Roger Waters accused of using antisemitic language by Pink Floyd producer

28 Sep 2023

Subscribe To Roisin O'Connor's Weekly Newsletter For Music Insights

"Free Now Hear This Email - Join Today!"

A fresh documentary has asserted that Roger Waters, who had been associated with Pink Floyd earlier, composed a track wherein he insulted his agent as a "Jewish person who fools around”.

In the blog section, it is mentioned that Roger Waters, the co-founder and bassist of the band Pink Floyd, has a 'Dark Side'. The blog contains shocking claims made by people who have worked with him, including Bob Ezrin, who co-produced the band's famous album 'The Wall' in 1979.

According to saxophonist Norbert Stachel, Waters once shoved aside a plate of food that was given to him at a Lebanese restaurant and called it "Jew food". He also imitated his grandmother, who was a Polish peasant woman, in a crude manner.

According to reports, emails that were believed to have been sent by Waters in preparation for his 2010 tour showed him inquiring about having derogatory terms aimed at Jewish people written on a massive balloon shaped like a pig. The plan was to fly the inflatable pig over concert-goers during his shows.

On Wednesday evening (September 27th), the Campaign Against Antisemitism charity from London presented a documentary which was produced by them. This documentary was hosted by investigative journalist John Ware. It was released on the social media platforms of the CAA.

Waters, who is 80 years old, has faced criticism multiple times for making offensive comments about Israel. Despite this, he firmly denies any accusations of being anti-Semitic. According to the creators of the documentary, they attempted to reach out to him for a statement to no avail.

Ezrin, a Jewish person, claimed that he overheard Waters making derogatory comments about Jewish people. The song in question was supposedly written by Waters and was about Bryan Morrison, Pink Floyd's agent.

During the documentary, Ezrin, who is 74 years old, shared that the final line of the couplet was something along the lines of "because Morry is a Jew and a f***ing one at that". This made him feel like there could be some underlying prejudice against Jewish people.

Roger was aware of my Jewish background, hence, I couldn't decipher if he was deliberately trying to provoke me or simply unaware of how disrespectful his comment could be to a Jewish individual.

Experience limitless listening to 70 million songs and podcasts without any bothersome ads by using Amazon Music.

Experience an endless supply of 70 million songs and podcasts without irritating advertisements with Amazon Music.

Stachel reminisced about the time when Waters found out that he came from a Jewish background originating from Poland and Minsk, and unfortunately, his family had lost several members during the tragic event that was the Holocaust.

Accordingly, it was reported that Waters replied: "I can make it seem as though you are being reunited with your ancestors. I will present your deceased grandmother to you. Additionally, I am able to perform an accurate impersonation of a female Polish peasant."

In the Roger Waters documentary, Stachel was present.

According to Stachel, the individual attempted to embody the persona of a babushka by mimicking the mannerisms of an elderly woman. Furthermore, they attempted to mimic the voice of a Polish Jewish peasant woman.

It struck me when he said, "Now that you've met your grandmother, what's your reaction?" He was aware that I wouldn't oppose him due to my desire for his money and job. It was simply about power and his conceitedness. It might even be rooted in maliciousness.

Ezrin, who has been acquainted with Waters for a long time, described Waters as an "excellent songwriter and wordsmith," whom he saw as both a musical collaborator and a buddy.

He expressed, "At certain moments, he was extremely affectionate and kind, and I genuinely cared for him." He further stated, "Even now, I have a soft corner for him, but at the same time, I am also angry with him for his public stances that directly impact my community, my loved ones, and me as a Jew." He believed that this was the reason why he needed to conduct an interview and reveal his thoughts to a wider audience.

Bob Ezrin, the producer for Pink Floyd, is known for his exceptional work in the music industry. He has produced various successful records, including Alice Cooper's "Welcome to My Nightmare" and Kiss's "Destroyer." With his unique approach to music production, Ezrin has made a significant impact on the sound of rock music. His expertise and passion for creating outstanding music have made him highly respected by many in the industry. While working with Pink Floyd, he produced some of their most iconic albums, such as "The Wall" and "The Final Cut." Overall, Bob Ezrin's talent has contributed immensely to the rock music world, and his influence continues to inspire young artists today.

Last May, Waters stirred up controversy in Germany by donning an attire that resembled that of a Nazi SS officer during his performances and displaying the name of Anne Frank on a massive screen.

Discovered emails presented in the film suggest that there were discussions regarding how Waters handled disagreements about his utilization of controversial visuals, a portion of which was displayed throughout his global tour in 2010.

It seems that he had the intention to inscribe derogatory and offensive terms towards Jewish people, along with symbols like swastikas, on a pig. The terms he wanted to use included "dirty kike" and "follow the money", which are clearly antisemitic. "Kike" is a contemptuous slur typically aimed towards Jewish individuals. However, the lighting director, who happened to be of Jewish heritage, objected to the use of this word and Waters apparently decided not to use it.

"Does he believe that he is an antisemite?" Ezrin questioned in the documentary. "I am willing to wager that he does not and he would be the first to assert: 'I am not anti anything, I support all individuals.'"

Since he possesses a significant public presence, it is important for him to be aware of the impact his actions have on others. Despite not being a duck, he exhibits similar traits such as walking, quacking and swimming like one, hence he can be considered as one from my perspective.

Roger Waters came under fire from his ex-saxophonist for reportedly exhibiting unpleasant and intimidating conduct.

People in the film suggested that Water's remarks were due to either overconfidence, lack of knowledge, aggressive conduct, or "early-stage prejudice against Jewish people."

According to Gideon Falter, who is the chief executive of the Campaign Against Antisemitism, Roger Waters, who is a well-known rock star, has a significant platform that he could use to do many things. However, despite having the capability to influence tens of thousands of people during his concerts and millions of people via social media, he chooses to use it to antagonize and provoke Jews. Gideon wonders what kind of person uses their influential voice to harm others, specifically the Jewish community.

Back in June, Waters made a public comment about Polly Samson, who is the spouse of his former bandmate David Gilmour. This happened during one of his shows held in the O2 Arena located in London. Samson herself is an author who has also contributed lyrics to Pink Floyd's music in the past. Before this incident, Samson had accused Waters of being prejudiced against Jewish people on her social media account, specifically Twitter.

Waters made a comment about Polly Samson that went something like this: just picture seeing her lovely face every time you wake up in the morning. It seems he was talking about Gilmour.

Before, he posted a reply to his verified account on Twitter, indicating that he knew about the inflammatory and highly untrue remarks made by Polly Samson about him on the platform. He completely denies them.

Waters has constantly stated that accusations of being antisemitic towards him are a plan to weaken his position regarding Israel.

The Independent has reached out to Waters' spokesperson for a statement.