Roger Waters: ‘I am far, far, far more important’ than Drake or The Weeknd

Roger Waters is co-founder and co-frontman of Pink Floyd. Waters still tours at the age of 78, and we last talked about him in 2021, when he married for the fifth time. I never write about Roger Waters’ politics, but he’s spoken publicly about being anti-Brexit, anti-Trump (he lives in America now) and his support of general progressive politics. So at least he’s not one of those older British rockers who have grown more fascist as they age. Waters is currently on tour, and he recently performed some shows in Canada. To promote the tour, he chatted with Canada’s Globe and Mail. He had some thoughts about the coverage he received comparative to homegrown Canadian musical acts:

Pink Floyd’s Roger Waters made a bold statement against Drake and the Weeknd, stating that he’s “far, far more important” than either Canadian artist. During a Friday interview with Canadian publication the Globe and Mail, the 78-year-old musician stated that it “seemed odd” that the Weeknd’s concert received more media coverage from Toronto publications, considering it was canceled due to a widespread outage.

The conversation initially commenced with a question about Waters’ audiences on his “This Is Not a Drill” tour, which kicked off in the first week of July. After the reporter said he wasn’t able to review Waters’ show because he was set to cover the Weeknd that same night, Waters offered a response.

“I have no idea what or who the Weeknd is, because I don’t listen to much music,” Waters began. “People have told me he’s a big act. Well, good luck to him. I’ve got nothing against him. Would it not have been possible to review his show one night and my show another night?”

Waters asserted that his statements were not intended as a “a personal attack,” adding “with all due respect to the Weeknd or Drake or any of them, I am far, far, far more important than any of them will ever be, however many billions of streams they’ve got. There is stuff going on here that is fundamentally important to all of our lives.”

Waters has made politics a central theme of his upcoming shows, a freedom he is now getting to exercise as he is “not constrained by the rock group that I was with then.”

“They were always trying to drag me back from my natural instinct, which is to tell the truth,” Waters said. On the night of Waters’ first show for the “This Is Not a Drill” tour, the Brooklyn Vegan reported the musician putting a message on screen before the performance reading: “If you’re one of those ‘I love Pink Floyd but I can’t stand Roger’s politics people,’ you might do well to f–k off to the bar right now.”

[From Variety]

There’s room to say that Drake, The Weeknd and Roger Waters are all important to music, right? It’s not either/or, nor is “musical significance” a zero sum game. Drake and The Weeknd are huge right now around the world, and obviously Canadian media will prioritize their Canadian superstars too. Roger Waters is also really important to the history of music, and obviously he still feels like a vital musician with a lot to say. I feel like people are going to yell at Waters without actually knowing Pink Floyd’s significance and what a big deal that band was/is. But again, there’s room to say that everyone in this conversation is significant.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.

You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed.

29 Responses to “Roger Waters: ‘I am far, far, far more important’ than Drake or The Weeknd”

Comments are Closed

We close comments on older posts to fight comment spam.

  1. Becks1 says:

    It sounds like he was ticked that they sent a reporter to interview him who wouldn’t even be going to his concert. I don’t know if I blame him for that? I also can’t tell if he’s saying he’s more important bc PINK FLOYD, or if he’s more important bc he’s making politics a central point in his shows? that’s kind of what it sounds like with the line about “stuff going on here that is fundamentally important to all of our lives.” Still its not a great line.

    You can’t really compare Pink Floyd to Drake or the Weeknd just because we don’t know what the legacy of the latter two will be in 30 years.

    At any rate I agree that there is room for everyone in the conversation to be important and significant, its not an either/or. Pink Floyd’s importance should not take away from Drake or The Weeknd.

  2. girl_ninja says:

    I think him trying to marginalize two black men is more concerning than anything. I don’t even like either men but putting yourself over others is not the move.

    • SophieJara says:

      Yessssss GirlNinja. I find Drake creepy and weird, but when is it ever the move for some old white guy to shit on Black artists? Especially in *rock* a genre white people literally stole from Black musicians.

  3. Mabs A'Mabbin says:

    For anyone to say they’re far more important than…….is proof they aren’t.

  4. tealily says:

    Pink Floyd’s music is boring. There, I said it.

