Pink Floyd: Why did Roger Waters leave ?

[Markus89]

I am really in to Pink Floyd, and have been for many years now. I just dont know to much about the people in the band.

Why did Roger Waters leave? I Heard David and Roger used to hate each others guts after the break-up.

Is there a short version of what happened ?

If someone was to ask about what happened to Axl and Slash it would take me a year to explain everything, was what went on with Axl and Slash something simular ?

[Lithium]

Google it.

[Markus89]

By the way.. everyone who likes Pink Floyd should see theese two videos of them reuniting on May 10th this year.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hUYzQaCCt2o&feature=share

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uZqS7LAyup4&feature=mfu_in_order&list=UL

Listen too the audience when they hug in the secong video!

Google it.

You try to google what went down in the Gnr camp back then and see if what comes up is accurate.. Most of it is worth nothing..

[bt88]

It just seems like they were diverging. Listen to the Final Cut. Good record but its more theatrical and less solos. Gilmour and Waters could barely get along. Based on their behind the music it seems like Waters is kind of an arrogant prick too. Not that that matters as douches tend to make good music, we are on a GNR forum after all

[moreblack]

thanks for the vids, that was nice Floydgasm.

[Becket]

“When and why did Roger leave?”

[Written by Matt Denault for the version 3 of the FAQ]

The following is taken mainly from Schaffner’s “Saucerful of Secrets” book, with additional pieces and support from other books, interviews, and articles. -=-

1983 During and after the recording of _The Final Cut_, it was pretty clear that there was no way that Dave and Roger were going to record together again. The artistic and personal differences between the two had just grown too strong. Whether this meant that Pink Floyd was dead or not is an open question — suffice to say that Floyd was certainly not going to continue with the same membership. But there was never an official statement disbanding the group or stating its future intentions; both Dave and Roger left the door open for future projects.

1984 So following TFC’s release, Roger went off and did his “might have been Floyd” album, _The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking_, while Dave worked on his own solo album, _About Face_. Both were released in ‘84, and both went to about #30 on the Billboard charts. At the time, Dave said “there are three of us in what is laughingly called the Pink Floyd, and none of us have any plans at the moment to work together on any project.” [The three being Rog, Dave, and Nick.]

Both Gilmour and Waters embarked on world tours, neither of which were terribly financially successful. Dave stated “I’ve made this record and done this tour to see if it was possible for me to continue without Pink Floyd.”

1985 Roger continued touring in 1985, while Dave devoted his energies to working on projects for and with other musicians.

In mid-85, Waters decided to terminate his personal management deal with Steve O’Rourke, who was pressuring him to make another Floyd album. Since Steve was Pink Floyd’s manager, and since Floyd had not been officially disbanded, Roger was still contractually obligated to him. In order to terminate this deal, he needed the assent of Dave and Nick, the other parties to the deal. In return, he offered them the rights to the Pink Floyd name (later saying he did so without making the ethical considerations he should have). At any rate, Dave and Nick would not ratify O’Rourke’s termination.

Roger then decided the way to get around this was to simply leave the group officially, as he had unofficially, thinking it was dead — or at least, that it certainly would be without him. So, in December 1985, Roger wrote to the record companies and announced his departure from Pink Floyd.

Also, in autumn of 1985, Mason said that he’d like to tour again as Pink Floyd, stating that he and Dave were “interested in revitalizing [Pink Floyd]…We definitely haven’t agreed it’s all over.”

1986 So then Roger did the (fairly rare) _When the Wind Blows_ soundtrack, and started work on _Radio KAOS_. Gilmour meanwhile started work on a project he said publicly might either be a Floyd album or a solo album. In mid-1986, Steve O’Rourke sued Waters for holding back commissions. If nothing else, this certainly did nothing to brighten Waters’ feelings toward the remaining Floyd members (with whom Steve was still associated).

Gilmour, working with Mason, Wright, Bob Ezrin, and a variety of others had decided by this time that what they were working on was indeed to be a new Floyd album. Learning of this work- in-progress, Roger went to the High Court on Halloween (October 31st) 1986 to have the group partnership, and thus the group, formally disbanded. Several days later, on November 11, 1986, Pink Floyd (that being Gilmour and Mason, “with Rick Wright and producer Bob Ezrin”) publicly announced they were working on a new album.

Upon finding out that the group partnership was in fact unofficial (and thus that disbanding it would be meaningless), Roger asked the Court for a ruling that would make the unanimous consent of all members (including Roger) necessary for any decision regarding Pink Floyd Music, including use of the name, concert props (like Mr. Screen), etc.

The court never actually ruled on the issue, and meanwhile _Momentary Lapse of Reason_ was released. Roger raised a lot of public hell, but privately his lawyers told him he didn’t really have a case, and so he settled for a compromise: Dave and Pink Floyd agreed to give Roger sole jurisdiction over the _Wall_ theatrical concept, and of course to pay royalties for those songs they played that Roger had been credited on. And while Floyd retained the use of the circular screen and other (non-_Wall_) concert elements, they were forced to give Roger credit for the “original pig concept” used in “One of These Days…”

And I think that’s about it… I ignored several issues (Ezrin and Wright’s involvement, “the record company meeting,” etc.) that I don’t think are legally relevant — info on them can be found in the articles and interviews at ftp.halcyon.com. The degree to which they’re morally relevant, and the question of whether reviving Pink Floyd was “good,” are matters I leave to your judgment…

http://www.pinkfloydonline.com/faq/question58/

[dalsh327]

Roger actually broke the wall down between him and Nick, and I think when Nick started working on "Inside Out", reuniting must have been in the back of their heads. Geldof made the whole thing happen, but if you read Nick's book, you realize that Roger's friendship with Nick was far more damaging. Roger and David weren't the closest of friends to begin with, and it must've driven Roger nuts when Nick chose to work with Gilmour.

Roger took it upon himself to disband Pink Floyd, and challenged Gilmour that he would never dare tour as Pink Floyd. Eventually Roger stopped bitching when he saw the royalty checks from Pulse and Delicate Sound of Thunder. I will say that "Amused To Death" would've made a great Pink Floyd album had David been involved.

But I also think even after Live 8, Roger not showing up to play with the other members of Pink Floyd at the Syd Barrett tribute, choosing instead to do one of his own songs, made it clear things were still not peachy.

There are similarities to what Axl did and what Roger did, but Roger wanted to take his chances going solo and not use the name Pink Floyd. And as we've seen, he doesn't need to. And Gilmour's content being "the voice of Pink Floyd" playing under his own name. And Gilmour's "On an Island" our had Rick Wright with him for the entire tour, with Nick playing a few shows, same with Nick playing some of Roger's Dark Side shows.

Now it's about what's left in the vaults and yet another repackaging.

Don't count a Pink Floyd reunion out. It's entirely up to Gilmour. Even though Rick's gone, Roger's son Harry has been playing a lot of Floyd songs for the past few tours.

Saucerful is a good book, but Nick gives the authorized version. He kind of downplayed the fighting in it, but all the breakup stuff is in there.

[moreblack]

Amused To Death turned out well either way. Jeff Beck