Pink Floyd's Roger Waters has finally been dropped by his record label, months after he was accused of anti-Semitism for supporting the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel.
German music rights company BMG, which signed Waters in 2016, recently parted ways with the 80-year-old rock star following a series of controversies, including a series of inflammatory comments he made about Israel.
Waters told Variety in November that he had been “fired” from the company after relatively new CEO Thomas Coesfeld nixed the planned release of a re-recorded reprise of a Pink Floyd album.
Sources have now told the magazine that they have parted ways. BMG told they were aware of the report but would not comment.
The band's former bassist was supposed to release a new version of the 1973 album “Dark Side of the Moon” – but the project was given to the British band Cooking Vinyl.
This came after he allegedly sang in an improvised song that his agent was a “fucking Jew” and appeared to be dressed as a Nazi at a performance in Berlin in May.
Pink Floyd's Roger Waters has finally been dropped by his record label, months after he was accused of anti-Semitism for supporting the October 7 Hamas attack in Israel
German music rights company BMG, which signed Waters in 2016, recently parted ways with the 80-year-old rock star following a series of controversies, including a series of inflammatory comments he made about Israel
Waters told Variety in November that he had been “fired” by the company after relatively new CEO Thomas Coesfeld (pictured) canceled a planned release of a re-recorded reprise of a Pink Floyd album
The claim about the song came from Rogers' former producer Bob Ezrin in “The Dark Side of Roger Waters,” a documentary by the Campaign Against Anti-Semitism.
Ezrin, who has also worked with big names like Lou Reed, U2, Taylor Swift and Aerosmith, said he was “embarrassed” to admit he didn't challenge the bassist in his song about Bryan Morrison.
He added: “It was my first suspicion that there might be some anti-Semitism beneath the surface.”
“Well, Roger knew I was Jewish, so I didn't know if this was another button-pushing thing he was doing just to see if I would react, or if he just didn't get it. How insulting to you could be Jews.'
He is convinced that despite the nature of his alleged comments, Waters really does not consider himself an anti-Semite.
Ezrin concluded: “I don’t think Roger sees himself as an anti-Semite, just as most people don’t see themselves as racist.”
“But he walks like one, he quacks like one, he swims like one – so you know, from my point of view he's functionally a duck.”
Bryan Morrison, the alleged subject of Waters' improvised song, according to Mr. Erzin, died in 2008 at age 66 after spending two years in a coma following a fall from a horse.
The documentary also spreads claims that Waters wanted to decorate a giant floating pig with the Star of David and slogans that included denigrating words about Jewish people at his concerts.
Music mogul Bryan Morrison, who was allegedly the target of an anti-Semitic ditty sung by Roger Waters in the recording studio. He died in 2008
Pictured: An inflatable pig with insults against Donald Trump at a 2016 Roger Waters concert in California. It was alleged that Waters wanted a similar pig to be plastered with anti-Semitic language
In an email Waters allegedly sent in 2010, he appears to suggest to his backstage team that the pig be labeled “Dirty K***,” “Follow the Money” and “Scum” on the sides should be.
The word “K***” is a notoriously offensive word used to denigrate Jews, while the reference to money is a classic anti-Jewish phrase, the new film says.
The pig was eventually made without these terms, but with a Star of David and dollar signs, and was featured in Waters' concerts.
CAA chief executive Gideon Falter said: “Roger Waters has repeatedly used his enormous platform to attract Jews, but he always maintains that he is not an anti-Semite.”
“We believed there was further evidence to the contrary and with the publication of The Dark Side of Roger Waters, the evidence we obtained is now in the hands of the public.
“It's hard to imagine a rock star emblazoned with the N-word over his concerts, but Mr. Waters required his crew to do just that with the K-word.” Additionally, he appears to have spent a lot of time to humiliate and harass his Jewish employees.
“You can't help but watch this film and wonder what kind of person uses their power to this end.” Is Roger Waters an anti-Semite? “Now people can form their own opinions.”
Waters himself has repeatedly denied being anti-Semitic, saying the accusation arose from previous comments about the Israeli government, which he said viewed him as an “existential threat to its settler-colonial, racist apartheid regime.”
After appearing in a Nazi-like coat in Berlin in May, he released a statement denying that he harbored anti-Semitic beliefs.
Pictured: Roger Waters wore a long black leather coat with a Nazi-style armband during a concert at the O2 Arena in London in June this year
Roger Waters previously said claims he was an anti-Semite were “nonsense” and “vicious lies” after he was condemned for wearing a “Nazi-style” trench coat on stage – including in Germany
Members of the Jewish community demonstrated outside the O2 Arena in June ahead of a performance by Roger Waters
“My recent appearance in Berlin has drawn malicious attacks from those who seek to denigrate and silence me because they disagree with my political views and moral principles,” he said.
“The elements of my performance that have been questioned are clearly a statement against fascism, injustice and bigotry in all their forms.”
“Attempts to portray these elements as something else are disingenuous and politically motivated.”
“Depicting a crazy fascist demagogue has been a feature of my shows since Pink Floyd's 'The Wall' in 1980.”
“I have spent my entire life speaking out against authoritarianism and oppression wherever I see it.”
“When I was a child after the war, the name Anne Frank was often spoken in our house, she became a lasting reminder of what happens when fascism is left unchecked.”
“My parents fought against the Nazis in World War II, and my father paid the ultimate price.”
“Regardless of the consequences of the attacks against me, I will continue to condemn injustice and all who perpetrate it.”