Roger Waters labels U2 singer Bono “disgusting”
Former Pink Floyd member Roger Waters has labelled U2 frontman “disgusting” over his reaction to the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
Following Hamas’ attack on October 7th, which included the loss of 260 people who attended the Supernova Festival, Bono paid tribute to those who were killed during U2’s residency at the Sphere in Las Vegas.
Before playing ‘Pride (In The Name Of Love)’, the Irish singer told those in attendance: “On the light of what’s happened in Israel and Gaza, a song about non-violence seems somewhat ridiculous, even laughable, but our prayers have always been for peace and for non-violence. But our hearts and our anger, you know where that’s pointed. So sing with us… and those beautiful kids at that music festival.”
Additionally, Bono changed the lyrics of the track and sang, “Early morning, Oct. 7, the sun is rising in the desert sky… Stars of David, they took your life but they could not take your pride”.
Now, during an interview with Qatari state-funded media organisation Al Jazeera on February 17th, Waters said: “Anybody who knows Bono should go and pick him up by his ankles and shake him… until he stops being an enormous shit.”
Waters added: “We have to start saying to these people, your opinion is so disgusting and so degrading… sticking up for the Zionist entity. What he did a couple of weeks ago in the Sphere in Las Vegas, singing about the Stars of David, was one of the most disgusting things I’ve ever seen in my life.”
The English musician’s latest comments arrive after it was recently revealed he parted ways with label BMG. Waters, who had a concert in Frankfurt cancelled last year over claims of antisemitism which he denies, claimed he was “fired” during an appearance on Glenn Greenwald’s podcast in November.
Furthermore, on the same podcast, Waters said of the Hamas terrorist attack on Supernova: “What we do know is, whether it was a false flag operation or not, or whatever, or whatever happened, and whatever story we’re going to get to — and we don’t know if we’re ever going to get much of the real story. It’s very, it’s always hard to tell what actually happened.”
Additionally, in September, Campaign Against Antisemitism released the documentary The Dark Side of Roger Waters, which accuses the musician of antisemitic conduct.
In the film, former Pink Floyd producer Bob Ezrin claimed that Waters called the band’s manager, Bryan Morrison, a “fucking Jew,” and saxophonist Norbert Stachel accused the musician of refusing to eat “Jew food” before making fun of his Jewish ancestors.
In response, Waters denied the accusations, stating: “I am not, and have never been, an antisemite – as anyone who really knows me will testify. I know the Jewish people to be a diverse, interesting, and complicated bunch, just like the rest of humanity. Many are allies in the fight for equality and justice, in Israel, Palestine and around the world.”
See Waters’ full interview with Al Jazeera below.
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