ROGER WATERS HAS STOPPED SIGNING AUTOGRAPHS

Legendary and founding member of PINK FLOYD has been touring for the past few years with the lavish production of THE WALL to sold out crowds with a fantastic show. One thing THAT HAD BEEN a given like clockwork was that he would stop as he entered the venue he was to play and sign autographs from his car to a line that waited for him in an orderly fashion. But as usual all good things must end if they are taken advantage of and abused.

  

Now two years ago I with about 40 others waited outside with instructions by his staff he would sign one each and that is exactly what he did. There were the collectors and dealers who follow the instructions to the law. But with his signature on an item selling from 200 to 600 hundred some began to find ways to procure more not because they were fans but a way to be greedy and make a few bucks selling them from EBay and other auction sites. Some were clever I admit painting bricks white  , guitars until he made it known that he would only sign albums and CDs.
    But the abuse escalated where in Florida autograph dealers were recruiting homeless people with a few bucks to hold the one allowed item to get Waters to sign sometimes waiting hours on line. With chat lines, web sites the word got out some driving hours with people who never knew one note or song from any PINK FLOYD albums. Waters and his staff turned a blind eye initially but that finally changed. In Chicago where he played 3 nights  WATERS FINALLY SNAPPED and told the greedy " TELL YOUR EBAY MATES I AM NOT SIGNING ANYMORE ".  And at this time he has not signed in any of the last 5 stops.
       I do not blame WATERS in fact I applauded him as a certain few ruined it for so many for the almighty dollar. The worst of it all most were never a fan and you can be sure most if not all never went to the concert. At least they did not take that away from the true fans.1