In a discussion, Roger Waters sharply criticized U2’s lead singer Bono, describing him as offensive and unpleasant. This strong rebuke came during an interview where Waters harshly condemned Bono’s comments about the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas.
During a performance at U2’s Sphere residency in Las Vegas, Bono took a moment to pay tribute to the victims of the October 7 attack at the Israeli Supernova music festival.
“Given the recent events in Israel and Gaza, a song for non-violence might seem absurd, even out of place, yet our prayers have always been for peace and non-aggression,” Bono told the audience before launching into a version of ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love).’ “Our anger has a direction, you know where it’s aimed. So sing with us… and for those beautiful young people at the festival.”
Bono then altered the song’s lyrics, singing, “Early morning, Oct. 7, the dawn breaks in the desert sky… Stars of David, they took your lives but couldn’t take your pride,” replacing the original verse.
Waters, known for his outspoken criticism of Israel, lashed out at Bono in a new conversation with Al Jazeera (via Clash), calling Bono’s remarks during the performance disgusting. “My father always taught me, when faced with tough problems, to dive into books—read, read, read. After that, the answer is simple: do the right thing,” Waters shared, referencing his father’s death in World War II.
He went as far as suggesting that Bono’s friends should physically confront him until he stops his offensive behavior. “We have to challenge people like this, calling out their views as nasty and demeaning… supporting the Zionist side,” Waters continued. “What he did two weeks ago in the Sphere at Las Vegas, singing about the Stars of David, was one of the most awful things I’ve ever seen.”
Waters has never held back in expressing his disapproval of Israel. Recently, his comments on the Palestine conflict and accusations of anti-Semitism have drawn significant attention.
He has consistently denied being anti-Semitic, explaining that his criticism is aimed at Israel’s government, not the Jewish people. He also accused Israel of misusing the term anti-Semitism to silence critics like him.
Waters was recently featured in a documentary titled “The Dark Side Of Roger Waters,” produced by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism. The film highlights several instances of alleged anti-Semitic actions linked to Waters.
In response, Waters denounced the documentary on his official website, calling it “a flimsy, unapologetic piece of propaganda,” claiming it unfairly combines alleged statements and actions from different situations to falsely label him as anti-Semitic without any real proof.
The documentary also covers a controversial concert in Germany in May 2023, which the US State Department deemed “deeply offensive to Jewish people.” During the show, Waters wore a black trench coat with a symbol resembling a swastika. He defended this as a stance against fascism, injustice, and bigotry, and criticized the backlash as “insincere and politically motivated.”
In a major legal victory, Waters was allowed to hold a concert in Frankfurt after it was initially canceled over allegations of anti-Semitism. Recently, reports surfaced about his departure from the label BMG following his controversial comments about Israel.
Meanwhile, U2 continued to use their Las Vegas residency as a platform for political statements, dedicating their Saturday show to Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny after news of his sudden death in a Russian prison on February 16.
