Wednesday 24th December 2014 by Andrew Trendell | Photos by WENN

Roger Waters slams 'institutionalised brutality' at Guantanamo Bay

Pink Floyd man pens open-ed for Daily Mail

Roger Waters staged a live version of The Wall in 1990 that featured Bryan Adams, Paul Carrack, Tim Curry, The Band, Thomas Dolby, Cyndi Lauper, Marianne Faithfull, Albert Finney, James Galway, Jerry Hall, Ute Lemper, The Scorpions, Joni Mitchell, Van Morrison and Sinead O'Connor.

The band experimented with three dimensional sound throughout their career. During a performance of 'See Emily Play' at Queen Elizabeth Hall in London they used a quadraphonic device called an Azimuth Co-ordinator that combined amplified sound and recorded tapes to rotate sound waves 270 degrees around the venue, creating a swirling effect. In 1972 they bought a P.A. that could create a full 360 degree effect.

David Gilmour owns a custom-built studio called The Astoria, which is a converted house boat on the river. He set up the extremely comfortable space because he was sick of recording in studios with no windows or light.

The voices on Dark Side Of The Moon were created when Roger Waters wrote questions on cue cards, showed them to the roadies, and recorded their answers doormen, members of the band Wings, and anyone available at Abbey Road. 20 questions were featured, including: "When was the last time you were violent and were you in the right?", "What does the phrase", "The Dark Side of the Moon" mean to you?". The laughter on 'Brain Damage' and 'Speak To Me' is that of road manager Peter Watts, father of Naomi Watts.

David Gilmour helped to launch the career of one Kate Bush. He sent her demo to his contacts at EMI and the rest is history. He was present for the recording of her debut The Kick Inside.

In 1973 Pink Floyd experimented with making an album that was entirely Musique Concrete (music not restricted by melody, form and time signatures). "We used rubber bands," said Dave Gilmour, "we actually built a long stretched rubber band thing, about two feet. There was a G clamp at one end fixing it to a table and another G clamp at the other end fixing it to a table. There was a cigarette lighter under one end for a bridge and there were a set of matchsticks taped down the other end. You stretch it and you can get a really good bass sound. "We used aerosol sprays and pulling rolls of Sellotape out to different lengths. The further away it gets the note changes."

Roger Waters said that Syd Barrett bought a song entitled "Have You Got It Yet" to his last practice session with Pink Floyd. They then proceeded to play and attempt to memorize the fairly simple arrangement, but were unable to learn it because Barrett kept changing the arrangement incrementally. During each performance he would sing "have you got it yet", while the band struggled with the arbitrary changes. Waters called it "a real act of mad genius".

The cover for Animals presents a flying pig to the viewer, in a subtle allusion to George Orwells Animal Farm. While the artwork went on to become hugely famous, the 1976 shoot didn't go so well. The inflatable ended up breaking free of its moorings, rising directly into the path of planes flying from Heathrow. All flights were grounded and photographer Lucy Sparrow was arrested while police and RAF aircraft chased after the pig. It eventually fell to the ground in Kent.

In 1971 the band killed a pond full of fish live on stage. Pink Floyd used to feature animals in their live show, including flying pigs and giant octopus. During one show they used a lake in front of the stage, which was filled with fish to create a misting effect while a giant octopus inflated behind the band. Photographer Robert Ellis recounts that as thunder boomed in the sky above and the audience stormed through the makeshift lake, all the fish floated to the top as a result of the dry ice.

Tags: Pink Floyd

Roger Waters has attacked the 'institutionalised' brutality of Guantanamo Bay in an open editorial for The Daily Mail.

The former Pink Floyd bassist questioned Britain's role in the CIA's alleged programme of torture at the Cuban camp, namechecking British prisoner Shaker Aamer in particular.

Aamer, 46 and from London, was arrested by the US before being taken to Guantanamo after working in Afghanistan 13 years ago.

"During Mr Aamer's long spell of incarceration, he has never been put on trial or even had any charges leveled against him," Waters wrote in the Mail. "No human being should be subjected to such monstrous and prolonged treatment — 13 years, with no evidence produced to suggest a crime!"

Waters went on to say how he became involved after learning of the impact of the Pink Floyd track 'Hey You' upon Aamer while he was incarcerated.

"Mr Aamer said the lyrics captured his experience in Guantanamo," wrote Waters. "I was profoundly touched that 'Hey You' had had such a resonance with him."

He added: "This abuse of power exhibits all the hallmarks of despotism. Either we believe in freedom to live under the law, including the law of Habeas Corpus, or we don’t."

Read his full open-ed here.

Earlier this year, Pink Floyd released No.1 album, The Endless River - recorded and released without Waters. Watch our interview with Nick Mason talking about the record and their potential plans for touring here.