Roger Waters Has Been Re-recording Pink Floyd’s ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ Album

by Silviya Y - 09.02.2023 First Published 9,February 2023, 11:19 AM

Roger Waters has revealed that he has been re-recording ‘The Dark Side of the Moon,’ the 1973 album by Pink Floyd.

Waters’ solo version of ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’ has been secretly in the works for months, without the involvement or knowledge of Pink Floyd members, David Gilmour and Nick Mason. He is said to have re-recorded the entire 10-song tracklist from scratch.

The story behind Pink Floyd 'Dark Side of the Moon' artwork — Image Courtesy: Far Out Magazine

The musician’s longtime collaborator and tourmate Gus Seyffert, as well as a Baptist minister who plays a Hammond organ, are reportedly the only contributors to the solo version. Bedouine, Seyffert’s girlfriend, is also said to appear on the re-recording. Waters explained why he chose to revisit ‘The Dark Side of the Moon’: “Because not enough people recognised what it’s about, what it was I was saying then.”

Roger Waters has re-recorded Pink Floyd's 'Dark Side of the Moon' — Image Courtesy: Far Out Magazine

According to The Telegraph, Waters is “planning a lavish vinyl release” of the re-recording, which will “prove a bit tricky” given Waters’ departure from Pink Floyd in 1985 and the band’s contentious interactions since. Though originally slated for release in March, representatives confirmed that the album had been pushed back to May as Waters continues “tinkering with the recordings”.

The accompanying launch concert has also been pushed back until May. Despite the delays, which included a venue change for the concert, representatives “assure[d] me the release is definitely happening,” according to Telegraph journalist Tristram Fane Saunders. Waters’ re-recording of ‘Moon’ would be similar to his release of a ‘2022 version’ of Pink Floyd’s ‘The Wall’ song ‘Comfortably Numb’ last November.

Roger Waters: 'I called Putin a gangster – that may have been unfair' — Image Courtesy: Telegraph

Waters is said to have only played an instrument on one song, a “terrific bass solo” on a track called ‘Us and Them’. Waters reportedly added his own speaking voice over the original album’s instrumentals, including a “prose poem over ‘On The Run,'” in the re-recording.

Last month, Pink Floyd announced a 50th anniversary reissue of ‘The Dark Side Of The Moon,’ which will include a live recording of the band’s 1974 Wembley Stadium performance and will be released on 24^th March.

–Silviya.Y