An anniversary adaptation of the legendary album The Wall was meant to show how “divided” the world had become, Pink Floyd bassist Roger Waters claimed.
The veteran songwriter confirmed that his adaptation of The Wall in 2010 was to show how the world had fractured between the original release of the album in 1979 and now. Waters would criticise those who had taught the next generation to be hateful to one another. Speaking back in 2011, the veteran songwriter behind Another Brick in the Wall and The Dark Side of the Moon claimed that his anniversary show was meant to showcase how the world had fallen apart.
He said: “I hope that I’ve developed the show from just being about the story of one man who hides behind a wall because he’s frightened, to being a more general piece about the way ideologies and nations are divided from one another. We’re fearful of those beyond our borders and those who may seem to be different from what we are.
“We have three characters that are kind of graffiti on the wall: there’s a Muslim girl, a Jewish kid and a Christian girl. And during the show I try to make the point that they have to be taught hatred. If you’re a Jewish kid, you’re born not believing that Palestinians are filthy pigs, or vice versa; if you’re a Muslim kid in Iran, you’re not born believing Israel should not exist and should be wiped off the Earth; you’re taught this stuff.”
Waters went on to suggest that The Wall remains relevant today because of such commentaries found on the album. He said: “When I decided to do The Wall again, I gave some thought as to what I could bring to it.
“I didn’t want to go out and whine about how miserable I was when I was a young man, but you can see nations in the same way an individual is, and they’re subject to fears, particularly the citizens of certain nations, where fear is used as an exercise of control. The original story of 1979 could be seen as an allegory for the broader political situation that is very relevant and pertains to now.”
Waters made it clear in the past that The Wall is the best album he has worked on. Waters was asked if The Wall is his favourite and most personal album that he made with Pink Floyd, and he replied that it was. He went on to explain the deeper connection with the record, which released in 1979.
He said: “Yes, and because of the way the narrative works and the shape of the thing and it’s maybe the most accomplished technically and philosophically.” Waters would delve a little deeper into the meaning behind specific songs on the album, with the veteran songwriter also believing the success of the album had been inevitable.
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