When it comes to criticizing celebrities who look fake, Bono is quite ripe fruit. But that hasn't stopped Pink Floyd's Roger Waters from lashing out at the U2 frontman in a recent interview, calling him a “huge piece of shit” for his support of Israel during the nation's ongoing conflict with Hamas and the occupation of Palestine.
The comments came up in a recent discussion between Waters and Al Jazeera, in which the Pink Floyd songwriter reaffirmed his condemnation of Israel's policy towards Palestine and emphasized the importance of speaking out against the war-mongering policy. When asked what he would say to artists who have remained quiet during this time, Waters directed his ire at Bono.
“Anyone who knows Bono should grab him by the ankles and shake him until he stops being a huge piece of shit,” Waters said, referring to a recent U2 performance at the Sphere where Bono expressed his support for Israel and changed the lyrics to “Pride.” (In the Name of Love)” will include references to October 7.
“In light of what has happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about nonviolence seems somewhat ridiculous, even ridiculous, but our prayers have always been for peace and for nonviolence,” Bono saying before a crowd in Las Vegas last fall. “But our hearts and our anger, you know where she is pointing. So, she sings with us and with those beautiful children at that music festival.”
Bono then sang new lyrics to “Pride (In the Name of Love),” trading references to Martin Luther King, Jr. with the lines: “Early in the morning, October 7/ The sun rises in the desert sky/ Stars of David, they took your life/ but they couldn't take your pride.” Watch a clip of the performance below.
Responding specifically to those lines, Waters said: “We have to start talking to these people, telling them, 'Your opinion is so disgusting and degrading when you defend the Zionist entity.' “What he did at the Sphere in Las Vegas a couple of weeks ago, singing about the Stars of David, was one of the most disgusting things I've ever seen in my life.”
Elsewhere in the Al Jazeera interview, Waters demonstrated her knowledge of the Israeli occupation of Palestine and called on people from all walks of life to rise up against oppression. As to whether musicians should specifically use their platforms to express political beliefs, he explained that there is a growing “group of us in the music industry who defend human rights,” but generally rejected the idea that the role of a musician It is very different from anyone else's role.
“More and more people are discovering that the platform is indisputable and the question is very direct: do you believe in supporting human rights or not?” he said. “You can't have both. This is true for a bassist as well as any worker in any industry. So singling out musicians and suggesting that they shouldn't stand up for their rights is like saying, “You have no right to love.” Because this movement is based on our love for each other and our love for the planet we all call home.”
Watch the full interview between Waters and Al Jazeera here.
Of course, Waters hasn't been without criticism for her outspoken opinions. He has been accused of anti-Semitism by former bandmates, collaborators, documentary filmmakers and even the German government, which attempted to cancel a Waters concert in Frankfurt over accusations of anti-Semitism. Finally, he went to a German court, which ruled in favor of Waters, writing that he “did not glorify or relativize the crimes of the Nazis nor identify with Nazi racist ideology” and that his concert should “be considered a work of art.” Waters himself has responded to his critics, accusing them of “abusing the term anti-Semitism to intimidate people like me into silence.”
As for U2, the band's residency at the Sphere will continue through next month. Check their upcoming dates and get tickets. here.
⚡ Pink Floyd co-founder, Roger Waters:
“They should grab him (Bono) by the ankles and shake him until he stops being a bit of a shit.” pic.twitter.com/tMDM7WGwIk
– War Watch (@WarWatchs) February 19, 2024
In light of what has happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even ridiculous, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence…
But our hearts and our anger, you know where they point. So she sings with us… and those… pic.twitter.com/S1zfCMNtzz
-U2 (@U2) October 9, 2023
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