Roger Waters on The Dark Side of the Moon Redux reasoning

Roger Waters has spoken of his reasoning behind making a Redux version of the seminal Pink Floyd album The Dark Side Of The Moon. The seeds were sown when he mentioned the idea to Gus [Seyffert] and Sean [Evans]. “We all thought I was mad,” Roger said, “but the more we considered it, the more we thought, isn’t that the whole point?”

“Why did I decide to make a remake of Dark Side of The Moon?” Roger says. “It is the 50th anniversary of the release of the original record, and I thought this record actually deserves a reimagining.”

The Dark Side of the Moon Redux finds Waters embellishing his original creations with a new perspective gleaned from his own life experience, philosophy, and the wisdom of age, with added emphasis on the philosophical, social and political themes of the original.

“We could do a redux of this simply because the message has stood the test of time. The concept has stood the test of time, and it’s a really important thing. It needed to be reexpressed.

“It seemed like a really good way to celebrate the 50 years that the original recorded version of this work has survived by making a different version of it. Not to supersede it or to replace it, but to remember it, and as an adjunct to it, and to progress the work of the original concept of the original record and all those original songs.”

“I love the original recording, by the way, and I love what Nicky [Mason] did and what Rick [Wright] did and what Dave [Gilmour] did on the original recording. 

“The new recording is more reflective, I think, and it is more indicative of what the concept of the record was. It is a reinterpretation, and I hope that we can gain more from it than we did back in 1973 when it first came out because it’s been part of all of our lives for 50 years and yet we are still not yet breathing in the air.

“The record sounds beautiful because of the musicians who are playing on it. Joey [Waronker], obviously, he’s playing all the drums. Gus [Seyffert], he’s playing a lot of synthesizers and things. 

“Johnny Shepherd is a preacher man from the South, right? He’s playing Hammond organ in ways that I’ve not experienced, really, like that on my records before. Azniv [Korkejian], who is Bedouin, is singing backgrounds along with me or sharing lead vocals on some of the tracks. Jonathan Wilson is playing beautiful guitar, and Jon Carin, of course, is playing synthesizers too.

“People will have to listen to it before they can form a view of what it is. I’m very proud of it. I hope it will be a rallying point for people. Not just people who like music but people who like love and life. Get back to radio and listen to it because it is gonna be out on the radio any minute. 

“The rest of it… its Dark Side Of The Moon. You all know all the bloody songs, for God’s sake. We’ve all known them for 50 years.”

Waters will release the re-imagined album, The Dark Side Of The Moon Redux, on 6 October 2023. The album is available to pre-order from rogerwaters.com.

Roger Waters will premiere his new recording, The Dark Side of the Moon Redux, live at The London Palladium on 8 October 2023.  

The show will be designed by Sean Evans, Waters long-time Creative Director. Tickets are on sale from Friday, 28 July, at 10 am and can be found here.

Tracklisting

CD / Digital

Speak To Me
Breathe
On The Run
Time
Great Gig In The Sky
Money
Us And Them
Any Colour You Like
Brain Damage
Eclipse

Vinyl

SIDE ONE
Speak To Me
Breathe
On The Run
Time

SIDE TWO
Great Gig In The Sky
Money

SIDE THREE
Us And Them
Any Colour You Like
Brain Damage
Eclipse

SIDE FOUR
Original Composition

Album Musicians

Roger Waters: Vocals, Bass on Any Colour, VSC3
Gus Seyffert: Bass, Guitar, Percussion, Keys, Synth, Backing Vocals
Joey Waronker: Drums, Percussion
Jonathan Wilson: Guitars, Synth, Organ
Johnny Shepherd: Organ, Piano
Via Mardot: Theremin
Azniv Korkejian: Vocals
Gabe Noel: String Arrangements, Strings, Sarangi
Jon Carin: Keyboards, Lap Steel, Synth, Organ
Robert Walter: Piano on Great Gig

Produced by Gus Seyffert and Roger Waters
Art Direction and Design: Sean Evans
Photography: Kate Izor