You pay attention when Roger Waters discusses music. Pink Floyd’s co-founder, primary songwriter, and bass player worked to help “The Wall” receive a Grammy nomination for “Album of the Year” and profoundly affected rock with lps like “The Dark Side of the Moon,” “Wish You Were Here,” and others. In 2010, Waters commented about his initial encounter with one of the greatest bass musicians of all time.
“I was in my third year of classes at a place in London called the Regent Street Polytechnic School of Architecture, which is where I met Nick Mason and Rick Wright,” Waters wrote in Rolling Stone. “At the end of each term we would have a show …”
This occurred on October 1, 1966. He recounted in a different interview that the group scheduled for the performance was to perform in “Small Hall,” a tiny theater, which was ironic considering the musicians’ present and potential futures. Waters chose to go.
“The curtain drew back and the three of them started playing … I had never seen or heard anything like it before … It was an astounding sight and an explosive sound.” It was actually a supergroup by the name of Cream.
Ginger Baker played the drums, Eric Clapton played the guitar, and there was also “Jack Bruce — probably the most musically gifted bass player who’s ever been,” Waters recalled via Rolling Stone.