Floyd star switches concert venue

All discussion related specifically to Roger Waters.
User avatar
oldhippy
Judge!
Judge!
Posts: 1943
Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2004 5:54 pm
Location: In my own little world

Floyd star switches concert venue

Post by oldhippy »

Just got this from the BBC


Former Pink Floyd star Roger Waters has switched the venue for a solo concert in Israel following pressure from dozens of Palestinian artists.

The bassist was to perform in Tel Aviv in June but will now play the mixed Arab-Jewish town of Neveh Shalom.

He was asked to change his plans in an open letter from musicians who claimed Israel was "oppressing" Palestinians.

Pink Floyd's Another Brick in the Wall is used as a protest song by opponents of Israel's barrier in the West Bank.

However, the lyrics have been adapted to read: "We don't need no occupation. We don't need no racist wall."

In an open letter to Waters after the concert was first announced, the Palestinian artists urged him to stay away "at a time when Israel continues unabated with its colonial and apartheid designs to further dispossess, oppress and ultimately ethnically cleanse Palestinians from their homeland".

'Encourage co-existence'

Neveh Shalom is a small community near Israel's boundary with the West Bank which is seen as a symbol of peace.

Organisers said that moving the concert there would encourage co-existence between Israelis and Palestinians.

Waters himself has been unapologetic about playing in Israel, which is kept off the touring schedules of most bands due to security fears.

Last month, he told the Guardian newspaper: "I would not rule out going to Israel because I disapprove of the foreign policy any more than I would refuse to play in the UK because I disapprove of Tony Blair's foreign policy."

Waters split acrimoniously from Pink Floyd in 1985 and launched his solo career, but he rejoined the band for the one-off Live 8 concert last summer.
radiowaves

Post by radiowaves »

This is a very surprising post. Thanks, old hippy. It seems to me that roger has mellowed. Letting a country such as Israel telling HIM how to go about his business, and roger agreeing to it?????

What next? Will the reading of ''The Wall's'' lyrics be translated into hebrew? ( Thats sarcasm, by the way)

Again, thank you old hippy. Thanks for the info
DoctorFloyd

Post by DoctorFloyd »

It wasn't Isreal telling him how to go about his business...it was the Arabs in Palestine.

One thing annoyed me about that article - the line at the bottom. It has nothing whatsoever to do with what it is reporting.
radiowaves

Post by radiowaves »

ok. got it wrong. but the question is still there.....why is roger letting people tell him what to do??? i know he has an affinity to palestine and the lebanon, but he is a musician, first and formost. how will the fans in tel aviv feel?
DoctorFloyd

Post by DoctorFloyd »

Sorry, I'm irritatingly pedantic sometimes. :oops:

Maybe he isn't letting them tell him what to do, maybe its just him saying "yeah maybe they've got a point, I should have thought of that before I booked Tel Aviv"

Or, he could be doing it to make himself appear better in the eyes of the press who knows.

And I expect they're feeling angry with the government for building a stupid great Iron Curtain round Palestine