The relationship between former Pink Floyd colleagues Roger Waters and David Gilmour is notoriously far from good — but at least Waters has nothing bad to say about his ex-bandmate’s guitar solos. The bass player made this clear in a statement on his official channels, in which he also dealt properly with a journalist.
“There’s a crappy article in the New Statesman written, if you can call it writing, by a guy named Stuart Maconie. It’s the usual ill-informed nonsense that stirs tempers. However, there is something in the article that I need to correct,” Waters wrote at the beginning of his post.
David Gilmour: “Terrible” guitar solos removed?
Specifically, Waters fumes at the claim, circulated in the article, that he removed Gilmour’s ‘terrible’ guitar solos for his re-recording of Pink Floyd’s ‘Dark Side Of The Moon’. Waters comments: “When he talks about a new recording I’ve made of DSOTM, he writes with undeserved patronizing authority about the process of making that new recording, and I quote, ‘Part of it is going to involve him, like quoted in Spanish newspaper El Pais, removed Gilmour’s ‘terrible guitar solos’.’ Well, I don’t know who he thinks he’s quoting when he says Gilmour’s ‘terrible guitar solos’, but I sure am not.’
Roger Waters: Praise Gilmour solos, scold journalists
He then trotts out the work of ex-colleague Gilmour Rosen: “I was there, I love Dave’s guitar solos on DSOTM, on both, and on WYWH, and on ANIMALS, and on THE WALL, and on THE FINAL CUT. In my opinion – albeit biased – Dave’s solos on these albums represent a collection of some of the best guitar solos in rock and roll history”.
Finally, a jab at the journalist responsible shouldn’t be missing: “So, Stuart Maconie, you little asshole, next time please check your copy with the subjects of your dingy little piece before you print it. Love, R.”
Reaction to Waters’ rant
Waters received a lot of praise for his post in the comments section on Facebook. “We don’t take the press seriously when it comes to you. Your absolute sincerity, both musically and otherwise, is unassailable to me,” one person wrote. Both social media and the press have taken criticism from Waters’ supporters: “This is an example of how social media can destroy human civility. I’ve never heard Roger ever say he doesn’t like DG guitar solos. They have collaborated on albums and if Roger had had a problem with the solos he would have said so at the time of recording. Some people need to stop believing everything they read and look at the real facts,” says one fan. Another user notes, “Small people always criticize big men. And have nothing in their name. You rock”.
Still another is of Waters’ show of respect for Gilmour’s work solos: “Honestly, when I first read the interview, it was like, ‘The guitar solos aren’t important to Dark Side of the Moon, the lyrics are all counts.’ Maybe that’s not the case. I’m glad Roger is giving them credit for being among the best in rock and roll history.”