Chicago 1984, Hitch Hiking to Chicago, call it whatever you like. This overlap between Pink Floyd founder Roger Waters and veteran journeyman guitarist Eric Clapton is magnificent. Few guitarists could serve the same quality as David Gilmour did to the works Waters wrote during his time in Pink Floyd. From The Dark Side of the Moon to The Wall, you can hear the very best of that overlap between instrumental skill and writing thrill. Clapton is one of the few who could safely replace Gilmour, not as a member of Pink Floyd, but as a reliable stage presence should he be incapacitated elsewhere or, in this case, not on speaking terms with his former bandmate. Waters’ departure from Pink Floyd in 1983 prompted a surge in performances and releases from The Wall hitmaker. The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking is a thoroughly underrated piece of work, and hearing it live with a few extra thrills mixed in, with Clapton backing Waters’ bold solo debut, is a magnificent experience.
Pink Floyd hits followed by a performance of The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking in full. What more could you want from the pair? With Waters keen to play through his favourites from Pink Floyd and Clapton backing him, it’s hard not to fall in love with the set straight away. Set the Controls for the Heart of the Sun is a bold opener. It doesn’t quite lose the psychedelic edge, but it certainly feels more rock-oriented with Clapton leading the instrumental charge. A truly menacing start to the set but Hitch Hiking to Chicago softens from there. A looser form is present on the likes of Money and Welcome to the Machine, as is to be expected. Pink Floyd fans wondering what Waters would do immediately after departing the band he founded are served well here. There’s still a love for the music he made with the group. They may not get along, but there’s a general agreement between them on their best songs.
Hitch Hiking to Chicago is early enough in Waters’ solo career to hear some raw, and occasionally rough, adaptations of songs Gilmour sang. Money tries to keep the same tempo as The Dark Side of the Moon version but the deeper voice Gilmour has, the punchy note-for-note blow, is what makes it a hit. Waters can’t offer that. He doesn’t try to, either. That bit is crucial. Hey You and The Gunner’s Dream ends what is a fairly effective collection of Pink Floyd pieces. They are missing a few spots, but considering it was just a year on from Waters’ departure, he muddles through it with grace. A full run of The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking is a treat for those dedicated fans who loved the solo debut. Keep an ear out for The Remains of Our Love and The Moment of Clarity, those two are stellar.
But it can’t end on The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking. Waters would soon rightfully sour on giving an audience what they think they want. His tours over the last few years may be filled with hits from Pink Floyd but they still feature an artistic risk which make the likes of Bob Dylan and Bruce Springsteen so interesting to watch still. Feature the heavy-hitters, sure, but make sure to do so with a few deep cuts too. Brain Damage and Eclipse end this Hitch Hiking to Chicago bootleg, and they feel like suitable ends both of them. They neither suggest Waters would better his work with Pink Floyd nor that he was going to stop here. Ambiguity is the best place for an artist sometimes and it makes all the difference here.
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