ROGER WATERS: Pros and Cons of New York (2CD)

CLASSIC 1985 BROADCAST RECORDING FROM THE FIRST SOLO ROGER WATERS TOUR

By 1984, the classic Pink Floyd line-up was all but finished. Despite reaching No. 1 on the charts, the previous year s The Final Cut had been met with mixed reviews, and many fans saw it as a Roger Waters solo album in all but name. Having unofficially left the group, Waters took the opportunity to resurrect a previous project, The Pros & Cons Of Hitch Hiking. Featuring some of the finest session players of the day, including Ray Cooper, Andy Newmark, David Sanborn, Raphael Ravenscroft and Andy Bown, as well as Eric Clapton, Jack Palance and The National Philharmonic Orchestra, Waters released the album as his debut solo effort on 30th April 1984.

The new album garnered moderate success, reaching No. 13 in the UK and 31 in the US. Waters, with Clapton in tow, hit the road to support the album just three months later. However, the tour was plagued by poor ticket sales, and some performances at larger venues had to be cancelled. Waters started over in March 1985 in the US, playing smaller locations, and these shows were met with a much greater degree of success.

This two disc collection, the subject of an FM radio broadcast synced across the country, was recorded on 28th March at the Radio City Music Hall in New York. Featuring a host of Floyd classics as well as the new record in its entirety, this double CD set goes to show that Waters was just as much an exceptional performer, showman and musician when out on his own as he ever was with his old band.

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