    I’m a rock person and don’t listen to Drake or The Weeknd either, but jesus get over yourself. This is such an ok boomer moment.

  5. Merricat says:

    Lol, Roger Waters is a cantankerous old man now, much like his equally irritable peers. It’s so interesting how much of each generation becomes a cranky version of their parents.

  6. Dee says:

    He’ll probably regret the wording of that comment

  7. Lala11_7 says:

    Naw he won’t…he called Madonna an “upwardly mobile vulgarian” in the 80s…and I NEVA got over that one….SO COLD BLOODED WITH IT😬

  8. Dee(2) says:

    This is a hell of a statement to make regardless of your contribution in any field, the hubris alone. And it’s always bizarre to me when people say oh this currently famous person will never have the impact that this person that has been making movies or writing books or making music who’s been out for 50 years will have, because I think they’re very few people that anyone would have said oh they’re going to have a lasting decades long impact when they first arrived on the scene.

  9. Shannon says:

    Dude said he doesn’t listen to their music but somehow knows that he’s more important? Sure, Jan

  10. Michael says:

    I do believe he was sort of set up to be cranky because the reporter told him that his paper did not want to cover Waters it wanted to cover The Weeknd. But how can he say he is far more important when he does not even know who The Weeknd and does not know any of his music?

    Also for the record, The Weeknd has given millions of dollars to world hunger and BLM and Justice initiatives and has openly called out the major record labels for not being more supportive of BLM. He also is a UNICEF Ambassador who donated a million dollars to the world hunger fund and also is giving $1.00 for every ticket sold to the same fund. That alone will be millions more. So given that he is only 32 I would be cautious saying he is less important. Waters had a 45 year head start after all

  11. LightPurple says:

    We went to his show last week because a friend won tickets. I liked some Floyd stuff but was never really a fan. The show I saw was one of the most musically enjoyable, visually stunning, and overtly political concerts I have ever experienced. He does introduce the show telling anyone who wants to complain about his politics to “f**k off.” Before the music even starts playing, visuals on a giant screen, which starts on stage but then rises over it, project images of police brutality, drone strikes, pollution, the disastrous effects of global warming, discrimination against marginalized people, genocide. The music lulls the audience into an almost trance like state while the visuals continue unabated, mostly in black and white until the end when everything is in brilliant color.

    It was, without a doubt, one of the best concerts i have ever seen, and I have seen a lot, including Madonna and The Weekend. Do I agree with what he’s saying? Yes to some extent and no to some extent. Yes, he is a cantankerous old man, but he admits that, owns that, and revels in it. The reporter or his organization should have sent someone to the show.

  12. Maddy says:

    As a woman in her 30s who used to play the guitar what seems like ages ago, I have a soft corner for Pink Floyd. I even share my bday with David Gilmour. I don’t see that many young kids learning guitar now…they probably just want to vibe. I can understand what Roger Waters must be feeling as an aging musician. I could be least bothered with his politics though. Drake and the Weeknd are super talented in their own right and I enjoy their music a lot but they will be easily replaced in the next ten years or so.

  13. Rice says:

    This is so stupid. I’m tired of musicians/athletes/actors whining about how they’re so important or that they’re better than those of their ilk (see the similar argument about DC/Marvel movies vs arthouse drama/thriller movies). They’re not saving/protecting lives or making scientific breakthroughs or feeding people. They’re being paid obscene amounts of money to entertain. Fans love celebrities because they provide a certain feeling when they’re applying their craft, especially when they’re doing it well. Also, there doesn’t have to be an either/or. Fans can walk and chew gum at the same time.

  14. Coco says:

    To all of the people who called Keke snobbish yesterday, This is what a snobbish person sound like.

  15. Blithe says:

    Kaiser, thanks much for starting off the post by identifying Roger Waters. Despite a lifetime of listening to lots of music in many genres, and over a decade of guitar lessons from white, male, rock-loving teachers, I’ve managed to wend my way through my world without ever having heard this man’s name mentioned. I’ve heard of Drake and The Weeknd though, even though I don’t listen to their music.

    Old white guy singles out two POC musicians—to belittle them. Publicly. Without troubling himself to listen to their music before running his mouth. Okaaaaay. Next.

