Roger Waters, the estranged member of Pink Floyd, is now touring the United States. Normally, that’s a show I’d go see; I’ve been to a number of Roger Waters and Pink Floyd concerts in the past.

However, this tour is one I’ll be skipping. Why?

Well, according to the Drudge Report, the left-wing Waters is injecting even more politics into his shows than usual. The infamous flying pig has now been painted with the words “Don’t be led to slaughter! Vote Democrat November 2nd.” (I wonder if the flying pig would be considered illegal advertising under McCain-Feingold.)

I don’t know why musicians think that audiences attend their shows for political advertising. I don’t know why singers assume that if I like their music, I also like their politics. I’m paying to be entertained, so why inject messages that have nothing to do with that entertainment in the show? Frankly, I think it’s a bit rude, like if you’d gone into a restaurant and the chef came out to harangue you on his views on Iraq in the middle of the main course.

Roger Waters, the guy who penned the classic Pink Floyd album Animals, should know better than to treat his audience like sheep. And as a citizen of the United Kingdom, perhaps he should take his opinions home and not meddle in the internal affairs of another country.

Well, Waters will not get my money this time. I’m sure I won’t be missing much. These days, all the good concerts can be easily downloaded anyway.

Update: Chris Vozeh writes:

Is that a recent picture? November 7 is election day this year, not November 2. 2004’s elections were held on the second... therefore that may be an old picture.

If it is a current picture, I don’t care who or how many people vote for the Dems on Thursday, Nov 2.

Thanks for catching that, Chris. You are right on the dates of Election Day 2004 versus 2006. Perhaps Roger Waters got the date wrong, or Matt Drudge got an old photo. Either way, I know I’m not alone in attending concerts for their musical and not political content.