Pink Floyd and Roger Waters reunite for the Live 8 concert in London
DVD
November 7th 2005 the live8 concert will be released on a 4-disc DVD set. Naturally the DVD will include all the songs performed by Pink Floyd. The DVD will also feature backstage footage of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters rehearsing and interviews. Order below. More details on the DVD set here.
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The air has been thick with rumours so many times. Personally I never thought it would happen - but this time it was for real! A smiling Roger Waters joined the rest of the old band mates on stage July 2nd in London's Hyde Park at the Live8 benefit concert arranged by Bob Geldof. Only few people were lucky enough to win a ticket, but millions of viewers worldwide followed the event on TV. The reunion was probably a one-off event even though it was a big success.
As a highpoint Pink Floyd performed 4 of their classic songs towards the end of the live 8 show. Pink Floyd once again was Roger Waters, David Gilmour, Nick Mason and Rick Wright. It was all very Floydian and complete with the extra "members": Dick Parry (sax), Tim Renwick (guitar), Jon Carin (keyboards) ...and lots of fireworks. The beautiful Carol Kenyon, who has previously performed with both Waters and Gilmour was backing singer on the last song. The songs were:
Bob Geldof was also the man behind the Live Aid concert in 1985 and is well-known to many Floyd-fans for his appearance in the movie Pink Floyd The Wall. It was Geldof who personally convinced the old bandmates in Pink Floyd that it was time to put the old conflicts aside and regroup for this cause.
The last Pink Floyd concert with the original 4 band-mates together on stage was in 1981. A few years later Roger Waters left the Pink Floyd and the main communication between the old friends has gone through their lawyers. It is probably not untill a few weeks ago that Roger Waters and David Gilmour talked again. Achieving this might have been a harder job for Bob Geldof than anything else in connection with the planning of the huge Live 8 event. Other veterans and top-names from pop and rock were also performing at the Live 8 concerts: Paul McCartney, the Who, Sting, U2, Elton John, Madonna, Coldplay to mention a few -but Pink Floyd was absolutely one of the top attractions and surely the biggest surprise.
In a press release David Gilmour says: "Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G8 leaders to make huge commitments to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world. It's crazy that America gives such a paltry percentage of its GNP to the starving nations. Any squabbles Roger and the band have had in the past are so petty in this context, and if reforming for this concert will help focus attention then it's got to be worthwhile."
In an official statement Roger Waters says: "It's great to be asked to help Bob raise public awareness on the issues of third world debt and poverty. The cynics will scoff, screw 'em! Also, to be given the opportunity to put the band back together, even if it's only for a few numbers is a big bonus."
The regrouping is most likely to be a one off event, but there has not yet been any statements from the group about the possibilities of future projects. It has been reported that they group and their wives had dinner together Friday evening before the show.
New to Pink Floyd ?
After the Live8 show recordsales grew at amazing rates for Pink Floyd. David Gilmour has stated that the band will not profit from this and has decided to give all extra profits to charity. There has been an immense interest for Pink Floyd in the days after Live 8. This site topped with approximately 5,000 visitors on Sunday the 3rd of July.
If you are a new fan of Pink Floyd this site might be a good place to start. All albums and lyrics by Pink Floyd and the individual members are listed here with many details and direct shopping information. A place to start could be: Echoes - The Best of Pink Floyd
Live 8 - Changes for Africa
Enjoy the show on July 2nd, but don't forget what it is all about: Make Poverty History !!!
The Live 8 project is defeanitely worth supporting. But the concept is different from the original Live Aid relief concerts. This is what Bob Geldof explains, quoted from the official Live 8 website.
"This is not Live Aid 2. These concerts are the start point for The Long Walk To Justice, the one way we can all make our voices heard in unison. This is without doubt a moment in history where ordinary people can grasp the chance to achieve something truly monumental and demand from the 8 world leaders at G8 an end to poverty.
The G8 leaders have it within their power to alter history. They will only have the will to do so if tens of thousands of people show them that enough is enough. By doubling aid, fully cancelling debt, and delivering trade justice for Africa, the G8 could change the future for millions of men, women and children."
Also visit: www.live8live.com
Interested in different views and pictures of Africa? Check out another site from the same webmaster: www.crawfurd.dk