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Roger Waters: Pink Floyd

#81
frankblackcat said:
I think Floyd at their best were all about the sum of their parts rather than individual brilliance (Syd Barrett excepted). But I think that's also true of most rock bands.
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That's an intereseting topic. I have to disagree a little here. There are many examples where one or two players "make" the band. Here are a few examples where the band just isn't the same:

- Creedence Clearwater Revival w/o Fogerty
- Queen w/o Freddy Mercury
- Steely Dan w/o Becker and Fagen
- Van Halen w/o Eddie and Dave
- The Who w/o John, Keith, Roger, and Pete
- Guns and Roses w/o Slash and Axel
- Boston w/o Tom Scholz
- Blondie w/o Deborah Harry
- Primus w/o Les
- Grateful Dead w/o Jerry
- Pink Floyd w/o Roger Waters ;)
 
#82
After rereading this thread I think that some may get the impression that I'm dissing Roger Waters. And that is just not the case.

I want to make clear that I have gotten more joy from listening to Pink Floyd over the years than from any other band and it's the reason that I've played so many of their songs in various cover bands I've been in. I consider The Dark Side of the Moon to be a perfect album and I never get tired of listening to it even after nearly 30 years of doing so.

Roger Waters is the conceptual mastermind behind that album as well as Wish You Were Here, Animals and The Wall. I have Roger Waters to thank for creating these works of art that have given me so much pleasure and I regard his intellectual input to be the important contribution to Pink Floyd.

In my opinion, his ability to play the bass (or sing) simply isn't relevant and the fact that I believe that any competent bassist in a cover band could do as well at laying down bass tracks doesn't detract from my enjoyment of the Pink Floyd or from my great respect for Roger Waters and his outstanding accomplishments. He is the conceptual artist on albums that have sold in the tens of millions and he truly deserves all the admiration he gets for it. There are many who regard him as a mediocre bassist (as is apparent by this thread) but I don't see anyone knocking him for his crucial creative role in making Pink Floyd records.
 
#88
What makes a "mediocre" bassist? Does it include songwriting, performance, production, what exactly? I see "technically gifted" being thrown around a lot for criteria of disliking Roger's playing. Pink Floyd isn't a notey or fast band just in case it has to be said for clarification. But if you look at his playing and the "role" of the bass guitar, I find it brilliant. No one is going to question David Gilmour's "feel" for soloing. I find the same thing for Waters. It is just tasty, solid, well thought out, well executed, and good sounding stuff. Not to mention what a songwriting duo. Amazing. I really find the "I can play his stuff" argument silly. Can you compose it? I think being the creator matters a lot. Cover bands do not impress me. Music is self expression. Nothing like expressing yourself in your own way. I think Waters and Floyd really get cudos in that way big time.
 
#89
I liked Floyd's stuff with Waters more than without. It was edgy material that seems to have evaded the sound-albums since his departure. IMO.

As people, I don't know much about any of the band. They are all very good musicians, but there's something to be said for chemistry, which seems to be lacking since he left. I dug his colorful, simple lines.

Simple never hurts where flashy doesn't fit.
 
#90
Dmanlamius said:
What I like about him is the way he supports the low.

There are times where he'll just let an open E ring out. Brick in the wall is a perfect example. The chorus is perfect. Just that one note, and then the way he plays the line after is just genius.

People may ask what is so special about this, but it's the timing of it, the "when" of when he plays, and the gaps he leaves to let the other sounds breathe. The phrasing of it all.

As well as the ear he has for music, I really think he's a great bass player on top.

Took me years to understand why, though ;)
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Dude - you hit the nail on the head

it's just like Bootsy said
"It's not the notes i play, it's the ones i don't"
 
#91
Put me in the camp that loves Roger's bass playing. Btw, I play in a Pink Floyd tribute band.

It's sad that you can't have a thread about Roger without someone coming in to criticize him and say that Gilmore played bass on most of the album cuts (which I don't believe is true).
 
#92
zombywoof5050 said:
It's sad that you can't have a thread about Roger without someone coming in to criticize him and say that Gilmore played bass on most of the album cuts (which I don't believe is true).
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Just like you can't have a RW thread without someone proclaiming him some bass wizzard. Gilmore did play some bass parts on some songs. I remember reading that is was the fretless parts on some of the Wall tunes. Whatever, nobody here said the guy was terrible but even he admits he was not that great a player.

Like i have said, I have seen Kris Novoselic praised as some god here and Geddy Lee mentioned as the best bass player ever. People like what they like and are going to be homers about thier favorite player. Judging by some of the arguments one might make for thier favorite player you would think Adam Clayton is the best bassist ever.
 
#93
Knowing how much of an a**hole he was to the other guys in the band (who incidentally, made him wealthy far beyond his own ability), it's kind of hard for me to objectively rate him as a bassist. He did fine, I guess. His P-basses always looked cool with the pickup cover still on and all.
 
#94
JimmyM said:
OK bassist, average musician, brilliant writer and arranger who disappeared up his own ass by the end of Floyd's run.
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+10
I didn't really like his voice though... I always preferred DG's vocals

Roger Waters came through Winnipeg a couple years ago, and I went. Even from the back of the arena I got the impression he was a pompous *******. I didn't get the feeling that he was really playing the songs so much as he was performing them with the intention to make money off the tour. I mean, the show was amazing, but it just didn't seem like his heart was in the music as much as his head was up his ass.

I've never seen Dave Gilmore live, but from a couple of DVDs that I've watched, I don't get that same impression at all. With him it seems like his shows are ALL about the music, and to hell with everything else. His heart is on his strings and in his fingers...
 
#96
People may ask what is so special about this, but it's the timing of it, the "when" of when he plays, and the gaps he leaves to let the other sounds breathe. The phrasing of it all.

As well as the ear he has for music, I really think he's a great bass player on top.

+1, great tone as well
 
#98
i like his voice and lyrics as well. he and gilmour are both great overall. not many bands have two members that strong. the others in floyd were great as well. they were the first 'psychedelic sounding' band i ever heard, and maybe the best at it.
 
#99
Yeah, for sure. He and Gilmore come off like a couple of feuding old men but from what I've heard over the years, Gilmore seems a lot cooler. Waters ... good player, very good band, great writer, awesome albums. Nice sounding Fenders/HIWATTS (both dudes) too.

JimmyM said:
OK bassist, average musician, brilliant writer and arranger who disappeared up his own ass by the end of Floyd's run.
Click to expand...
 
#100
ok, let me start off by saying that Roger Waters is possibly my favorite bass player ever.
Some are saying he was a mediocre bassist, which at the time, may have been true, but I think the status of "mediocre" has changed over time. Back in the day, when there weren't as many crappy musicians, he may have been considered mediocre. However, I think nowadays he would be considered a very good bassist. Here's how I see it:

A while ago(1970's-ish):
Mediocre- Roger Waters
Advanced- Geddy Lee

Current Time-
Mediocre- Pete Wentz
Advanced- Roger Waters

see what I mean?
 

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