Roger Waters has shared a lengthy statement on his contentious Pink Floyd credits dispute with David Gilmour.
The pair have been at loggerheads over the release of the long-delayed remastered reissue of their iconic band’s 1977 album Animals.
Waters has been resolutely grumpy several times while discussing it with the press, including this brilliantly crotchety aside aimed at Gilmour he told Rolling Stone last year: “Can we release the remastered vinyl of Animals without it turning into the third World War?”
Now, as per Stereogum, Waters is back at it again, posting a massive statement on his website which says the holdup is due to Gilmour having a problem with the album’s liner notes, of all things. These were written by British journalist Mark Blake but Gilmour has taken umbrage with his words.
“These mixes have languished unreleased because of a dispute over some sleeve notes that Mark Blake has written for this new release,” Waters explains. “Gilmour has vetoed the release of the album unless these liner notes are removed. He does not dispute the veracity of the history described in Mark’s notes, but he wants that history to remain secret.”
Later in the statement, Waters acknowledges the talents of his old friend with a brilliantly British turn of phrase – “Yes he was, and is, a jolly good guitarist and singer” – before laying into Gilmour once again: “But, he has for the last 35 years told a lot of whopping porky pies about who did what in Pink Floyd when I was still in charge.”
Waters then says that the remastered Animals is finally on its way after he agreed to have the contentious liner notes removed – they will instead just be posted on his own website, noting that they were “fact checked and agreed as factually correct by me, Nick and Gilmour.”
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We don’t have an official release date for the remastered reissue just yet but considering the conceptual quality of Animals, it will be one not to miss out on.
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Check out Animals by Pink Floyd:
