pink Floyd mourned the death of Storm Thorgerson, an artist who helped them create cover arts for their albums over the years. Guitarist David Gilmour and drummer Nick Mason took to the band's official website to remember their longtime friend and collaborator.
He formed graphic art group Hipgnosis. He had created artworks for the likes of Led Zeppelin, Black Sabbath, Genesis, Muse, Ween, AC/DC, and Paul McCartney & Wings. "I'm privileged to work with music, so I'm happy to work...As long as I can keep working, and paying the rent as they call it over in England, then I'm relatively happy," he once said.
One of his memorable works is a design for Floyd's hit album "The Dark Side of the Moon". It's an image of a simple prism with a rainbow-colored beam shooting out of it. "It related mostly to a light show. The other thing was the triangle," he explained.
"I think the triangle, which is a symbol of thought and ambition, was very much a subject of Roger's lyrics," Thorgerson added. "So the triangle was a very a useful, as we know, obviously, was a very useful icon to deploy and making it into the prism, you know, the prism belonged to the Floyd."
"We are saddened by the news that long-time Pink Floyd graphic genius, friend and collaborator, Storm Thorgerson, has died," the band issued a joint statement shortly after hearing the news of Thorgerson's passing. "Our thoughts are with his family and many friends."
Gilmour recalled how they became friends years ago, "We first met in our early teens. We would gather at Sheep's Green, a spot by the river in Cambridge and Storm would always be there holding forth, making the most noise, bursting with ideas and enthusiasm. Nothing has ever really changed."
"He has been a constant force in my life, both at work and in private, a shoulder to cry on and a great friend. The artworks that he created for Pink Floyd from 1968 to the present day have been an inseparable part of our work," he concluded. "I will miss him."
Nick remembered Thorgerson as a "defender of art over commerce at all times, and tireless worker right up to the end," adding that the late artist was "irreplaceable and unforgettable, but leaving a wonderful legacy of ideas, film, writings and art work." He added, "Hipgnosis and Storm have contributed to so many musicians to engineer sums immeasurably greater than their parts."
Thorgerson passed away Thursday afternoon, April 18. "His ending was peaceful and he was surrounded by family and friends. He had been ill for some time with cancer though he had made a remarkable recovery from his stroke in 2003. He was in his 70th year," his family said.
"Two days before he passed away, and by then completely exhausted he was still demanding approval for art work and haranguing his loyal assistants," Nick said.
Thorgerson is survived by his mother Vanji, his son Bill, his wife Barbie Antonis and her two children Adam and Georgia.
