Roger Waters launches legal action over cancelled German concerts
He had been accused of being antisemitic
Last updated 16th Mar 2023
Pink Floyd co-founder Roger Waters has launched legal proceedings over the proposed cancelled concerts in Frankfurt and Munich this summer.
The outspoken 79-year-old rocker was due to play at Munich Olympiahalle on 21st May Frankfurt’s Festhalle on 28th May as part of his first farewell This Is Not A Drill Tour, however both shows were axed last month due to Waters' views.
Explaining their decision to axe the Festhalle show, Frankfurt City Council said: "The background to the cancellation is the persistent anti-Israel behaviour of the former Pink Floyd frontman, who is considered one of the most widely spread antisemites in the world.
"He repeatedly called for a cultural boycott of Israel and drew comparisons to the apartheid regime in South Africa, and put pressure on artists to cancel events in Israel."
The council’s move to cancel the concert was approved by the Magistrate of the City of Frankfurt on 24 February.
Four days later, Munich City Council cancelled Waters’ Olympiahalle and they argued that the rocker "keeps stirring up antisemitic resentment" and spreads "conspiracy ideologies that justify Russia's brutal war of aggression against Ukraine."
In a statement issued to Planet Rock this afternoon (16th March) under the title 'Roger Waters fights back', Mark Fenwick Management has confirmed that Waters is now taking legal action over the cancellations in Frankfurt and Munich.
The full statement reads:
“Roger Waters defends freedom of speech and takes legal action against proposed concert cancellations in Frankfurt and Munich.
“In February 2023, the Hessian State Government and then the Magistrate of the City of Frankfurt announced their extraordinary and prejudicial intention to cancel a concert scheduled to be performed by Roger Waters at the Festhalle in Frankfurt on 28 May. On 28 February 2023, a motion was introduced in the Munich City Council to cancel the concert scheduled for 21 May 2023, in the Munich Olympiahalle. These actions are unconstitutional, without justification, and based upon the false accusation that Roger Waters is antisemitic, which he is not.
“As a result of this unilateral, politically motivated action, Mr Waters has instructed his lawyers to immediately take all necessary steps to overturn this unjustifiable decision to ensure that his fundamental human right of freedom of speech is protected and that all of those who wish to see him perform, are free to do so in Frankfurt, Munich and in any other city in any other country.
“Mr Waters believes that if this blatant attempt to silence him is left unchallenged it could have serious, far-reaching consequences for artists and activists all over the world.”
In February, the rift between Roger Waters and David Gilmour intensified following a tweet from Gilmour’s wife, Polly Samson, accusing him of being antisemitic.
“Roger Waters is aware of the incendiary and wildly inaccurate comments made about him on Twitter by Polly Samson which he refutes entirely,” Roger Waters’ response read. “He is currently taking advice as to his position.”
Pink Floyd are marking the 50th anniversary of ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ with a deluxe box set and official book, which are both released on Friday 24th March 2023.
Roger Waters is releasing his own re-recorded version of ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ this May.
Roger Waters’ This Is Not A Drill Tour hits the UK this summer for a sextet of arena dates. Head to Planet Rock Tickets to check ticket availability.
Roger Waters’ UK tour dates:
MAY 2023
Birmingham Utilita Arena – Wed 31st
JUNE 2023
Glasgow OVO Hydro – Fri 2nd
Glasgow OVO Hydro – Sat 3rd
London The O2 – Tue 6th
London The O2 – Wed 7th
Manchester AO Arena – Sat 10th
The real names of 100 rock stars, including Syd Barrett:
Cozy Powell’s real name: Colin Trevor Flooks
Alex Lifeson’s real name: Alexandar Živojinović
'Lifeson' is a semi-literal English translation of the Yugoslavian surname Živojinović, which means 'son of life'
Ginger Baker's real name: Peter Edward Baker
John 5’s real name: John William Lowery
Yngwie Malmsteen’s real name: Lars Johann Yngwie Lannerback
Rudy Sarzo’s real name: Rodolfo Maximiliano Sarzo Lavieille Grande Ruiz Payret y Chaumont
Eric Carr's real name: Paul Charles Caravello
Vinnie Vincent’s real name: Vincent John Cusano
Tina Turner’s real name: Anna Mae Bullock
King Diamond’s real name: Kim Bendix Petersen
Joey Tempest's real name: Rolf Magnus Joakim Larsson
Michael Monroe’s real name: Matti Antero Kristian Fagerholm
Mikkey Dee’s real name: Micael Kiriakos Delaoglou
Jonathan Cain’s real name: Jonathan Leonard Friga
Nikki Sixx's real name: Frank Ferrano
Steven Adler’s real name: Michael Coletti
Axl Rose's real name: William Bruce Rose
Bon Scott's real name: Ronald Belford Scott
Fish’s real name: Derek William Dick
Eddie Vedder's real name: Edward Louis Severson III
Peter Criss’ real name: George Peter John Criscuola
Freddie Mercury's real name: Farrokh Bulsara
Flea's real name: Michael Peter Balzary
Perry Farrell's real name: Perry Bernstein
Geddy Lee’s real name: Gary Lee Weinrib
Mick Mars' real name: Robert Deal
Tré Cool's real name: Frank Edwin Wright III
Courtney Love's real name: Courtney Michelle Harrison
Pat Smear's real name: Georg Albert Ruthenberg
Gene Simmons' real name: Chaim Klein Witz
Spike’s real name: Jonathan Gray
Iggy Pop's real name: James Newell Osterberg, JR.
