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'Roger Waters doing 'Dark Side Of The Moon' is like Ringo doing 'Sgt Pepper's'

Death Cab For Cutie are not impressed by fellow Coachella act

May 13, 2008 | 13 Comments
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Death Cab For Cutie have rubbished Roger Waters recent sets playing his old band Pink Floyd's most revered album.

The bassist and his band have been performing 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' in its entirety, recently performing it at the Coachella festival, which the US indie band also played (April 25-27).

Talking about Waters' live recreation of the classic record, Death Cab For Cutie told Spin Magazine that the bassist, who wrote a lot of the songs on the album, playing the record was inappropriate because guitarist David Gilmour contributed all the best bits.

"Roger Waters doing 'The Dark Side Of The Moon' would be like Ringo performing 'Sgt. Pepper's'," declared vocalist Ben Gibbard.

"I had the same thought," added bassist Nick Harmer. "All the parts of that album I love the most are Gilmour's."

Do Death Cab For Cutie have a point, or is Roger Waters justified in keeping his own album alive? Besides would Ringo Starr playing 'Sgt. Pepper's' be such a bad thing? Have your say by commenting by logging on to MyNME below.

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Comments (13)

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jeffn

May 13, 2008

Ha ha!Perhaps they have a point as Gilmour did write a lot of the album - but maybe it's payback for Gilmour, Mason, and wright touring as Pink Flod, and playing Roger's songs. Roger Waters has said before how frustrating it was to play solo gigs to so few people, when Gilmour's Floyd were raking it in playing his songs to thousands of people!Ringo should do Sgt Pepper! If nothing else, it would be a great freak show! Actually, maybe he should record a new album 'Sgt Pepper 2' - he wrote the line 'Father McEnzie writing a sermon that no-one will hear' - so, he's capable of penning some good stuff!www.cherryecho.com/jeff

trowel

May 13, 2008

I'm sure Roger would have never have considered doing it if he had realised Death Cab For Cutie might be unhappy.

tooslim73

May 13, 2008

Um...sorry....they couldn't be more wrong. While I agree it would have been better as Pink Floyd, Mr. Waters wrote the entire album. Ringo Star did nothing in the Beatles. Oh and I've seen them open for Arctic Monkeys in Norfolk VA....utter shit.

rubbersoul7

May 13, 2008

Who is this prick Ben Gibbard and what the fuck does he think he's talking about? DSOTM was almost entirely written by Waters aside from 'Speak To Me' which was written byNick Mason, and 'The Great Gig in the Sky' which is credited to Rick Wright.Death Cab For Cutie are shit and could only dream of writing an album such as 'Dark Side'

gfgb123@msn.com

May 13, 2008

...Okay Ben, stick to this century.

gazhat

May 13, 2008

.......i love it when complete no marks like these arseholes Death Cab For Cuntie make comments like this about bands like Pink Floyd......i just read DCFC are like an american Coldplay ?????....greeeeeeeeeaaaaaatt, i'd rather eat my own shite...

geofelgie

May 13, 2008

Yet someone else who thinks that Pink Floyd was all Dave Gilmour when the opposite is true. Do they even know that Dave Gilmour was not an original member of Pink Floyd????The facts are that Roger Waters wrote all of the lyrics to Dark Side of the Moon and more than half the music!!! (ditto Wish You Were Here come to that).Just cos Dave "the pies" Gilmour takes up more than half a stage doesn't mean he does much!

wellduhobviously

May 14, 2008

I like Death Cab, and they couldn't be further from "American Coldplay" if they tried.That being said, this is much more like Paul McCartney performing the white album than Ringo performing Sgt Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

CARDY

May 14, 2008

tooslim73 is very slim in his knowledge of The Beatles to dismiss Ringo as doing nothing. I admit that he wasn't the main writer and singer; but he was an integral puzzle piece in making the Beatles the worldwide phenomenon that they became. "The whole is greater than the sum of the parts" comes to mind. As for Waters doing Dark Side, of course I say he should do whatever song list he pleases and ignore DCFC or others comments that are made offhandedly for the sake of publicity.

pinkiefloydie

May 14, 2008

Death who?More like who cares........obviously they should read the credits for DSOTM, WYWH,Animals, The Wall and the Final Cut.Without Mr. Waters, Floyd would have become what they were from 1987-1993, just another rock band living off the past. The "pseudo-floyd" of the Gilmour era was a joke, when you have to have your girlfriend and future wife write lyrics for you (see AMLOR-OAI), your no different than a pop act. Sounds more like Yoko Ono than Ringo Starr on Mr. Gilmours side.Do yourselves all a favor and go see the Greatest Show on Earth at Q2.If you dont eat your meat............

-McBrennan-

May 28, 2008

God, Why Are You lot arguing. I agree with the post slightly, as I dont like Roger Waters doing songs that were written for a band, according to him, were a 'spent force'. Then again I dont like the idea of Gilmour doing songs without Waters. 'Pinkiefloydie' - Some of Pink Floyds best material was after Roger left the band. Go listen to 'High Hopes' and tell me thats crap... 'geofelgie' - Does it really matter if Gilmour wasnt an Original member of the band, He is still an excellent guitarist and an amazing singer, and put an amzing amout of effort into it. Call yourself Floyd fans? Look at you, bickerring over one of the members singing songs on his own. Making fun of one of the best members of the band because of his weight. A true fan wouldnt care about this, and would sit down and listen to the music, take in the meaning, and chill out wit fellow fans, complimenting the music, not critisicing. I hope you will all gree with me on this... Pink Floyd are one of the best and most influential bands in history. Just because thay split up, doesnt mean you have to go and take sides with Gilmour or Waters. Just because they argued, doesnt mean you have to as well.Please Reply To My MessageMattA True Fan Of The Floyd

Mimzy

Jun 1, 2008

Bollocsks, they can go fuck themselves, all they need to do is read "Guitar World" 2003 than come talk shit, Gilmour did not bring nothing of his own to the rehersals because he felt flat and lazy, DSOTM was Rogers ideas, his lyrics, he wrote 3/4 of the music, created demos and presented them to the band. The only major contributor was Rick Wright as for Dave and NIck they went along for the ride as David stated on the interview, so this fucking bunch of loser band should've gotten their facts before they went public to make asses out of themselves. As for speak to me Nick did not write it, It was Roger who wrote it and gave it to Nick as a wedding anniversary becasue they were very close friends at the time.

zodiac300

Jun 2, 2008

Roger Waters may have written most of it but they all played it, he couldnt have done it on his own. Therefore they all have the right to play it, and i bet when Floyd played it without him it was a hell of a lot better than him playing it now. The reason so many more people would want to see Dave, Nick and Richard than him is because they would play the album how it sounded, and Waters can't.Gilmour's guitar work is brilliant, without that what does Waters do? I would genuinely like to know.