Roger Waters facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Roger Waters |
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Waters in 2015
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| Background information | |
| Birth name | George Roger Waters |
| Born | 6 September 1943 Great Bookham, Surrey, England |
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| Years active | 1964–present |
| Labels | |
| Members | List |
George Roger Waters (born 6 September 1943) is an English musician, singer, and songwriter. In 1965, he helped start the famous rock band Pink Floyd as their bassist. After Syd Barrett left the band in 1968, Roger Waters became the main lyric writer, a lead singer, and the creative leader of Pink Floyd until he left in 1985.
Pink Floyd became very successful around the world with their concept albums. These included The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), and The Wall (1979). By the early 1980s, Pink Floyd was one of the most popular and successful music groups.
Roger Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 due to creative disagreements. He then started his own solo music career. His solo albums include The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984), Radio K.A.O.S. (1987), Amused to Death (1992), and Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017). In 2005, he released an opera called Ça Ira, which is about the French Revolution.
In 1990, Waters put on one of the biggest rock concerts ever, The Wall – Live in Berlin, with 450,000 people attending. As a member of Pink Floyd, he was added to the US Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1996 and the UK Music Hall of Fame in 2005. Later in 2005, he played with Pink Floyd again for the Live 8 event. This was their only performance together with Waters since 1981. He has toured a lot as a solo artist since 1999.
Waters often includes political ideas in his music. He supports Palestine in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He has spoken out against the Israeli West Bank Barrier and supports the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement against Israel.
Contents
Growing Up and Early Life
Roger Waters was born on 6 September 1943, in Great Bookham, Surrey, England. He was the younger of two sons. His father, Eric Fletcher Waters, was a schoolteacher and a member of the Communist Party.
During the Blitz in Second World War, Waters' father was a conscientious objector and drove an ambulance. He later joined the army and was killed in February 1944 during the Battle of Anzio in Italy. Roger was only five months old at the time. His father is remembered in Aprilia, Italy, and at the Cassino War Cemetery.
After her husband's death, Roger's mother, Mary Waters, moved with her sons to Cambridge. Roger attended Morley Memorial Junior School and then the Cambridgeshire High School for Boys. He went to school with Syd Barrett, who would later be in Pink Floyd. Another future Pink Floyd member, David Gilmour, lived nearby.
When he was 15, Waters was the head of the Cambridge Youth Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (YCND). He was also good at sports, especially cricket and rugby. Waters didn't enjoy school much, saying he "hated every second of it" except for games.
Waters met future Pink Floyd members Nick Mason and Richard Wright in London. They were all studying architecture at the Regent Street Polytechnic. Waters started there in 1962.
Pink Floyd Years (1965–1985)
Roger Waters was a key part of the famous band Pink Floyd.
How Pink Floyd Started
In late 1963, Waters, Mason, and Wright started playing music together in a band called Sigma 6. Waters played rhythm guitar, Mason played drums, and Wright played keyboards.
Later, Syd Barrett and guitarist Bob Klose joined the group. Waters then switched to playing the bass guitar. By 1966, the band was known as Pink Floyd.
Syd Barrett was the band's main songwriter and guitarist in the early days. He wrote most of their first album, The Piper at the Gates of Dawn (1967). Waters wrote one song on that album, "Take Up Thy Stethoscope and Walk". By late 1967, Syd Barrett's mental health made it hard for him to continue. In March 1968, Barrett agreed to leave Pink Floyd. David Gilmour then joined the band.
Roger Waters Takes the Lead
After Syd Barrett left, Roger Waters started to guide Pink Floyd's music. He wanted to make their music more about political and philosophical ideas. He became the main songwriter and lyricist for the band. He also shared lead vocals with Gilmour and Wright.
Waters wrote most of the lyrics for five Pink Floyd albums before he left. These albums were The Dark Side of the Moon (1973), Wish You Were Here (1975), Animals (1977), The Wall (1979), and The Final Cut (1983). Each of these albums was a "concept album," meaning all the songs were connected by a main idea or story.
The Dark Side of the Moon, with all lyrics by Waters, is one of the most successful rock albums ever. It stayed on the Billboard 200 chart for many years and sold over 40 million copies worldwide. Waters felt proud of the album, saying it "struck a chord" with people.
Waters' ideas often focused on the cost of war and the loss of his father. These themes appeared in songs like "Us and Them" from The Dark Side of the Moon. The album The Final Cut was even dedicated to his father.
The Wall, written almost entirely by Waters, is largely based on his own life story. It sold over 23 million copies in the US. Pink Floyd toured with a huge show for The Wall. The last time Pink Floyd performed The Wall with Waters was in 1981.
In 1983, The Final Cut was released. It was the last Pink Floyd album with Roger Waters. He wrote all the lyrics and music for it. The album criticized the government at the time.
Leaving Pink Floyd
Roger Waters left Pink Floyd in 1985 because of disagreements about their music. He then had a legal dispute with the band about them continuing to use the name Pink Floyd. Waters felt that the band should not continue without him.
