ILS1
06-12-2005, 02:02 PM
LONDON, England (Reuters) -- Four members of seminal British rock band Pink Floyd will play together for the first time in 24 years at London's Live 8 charity concert for Africa on July 2, publicists for the event said on Sunday.
Guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Richard Wright will be on stage with bassist Roger Waters for their first public performance since they played at London's Earls Court in 1981.
The rock legends will join a star-studded line-up including Coldplay, Elton John and Paul McCartney at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, organized by activist rocker Bob Geldof to pressure rich nations to ease African poverty.
"Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G8 leaders to make huge commitments to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world," said Gilmour.
"Any squabbles Roger and the band have had in the past are so petty in this context, and if reforming for this concert will help focus attention then it's got to be worthwhile."
The band released their first album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" in 1967 and broke records with 1973's "The Dark Side Of The Moon", which remained in the American album charts for more than a decade.
In the 1980s relations between Waters and the rest of the group soured, with Waters suing over the rights to the Pink Floyd name.
Gilmore, Mason and Wright continued to record and tour as Pink Floyd, releasing their last studio album "The Division Bell" in 1994.
Pink Floyd (www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/12/pink.floyd.reut/index.html)
Guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboard player Richard Wright will be on stage with bassist Roger Waters for their first public performance since they played at London's Earls Court in 1981.
The rock legends will join a star-studded line-up including Coldplay, Elton John and Paul McCartney at the Live 8 concert in Hyde Park, organized by activist rocker Bob Geldof to pressure rich nations to ease African poverty.
"Like most people I want to do everything I can to persuade the G8 leaders to make huge commitments to the relief of poverty and increased aid to the third world," said Gilmour.
"Any squabbles Roger and the band have had in the past are so petty in this context, and if reforming for this concert will help focus attention then it's got to be worthwhile."
The band released their first album "The Piper at the Gates of Dawn" in 1967 and broke records with 1973's "The Dark Side Of The Moon", which remained in the American album charts for more than a decade.
In the 1980s relations between Waters and the rest of the group soured, with Waters suing over the rights to the Pink Floyd name.
Gilmore, Mason and Wright continued to record and tour as Pink Floyd, releasing their last studio album "The Division Bell" in 1994.
Pink Floyd (www.cnn.com/2005/SHOWBIZ/Music/06/12/pink.floyd.reut/index.html)