Behind the Wall by Ginger Gilmour

Author:Ginger Gilmour
Language: eng
Format: epub
Tags: memoir, true story
Publisher: New Haven Publishing Ltd

Chapter 27

*Is There Anyone Listening? Montreal 6 JULY 1977*

It was during the latter part of the tour that the sizes of the crowds were getting Roger down. In fact, in Montreal, he actually spat at the audience because he felt that they were only there to party and not listen. I have to agree with him up to a point. Sitting out at the mixer gave a different perspective. Most of the audience was there to listen and did. The unruly ones up front made most of the commotion. During the recording of ‘Animals,’ Roger started to act as if he was the sole writer and master of ideas for the band. In addition, he was the only reason that the band could keep going. Gone were the days of unity with the ‘Dark Side of the Moon’. He was starting to treat the others as hired musicians sadly, forgetting how the Floyd came to be.

I always saw Roger’s frustration, but he was becoming more narcissistic. I firmly felt that he did not realize the energetic and creative parts that David and the others contributed towards balancing his character traits. Or realize how much they were a gestalt and that their music formed through their alchemical process. It might just be his soul, calling him to leave the band. He was a tortured man. Our challenge was not to go down the slippery slope with him. Time would tell.

Roger had divorced Judy, his first wife, in 1975 and had fallen in love with Lady Caroline Christie. They married in 1976. Their bond seemed to reinforce Roger’s ego trip or perhaps encouraged his path of his own creative realization. The process did stir the waters. All the wives stood behind their man but each had different ways to do that. As the families grew, the gestalt of the Floyd had to adapt. Whether that was good or not, it was what it was. Roger was always taking much of his frustrations out on Rick and I slowly observed Rick’s resolve breaking over the years. Somehow, I don’t think he liked being a punching bag. Who would?

We were in France and some of us had rented a home while the Floyd recorded their next album, ‘the Wall’. When on one occasion we were all having lunch at Roger’s house sitting by the pool. Each of them had been gifted Cartier watches. Roger was in one of his moods when he asked if he could look at Rick’s watch. As Roger was holding it in his hand, he leaned over the pool and dropped it in the water. Rick said nothing. Roger’s expression on his face was one of silent satisfaction. He had won that round.

I think on that day, I began to lose my tolerance for the psychological games they often played between each other for fun. David often stayed quiet and even today his guitar is where he expresses the depth of what he feels. Unfortunately, our life together was changing, as the music changed its emphasis into transforming Roger’s archetypical struggles.

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