In December 1987, Waters and Pink Floyd reached an agreement. Waters kept the rights to the Wall concept and the inflatable pig used in the Animals shows. Pink Floyd released more albums without him, like A Momentary Lapse of Reason (1987) and The Division Bell (1994).
In 2005, Waters said he regretted the negative feelings around his departure. He felt he was wrong to try to force his ideas on the others if they didn't agree.
Solo Career (1984–Present)
Early Solo Albums and Tours
In 1984, Waters released his first solo album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking. This album explored ideas about relationships and freedom. He toured to support the album, playing both his new songs and some Pink Floyd songs.
In 1986, Waters wrote songs for the animated film When the Wind Blows. In 1987, he released Radio K.A.O.S., a concept album about a mute man who can hear radio waves in his head. This album also had a supporting tour.
The Wall – Live in Berlin and Amused to Death
After the Berlin Wall fell in 1989, Waters put on a huge concert called The Wall – Live in Berlin in July 1990. It was held on empty land where the wall used to be. About 200,000 people attended, and it was watched by around a billion people on TV. Many famous musicians joined him for the show. Waters released a double album of the performance.
In 1992, Waters released his third solo album, Amused to Death. This album was influenced by world events like the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and the Gulf War. It criticized how war can become like entertainment on TV. This album is often seen as his best solo work.
In 1996, Waters was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pink Floyd.
Tours and Collaborations
In 1999, after a long break from touring, Waters started the In the Flesh tour. He performed both his solo songs and Pink Floyd songs. The tour was very successful and lasted for three years. A live album and DVD, In the Flesh – Live, were released.
In 2004, Waters released two new anti-war songs online: "To Kill the Child" and "Leaving Beirut".
Pink Floyd Reunion and Opera
In July 2005, Waters reunited with Nick Mason, Richard Wright, and David Gilmour for a final performance at the Live 8 concert in London. This was Pink Floyd's only performance with Waters since 1981. They played a 23-minute set of their classic songs. Waters said that while playing together again was positive, a full reunion was unlikely due to their ongoing differences.
In September 2005, Waters released his opera, Ça Ira. It is based on the French Revolution. Waters said he was a big fan of classical music and wanted to create something romantic in that style.
The Dark Side of the Moon Live Tours
In June 2006, Waters began a two-year world tour called The Dark Side of the Moon Live. In the second half of the show, he performed the entire The Dark Side of the Moon album. This was the first time he had performed the whole album in over 30 years. The shows included impressive lights, fog, projections, and inflatable puppets. Nick Mason sometimes joined Waters for parts of the show.
In 2007, Waters' song "Hello (I Love You)" was featured in the science fiction film The Last Mimzy.
Recent Tours and Albums
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In September 2010, Waters started The Wall Live tour. This was an updated version of the original Pink Floyd tour, with a full performance of The Wall. David Gilmour and Nick Mason joined Waters for some songs at a London show in 2011. By 2013, this tour became the highest-earning tour by a solo artist at that time.
Waters released his first solo album in almost 25 years, Is This the Life We Really Want?, on 2 June 2017. It was produced by Nigel Godrich. Waters then toured North America with the Us + Them Tour, playing both Pink Floyd and solo material.
In 2019, Waters joined Nick Mason's Saucerful of Secrets on stage to sing "Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun". Waters was one of the top ten highest-earning concert acts of the decade.
Recent Years (2020s)
In January 2020, Waters announced a new tour called This Is Not a Drill. This tour was rescheduled to 2022 and 2023 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2021, Waters said he was writing a memoir. In December 2022, he released an EP called The Lockdown Sessions, with new versions of his songs.
Waters has continued to have disagreements with David Gilmour. In 2021, Waters said Gilmour would not let him use Pink Floyd's website. In 2023, Gilmour's wife, Polly Samson, made strong accusations against Waters on Twitter, which Gilmour supported.
For the 50th anniversary of The Dark Side of the Moon, Waters recorded a new version called The Dark Side of the Moon Redux, released in October 2023. This version has spoken-word parts and no guitar solos. Waters said he wanted to share the album's message with the wisdom of an 80-year-old.
Political Views
Supporting Palestine
Waters is a strong supporter of Palestine in the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. He is part of the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement, which calls for an international boycott of Israel. Waters saw the Israeli West Bank barrier in 2006 and called for its removal. He has said that Israel's treatment of Palestinians is like apartheid.
Waters has also criticized other artists who perform in Israel. He asked bands like Bon Jovi and Radiohead to cancel their concerts there, but they did not.
In 2013, some groups accused Waters of antisemitism because he used a giant pig balloon with a Star of David on it in his concerts. Waters said it was one of many religious and political symbols in his show and not meant to target Judaism. He has also compared Israel's actions to Nazi Germany, which has led to more accusations of antisemitism. Waters says these accusations mix up antisemitism with being against Zionism.
