The Pink Floyd Story: Which One's Pink?

If this excellent BBC documentary achieved nothing else, it at least demonstrated that the wounds caused by the forced separation of Roger Waters and Pink Floyd are as raw as ever, despite the 20 minute cessation of hostilities that was Live 8.

Using interviews with the band and close associates to chart the history of the band, the occasions when Waters and the rest of the band are in agreement are few and far between. Even Syd Barrett’s descent into madness exposes a difference of opinion. Waters reminisces fondly over Barrett’s increasingly bizarre behaviour whilst Rick Wright appears close to tears as he rejects Waters’ suggestion that Syd suffered from schizophrenia and lays the blame squarely on substance abuse.

The halcyon days of Dark Side Of The Moon and Wish You Were Here are dealt with fairly quickly, as if the documentary team can’t wait to get to the next bone of contention - Waters’ increasing dominance of the band. Whilst David Gilmour refers to the period leading up to The Wall and the subsequent World Tour as “a dictatorship”, Waters dismisses any suggestions that he refused to allow other band members to contribute to the writing process. From that point on the story focuses increasingly on the two main protagonists; Gilmour & Waters, with the remaining band members largely commenting as observers rather than participants.

The semantics of Waters departure and his subsequent brief restoration for Live 8 are interesting. Upon leaving the band Waters assumed that Pink Floyd was no more. He admits in hindsight that his reaction to Floyd’s continuing existence (a long-running and ultimately unsuccessful legal battle) was wrong, but the scars remain vivid – especially for Gilmour. It was he who resisted longest to Bob Geldof’s emotional blackmail over Live 8 (the interviews with Geldof give an interesting perspective on the band’s internal politics at that time). When he finally relented it was very much on his terms – Waters was reminded that Pink Floyd were closing the Live 8 Concert and that he was welcome to play with them if he wished, but on their terms.

To all intents and purposes David Gilmour is now Pink Floyd. Whilst the final comments from Waters, Wright & Mason left the door open for a further reunion, those from Gilmour did not. It looks like Live 8 really will be the band’s final cut.