Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters has launched a scathing attack on David Gilmour after he was refused access to the band’s social media sites.
In a video message on Twitter, the 76-year-old rocker hit out at David, 74, claiming the guitarist had taken over the band and former members such as himself were no longer allowed to contribute.
Roger made the admission as he explained why his new version of Mother, that he released last week, had not been shared on any of Pink Floyd’s official channels.
Fuming: Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters has launched a scathing attack on David Gilmour after he was refused access to the band’s social media sites
The songwriter explained: ‘One and half million of you have viewed our new version of Mother, which is lovely – it really warms my heart.
‘But it does bring up the question, why is this video not available on a website that calls itself The Pink Floyd website?
‘Well, the answer to that is because nothing from me is on the website – I am banned by David Gilmour from the website.’
Targeted: Roger claimed the drama between the band members and David was ongoing, and he had been trying to gain access to the sites for some time now
Roger claimed the drama between the band members was ongoing, and he had been trying to gain access to the sites for some time now.
He continued: ‘About a year ago, I convened a sort of Camp David for the surviving members of Pink Floyd at a hotel at an airport in London, where I proposed all kinds of measures to get past this awful impasse that we have and predicament we find ourself in.
‘It bore no fruit, I’m sorry to say, but one of the things I asked for, I suggested that because whoever the 30 million of you are who subscribe to the web page, you do so because of the body of work the five of us created.
‘That’s Syd [Barrett], me, Rick [Knight], Nick [Mason] and David over a number of years.
‘And in consequence, it seems to me that it would be fair and correct if we should have equal access to you all and share our projects.’
Tense: There were several reports of in-fighting within Pink Floyd (L-R) Nick Mason, Dave Gilmour, Rick Wright (center front), Roger Waters in 1968
Taking another swipe at his former bandmate, Roger continued: ‘David thinks he owns it.
‘I think he thinks that because I left the band in 1985, that he owns Pink Floyd, that he is Pink Floyd and I’m irrelevant and I should just keep my mouth shut.’
Roger went on to criticise David for using Pink Floyd’s social media channels to promote wife Polly Samson’s Von Trapped Family livestreams.
Slammed: Roger went on to criticise David for using Pink Floyd’s social media channels to promote wife Polly Samson’s Von Trapped Family livestreams
He continued: ‘We’re all welcome to our opinions, but there have been rumblings and grumblings in the ranks.
‘I’m told by friends of mine that some of the questions being asked are, “Why do we have to sit and watch Polly Samson, year after year, month after month, day after day – and the Von Trapps reading us excerpts from their novels to get us to go to sleep at night?”
‘It’s a very good question, and yet we don’t get to hear anything about what Roger’s doing, about This Is Not A Drill, or when he makes a piece of work.
‘None of his work is publicised, or his film with Sean Evans US + Them, which has just gone out is not mentioned.
‘We’re not allowed to even mention such a fact on the official Pink Floyd website. This is wrong. We should rise up… or, just change the name of the band to Spinal Tap and them everything will be hunky dory.’
Taking another swipe at his former bandmate, Roger continued: ‘David thinks he owns it. ‘I think he thinks that because I left the band in 1985, that he owns Pink Floyd’
Roger founded Pink Floyd back in 1965 alongside Syd (guitar, lead vocals), Nick (drums) and Richard (keyboards, vocals).
David joined the band two years later in 1967, and Syd left the following year due to mental health problems.
There were several reports of in-fighting with the band, with Richard leaving the group in 1979, followed by Roger in 1985.
Roger has amassed a staggering net worth of £247 million ($310 million) thanks to a hugely successful solo career, as well as his companies Roger Waters Music UK and Roger Waters Music Overseas.
In 2005, the original lineup of Roger, Richard, David and Nick reunited for the first time in 24 years for the Live 8 concert in London, three years before Richard’s death.
Successful: Roger has amassed a staggering net worth of £247 million ($310 million) thanks to a hugely successful solo career, as well as his companies