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Roger Waters: Pink Floyd

#21
Phlatwounds said:
This place is a riot, "mediocre" "competent" LOL like anyone who posts on this forum is better.
yeah ok, that's why you're here reading this.
Give credit where credit is due, the guys written more "well-known" songs than just about anyone except for Lennon and McCartney. And btw he played the bass on 95% of them.
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I would say without hesitation that I'm a better bass player than Roger Waters. That's probably only slightly more out on the limb than saying I'm a better singer than he is. :rolleyes:

But Waters never wanted to be the bass player. He looked down on the instrument and he has stated during interviews that he was unhappy being stuck with it and thought the only way he could get any lower was to have to play drums.

His contribution to the Floyd was to write "concept albums" and to be the bass player. In my opinion, he had no equal at the former and was just adequate at the latter.

Roger Waters' output after the Floyd sounds like he's reading poetry in a coffee house - strumming his guitar and making sure the backup musicians don't upstage his brilliant lyrics.

As much as I like David Gilmour, under his leadership the Pink Floyd put out intellectually stale albums. They were full of great musicianship and were well produced but there's nothing for the mind to grab onto. Imagine how much better "A Momentary Lapse of Reason" would be if Rog had written the words. The music is fantastic but you have to roll your eyes at the trite lyrics.

I don't see what's so controversial about saying that for the golden years of the Pink Floyd (the decade of the 70's) Waters was the mind behind the concepts and the lyrics while Gilmour was the mind behind the music. Imagine how much better "Amused to Death" would be if Dave had been able to contribute some musical ideas to it. As it is I get more pleasure from reading the words off the liner notes than from listening to the album. At least I can keep my eyes open that way.




IMO, of course. And as the purpose of this thread is to solicit opinions, feel free to disagree and to post your own but if you get offended by any opinions contained therein, try not to take it personally. You should know better than to click on a thread with such a title. :D
 
#22
I hate his vocal delivery on Comfortably Numb with a passion, ALMOST ruins it for me, and I find him to be a pompous, arrogant, self-obsessed prat. The basslines on every Pink Floyd song I can think of however, whether he played them or not, are perfect for the song and lyrically I find everything from Meddle through to Animals fantastic. Not a big fan of The Wall though tbh, and thought Roger was at his best when David Gilmour had an input musically speaking, with the possible exception of Sheep and Pigs (Three Different Ones) from Animals, both of which are brilliant and credited to Waters alone IIRC.
 
#23
I've seen Pink Floyd without waters and on TV I've seen Roger Waters' band. I like Pink Floyd a lot. I respect Waters for his contributions but I believe Floyd songs are much better with Gilmour playing and singing with his band then with Roger Waters and his band. Gilmour is a better singer then Waters and on some of the Waters songs he had another bass player playing while he was singing and would stop playing when he couldn't sink up his playing and singing. His bass playing was actually worse then I thought. Good enough to get by. On the Pompei Video (which I have) I liked his playing and tone better then the TV concert.
 
#24
all be it a simple bassline, comfortably numb is my favorite song to play. I get soooo lost in the song. I do my own spiritual palying under the guitar solo. I keep it subtle, but Waters kept it so subtle I can improv without sounding full of myself, and not try to compete the the resident guitard.
 
#26
I PERSONALLY love Roger Waters. He is a good bass player, and will always be an idol of mine.:bassist:

But, I am a PINK FLOYD fan. PINK FLOYD. I love Rick Wright's work, talk about shear brilliance. Nick Mason's drumming and furthermore choice of sticking was and in every way always will be the "Floyd drum sound." David Gilmour's contribution was and is amazing beyond words.

I do however realize that this forum was set up for Roger Waters, so I will stick to him from here on out. I agree with those who posted before me, you don't have to like him as a bassist, but by God, you have to respect the man's compostion and lyrical abilities. I personally love his bass playing, mainly because he taught me as a bassist to keep songs simple, you know, songs we don't NEED "tablature" to figure out. Good music in other words.

I will tell all of you guys one thing that matters if nothing else. I don't give a high flying $H!T who played the bass lines in ANY of Pink Floyd's songs. That arguement is pointless in my eyes. EVERY last studio and live Pink Floyd bass track I have every heard has, TO ME (remember), been, well, damn near orgasmic, lol. :D

Seriously though, Roger Waters is a freaking GENIUS. Pure and simple. There's no need to elaborate on my reasonings of that, because I think the shelves at any CD store can reinforce that point. But, at the end of the day, Pink Floyd was a 4 x 25% contribution by its members.

25% Waters, 25% Gilmour, 25% Wright, and 25% Mason.

