Pink Floyd to reform for London Live 8 concert

[dennisrwood]

news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20050612/en_nm/leisure_pinkfloyd_dc
LONDON (Reuters) - Four members of seminal British rock band Pink Floyd will play together for the first time in 24 years at London's Live 8 charity concert for Africa on July 2, publicists for the event said on Sunday. Guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Richard Wright will be on stage with bassist Roger Waters for their first public performance since they played at London's Earls Court in 1981. The rock legends will join a star-studded line-up including Coldplay, Elton John and Paul McCartney at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, organized by activist rocker Bob Geldof to pressure rich nations to ease African poverty. "Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G8 leaders to make huge commitments to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world," said Gilmour. "Any squabbles Roger and the band have had in the past are so petty in this context, and if reforming for this concert will help focus attention then it's got to be worthwhile." The band released their first album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" in 1967 and broke records with 1973's "The Dark Side Of The Moon," which remained in the American album charts for more than a decade. In the 1980s relations between Waters and the rest of the group soured, with Waters suing over the rights to the Pink Floyd name. Gilmore, Mason and Wright continued to record and tour as Pink Floyd, releasing their last studio album "The Division Bell" in 1994.

www.rogerwatersonline.com/
for other current news.

[Menolly]

Well kewl.

Will they be broadcasting all of the shows on cable, like they did for the original Live Aid concerts? I still remember Peter Gabariel walking off stage to the audience still singing 'Biko' from the original broadcast.

I understand that's one set not included in the DVD of the show.

[dennisrwood]

alpha.news.yahoo.com/s/eo/20050601/en_music_eo/16658

The free gigs will be staged July 2 in London, Paris, Berlin, Philadelphia and Rome and simulcast on television and the Internet.

[dlbpharmd]

I'm just now starting to hear about this. I'm so excited! I have great memories of watching Live Aid, I'm really looking forward to seeing PF back together again!

[Cheval]

Will they be broadcasting all of the shows on cable, like they did for the original Live Aid concerts?:(

That would be nice, then I could capture it on cassette and add it to my collection of other live-broadcast concerts:
Knebworth '90 (Every group played a FULL set);
Roger Waters & Friends: The Wall at the Berlin Wall (Recorded live as it happened -
including when the show was stopped and re-started, commentary, and interviews)
Live from Earl's Court: Pulse and Dark Side Of The Moon.
(with a 15 minute intermission between sets)

plus several other recordings I got from live radio like interviews, phone-in callers,
and Gilmour & Mason as guests on the air on a show.

And that's just the Pink Floyd stuff...
there are also Paul McCartney, Elton John, and some Robert Plant recordings I took from live-broadcast radio also.

[Cail]

I'm really looking forward to this and hoping for a full-scale tour.

[Guest]

my bro dean(FlatBlack) opened for P.F. at a music festival in central MA a few weeks ago. Said PF sounded great!

[amanibhavam]

my bro dean(FlatBlack) opened for P.F. at a music festival in central MA a few weeks ago. Said PF sounded great!

he what? Must have confused sg. They haven't played since 1994.

[Lord Mhoram]

Cail,

I'm really looking forward to this and hoping for a full-scale tour.

Trust me - I'd kill for a Pink Floyd tour where Roger Waters was present. Unfortunately, as www.rogerwatersonline.com says, "It has been stressed by all concerned that Roger's appearance in the band was a one off."

[safetyjedi]

Just had to share this.. My 16 year old daughter told me last night that she watched Pink Floyd on Live 8 the other night and said that I would like that since them and a bunch of other old guys that I listen to from back in "my day"were playing. She said it looked like senior citizens on parade!

[StevieG]

I managed to catch the last part of a documentary on Pink Floyd and it mentioned the Live 8 reunion of the band:

This video was great! Comfortably Numb

I don't really know the full story, but it seemed as though Roger Waters talked Gilmour into the reunion and there was potentially a world PF tour with Waters in discussion, but Gilmour canned it. Waters was the aggressor in the 80s, but it seems to me that Gilmour couldn't bury the hatchet, so to speak.

Another report I heard was that they are on speaking terms again. Waters definitely seems to have mellowed... has anyone heard any more? I also just read that Waters may be touring again in 2010/2011 which I would love to see if he came to Oz!

[dlbpharmd]

I've read that Waters and Gilmour are on speaking terms, but Gilmour has said that he won't be doing any reunions. That was before Richard Wright passed away, making any reunion impossible.

[Worm of Despite]

Ah well. They got together one last time, and looking back on Wright's death (and Syd's), it was quite touching and timely. Besides; we have their glory days to look back on. I wouldn't mind if the remaining three reformed for a tour, but you know, I'd be just as satisfied seeing Roger Waters on stage alone (especially if he performed Dark Side of the Moon, as he has recently).

I just think, now that Wright is gone, they should never assume the name "Pink Floyd" again.

[dlbpharmd]

Ah well. They got together one last time, and looking back on Wright's death (and Syd's), it was quite touching and timely. Besides; we have their glory days to look back on. I wouldn't mind if the remaining three reformed for a tour, but you know, I'd be just as satisfied seeing Roger Waters on stage alone (especially if he performed Dark Side of the Moon, as he has recently).

I just think, now that Wright is gone, they should never assume the name "Pink Floyd" again.

I would pay to see Waters perform DSOTM live, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I would pay ANYTHING and go ANYWHERE to see Gilmour perform DSOTM live.

[wayfriend]

Recordings I've heard of Waters singing recently lead me to believe that he can't much sing any more, voice is shot. Am I getting the wrong impression, or is this true?

After having heard Waters perform PF in shows, and Gilmore perform PF in shows, I greatly prefer Waters.

[Akasri]

Recordings I've heard of Waters singing recently lead me to believe that he can't much sing any more, voice is shot. Am I getting the wrong impression, or is this true?

From what I've seen there's some truth to that. His voice on his last tour was better than it was a few years ago, but it's still not like it was 20 years ago.

[Cail]

I would pay to see Waters perform DSOTM live, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I would pay ANYTHING and go ANYWHERE to see Gilmour perform DSOTM live.

Yup.

I also think that with Rick dead, there's no Pink Floyd.

[dlbpharmd]

I would pay to see Waters perform DSOTM live, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I would pay ANYTHING and go ANYWHERE to see Gilmour perform DSOTM live.

Yup.

I also think that with Rick dead, there's no Pink Floyd.

I know what you mean. Still, if Waters, Gilmour and Mason did get together again to play the Floyd music, I will be there.

[StevieG]

I'd pay to see them definitely! Waters' voice has sounded pretty much gone recently. Having said that, he seems to give more to a live show, so I'd happily see him.

[Cail]

I would pay to see Waters perform DSOTM live, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. I would pay ANYTHING and go ANYWHERE to see Gilmour perform DSOTM live.

Yup.

I also think that with Rick dead, there's no Pink Floyd.

I know what you mean. Still, if Waters, Gilmour and Mason did get together again to play the Floyd music, I will be there.

Oh without question. I'd prefer that they didn't call it PF though.