Pink Floyd had no real intention of reforming, but after 28 years, the group decided to release a new song, for a cause close to their hearts: supporting families affected by the war in Ukraine.
The singer of the cult group, David Gilmour, explained to the
Guardian
that he was inspired by Andriy Khlyvnyuk, of the Ukrainian group Boombox, who decided to abandon his American tour to return to fight in his country.
“I have a big platform with Pink Floyd that we've been working on for all these years.
It is truly difficult and frustrating to see this extraordinarily insane and unjust attack by a great power against an independent, peaceful and democratic nation.
The frustration of seeing this and thinking "what the fuck can I do?"
is kind of unbearable,” he explained, revealing his lineup’s new title,
Hey Hey Rise Up
.
The return
Pink Floyd was, for most fans, a band that no one imagined would ever reform.
In 28 years, since the last track officially released and signed Pink Floyd, David Gilmour had found his drummer Nick Mason only once, in 2014, to rearrange tracks never released from
The Division Bell
, their last album, released in 1994, in tribute to Rick Wright, their keyboardist who died in 2008. Determined never to reform the group if it could not be complete, David Gilmour changed his mind after the Russian invasion.
“I wouldn't do it with a lot of other things, but it's so important, vital, that people understand what's going on there and do everything in their power to change that.
And the idea, too, that my support and that of Pink Floyd for the Ukrainians could help lift their spirits: they need to know that the whole world is with them,” concluded the singer.
All profits from
Hey Hey Rise Up
will be donated to Ukrainian humanitarian associations.
The title, on which Andriy Khlyvnyuk is also credited, is available on all streaming platforms.
Books
David Gilmour is working on a book of songs written by Syd Barrett
People
pink floyd
Video
Music
War in Ukraine
Russia
Refugees