Alice Cooper's real name: Vincent Damon Furnier
Slash's real name: Saul Hudson
Mike Dirnt's real name: Michael Ryan Pritchard
Ronnie James Dio's real name: Ronald James Padavona
Brody Dalle's real name: Bree Joanna Alice Robinson
Skin's real name: Deborah Anne Dyer
Nicky Wire's real name: Nicholas Jones
Amy Lee's real name: Amy Lynn Hartzler
Bill Wyman's real name: William Perks
Izzy Stradlin's real name: Jeffrey Isbell
Paul Stanley's real name: Stanley Eisen
Vince Neil's real name: Vincent Neil Wharton
Duff McKagan's real name: Michael McKagan
Jack Black’s real name: Thomas Jacob Black
Lemmy's real name: Ian Fraser Kilmister
John Paul Jones' real name: John Baldwin
Joan Jett's real name: Joan Larkin
Eric Clapton's real name: Eric Patrick Clapp
Siouxsie Sioux's real name: Susan Janet Ballion
Rachel Bolan’s real name: James Richard Southworth
David Bowie's real name: David Robert Hayward Stenton Jones
Little Richard's real name: Richard Wayne Penniman
Sid Vicious' real name: John Simon Ritchie
Ace Frehley's real name: Paul Daniel Frehley
Lou Reed's real name: Louis Firbank
Joe Strummer's real name: John Graham Mellor
Marc Bolan's real name: Mark Feld
The Edge's real name: David Howell Evans
Meat Loaf's real name: Marvin Lee Aday
Steven Tyler's real name: Steven Victor Tallarico
Ozzy Osbourne's real name: John Michael Osbourne
Jon Bon Jovi's real name: John Francis Bongiovi
Joey Belladonna’s real name: Joseph Bellardini
Jack White's real name: John Anthony Gillis
Bono's real name: Paul David Hewson
Sting's real name: Gordon Sumner
Billy Idol’s real name: William Michael Albert Broad
Geezer Butler’s real name: Terence Butler
Pat Benatar’s real name: Patricia Mae Giraldo
Bo Diddley’s real name: Ellas McDaniel
Muddy Waters’ real name: McKinley Morganfield
Stevie Nicks’ real name: Stephanie Lynn Nicks
Doro’s real name: Dorothee Pesch
Sebastian Bach’s real name: Sebastian Philip Bierk
Joe Perry’s real name: Joseph Pereira
Jimi Hendrix’s real name: James Marshall Hendrix (born Johnny Allen Hendrix)
Zakk Wylde’s real name: Jeffrey Phillip Wielandt
Maynard James Keenan’s real name: James Herbert Keenan
Blaze Bayley’s real name: Bayley Alexander Cooke
Biff Byford's real name: Peter Rodney Byford
M. Shadows' real name: Matthew Charles Sanders
Syd Barrett's real name: Roger Keith Barrett
Chris Jericho's real name: Christopher Keith Irvine
Ginger Wildheart's real name: David Leslie Walls
Paul Di'Anno's real name: Paul Andrews
Phil X’s real name: Theofilos Xenidis
Peter Green’s real name: Peter Allen Greenbaum
Nicko McBrain’s real name: Michael Henry McBrain
Noddy Holder’s real name: Neville John Holder
Steel Panther’s real names
Michael Starr: Ralph Michael Saenz, Satchel: Russell John Parrish, Stix Zadinia: Darren Leader, Spyder: Joe Lester.