Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters has finally been dropped by his record label months after he was accused of anti-Semitism for backing Hamas’ October 7 attack in Israel.
German music rights firm BMG, which signed Waters in 2016, recently parted ways with the 80-year-old rock star following a series of controversies including a slew of inflammatory remarks he made about Israel.
Waters told Variety in November he had been ‘fired’ by the company after the relatively new CEO Thomas Coesfeld canned a planned release of a newly-recorded rerun of a Pink Floyd album. Sources have now told the magazine they have parted ways.
The band’s former bassist had been slated to release a new version of the 1973 album ‘Dark Side of the Moon’ – but the project was reassigned to UK-based band Cooking Vinyl.
It comes after he allegedly sang that his agent was a ‘f***ing Jew’ in an improvised song, and appeared to dress as a Nazi at a Berlin gig in May.
Pink Floyd ‘s Roger Waters has finally been dropped by his record label months after he was accused of anti-Semitism for backing Hamas ‘ October 7 attack in Israel
![German music rights firm BMG, which signed Waters in 2016, recently parted ways with the 80-year-old rock star following a series of controversies including a slew of inflammatory remarks he made about Israel](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/80686257-13028875-image-a-2_1706716149691.jpg)
German music rights firm BMG, which signed Waters in 2016, recently parted ways with the 80-year-old rock star following a series of controversies including a slew of inflammatory remarks he made about Israel
The claim about the song came from Rogers’ former producer Bob Ezrin in The Dark Side of Roger Waters, a documentary produced by the Campaign Against Antisemitism.
Ezrin, who has also worked with huge names like Lou Reed, U2, Taylor Swift and Aerosmith, said he was ’embarrassed’ to admit that he didn’t challenge the bassist on his ditty about Bryan Morrison.
He added: ‘It was my first inclination that there may be some anti-semitism under the surface.
‘Now, Roger knew that I’m Jewish, so I didn’t know whether this was another one of those button-poking things that he was doing, just to see if I would react, or if he just didn’t even get how offensive that might be to a Jewish person.’
He is convinced that Waters genuinely doesn’t see himself as anti-semitic despite the nature of his alleged comments.
Ezrin concluded: ‘I don’t believe that Roger sees himself as an anti-semite, in the same way that most people don’t see themselves as racist.
‘But he walks like one, he quacks one, he swims like one – so you know, from my point of view he’s functionally a duck.’
Bryan Morrison, the alleged subject of Waters’ improvised song according to Mr Erzin, died in 2008 aged 66 after spending two years in a coma following a fall from a horse.
The documentary also broadcasts claims that Waters wanted a giant floating pig at his concerts to be emblazoned with the Star of David and slogans that contained denigrating language about Jewish people.
![Music mogul Bryan Morrison, who was allegedly the target of an anti-semitic ditty sung by Roger Waters while in the recording studio. He died in 2008](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/75934089-13028875-Music_mogul_Bryan_Morrison_who_was_allegedly_the_target_of_an_an-a-7_1706716318407.jpg)
Music mogul Bryan Morrison, who was allegedly the target of an anti-semitic ditty sung by Roger Waters while in the recording studio. He died in 2008
![Pictured: An inflatable pig emblazoned with insults aimed at Donald Trump at a 2016 Roger Waters concert in California. Claims have been made that Waters wanted a similar pig to be plastered with anti-semitic language](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/75906311-13028875-Pictured_An_inflatable_pig_emblazoned_with_insults_aimed_at_Dona-a-3_1706716258105.jpg)
Pictured: An inflatable pig emblazoned with insults aimed at Donald Trump at a 2016 Roger Waters concert in California. Claims have been made that Waters wanted a similar pig to be plastered with anti-semitic language
In an email, allegedly sent by Waters in 2010, he appears to suggest to his backstage team that the pig should be made with ‘dirty k***’, ‘follow the money’ and ‘scum’ written on the sides.
The word ‘k***’ is a notoriously offensive word used to denigrate Jews, while the money reference is a classic anti-Jewish trope, says the new film.
The pig was eventually made without these terms, but with the Star of David and dollar signs, and has been a feature of Waters’ concerts.
Gideon Falter, chief executive of the CAA, said: ‘Roger Waters has repeatedly used his enormous platform to bait Jews, but he always claims that he is not antisemitic.
‘We believed that there was further evidence out there to the contrary, and the release of The Dark Side of Roger Waters now puts the evidence we obtained in the hands of the public.
‘It is hard to imagine a rockstar emblazoning the N-word above their concerts, but Mr Waters demanded that his crew do exactly that with the K-word. Not only that, but he seems to have spent time humiliating and harassing his Jewish staff.
‘One cannot help but watch this film and wonder what kind of person uses their power to this effect. Is Roger Waters an anti-semite? Now people can make up their own minds.’
Waters himself has repeatedly denied he is anti-semitic, saying that the allegation has arisen from past comments about the Israeli government, which he says sees him as an ‘existential threat to their settler-colonialist, racist, apartheid regime’.
After his appearance in a Nazi-esque coat in Berlin in May, he released a statement denying that he harboured anti-semitic beliefs.
![Pictured: Roger Waters dressed in a long black leather coat with a Nazi-style armband during a concert at the O2 Arena in London in June this year](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/75904349-13028875-Pictured_Roger_Waters_dressed_in_a_long_black_leather_coat_with_-a-4_1706716262442.jpg)
Pictured: Roger Waters dressed in a long black leather coat with a Nazi-style armband during a concert at the O2 Arena in London in June this year
![Roger Waters previously said claims he is an anti-semite are 'bull***' and 'vicious lies' after he was condemned for wearing a 'Nazi-style' trench coat on stage - including in Germany](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/71904637-13028875-Roger_Waters_previously_said_claims_he_is_an_anti_semite_are_bul-a-6_1706716272514.jpg)
Roger Waters previously said claims he is an anti-semite are ‘bull***’ and ‘vicious lies’ after he was condemned for wearing a ‘Nazi-style’ trench coat on stage – including in Germany
![Members of the Jewish community demonstrated outside The O2 Arena in June before a Roger Waters performance](https://i.dailymail.co.uk/1s/2024/01/31/15/71877981-13028875-Members_of_the_Jewish_community_demonstrated_outside_The_O2_Aren-a-5_1706716265906.jpg)
Members of the Jewish community demonstrated outside The O2 Arena in June before a Roger Waters performance
‘My recent performance in Berlin has attracted bad faith attacks from those who want to smear and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles,’ he said.
‘The elements of my performance that have been questioned are quite clearly a statement in opposition to fascism, injustice, and bigotry in all its forms.
‘Attempts to portray those elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated.
‘The depiction of an unhinged fascist demagogue has been a feature of my shows since Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ in 1980.
‘I have spent my entire life speaking out against authoritarianism and oppression wherever I see it.
‘When I was a child after the war, the name of Anne Frank was often spoken in our house, she became a permanent reminder of what happens when fascism is left unchecked.
‘My parents fought the Nazis in World War II, with my father paying the ultimate price.
‘Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all those who perpetrate it.’
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