Opinion: Pink Floyd’s music has captivated Israeli listeners for decades, with some of its hits remaining ageless; should the anti-Israel rants of a confused octogenarian rob us of the pleasure of listening to their albums? Roger Waters has been a contentious character for many years, and the latest nine-month feud was unnecessary to underscore this. His aggressive words last week during a long and confusing interview with British journalist Piers Morgan are yet another stone in the wall of hostility he is erecting against us. Waters does not have to love us, and not every criticism of Israeli policies constitutes open antisemitism.
However, his terrible performance in front of the stunned interviewer, in which he claimed Israel concocted allegations of rape and infant burning on the dreadful morning of October 7, as well as an exceptionally ludicrous conspiracy theory concerning the delayed Israeli military reaction, crossed a clear red line. It’s no surprise that at some point during the interview, the former Pink Floyd frontman began babbling to himself; even the polite journalist across from him had had enough of his nonsense.
While hearing Waters’ lies is irritating, it is unclear whether the request from some radio stations in the country to boycott his music is feasible. Pink Floyd—not the man who was kicked out nearly 40 years ago—is a band that many Israelis still enjoy. Even if they determine that its songs are no longer worthy of public airplay, individuals here will continue to listen to its CDs at home and in their cars.
They will rush to local tribute shows dedicated to its classics and fly to see David Gilmour—formerly Waters’ bandmate and nemesis for many years—who is about to embark on a short European tour during which he has promised to perform many of the old songs that are now being boycotted. others Israelis who were lucky enough to secure tickets to see Gilmour (for a few hundred euros, not including trip and hotel) are just as patriotic as others who swiftly wished Waters things that cannot be written down. They recognize, however, that one must separate the guy from the music he made, no matter how difficult it is—and it is really tough.
Canceling someone who was not a part of your life before you found out what he did or said is a really small-minded behavior. Choosing to forego a portion of the soundtrack that created you as a person and provided you with countless hours of entertainment over the years is too high a cost. Why suffer twice, first from the man’s current nastiness and again from giving up the good he previously created?
These radio stations can happily skip Waters’ solo material. In any case, the few albums he made as a solo artist never matched the heights he achieved while in his old band. Even so, it’s unlikely that any of them ever gained high-profile exposure on local radio, even before Waters’ opinions became skewed. However, Pink Floyd’s bassist did not perform alone.
Waters played an important role in the band, particularly on albums such as Animals, The Wall, and The Final Cut, but for nearly 30 years, the British supergroup presented an impressive and fascinating display of power derived from the synergy between its members: Syd Barrett’s psychedelia in its early days, Richard Wright’s enchanting keyboards, Nick Mason’s clever drumming, and Gilmour’s guitar solos since Barrett’s replacement.
Anyone who considers albums such as The Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here, and Meddle to be a part of their lives cannot (and should not) truly abandon them. Those who rediscover them—as I did recently—will discover the same quantity of joy they provided the first time they were introduced to them. Even if time has worn some of them down (which it hasn’t), the recollection of that first, immaculate listening experience in junior high still tingles every fiber of my musical soul.
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