Biography of Roger Waters
Roger Waters is a legendary British musician, actor, songwriter, and frontman of one of the most popular rock bands of all time, Pink Floyd. He's one of the most influential figures in rock history, known for his unwavering stance as a pacifist and advocate for justice.In 1984, Roger left Pink Floyd to dedicate himself to a solo career. He went on to release several solo studio albums, including what critics hailed as "one of the most literary albums in rock history" – The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking.
Childhood, Youth, Family
George Roger Waters was born in fall 1943 to Eric Fletcher Waters and Mary Whyte in Great Bookham, a town in Surrey, southern England. Two years earlier, his older brother John was born.Both parents were teachers – his mother also ran a school – and they were Communist Party members as well as deeply religious.
Eric Waters died during World War II in an Anglo-American operation in Italy. Mary tried to raise her sons with strict discipline, but she couldn't fill the void left by their father.
Looking back on his school years, Roger described his classmates as seeming like savage sadists straight out of a Charles Dickens novel. Waters was an exemplary, highly intelligent kid from early on. He excelled in school, read voraciously, stayed athletic, and played football. As a teenager, he developed a passion for jazz and blues, listening to artists like Billie Holiday and Bessie Smith.
After finishing school, Waters enrolled at London Polytechnic Institute to study architecture. It was trendy at the time for students to form bands at universities and colleges. Roger, who'd learned guitar, was no exception – he formed a band with classmates Richard Wright and Nick Mason. After assembling a simple repertoire, the students began performing at various events and parties.
Pink Floyd
Pink Floyd got their name in 1965 when Syd Barrett joined the amateur group and suggested naming it after legendary bluesmen Pink Anderson and Floyd Council.Two years later, their debut album The Piper at the Gates of Dawn was released. Syd wrote almost all the lyrics for the compositions included in it. Three years later, guitarist David Gilmour joined the band. Despite the band's phenomenal success, Syd Barrett's drug addiction forced him to leave the group. In 1968, Roger Waters stepped up as frontman, finally able to fully express himself.
The rivalry over songwriting credits between Waters and Wright escalated into open conflict, leading to Richard's departure from the band. Waters also left shortly after, believing the group should disband as it had run its course. The last album with Waters was "The Final Cut," released in 1983, inspired—negatively—by the conflict between Britain and Argentina over the Falkland Islands.
However, David Gilmour took control of Pink Floyd, convincing Wright to return and recruiting new musicians. The band began work on a new album, while Waters filed a lawsuit, claiming his former colleagues had no right to use the Pink Floyd name or perform the old songs.
Eventually, the prolonged conflict ended with a settlement, and Waters later regretted initiating the legal battle, even performing with the group in 2005 at a reunion concert. However, the differences ran too deep, and a full Pink Floyd reunion never materialized, especially after Richard Wright passed away in 2008.
Solo Career
In 1984, Waters began his solo career by releasing his debut studio album, The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking, featuring a character named Reg who advocates for monogamy. The album included contributions from renowned guitarist Eric Clapton and saxophonist David Sanborn.Some Pink Floyd and Waters fans argue that this can only technically be called his debut, since in 1970, Waters collaborated with Ron Geesin on an experimental soundtrack for Roy Battersby's film "The Body," released as the album Music from The Body.
His subsequent solo albums were Radio K.A.O.S. (1987), Amused to Death (1992), and the opera Ca Ira (2005), but he never achieved the same success as with Pink Floyd and stopped writing for a while, touring the world with his classic hits.
In 1996, Waters was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame as a member of Pink Floyd.
One interesting project for Waters was adapting Igor Stravinsky's theatrical production "The Soldier's Tale." He took on the role of the narrator, while members of the chamber music festival performed the musical parts.
By 2023, Waters had released two more studio albums: The Lockdown Sessions and The Dark Side of the Moon Redux.
Roger Waters' Personal Life
Waters fell for his childhood friend Judy Trim early on. They tied the knot after Pink Floyd had already made it big. Her image appeared on the cover of the first edition of the album "Ummagumma."Waters recalls playing "The Dark Side of the Moon" for his wife—she burst into tears, which he saw as a sign the album would be huge.
The marriage lasted just six years before Waters' cheating ended it. Judy had enough by summer 1974. There were no children in this marriage.
Harry eventually joined Waters' touring band as a guitarist, while India went into modeling.
After 16 years together, Waters and Christie split in 1992. Waters remarried within a year. This time he married actress Priscilla Phillips, who gave him son Jack.
But Roger couldn't make this marriage work either. Eight years later, he and Priscilla divorced, and in 2004, Waters proposed to actress-director-producer Laurie Durning. She said yes, but they didn't actually marry until 2012—only to divorce three years later without revealing why.
At 78, Waters announced his latest marriage. Creole Camila Chavez had been his personal driver before becoming his wife in 2021.
They married at Waters' Bridgehampton estate. The bride made a statement in cowboy boots and a white lace dress with a black belt.
Camila keeps a low profile but did join Waters at the Cannes Film Festival.
Roger Waters Today
Waters has never shied away from speaking out on world events, especially military conflicts. In 2024, he defended Palestinians and called Israel's actions in Gaza an occupation. Waters organized a pro-Palestinian concert at a London venue. He performed "Wish You Were Here," dedicating it to the Palestinian people.Interesting Facts
- Waters' debut solo album, "The Pros and Cons of Hitch Hiking," triggered major controversy, especially from feminists. The problem? The cover showed a naked female hitchhiker, modeled by softcore porn actress Linzi Drew. The cover was designed by Gerald Scarfe. Critics savaged the album, calling Waters' performance "musical nonsense." Later reissues covered the woman's bare backside with a black stripe.
- Germany banned Waters' 2023 concerts in Frankfurt and Munich. The shows were canceled over anti-Semitism accusations. Waters fought back, announcing he'd sue German authorities and calling the campaign against him unconstitutional. Then came a twist: fellow artists rallied behind Waters, filing a counter-petition to lift the ban. Eric Clapton, Nick Mason, Brian Eno, actresses Susan Sarandon, and Julie Christie signed on—gathering over ten thousand signatures.
- Waters based the "Animals" album concept on George Orwell's "Animal Farm." Different social groups became animals, with the cover featuring a floating inflatable pig (from "Pigs on The Wing"). Waters called it a symbol of hope, using it first in Pink Floyd shows and later in his solo performances.