In 2020, Major League Baseball stopped advertising Waters' concerts after complaints from Jewish groups. Waters has also made comments about American politics and the Israeli Defence Forces that caused controversy. In January 2024, the BMG music company ended a publishing agreement with Waters because of his comments on Israel and Ukraine.
Controversies and Investigations
In February 2023, the city of Frankfurt, Germany, tried to cancel one of Waters' shows. They called him an "antisemite" because of his support for BDS and the imagery used in his shows. A German court later overturned the cancellation, saying the concert was a work of art.
In May 2023, German police started an investigation into Waters for the Nazi-style uniform he wore during his Berlin performance. Nazi symbolism is banned in Germany, except for educational or artistic reasons. Waters has used similar uniforms in his The Wall shows since 1980 to show his opposition to fascism. He said the criticism was unfair and politically motivated.
A documentary in September 2023, The Dark Side of Roger Waters, claimed he made offensive remarks about Jewish people. Waters said the film misrepresented his views.
In November 2023, hotels in Buenos Aires and Montevideo cancelled Waters' reservations after he made comments about the 2023 Hamas attack on Israel.
Views on Ukraine and Other Topics
Before the Russian invasion of Ukraine in February 2022, Waters said rumors of an invasion were propaganda. After the invasion, he criticized US President Joe Biden for "fuelling the fire" in Ukraine. He said Russia was reacting to actions from NATO. In September 2022, he wrote an open letter to the First Lady of Ukraine, Olena Zelenska. He said Ukrainian "extreme nationalists" started the war and that the West should not send weapons to Ukraine. His concerts in Poland were cancelled because of these comments.
In February 2023, Waters spoke to the United Nations Security Council at Russia's request. He called the invasion illegal but said it was "not unprovoked."
Waters has also spoken out on other topics. He supported the right to hunt, even if he didn't support hunting itself. In 2007, he became a spokesperson for Millennium Promise, an organization fighting poverty. He also performed at Live Earth to raise awareness about climate change.
Waters supports veterans, partly because his father died in World War II. He often sets aside tickets for veterans at his shows. He has also performed with groups of wounded veterans.
Waters opposed Brexit (the UK leaving the European Union). He criticized US President Donald Trump and his plan to build a wall between the US and Mexico. He also spoke out against the White Helmets in Syria, calling them a "fake organisation."
In 2018, Waters included the Brazilian politician Jair Bolsonaro in a list of "neo-fascists" shown on screen at his concert in São Paulo. He also showed support for the murdered Brazilian councilwoman Marielle Franco. Waters has supported WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange and the Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn.
During his 2022 tour, a message was displayed that called every US president from Ronald Reagan to Donald Trump a "war criminal," and said Joe Biden was "just getting started." Waters has also stated that Taiwan is part of China.
Music Style and Instruments
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Roger Waters' main instrument in Pink Floyd was the bass guitar. However, he has said he was "never a bass player" and wasn't very interested in playing instruments. David Gilmour has said that Waters used a simple bass style.
Many people consider Waters to be one of the greatest lyricists in rock music. His lyrics for songs like "Time" and "Comfortably Numb" are often praised.
Waters used different bass guitars, including a Rickenbacker and later Fender Precision Basses. He also used various amplifiers and effects like delay and chorus.
He experimented with synthesizers on Pink Floyd songs like "On the Run". Waters also played electric and acoustic guitar on some Pink Floyd tracks. He plays the trumpet during performances of "Outside the Wall".
Personal Life
In 1969, Roger Waters married his childhood sweetheart, Judith Trim, a teacher and potter. They did not have children and divorced in 1975.
In 1976, Waters married Carolyne Christie. They had a son, Harry Waters, who plays keyboards in Roger's touring band, and a daughter, India Waters. They divorced in 1992.
In 1993, Waters married Priscilla Phillips. They had a son, Jack Fletcher. Their marriage ended in 2001.
In 2004, Waters became engaged to Laurie Durning. They married in 2012 and divorced in 2015. Waters married his fifth wife, Kamilah Chavis, in October 2021.
Waters has homes in Long Island and Hampshire. He is an atheist.
Discography
Solo Albums
- The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984)
- Radio K.A.O.S. (1987)
- Amused to Death (1992)
- Is This the Life We Really Want? (2017)
Soundtracks
- Music from The Body (1970)
- When the Wind Blows (1986)
Re-recordings
- The Lockdown Sessions (2022)
- The Dark Side of the Moon Redux (2023)
Classical Music
- Ça Ira (2005)
- Igor Stravinsky's The Soldier's Tale (2018)
Tours
- The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking (1984–1985)
- K.A.O.S. On the Road (1987)
- In the Flesh (1999–2002)
- The Dark Side of the Moon Live (2006–2008)
- The Wall Live (2010–2013)
- Us + Them Tour (2017–2018)
- This Is Not a Drill (2022–2023)
Images for kids
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Waters in 2015
See also
In Spanish: Roger Waters para niños
