The former member of Pink Floyd, known for his virulent political stances, attacks Thom Yorke and Jonny Greenwood of Radiohead over their artistic choices and their stance on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
A conflict that divides
Roger Waters, former bassist and co-founder of Pink Floyd, has once again expressed his opposition to Radiohead's decision to play in Israel, a choice he calls irresponsible. In a recent interview for the documentary series Empire FilesWaters called Thom Yorke a“idiot” and described him as a person “deeply insecure”.
Waters recalled an email exchange between him and Yorke from 2017, where he attempted to chat with the singer after he criticized Radiohead for a concert in Tel Aviv. According to Waters, Yorke ignored attempts at dialogue, leading him to conclude: “He can't even have a conversation. He thinks he’s very smart, but he’s not.”
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Radiohead defends its position
In response to Waters' criticism, Thom Yorke said in 2017: “Playing in a country is not the same as endorsing its government.”
For his part, Radiohead guitarist Jonny Greenwood recently collaborated with Israeli artist Dudu Tassa and said: “Silencing Israeli artists because they were born Jewish in Israel does not seem to be a solution to finding common ground between the two camps.”
Waters: “It’s not conflict, it’s genocide”
For Roger Waters, the situation in Palestine is clear: “There is no argument to be made. It’s not a conflict, it’s a genocide.” He accuses Radiohead of minimizing the oppression experienced by Palestinians and harshly criticizes its artistic engagement in Israel.
Waters also didn't spare Jonny Greenwood, calling his collaborations with Israeli artists “bullshit”.
A controversy that reflects much broader tensions
The controversy surrounding Radiohead and its decision to play in Israel reflects broader debates about the role of artists in political conflicts. While some, like Waters, call for a cultural boycott to support Palestinian rights, others, like Yorke and Greenwood, defend artistic freedom and intercultural dialogue.
With such strong opinions, this feud between Roger Waters and the members of Radiohead seems far from resolved.
