Anyone who had hoped that LIVE8 would have been the catalyst for the mending of Floydian bridges and healing of old wounds need only have watched the documentary “Breaking Bread and Drinking Wine” which was included in David Gilmour’s Remember That Night DVD.
Ironically both Gilmour and Waters were rehearsing for tours at the same time, in the same place, Bray Studios.
A short piece of footage shows David Gilmour and Polly Samson (with Phil Manzanera tagging along) meeting up with Roger Waters outside the studios.
It is difficult to watch.
There is no handshake as Gilmour and Waters meet. Roger’s hands remain firmly shoved in his pockets, while David’s hang by his side until he awkwardly taps Roger on the arm.
Gilmour finds eye contact difficult as he tells Waters he’s already done a few shows.
Roger replies with what I believe is a subtle throw-back to his departure from Astoria, when he asks David, “Was it fun?”
Gilmour then replies, clearly aware of Roger’s dig, with, “It was fun!”
The footage is interrupted briefly by rehearsal footage, before returning to show Gilmour and Waters shake hands
and embrace for the camera, and Roger and Polly touch cheeks.
They all then head off in opposite directions, and none of us will probably ever know what is said next. But we do know that things between Waters and Gilmour remain as icy today as they have ever been.