David Gilmour has put an end to any lingering hopes of a reunion with former Pink Floyd bandmate Roger Waters, firmly stating that he has no intention of ever sharing the stage with him again.
In a recent interview with The Guardian, Gilmour reiterated that he would “absolutely not” perform with Waters, citing his former bandmate’s divisive political views and controversial remarks on several global issues, including Israel, Ukraine, and the United States.
Gilmour explained, “I tend to steer clear of people who actively support genocidal and autocratic dictators like Russia’s president Vladimir Putin and Venezuela’s president Nicolás Maduro.
Nothing would make me share a stage with someone who thinks such treatment of women and the LGBT community is OK.”
Instead of looking back on his tumultuous relationship with Waters, Gilmour expressed his desire to perform again with late Pink Floyd keyboardist Rick Wright.
“On the other hand, I’d love to be back on stage with Rick Wright, who was one of the gentlest and most musically gifted people I’ve ever known,” he added, making it clear that his fondness lies with former bandmates who shared a mutual respect and harmonious collaboration.
Waters has been at the center of controversy for years, most notably comparing Israel to Nazi Germany and making comments about Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, which he described as “not unprovoked.”
Gilmour’s wife, writer Polly Samson, took to X (formerly Twitter) earlier this year to express her frustration, accusing Waters of being “anti-Semitic to his rotten core.”
Gilmour chimed in, supporting his wife’s statements by adding, “Every word demonstrably true.” Waters refuted the accusations, calling them “incendiary and wildly inaccurate.”
Waters’ political comments have led to professional consequences, most notably BMG, the German-based music publishing company, severing ties with him.
The company had initially been scheduled to release Waters’ newly recorded version of Pink Floyd’s iconic 1973 album Dark Side of the Moon.
However, after Thomas Coesfeld became CEO of BMG in July of last year, the deal was scrapped. Instead, Waters released the album through U.K.-based Cooking Vinyl.
Additionally, Waters’ inflammatory remarks also played a part in the delay of Pink Floyd’s multi-million dollar deal with Sony Music.
The rights to Pink Floyd’s recorded catalog, as well as their name and likeness, were initially set to be sold to Sony for around $400 million.
However, the ongoing controversies surrounding Waters have caused complications in finalizing the agreement.
With Gilmour publicly distancing himself from Waters and the business side of Pink Floyd in flux, it seems any chance of the band reuniting on stage is not only unlikely but officially out of the question.
