Two albums by the legendary rock band Pink Floyd were guaranteed hits, according to bassist and songwriter Roger Waters. The veteran performer believes two releases by the band would be surefire hits, and he knew that both would work at the time. While Waters has optioned a few albums in the past as definite wins by the band, and even one from his solo career, two stand out to fans and band members alike.
Both albums were mentioned by Waters shortly after he left Pink Floyd, where he suggested that one of their biggest albums had “finished Pink Floyd off” as a group for good, as they had achieved all they could by that time. Both The Dark Side of the Moon and The Wall were hailed by Waters as the band’s two best efforts, and rightly so.
Speaking of The Dark Side of the Moon, Waters said: “It’s very well-balanced and well-constructed, dynamically and musically, and I think the humanity of its approach is appealing. It’s satisfying. I think also that it was the first album of that kind. People often quote S F Sorrow by The Pretty Things as being from a similar mould – they were both done in the same studio at about the same time – but I think it was probably the first completely cohesive album that was made.”
He went on to note that The Wall followed a similar creative streak and it made for the second of two important Pink Floyd releases. Waters said: “A concept album, mate! I always thought it would be hugely successful. I had the same feelings about The Wall. Towards the end of the studio work, at about the time I’d be putting the tracks together, there was a very good feeling of satisfaction on both records. You’d stand back from them and they’d each feel very complete.”
Waters would go on to say that The Wall is his favourite release by the band and that it sold a “lot more” than The Dark Side of the Moon at the time of its release. When asked if The Wall is his favourite and most personal album that he made with Pink Floyd, he replied that it was. He went on to explain the deeper connection with the record, which was 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.
The bassist and songwriter behind the hit double album says it has now outsold The Dark Side of the Moon in the United States, and that The Wall has cracked the top three best-selling albums.
He told Word Magazine in May 2008: “Funnily enough, The Wall has sold a lot more than The Dark Side of the Moon in America now. I think it goes Thriller, The Eagles, The Wall, then The Dark Side of the Moon. But it always sounded like a very popular record.
“I remember when we finished it off, thinking it would be a huge hit. I honestly don’t know why. I just did. It had a lot of class, but it was also deeply appealing. And of course, Money was seriously embraced by the AM radio; the cash register thing struck a chord.
“And radio was a big factor then. Which is why they were always bribing them with cocaine and cash! But I like to think there’s a political dimension of honesty about the whole record that gives it a flavour of truth. That’s also a contributing factor to its longevity. People understand immediately when they hear it that there’s nothing contrived about it.”
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