‘Is This the Life We Really Want?’
I was used to being in control of everything and doing it all, he tells EW.
I realized, watching Nigel work, that it wasnt going to work if I was me.
Credit: Ilya S. Savenok/Getty Images
I was going to have to learn to be Quiet Roger.
So, I went, All right, lets try this.
Which is difficult, but Im glad I did, because he did a really, really good job.
And hes made a record that I couldnt have made.
He has a fans deep attachment to the oeuvre, Waters says of Godrich.
Hes enjoyed having the opportunity to do it himself, if you see what I mean.
Thats why the studio was full of two-inch tape in big fing loops going round!
ENTERTAINMENT WEEKLY: The album is full of these musically lovely ballads with rage-fueled lyrics.
Ive been describing it to people as a mixture of beauty and anger.
Does that seem about right?ROGER WATERS:Sounds perfect, yeah.
Its about the transcendental nature of love and, I suppose, how it can transform anger into compassion.
Godrich has edited the rest of the song out.
And I dont disapprove of that at all.
I think hes made a great record and I sayhesmade a great record.
I wrote it and sang on it buthesmade the record.
So, he got involved.
Tell us about the single Smell the Roses.That song is almost an afterthought.
Its Nigel going, Oh f, youve written all these ballads, thank god weve done some jams.
Could you just write some words to this thing?
Oh, that thing in E. Do I have to?
What if Battersea Power Station is a munitions factory?
And also its where we torture people?
And its also this, and that, and the other, and we wrap everything up?
Whatever, just write it!
Its the image of this malevolent presence.
You recorded it mostly in L.A.?Yeah.
What was that like?Fine.
We were in Ocean Way, which is like an ordinary studio.
Its perfectly nice, got good equipment.
But then we moved to Jonathan Wilsons house, where its ramshackle hippie-dom.
Lots of good old analog steam synthesizers, and lots of guitars, and bits of this and that.
You imagine any minute some womans going to walk in smelling of patchouli oil and last nights sex.
Its all over, everywhere.
Its Brexit and Le Pen.
Its, Lets all lie about Syria, whoever we are.
Lets just make up any narrative that we want and say its true.
Its like truth is now a completely alien concept.
Its not whatis its what you believe, or what you’ve got the option to persuade people.
[Laughs] Well, its so dumb, obviously.
Its a really stupid idea.
Everybody who lives anywhere near the border knows it is.
Its clearly a ridiculous idea.
You cant stop it by building a wall.
You cant build walls anywhere, its ridiculous.
Keep people dumb, uneducated, whatever, so you could go on milking them.
You starta North American tourin Kansas City, Missouri on May 26.
Is This the Life We Really Want?is now available for pre-order.
