In the weekly Dutch Belgian magazine Humo, of 4th October 2005, Roger Waters was interviewed at great length - with some interesting revelations concerning the Live 8 reunion with Pink Floyd, and the existence of a vintage concert performance on film...

The fascinating interview finds Waters in a slightly acerbic mood, not helped by the line of questioning at times. The initial thrust of the chat is his recently released opera, Ca Ira, but quickly turns to all manner of subjects - from the Wizard of Oz synchronicity rumours, through to Syd Barrett, why Roger's children used to curse him at school, early tours, his aborted plans for a Wall show in 2000, and how, no matter how far you travel, you can never fully escape Pink Floyd's reach!

A big surprise was Roger's comments that "we had played with the idea of asking [Syd] to appear at Live 8, but that did not appear feasible", especially as he also mentions that just the mention of the band's name still makes Barrett restless. He discusses the song selection, making the point that people expect the greatest hits, and elaborates with "they just asked me to perform for a large benefit for the victims of Hurricane Katrina, in New York: I know that Perfect Sense would be ideal textually and emotionally, but a thousand times more people know Money, therefore..."

Talking about the stage effects the band have used in the past, he reveals that "recently a movie has emerged of a Pink Floyd show in 1968, at the Royal Festival Hall. You see me building a table. Literally: while the others play on, I get to work with hammer and saw. After I have finished, our road manager, Alan Styles, theatrically puts a tray with tea on the shaky table. Then the others come to drink tea, and I put a small world radio receiver in front of a microphone, so that the public can hear what the people in Bratislava are currently listening to. I completely forgot that performance."

Before we get deluged with emails, we have no idea if or when this footage will get a release, nor do we have any other information about it. If we DO find out more, we will let you know!

The final extract gives an insight into their early days: "I remember our first foreign tour: a handful of gigs in pubs and youth clubs in the Netherlands, set up by a sleazy businessman who, if I remember well, was named Cyriel van den Hemel. One day he asked us if we wanted to earn some extra money by doing an afternoon gig. He gave us an address: it appeared to be a school. We played in the sport room, for eight - to twelve year olds, who first put their fingers in their ears and then started to cry. A couple of minutes later Cyriel came on the 'stage' and whispered in my ears: 'Wie ave ze money, go now!' (laughs).

It is with much thanks to Felix Atagong that we have a full translation of the interview, which can be read in the appropriate section on this site.