Pink Floyd's Roger Waters Says He's "Far, Far, Far More Important" Than Drake or the Weeknd — Whoever That Is

"I have no idea what or who the Weeknd is, because I don't listen to much music"

Photo: Chris Bubinas

BY Megan LaPierrePublished Jul 18, 2022

Roger Waters of Pink Floyd just thinks it's funny how none of the local press wanted to cover his recent Toronto shows, especially when the only plausible reason for not doing so is because the Weeknd was playing at the same time.

In a rather tense new interview with The Globe and Mail, the Pink Floyd co-founder confronted journalist Brad Wheeler about his whereabouts on the night of July 8 — when another Roger was also on the outs — and the general lack of coverage on behalf of the whole city.

"What's interesting about you being here with me now is that none of the newspapers in Toronto sent anybody to review my shows," Waters said pointedly. "What I'd like to know, what I'd like you to ponder on, and maybe ask your readers, is if they have any theories as to why that may be?"

But on that note, he need not know who any of the other artists milling about these days on their little streaming platforms are. "I have no idea who or what the Weeknd is," Waters admitted when Wheeler said the storied rocker's show wasn't the biggest in town that night, "because I don't listen to much music." Glad to have his well-versed input on this, then.

"But the Weeknd was cancelled," he continued. "And my show was for two nights."

Wheeler went on to point out that the publication doesn't do as many concert reviews as it used to, a reality shared by many other outlets when we're more than two years into a global pandemic. The journalist also noted that he had put in for an interview ahead of Waters's shows and it wasn't granted.

"I'm not trying to make a personal attack," the artist assured. "I'm just saying it seemed odd."

"And, by the way, with all due respect to the Weeknd or Drake or any of them, I am far, far, far more important than any of them will ever be, however many billions of streams they've got," he offered of two of the biggest names in popular music.

Of his own stature, Waters added: "There is stuff going on here that is fundamentally important to all of our lives."

But all in all, it's just another brick in the wall. Right?

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