Pink Floyd are a central theme in rock news these days, following the big announcement that the band has finally struck a deal to sell their music catalog to Sony Music.
Many people wondered if this meant the final end of the relationship between Roger Waters and David Gilmour – the leaders and creative motors in the group. That's exactly what it means. Gilmour is adamant in an interview with The Guardian that he will never play on the same stage with Waters again.
It's an open secret that the two of them can't stand each other for the past 10-15 years. It is also a fact that Waters was always a rebel and a revolutionary at heart, but as he got older his views became radicalized to the point where his colleagues hated him. In response to a question from the British The Guardian if he would ever get on the big stage with Roger Waters again – David Gilmour answers succinctly: “Absolutely not.” The main reason for this is the political views of the great musician, of which Gilmore is a fierce opponent. Here's what else he shares:
„I try to stay away from people who actively support genocidal authoritarian dictators – such as Vladimir Putin (Russia) or Nicolás Maduro (Venezuela). I would never get on stage with someone who is okay with women's rights being trampled on, as well as those of minority groups like the LGBT community.“
However, David Gilmour is saddened by the thought of his late Pink Floyd colleague Rick Wright (piano) and shares the following about him:
„I would give anything to be able to get on the same stage with Rick Wright again. He was one of the most thoughtful and kind people I have ever known and at the same time he had a tremendous musical talent.“
Gilmore and Waters have been at odds for many years now. In 2023, David called him a “misogynist, anti-Semite and Putin apologist”. Then he also shared a documentary film (The Dark Side of Roger Waters), which tells (according to him) about this dark part of Roger's character. The last time they were on the same stage was in 2011 (as part of the tour “The Wall”).
David Gilmour has achieved his dream of selling Pink Floyd's music catalog after all. He has repeatedly said that he really wants this to happen. It could have happened earlier (and for a significantly more substantial sum), but the deal was stymied by Roger Waters' controversial comments about Ukraine in 2022.
Meanwhile, David Gilmour has announced a UK, Europe and US limited edition tour in support of his latest and wonderful album “Luck and Strange”.
Simeon Cheshmedzhiev, zrockradio.bg