In a recent interview with The Real Music Observer, Eric Clapton admitted he’s unsure if he can be as outspoken as Roger Waters.
“He is very outspoken. I mean he’s got balls of steel,” the guitarist said. “I’m not so sure about whether or not I’m capable of doing that properly. I mean I’m in agreement with him on most things but how I would go about presenting my case is simply through the music and hope that that’s adequate.”
Then, the host asked whether they ever thought about teaming up for a song. “Yeah, we do but… He’s always in a different… He’s in the UK now and I’m here. We were going to meet up and now we can’t do it because we’re separated by the continents,” Clapton replied. “He’s difficult to get hold of sometimes. He just goes missing and I wait for him to contact me.”
Clapton previously supported Waters several times in different interviews. In a May interview, the musician said his actions hurt Waters. “I love Roger [Waters] you know, I love him, we are brothers and he goes his way about it, and it takes a lot of guts, and he suffers from it terribly,” he explained. “I’ve seen him sit on the window ledge in tears and say ‘It’s morning here in Manhattan and I’m in tears again,’ you know?”
He continued, “I can’t do that, I am on the verge of tears a lot when I think about what’s going on and the evil there is, but I also have to carry a positive message of hope, and he does too. Music is a healing agent. I believe that there is a system of thinking about how you conduct yourself in that realm, and to be responsible not to offend people.”
After Roger’s concerts were canceled in Germany due to his political views last year, comedian Katie Halper started a petition to reverse the decision. Clapton was also among the artists who signed the petition in support of Waters.