The last time Roger Waters hit the late-night circuit, Jimmy Fallon was still holding down the 12:30 a.m. time slot on NBC, and was still somewhat tolerable. Five years later, the Pink Floyd singer made his long overdue return to American television to support his first solo album in two-and-a-half decades, Is This the Life We Really Want?. With Fallon having devolved into a vanilla wafer complicit in normalizing Donald Trump, Waters instead opted for Late Show with Stephen Colbert.
With accompaniment from Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius, Atoms For Peace drummer Joey Waronker, and a full orchestral string section, Waters delivered a stirring performance of his newly revealed single, “Déjà Vu”. Watch the replay above.
Waters has described the forthcoming album’s contents as an “unflinching commentary on the modern world and uncertain times,” but ultimately, he says it’s really about love. “It’s pondering … the question of how do we take these moments of love – if we are granted any in our lives – and allow that love to shine on the rest of existence, on others,” the former Pink Floyd vocalist explained.
Is This the Life We Really Want? is out June 2nd via Columbia Records. In support, Waters will soon embark on his massive 54-date “US + Them” tour. Find the most up-to-date itinerary here.
