Watch Roger Waters and his touring band's virtual performance of two deep cuts from The Wall

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m_rogerwaters630_withacousticguitar_051720-3

Credit: Kate Izor

Credit: Kate IzorRoger Waters has once again teamed up remotely with his Us + Them tour backing band to create another socially distanced performance video. The new clip features renditions of back-to-back songs from Pink Floyd‘s classic 1979 concept album The Wall: “Vera” and “Bring the Boys Back Home.”

You can watch the video now at Waters’ official YouTube channel. Roger discusses both songs in a note accompanying the clip.

Regarding “Vera,” he writes, “The Vera in question is Vera Lynn. She was an English singer, songwriter, very popular during the Second World War. Her biggest hit was ‘We’ll meet again.’ She was widely known as the ‘Forces’ Sweetheart.’ Our Vera, who is very fondly remembered back in Blighty, died six weeks ago aged 103. So she had a bloody good innings, bless her.”

As for “Bring the Boys Back Home,” Waters notes, “My father never came home [from World War II], but at least in 1944 he really was fighting to defend his home. Not like now. Now the boys fight and die in colonial wars so some rich a**hole can get richer. If it were up to me I’d bring ’em all home tomorrow.”

At the end of the video, Roger sends out an angry message seemingly meant for President Donald Trump.

“Bring the boys back home,” he says, looking into the camera. “Particularly from Portland, you big f***ing p****.”  That’s an apparent reference to the federal law-enforcement agents sent to the Oregon city recently to quell protests that have been taking place there.

The musicians contributing to Waters’ new video performance are guitarists Dave Kilminster and Jonathan Wilson, drummer Joey Waronker, bassist Gus Seyffert, keyboardists Jon Carin and Bo Koster, and Lucius members Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig on backing vocals.

By Matt Friedlander
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