FLOYD REUNION!
Roger Waters joins Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets on-stage! Is the Pink Floyd war over?
On-stage in New York in April, Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets were joined by an old friend and bandmate to perform Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun. But what exactly went down?
ON APRIL 18, 2019, the audience for Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets at New York’s Beacon Theatre witnessed an unexpected guest appearance. Pink Floyd’s co-founder Roger Waters turned up to sing the 1968 album track Set The Controls For The Heart Of The Sun. Floyd drummer Mason’s redux tribute to the group’s early works has been playing to sold-out houses across the world since summer 2018, but this was the first time one of his ex-bandmates had stopped by.
Speaking to MOJO before their inaugural tour last year, Mason said he’d be delighted if Waters or Floyd guitarist/bandleader David Gilmour “came down and did something, but not at the first few shows.” Fifty gigs later, Waters obliged. While Mason played the gong during the song’s lengthy intro, Waters loped on-stage to gasps of surprise and tumultuous applause, snuck up behind him and tickled him under the ribs. Waters then paced the stage, waving his fists triumphantly. “In my considered opinion, you sound a lot better than we did back in the day,” he said, gesturing towards Mason – “my dear old friend” – and the rest of the group.
Once he was done, Waters dispensed man-hugs to each of the band, including bassist Guy Pratt, who’d replaced him in Pink Floyd in 1987. As charm offensives and magnanimous gestures go, this was impressive. More so when one considers the history of public acrimony between Waters and his former bandmates and the brittle détente that seems to exist between him and Gilmour.
When asked if Pink Floyd could perform again as a band after 2005’s Live 8 reunion, Mason told MOJO, “My bag is packed and I’m ready to go… I’d really like to think we could do something.” However, The Endless River, a 2015 album of reworked outtakes aside, it never happened. Gilmour reportedly turned down several big-money offers to tour Pink Floyd again, “with or without Roger,” Gilmour stressed.
He and Mason last played with their old
nemesis during a guest appearance at Waters’ gig at London’s 02 Arena in May 2011. Having watched Pink Floyd proceed without him in the 1980s and ’90s, Waters has, in recent years, strived to reclaim the legacy. His 2010-13 tour of The Wall made him the third most profitable solo act in the world behind Madonna and Bruce Springsteen. Little wonder he’s happy to show up and perform with his ex-drummer.
Few, though, would have predicted Nick Mason’s Saucerful Of Secrets. Inspired by his hands-on role in the 2017 Floyd exhibition, Their
Mortal Remains, Mason decided he didn’t want to “just be a national treasure” and fancied getting his hands dirty again. In the absence of his former bandmates, he’s touring with Pratt, guitarist Lee Harris, keyboard player Dom Beken and Spandau Ballet guitarist/vocalist Gary Kemp, happily playing 2,500-seat theatres instead of stadiums.
Stranger still, Saucerful Of Secrets are selling out venues by not playing the hits. Their setlist stops shy of The Dark Side Of The Moon, swinging instead between Syd-era 45s and oddities (Arnold Layne and Vegetable Man), soundtrack segments (The Nile Song, Obscured By Clouds) and deep cuts from Meddle and Atom Heart Mother.
Pink Floyd aren’t entirely dormant: Their Mortal Remains recently opened in Madrid, and a 5.1 remix of 1977’s Animals is pending. In the meantime, their unexpected spin-off group goes from strength to strength. Saucerful Of Secrets will tour Europe throughout July, and have a live album planned for release soon.
“It’s been like turning back the hands of time,” said its surprised leader.
“It’s been like turning back the hands of time.” NICK MASON