Bitter arguments and ‘Donkey Kong’: The 1983 Pink Floyd album David Gilmour dismissed as “dross”
Pink Floyd’s 1983 album *The Final Cut* was made amid worsening tensions between Roger Waters and David Gilmour, with Waters taking control of the recording and Gilmour feeling sidelined. Their conflict mattered because it marked the breakdown of a creative partnership that had helped produce the band’s celebrated earlier work.
In a 2003 interview, Gilmour said the process was unpleasant and that he considered only three tracks worthwhile: “The Fletcher Memorial Home”, “The Gunner’s Dream” and the title track. He described the rest of the album as “dross”, while Waters later said the sessions were difficult because Gilmour criticised his work as he played Donkey Kong.
In short
- Waters led the album as tensions with Gilmour worsened.
- Gilmour said only three tracks were reasonable.
- Both musicians described the recording process as unpleasant.
Explained simply
Pink Floyd are a British rock band whose best-known albums were made through close collaboration between singer and bassist Roger Waters and guitarist David Gilmour. By the early 1980s, their working relationship had become strained, and *The Final Cut* was made against that backdrop.
The dispute was about more than personal differences: Waters took a leading role in shaping the album, while Gilmour felt pushed aside. Their clash marked a turning point for the partnership behind much of the band’s earlier music and helps explain why the record remains associated with conflict within the group.