David Gilmour of Pink Floyd has firmly rejected the idea of reuniting with his former bandmate Roger Waters, citing their differences in political views. The guitarist, 78, made it clear that he will not share a stage with someone who supports genocidal and autocratic dictators like Putin and Maduro. Gilmour expressed his strong stance in a recent interview with The Guardian, stating, “Nothing would make me share a stage with someone who thinks such treatment of women and the LGBT community is OK.”
When asked whether there was a possibility of reconciliation, Gilmour responded with an “unequivocal no.” He emphasised his decision to distance himself from those who endorse oppressive regimes. However, Gilmour expressed a desire to perform alongside the late Rick Wright, highlighting Wright’s musical talent and gentle nature.
In other news, it was reported that Pink Floyd has sold their music rights, along with their name-and-likeness rights, for around $400m (£304m) to Sony. The deal reportedly includes recorded music rights but not songwriting, as well as merchandise and theatrical rights. The iconic album artwork created by Hipgnosis for albums like The Dark Side of the Moon and Wish You Were Here is also part of the deal.
The sale of Pink Floyd’s music catalogue follows similar moves by artists like Bruce Springsteen and Bob Dylan, who have sold their music to Sony in recent years. Although the deal has been mentioned in the Financial Times, there has been no official confirmation from Sony or the band.
In an interview with Rolling Stone, David Gilmour discussed the potential sale of the band’s music, indicating a desire to step away from the decision-making and conflicts associated with managing the catalogue. Gilmour explained that the decision was not purely financial but aimed at moving on from challenges the band has faced. Variety described the transaction as one of the largest in recent years within the music industry.