End of story.

P.S. I realize there is a slight overuse of commas. Get over it.
 
#27
Phlatwounds said:
This place is a riot, "mediocre" "competent" LOL like anyone who posts on this forum is better.
yeah ok, that's why you're here reading this.
Give credit where credit is due, the guys written more "well-known" songs than just about anyone except for Lennon and McCartney. And btw he played the bass on 95% of them.
Click to expand...
Whatever. Like you have to be better than someone to have an opinion.
 
#29
I think Waters is technically an OK bassist. His playing (and especially his sound) on the Pink Floyd albums is just perfect though. Nobody could have made the band sound better, including Anthony Jackson, Jeff Berlin, or even Tony Levin. They are all far superior bass players, but Roger had sound and concept in his head.
 
#30
To be completely honest... watching Live in Pompeii with Roger Waters doin' it on his P-bass in front of a wall of amps was one of the things that made me want to start thumpin' from the beginning. Always digged his tone. Righteous P-bass action.
 
#31
Floyd was waaaaaay better with Waters. And he's pretty far from "average". He's a brilliant player/writer/singer. He's a great example of "less is more" and well thought out lines, tasty licks, etc. He was a visionary doing things well ahead of their "time" so to speak. He ain't Billy Sheehan for licks, but Billy wishes he could compose those records, just ask him. "Live in Pompeii" rules for sure man! I only wish some of these modern bass players would get "Dark Side" or "The Wall" and just LISTEN. Chops are so overrated. They are fun, but being a true visionary like Roger is the real deal. When all you guys who are better than him get your classic CDs out, please IM me so I can buy them.
 
#32
Greevus said:
Floyd was waaaaaay better with Waters. And he's pretty far from "average". He's a brilliant player/writer/singer. He's a great example of "less is more" and well thought out lines, tasty licks, etc. He was a visionary doing things well ahead of their "time" so to speak. He ain't Billy Sheehan for licks, but Billy wishes he could compose those records, just ask him. "Live in Pompeii" rules for sure man! I only wish some of these modern bass players would get "Dark Side" or "The Wall" and just LISTEN. Chops are so overrated. They are fun, but being a true visionary like Roger is the real deal. When all you guys who are better than him get your classic CDs out, please IM me so I can buy them.
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I'll remember to tell you the same thing if I ever see you say something about someone whose music you don't like. Besides, I like Floyd. I just don't think he's a particularly great bass player. So what? All of a sudden I have to be Paul McCartney to have an opinion? Come on with that.
 
#36
JimmyM said:
Whatever. Like you have to be better than someone to have an opinion.
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yeah like you said, "whatever".
We get it, you don't like Roger Waters.
His records sales speaks for his ability. You speak for his inability...I'll go with the record sales thanks.
And did someone above post that they were better, that's the best one I've read in a looong time.
 
#38
smeet said:
I think Waters is technically an OK bassist. His playing (and especially his sound) on the Pink Floyd albums is just perfect though. Nobody could have made the band sound better, including Anthony Jackson, Jeff Berlin, or even Tony Levin. They are all far superior bass players, but Roger had sound and concept in his head.
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Actually I found Tony's contributions on Momentary Lapse of Reason quite tasty - supportive and moving without being intrusive.
 
#39
Cool, we are bros! I love you man. Take it easy. It's an opinion thread. I think it's just ridiculous how everyone just throws some of this stuff out there. What about the adage "less is more"? Is there a better example than Roger Waters?? I think it is pretty funny we are on here defending Pink Floyd. They need some extra defense now don't they? I'm pretty sure they've got the bills covered during the recession. I only wish I could trade places. I think to say Roger Waters is "average" or "mediocre" is not giving the man his due. That is why I issued the challenge to the phenomenal players who are better than him to top him at his total craft. Come on, post us some mp3s. Let's hear it. I'll give you a fair shake. This is an opinion thread after all.
 
#40
Greevus said:
Cool, we are bros! I love you man. Take it easy. It's an opinion thread. I think it's just ridiculous how everyone just throws some of this stuff out there. What about the adage "less is more"? Is there a better example than Roger Waters?? I think it is pretty funny we are on here defending Pink Floyd. They need some extra defense now don't they? I'm pretty sure they've got the bills covered during the recession. I only wish I could trade places. I think to say Roger Waters is "average" or "mediocre" is not giving the man his due. That is why I issued the challenge to the phenomenal players who are better than him to top him at his total craft. Come on, post us some mp3s. Let's hear it. I'll give you a fair shake. This is an opinion thread after all.
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+1
 

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