Former Pink Floyd icon ROGER WATERS and Palestian songstressMONA MIARI
teamed up to perform Comfortably Numb Re-Imagned, a song that transforms Pink Floyd‘s 1979’s track from ‘The Wall’ album into a 9-minute tribute to the Palestinian people, featuring new English and Arabic lyrics and a video with footage filmed in Gaza.
Former drummer Nick Mason reacted by saying: “I think that’s
a slightly over emotional way of putting that there was some sort
of division within the band about.”
Last MarchTHE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, one of the best-sold,
most famous, and praised masterpiece albums ever, turned 50.
Bassist and musical genius ROGER WATERS co-founded PINK FLOYD back in 1967,
then led for a short period of time by the late troubled musical genius Syd Barrett (replaced by Dave Gilmour). They released 15 studio LPs.
In 1984 due to the clashing personalities, mostly Waters vs Gilmour, Waters left the band thinking that Pink Floyd was finished anyway. They never worked ever again, and saying they weren’ friends whatsoever is an understatement.
For the occasion of the 50th birthday, Waters re-imagined-worked-invented all songs
of the classic. it’s now about a letter Waters wrote to the assistant to Donald Hall when the poet was in his last days. It’s a subtle change but it’s a substantial one, turning Dark Side of the Moon into a voyage inward, not outward. And it’s out now, receiving mixed reactions from the press.
MOJO: “The new focus on these songs’ lyrics proves deeply powerful, a different and profound kind of high. Consequently, The Dark Side OF The Moon Redux is wholly valid, the unnerving, stirring adjunct Waters was aiming for.” Score: 8/10.
Paste Magazine: “Fans may feel it’s more of a long slog than they remember, with the slower tempo stretching many of the songs beyond their natural length, and the spoken word passages lending a languorous quality that may induce drowsiness.” Score: 4/10.
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason about REDUX.
TUTV: I don’t really like Waters‘ pretty huge ego and his double-edged political views,
but what he did here wasn’t commercial suicide. If you listen to REDUX with open mind, you can’t but conclude that Waters comes up with a totally different angle on Pink Floyd‘s timeless masterpiece and it works, for me that is. It’s an album, with an entertaining singer-songwriter approach and a wholly different musicality. Down to earth songs instead of psychedelic symphonies in space.
Also lyrically we get a (almost totally) different story, as Waters spread his letter he wrote to the assistant to renowned American poet Donald Hall in his last days (he passed away in 2018) all over the record, in near-whispering tone. But at times the story-telling is too long and gets in the way of the music. But overall, REDUX is a bold and successful achievement.
Last MarchTHE DARK SIDE OF THE MOON, one of the best-sold,
most famous, and praised masterpiece albums ever turned 50.
Bassist ROGER WATERS co-founded PINK FLOYD back in 1967,
then led for a short time by the late troubled musical genius Syd
Barrett (replaced by Dave Gilmour). They released 15 studio LPs.
In 1984 due to the clashing personalities, mostly Waters vs Gilmour, Waters left the band thinking that Pink Floyd was finished anyway. They never worked ever again and saying they were no friends whatsoever is an understatement.
Waters a few years ago about the fights within the band…
Pink Floyd drummer Nick Mason already heard the new album.
For the occasion of the 50th birthday, Waters re-imagined-worked-invented all songs
of the classic. The new version, named The Dark Side Of The Moon Redux, will be released on Earth on October 6.
Here below, Waters explains why he did this special project
So far Waters‘ shared two tasters, Money and Time. I’m not a great fan of the man, but he’s a bloody brilliant musician with an ingenious artistic vision, as we know it. And here’s why.
Last MarchPink Floyd‘s massive classic The Dark Side Of The Moon turned 50.
Former bassist/composer/songwriter Roger Waters, one of Floyd‘s essential
members and probably the biggest ego, has, for the occasion of the 50th birthday
of the LP, re-imagined-re-worked-re-invented all songs of the classic. The new
version, named The Dark Side Of The Moon Redux, will be released on 6 October.
Waters send a copy of it to the band’s drummer and
co-founder Nick Mason, who obviously likes it.
As far as the first taster goes, I’m with Mason. Splendid work.
You can read the full Nick Mason feature in NME about the re-recorded LP here.
The board of the German city of Frankfurt has canceled an upcoming concert by former Pink Floyd maestro Roger Waters (78 now). The show was planned for May 28 on the spot of what was a Jewish detention camp during WWII, where 3,000 Jewish men were held on the devastating Kristallnacht (Night of the Broken Glass) in November 1938 before being sent to their deaths.
The Frankfurt Official City Portal stated in a press message they decide to do it due to “persistent anti-Israel behavior from ‘one of the most widely spread anti-Semites in the world.’The magistrate therefore feels called upon to set a clear signal against anti-Semitism that is supported by society as a whole. Against this background, the individual case decision made due to the special scope is not to be seen as a precedent.”
Waters did some controversial statements in the past year, like naming
US President Joe Biden a war criminal for helping Ukraine in their fierce
battle with Russia.
He also blamed Europe: “This war is basically about the action and reaction of NATO pushing right up to the Russian border, which they promised they wouldn’t do when [former Soviet leader Mikhail] Gorbachev negotiated the withdraw of the USSR from the whole of Eastern Europe.”
Recently he spoke at the UN Security Council at Moscow’s request, where he condemned Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, saying that it was “not unprovoked” but it was also “illegal.”
He also called on “President Biden, President Putin, President Zelenskyy, USA, NATO, Russia,
the EU, all of you” to “agree to a ceasefire in Ukraine.” He also conjured the image of an international celebration and “John Lennon pumping the air with his fist from the grave” if that ceasefire were to happen.
Time to go home, Roger. Build a wall around it and leave the kids alone.
Recently former Pink Floyd conducter ROGER WATERS went on American TV Show
‘The Joe Rogan Experience’ and talked emotionally by the late troubled co-founder
Syd Barrett.
The LP’s title is taken from a line of 1973 horror classic The Exorcist. The picture is by photographer Brad Guice. The band wanted “something vulgar, like a dude getting punched”.
Cover artwork by British artist Christopher Gunson. He has written and illustrated
many children’s books, including the award-winning Over On The Farm.
The cover picture is by journalist/photographer Malcolm Browne. It shows the self-immolation of Thích Quảng Đức, a Vietnamese Buddhist monk, in Saigon in 1963.
The monk was protesting President Ngô Đình Diệm‘s administration for oppressing
the Buddhist religion.
The LP’s artwork features a chimpanzee watching television in reference to Kubrick’s film 2001: A Space Odyssey. Waters: “the ape is symbol for anyone who’s
been sitting with his mouth open in front of the network and cable news.”
On 8 May 1984 , today 35 years ago, PINK FLOYD‘s main singer/songwriter ROGER WATERS released his first solo album, entitled THE PROS AND CONS OF HITCH HIKING.
A concept album (of course) about one man’s midlife crisis that actually could have been a Floyd LP. At the time Waters was busy working on two longplayers, this one and another, provisionally named Bricks in the Wall (yes, you certainly can guess its definite title).
Waters presented both blueprints to the band. Although David Gilmour liked ‘Pros and Cons‘ better musically, the group decided to go for ‘The Wall‘ as their next LP and the rest
is history. The LP’s artwork is intentionally cheap and gratuitous, although I’m sure the smart label people will have some arty farty explanation to justify it. Anyway, the music
is a pretty compelling achievement. Here’s Roger Waters first solo symphony in full…
