by Robert Wilkinson
Today we celebrate the birthday of the co-founder and original bass player of Pink Floyd, Roger Waters.
Roger Waters (6 September 1943) did the first 12 Pink Floyd albums, including what I believe to be a masterpiece, The Wall, to which he retains personal rights. He was the primary songwriter and lead vocalist after Syd Barrett’s unfortunate descent into a permanently altered state, and while some of his songs are scathingly dark (“Pigs – 3 Different Ones” springs to mind) he remains one of the greatest talents of our times. He is a global humanitarian and social conscience who is quite open about wanting to make a better world, free of the scourge of war. And yes, he makes controversial statements from time to time. While there are some things I don’t agree with, this tribute is about his music and not his politics, which lately are turning off millions.
Today we have some great tunes, so for your enjoyment, here are some of his best!
First, an audio-only live performance in 1977! Here’s Pink Floyd playing a full 20 minute version of Roger’s scathing political commentary with an edge sharper than a knife titled “Pigs – Three Different Ones”
Back to the Beginning!
From 1967 at the UFO Club, Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett in a rare live video of “Interstellar Overdrive”
The very first "The Pink Floyd" recording session in the UFO Nightclub from 1966-67 in very Mod, very gear fab Swinging London, via a trailer for a movie! If you want a slice of what life was like when I was young, check it out! Tonight Let’s All Make Love in London”
From Feb 1967, also at the UFO Club, a b/w performance of “Interstellar Overdrive”
I found it again! Here’s a 1967 BBC TV live performance with a very snooty commentator up front commenting on how loud they were. "Pow R. Toc H.” and “Astronomy Domine”
Here’s Syd and Pink Floyd live in Stockholm in 1967 doing "Pow R. Toc H.”
A score! Here’s the 53 minute complete audio-only set from October 1967! Pink Floyd Live in Stockholm - 1967
An early live performance of their first hit! “See Emily Play”
Here's a 30 minute trailer for Pink Floyd with Syd Barrett - London 66 - 67
From 1967 live at the BBC, here’s an audio-only version of “Flaming”
From their second album, A Saucerful of Secrets, we know this was one of Syd’s last public performances. PF on one of Dick Clark’s shows, a live performance of “Apples and Oranges”
Depending on when these were taped, they may or may not have Syd on lead. I don’t know when this was recorded, but it’s a great live performance of “Let There Be More Light”
Though Syd was no longer in the group, it’s a great snapshot of early Pink Floyd when David Gilmour had just joined! This is a live 1968 performance of “Remember A Day”
Live in Belgium in 1968, another very rare b/w live performance of early Pink Floyd after David Gilmour was added to the lineup! "Astronomy Domine"
Here’s a great French TV clip! “Astronomy Domine” and “Flaming.” From that same show in 1968, “Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun.” This year I found all four songs in one clip, including the final tune, “Let There Be More Light.” Pink Floyd on French TV – February 1968
From 1968 in Rome, a live performance of “Interstellar Overdrive”
Here’s a great 21 minute collage of several live performances. Yes, some of them are above, and this one has commercials every so often, but it has performances of “See Emily Play,” “Apples and Oranges,” “Arnold Lane,” “Jugband Blues,” “Pow R. Toc H,” “Astronomy Domine"”
Into the 70s!
From 1970, 28 minutes of fantastic video footage! Pink Floyd – “Atom Heart Mother” live at Hyde Park
From the 1970 festival in Bath, 19 minutes of audio titled Pink Floyd – Amazing Pudding in Bath
From that same year, on KQED in SF, a 16 minute audio-only performance of “Atom Heart Mother”
Last year’s 2 hour and 20 show disappeared, but here’s an hour and 44 of that 1970 show. This is classic early Pink Floyd!!! Pink Floyd live in Switzerland
From October 1970, another full 2 hour and 18 show. Pink Floyd live in Santa Monica
The 5 hour clip of BBC archive material from 1967-1974 is gone again. However, I have three clips which should cover a lot of that era! First, we have a 50 minute clip of Pink Floyd – BBC Archives 1967
I also found this one hour clip titled Pink Floyd – The Early Years 1967-1972.
The hour and 43 clip of Pink Floyd – BBC Archives 1970-71 is gone, so we’ll finish this era with 58 minutes of BBC Transcription Services – Vintage Pink Floyd 1970-71 and the following BBC clips:
Here’s some great live film footage of Pink Floyd between 1972-1977. Welcome to 41 minutes of Pink Floyd Live in California
From 1972, the audio-only full 2 hour live concert! Pink Floyd at the Hollywood Bowl
From 1974, a full audio-only 2 hour 21 minute show! Pink Floyd Live at Wembley
From 1974, a full audio-only 1 hour 20 minute show! Pink Floyd Live at the BBC – Dark Side of the Moon
From May 1972, PF live at the Amsterdam Rock Circus! ”Atom Heart Mother” and ”Careful With that Axe Eugene”
From 1977, live in Munich, 11 minutes of video footage! Pink Floyd in Munich - 1977
From 1977, the full 2 hour and 10 audio-only Pink Floyd Live in Boston – Animals” tour
Also from 1977, a full 2 hour 16 minute audio-only Pink Floyd Live in Oakland - Animals tour
Here's the 11+ min. studio original of "Pigs - Three Different Ones"
From 1980, a full 1 hour 55 minute video of Pink Floyd Live in New York – The Wall
Here are the early albums spanning 1967-1975!
Here's the entire 47 minute studio album that blew a lot of minds! Welcome to Pink Floyd's first album, Piper At the Gates of Dawn
Here’s their second studio album. It’s the 39 minute 2011 remaster of A Saucerful of Secrets
Here’s their third studio album. It’s the full 1 hour 27 minute haunting masterpiece Ummagumma
Here’s the studio album that is one of the biggest sellers of all time, the amazing Dark Side of the Moon
From 1975, here’s the entire 44 minute studio album that followed Dark Side of the Moon, Wish You Were Here
Two solo albums and on to some live shows!
Here’s the full 1 hour and 8 Roger Waters 1987 album Radio KAOS
Here’s the full hour and 12 Roger Waters 1992 album Amused to Death
From 2005, 24 minutes of video of the last Pink Floyd reunion! Pink Floyd at Live 8
From 2010, Roger and David Gilmour reunited for a concert to raise money for Palestinian children. Here’s that classic 27 minutes! Roger Waters and David Gilmour live in England Playing for the Hoping Foundation 2010
We’ll begin to close this birthday tribute with a video shot in 2010! It’s a 1 hour 51 minute live concert from either Chicago or Live 4 of Roger Waters – “The Wall” live in 2010
For the end of this birthday celebration, Roger’s haunting tribute to his father who died in war. “When the Tigers Broke Free”
For our encore, "To Kill The Child"
Last year I had a great 2 hour 21 video of Roger in Denmark in 2019 on his “Us + Them” tour, but it’s disappeared. So instead, for our second encore, here’s the 2 hour movie, taken from four shows in Amsterdam in 2019. Roger Waters US + Them
Here’s an interesting 27 minute interview. Roger Waters WTF Radio interview with Marc Maron
Here’s another hour and 20 interview! Roger Waters Absolute Radio interview 2011
If Syd was the “crazy diamond,” perhaps you’re the “dark star sapphire.” Rock on, Roger, and thanks for everything over the years. You’ve brought millions countless hours of enjoyment, and some of the best lines ever crafted by a songsmith.
© Copyright 2024 Robert Wilkinson
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