I’ve talked about some well known band reunions including the sex pistols,
and led zeppelin. But today i want to talk about one of the unlikeliest of reunions
and that involved the band Pink Floyd. That’s what were going to discuss in today’s video.
Roger Waters would leave pink floyd in the mid 80’s when the creative differences became far
too great with David Gilmour. Despite leaving the group he’d be involved in
a nasty legal battle trying to prevent his former band members from using the name..
Eventually Pink Floyd continued without Waters and went on to still have success.
In 2005 Concert organizer Bob Geldoff would put together Live 8 to raise awareness about poverty
and other social issues in Africa. It would be held 20 years after the original live aid concert
and it was to coincide with the meeting of the G8 leaders who would be discussing issues in the
continent. By this point in time the relationship between Waters and Gilmour was pretty strained,
so much so that Waters had to ask Geldoff for GIlmour’s phone number.
In the days leading up to the one off reunion Gilmour would tell the associated press
Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G8 leaders to make huge commitments
to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world. the moment was bigger than those
bad feelings,". "Any squabbles Roger and the band have had in the past are so petty in this context,
and if reforming for this concert will help focus attention, then it's going to be worthwhile."
Waters would add "It's great to be asked to help Bob raise public awareness on the issues
of third-world debt and poverty," The cynics will scoff. Screw 'em! Also, to be given the
opportunity to put the band back together, even if it's only for a few numbers, is a big bonus."
The concert would mark the first time waters, gilmour, nick mason and richard wright had
played together on stage since 1981. The band’s setlist was limited to just over 20
minutes with the band playing 4 songs include ” “Money,” “Wish You Were Here” and “Comfortably
Numb.” While the concert went off without a hitch, the rehearsals were a little more tense
with Gilmour and Waters unable to initially agree on a setlist. Gilmour would admit that
he didn’t want to play another brick in the wall revealing [The song] was way off message. Anyway,
I don't like it much. It's all right, but not part of the great emotional oeuvre.He woul also add
"The songs that Roger wanted were not the ones I thought we should do.
The arrangements of the songs were not the way Roger wanted to do them. But I kind of insisted."
There were times when Roger was struggling to not get bossy,
and I was struggling to keep being bossy," " It was during pink floyd’s performance at hyde
park that roger waters took a moment to pay tribute to
syd barrett who would pass away one year later from pancreatic cancer.
Much like the original live aid several concerts
would take place around the globe and feature popular musical acts.
Following the band’s performance at Hyde Park there were reports that the band was
offered 150 million to reunite and tour together across the globe. Apparently
that sum of money couldn’t convince the members to put aside their differences.
After Live 8, Gilmour donated the profits from Pink Floyd’s
albums (which saw a 1300 percent due to the performance) to the Live 8 charity.
David Gilmour shot down any talk of a reunion, while Waters seemed more into
the idea telling the associated press "David is completely uninterested," After Live 8,
I could have probably gone for doing some more stuff, but he's not interested."
Waters would tell BBC
. "I think Live 8 was probably it," "And Live 8 was so beautiful,
and Rick obviously was still with us then. If that's the way we draw a line under Pink Floyd,
so be it. I won't be unhappy about that."
As recently as 2021 Gilmour would tell new musical express “It has run its course,
we are done,". "I’m all for Roger [Waters] doing whatever he wants to do and enjoying himself."
It seemed like Waters feelings on a reunion had shifted too telling Rolling Stone in 2020 “No, [a
reunion] wouldn’t be nice," he told Rolling Stone last year. "It would be fucking awful. Obviously,
if you’re a fan of those days of Pink Floyd, well, then you have a different point of view.
I had to live through it. That was my life. And I know in the wake of it,
I’ve been cast as something of a villain by whoever, whatever. So be it. I can live with that.
But would I trade my liberty for those chains? No fucking way.” Even drummer Nick Mason shot
down any hopes of a reunion recently telling AZ Central in 2019 After 20-something years,
I was absolutely tired of waiting for the phone to ring with Roger or David going, ‘C’mon guys, let’s
get the band back together,’" he told AZ Central. "I thought, ‘Forget that. It’s not gonna happen.'