I LOVE Pink Floyd.
To me, they are one of the greatest rock bands of all time and I have never tired of their music. They are also a very complicated band, made hugely more complicated by the mind of Roger Waters and his pendulum like personality which swings between level 10 intensity at one end of the swing and somber reflection at the other. And these days, Roger is operating at about a level 15.
But here's the thing to remember. Pink Floyd is the dictionary definition of "the sum of the whole is greater than the sum of the parts". In fact, times that by 10. These 4 guys together have produced some of the most ground breaking and seminal music in the history of the planet. When you hear a Pink Floyd song on the radio, there is no mistaking it for anything else. No one else out there has been able to duplicate their sound. Including, ironically, the individual members of Pink Floyd. These 4 guys are the modern day equivalent of Mozart, Beethoven, Bach and Handel had they have all teamed up.
And while David Gilmour is the sound of Pink Floyd, Roger Waters is the brains, the drive and the heart and soul of Pink Floyd. There is simply no disputing that. And when Roger Waters correctly says he is more important than the Weekend or Drake, he doesn't mean he's better musically, he means politically with respect to the music he makes and the meaning behind his art. His music means something. And I have to agree. Drake and the Weekend are pop stars that put out forgettable drivel. Roger puts out thought provoking music with meaning that speaks to the politics of our time.
My one criticism of Roger Waters is that he has a blind spot for leftist politicians, including Vladimir Putin. I saw both of Roger's concerts (This is not a Drill) at the BNS Center last week. Of the 3 Waters concerts I have seen over the years, ("The Wall" , "US and Them" and now, "This is not a Drill"), it was the weakest. I had a hard time listening to Roger Waters state that the United States has caused the war in Ukraine and that the West needs to "stop poking the Russian Bear" because its going to lead to a nuclear war. But I know Roger's history and I understand why he says things like that. I just don't agree with him.
Hard to imagine Drake ever taking a position like that. Not given Drake's music or Drake's social conscience. That's why Roger said what he said.