Controversy surrounds Roger Waters yet again following his recent Berlin performance, an event that fueled existing antisemitism allegations against him. The incident prompted a response from the Testament guitarist Alex Skolnick, who expressed his views on the singer and the legacy of Pink Floyd via Twitter.
The uproar began when Waters took the stage in a costume similar to an SS uniform, sparking negative reactions and stirring public outcry. Responding to the backlash, he released a statement that leaned on his music with Pink Floyd as a form of defense.
In his public explanation, Waters said:
“Attempts to portray those elements [that state opposition of fascism and bigotry] as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated. The depiction of an unhinged fascist 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.”
However, Skolnick reacted quickly, advocating for Pink Floyd’s music after their former bassist’s statements. He said:
“I’m loathe to defend RW these days, but; 1) The fact is this is a segment of Pink Floyd ‘The Wall’ that critiques fascism, works in context, has been performed for decades without incident & the album was co-produced by someone my family might call a ‘nice Jewish boy,’ Bob Ezrin…
2) No, it doesn’t excuse RW’s garbage he’s been spewing lately (Pro-Putin, Assad, etc.), and there are plenty of legitimate things to go after him for. But please, leave ‘The Wall’ out of it (and if you’re offended by this, whatever you do, don’t read the lyrics to ‘In The Flesh.’).”
While the guitarist’s remarks attempted to separate the artist from the art, other musicians were not as reserved in their criticism. David Draiman, shortly after Waters’ Berlin show, shared his harsh critique on Twitter.
The Disturbed vocalist wrote:
“Guess which Antisemitic piece of sh*t is up to his old tricks again and actually upping the ante? Defender of dictators, lover of Putin, the living, breathing antithesis of everything he’s supposed to represent. I give you Roger Waters.”
Despite facing significant backlash and even concert cancellations in Germany – later reversed after a legal battle and support from famous names such as Eric Clapton and Nick Mason – the conversations surrounding Roger Waters continue to be a blend of support and criticism.
My thoughts on the new #RogerWaters kerfuffle: There’s plenty to legitimately critique him for (defending Assad & Putin, real life antisemitic comments etc) but attacking a classic artistic work none of us have a problem with? No. Please leave #PinkFloyd “The Wall” out of this🤦🏻♂️ https://t.co/mkFOmMqts8 pic.twitter.com/tbAOSKx9hv
— Alex Skolnick (@AlexSkolnick) May 28, 2023