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<\/p>\nTo simplify matters greatly \u2013 and at the inevitable risk of ironing over some important exceptions \u2013 it\u2019s fair to say that when it came to Pink Floyd, Roger Waters was the primary lyricist. Guitarist David Gilmour, on the other hand, was that band\u2019s musical center of gravity, combining a strong melodic sense, mellifluous voice and emotionally evocative guitar work.<\/p>\n
Those two forces coexisted uneasily for much of the band\u2019s post Syd Barrett run, 1968-83. The band split thereafter, and Waters and Gilmour\u2019s mutual antipathy has long since ruled out any chance of reconciliation, musical or otherwise. Yet both men have continued on with distinctly different and creatively fertile careers post-Pink Floyd.<\/p>\n
It\u2019s worth noting that even if one considers the entirety of that band\u2019s run (1965-94), in 2025 the post-Floyd era represents a lengthier period of time. But the quality of both artists\u2019 work endures, each appealing to a different set of (sometimes overlapping) sensibilities.<\/p>\n
Now in 2025, fresh off successful tours, both Waters and Gilmour have released live albums documenting their recent concerts. Both This is Not a Drill<\/i> (released July 27) and The Luck and Strange Concerts<\/i> (set for release October 15) are available as 2CD and 4LP sets; companion videos of both releases are also available but are not reviewed here.<\/p>\n
Even against the backdrop of many previous live albums from Roger Waters and David Gilmour \u2013 not to mention Delicate Sound of Thunder<\/i>, P.U.L.S.E.<\/i> and four and a half other Pink Floyd live sets \u2013 both of their 2025 live albums should be considered essential purchases for those who appreciate their artistry.<\/p>\n
First up \u2013 since it was released first \u2013 is a look at Waters\u2019 new one.<\/p>\n
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Roger Waters \u2013 This is Not a Drill \u2013 Live from Prague<\/i>
\n<\/b>Viewed from one perspective, in recent years Roger Waters hasn\u2019t given the world much in the way of new music. His most recent album of new songs, Is This the Life We Really Want?<\/i> was released in 2017, more than eight years ago. Unless one counts Pink Floyd\u2019s The Wall<\/i> and The Final Cut<\/i> as Waters solo albums (and some would make a case for doing so), he has only made four studio albums of new rock music under his own name. Prolific he is not. But dedicated fans \u2013 and almost certainly Waters himself \u2013 would argue in favor of quality over quantity, noting that his lyrics are among the most incisive and thoughtful in the rock idiom.<\/p>\n
Waters has brought those lyrics and the messages within them to concert audiences the world over. Since leaving the band he co-founded, Waters has mounted seven tours. Many of those have been documented on albums or video releases; This is Not a Drill \u2013 Live from Prague<\/i> is Waters\u2019 fifth live album release.<\/p>\n
Though This is Not a Drill<\/i> presents a concert from the tour of the same name, it is quite different from his previous live album Us + Them<\/i>. The 2019 release documents shows in Amsterdam and features a very different set list. In contrast, This is Not a Drill<\/i> is a companion to the concert film of the same name, a remarkable movie in which the visuals are of nearly equal importance with the music. In fact, so central to the film\u2019s power are the visual graphics \u2013 presented on a groundbreaking stage setup \u2013 that it\u2019s fair to wonder if an audio-only configuration of This is Not a Drill<\/i> holds up well on its own.<\/p>\n
The answer is yes.<\/p>\n
While the set list for This is Not a Drill<\/i> features many familiar titles, Waters and his excellent band present the songs in new, inventive arrangements that recast his lyrics into often more visceral context. These new ways of delivering the songs don\u2019t (and aren\u2019t meant to) compete with the classic arrangements; in the same way that Waters created 2023\u2019s The Dark Side of the Moon Redux<\/i>, the smoky, seething version of \u201cComfortably Numb\u201d that introduces the concert brings an enhanced, meditative quality to his words and music. The new arrangement\u2019s use of \u201cseagull\u201d guitar \u2013 as featured on Pink Floyd\u2019s \u201cEchoes\u201d \u2013 could be a very<\/i> subtle nod (or even tiny olive branch?) toward Waters\u2019 estranged Pink Floyd band mate David Gilmour. Or not.<\/p>\n
Some of Waters\u2019 less-known material figures into the show as well. \u201cThe Powers That Be\u201d from 1987\u2019s Radio K.A.O.S.<\/i> was originally part of that idiosyncratic concept album about capitalism. But in the context of This is Not a Drill<\/i>, the song takes on larger meaning, and fits seamlessly into the concert’s quasi-narrative. The same holds true for \u201cThe Bravery of Being Out of Range,\u201d originally heard on 1992\u2019s Amused to Death<\/i>; its timeless themes resonate today, perhaps even more than on its original release. And \u201cTwo Suns in the Sunset\u201d \u2013 easily the best track from the Waters-era Pink Floyd swan song The Final Cut<\/i> \u2013 is nothing short of brilliant and breathtaking in its live version here.<\/p>\n
The central concept at the root of This is Not a Drill<\/i> might be summed up thus: of anti-fascism, anti-corporatism, anti-racism, pro-humanity. Those who don\u2019t consider Roger Waters a sentimental sort might be surprised by \u201cThe Bar,\u201d a piece presented in two parts, one mid-concert, the other near its end. Its inclusion marks some of the only new music from Waters, but once again, quality trumps quantity. The song\u2019s message of community and shared purpose is among the most emotionally resonant and inspiring things he\u2019s written.<\/p>\n
Waters\u2019 band \u2013 including guitarists Dave Kilminster and Jonathan Wilson \u2013 is never less than spot-on, delivering the songs with equal parts spine-tingling passion and precision. But save for Kilminster channeling Gilmour-like tones and textures at critical points, the band doesn\u2019t ape Pink Floyd in style or substance. And that\u2019s all to the good, helping make This is Not a Drill<\/i> an enriching sonic experience that stands equally well with or apart from both its audiovisual counterpart and<\/i> the catalog of Waters\u2019 old band.<\/p>\n