  16. phlyfiremama says:

    Yes, there is room to say everyone is significant. Roger Waters is right, though: he leaves the other 2 in the dust in terms of significant impact. *shrugs

    • Juiette says:

      I agree. I have no issue with The Weeknd or Drake and like some of their music. However, Pink Floyd and Rogers have put out some of the best albums of all time. Will people still be listening to The Weeknd or Drake in 40 years? Doubt it. I don’t think he has was saying they are insignificant specifically. I read the entire interview and what it sounds like he’s trying to say is that issues he discusses and talks about in his albums etc. are more important than what The Weeknd or Drake do on their albums. Unless I’m reading it wrong but that’s what it seemed like to me imho.

      That being said he has in the past come across as a b*tchy old fart and the feud w/ Gilmour was ugly and went on for years so I do think there may be a bit of ego involved here. I’m seeing him Vancouver in September for I think the 10th time and I can’ wait, his shows are always amazing – a full show.

      • Blithe says:

        But how does he claim to KNOW that his music and his issues are so superior when he hasn’t listened to their music? As to what “people” will be listening to, I guess it depends upon which “people” you’re willing to center — and use to overgeneralize. While I’ve no doubt that some people will be listening to Pink Floyd and to whatever it is that Waters does, in the years to come, I’ll be listening to Kendrick Lamar and Eric Dolphy. I guess it comes down to: Important to WHO.
        Waters sounds like he’s decided that he and his music and his issues are of universal importance— without bothering to actually check, or even question those assumptions.

  17. jferber says:

    I think he’s had many wives and made nasty cracks about all of them, saying the latest version is the only one who is right for him or some such rubbish. I’m sure all his children from other marriages were overjoyed to hear that. They were pretentious even back in the day, so I can see how that might (and has) increased tenfold. Bell end.

  18. Ameerah says:

    There are LOTS of Canadian artists he could have named. Like Justin Bieber. Why did he single out the two Black men??

    • HeyJude says:

      Probably because Justin Bieber hasn’t been vastly popular in a good half decade, and even then he was never taken seriously by the majority of the music industry. He was a boy bander/bubblegum pop kid. He never had a significant social platform to begin with.

  19. HeyJude says:

    Until everyone’s precious Drake or the Weeknd design their entire touring show set around a massive electronic jumbo tron that says “trans rights are human rights” no there’s not really room to say they’re as significant to music. They’re significant to celebrity. That’s a much different thing.

    They’re substance-less. It’s all about a glitzy image for them and not real issues. I’ve never heard either ever speak out on something like the huge indigenous school children scandal in Canada.

    • VivaAviva says:

      They are not substance less just because their music doesn’t appeal to you. And no, you don’t get to declare yourself more important than anyone when the majority of the music buying public doesn’t know your name.

      It sounds like Waters put on a great show that was unapologetically political. I think a lot of the younger generation would love to see it and he could reach a new audience. However, you don’t generally reach people by insulting them first. The man is nearly 80, so I assume most of his fans are in the 50-80 year old range.

      These are not the people it is politically important to reach. The 50 and under crowd are about to start wielding more and more political power.

      He has had a long and substantial career, but none of us know what the impact of Drake or Abel will be. I do know that they’ve both been in the business for over a decade and are still producing music that connects with many people. These aren’t some one hit wonders.

  20. Well Wisher says:

    I didn’t know that he was in town. I have listened to my fair share of Heavy Metal and Pink Floyd in my time.
    It never occurred to me to compare them with any one else.
    I hope that the Weeknd and Drake were not desperate for compliments from this person, for they would’ve been crushed.
    His comments were just unfortunate in this instance.

  21. The Recluse says:

    Waters, dude, relax. You’re in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

  22. Katoooo says:

    Interesting. And why, exactly, would it be surprising or offensive that the hometown boys who made it big get more coverage in the Globe than some British musician (even if he IS one of the guys from Pink Floyd)? Some of their popularity in Toronto is because of how much they’ve elevated the city and owned where they’re from, rather than having it be something you discover by accident on their wiki page. To me, this is kind of like all the monarchy and commonwealth stuff. Some old British guy coming around to tell us that we should place more importance on him than we should on our homegrown talent.