Roger Waters Calls David Draiman “Nazi Pig” In Open Letter To Billy Corgan

Disturbed frontman David Draiman is the latest guest on Billy Corgan's podcast The Magnificent Others, which recently hosted Courtney Love. For years, Draiman has been vocal about his positions in politics and music: He's an adamant supporter of Israel, going so far as to do a photo op signing IDK missiles.

For their conversation, Corgan eloquently introduced Draiman in this context. "Normally on my show we talk about music and art, but in the last couple years you waded very deeply into the political sphere," he said. "It's not to say it's going to be about politics or it's going to be about music, let's call it the intercession of both and the responsibility of an artist to stand behind what they believe in — that type of thing."

What followed was a dense conversation around politics, public perception, world history, the moral responsibilities of the artist, freedom of speech, and facts versus narratives. It's heavy stuff.

However you want to interpret Draiman's views is up to you; there are many aspects I disagree with. But the conversation did have some novel points, speaking to the impossibility of people saying the right thing all the time and the existential crises that artists specifically face. Corgan continued to recenter the conversation around political activism in art. At one point, He asked Draiman if musicians or artists should be political. "I think musicians should speak to their hearts no matter what it may be," he responded.

Corgan later pressed the metal musician on his "throughline" in his art and political standing. "Be consistent. If you care about human rights then care about human rights," Draiman said. "You have to be able to engage in dialogue. You can't immediately shut people down. You can't just stick to your team and reverberate in your echo chamber and hope to affect change or commradary."

Corgan then acknowledged that his decision to host Draiman on the show will inevitably draw controversy, but how they're going about it is the ideal form — not a speech from Draiman, but a dialogue between musicians.

A little past the 1h20m mark, Corgan brought up Pink Floyd's Roger Waters, another musician that's very vocal about his politics — including support for Nicolas Maduro in Venezuela, criticism of Ukraine in their war with Russia, and staunch opposition to Israel and support for the boycott, divestment, and sanctions movement. (More recently, he also expressed his lack of interest in Ozzy Osbourne and Black Sabbath.) "I've worked a little bit with Roger, so I know him a little personally," Corgan said. "I'm sorry," Draiman reacted. Corgan then proceeded to talk about his observations around Waters' stance on Israel. This was an attempt to bring peace between Draiman and Waters, people with immensely oppositional views. It did not go great.

Waters' father, Lieutenant Eric Fletcher Waters, passed away in WWII during the Battle of Anzio in 1944, which he's explored in much of his music. "It makes sense to me that a man who grew up in the shadow of WWII, lost his daddy in a war, has really suffered the consequence of the pain of losing someone—" Corgan said before Draiman jumped in.

"That he would be hypersenstive to a scenario like that? I agree. Well then why isn't he hypersensitive to what's going on in Iran? Why did he defend the Iranian regime?" Draiman continued. Corgan interjected, "I was looking for you to have some mutual understanding with Roger, but I guessed wrong on that."

Draiman added: "I grew up on Pink Floyd. I loved Pink Floyd. It was such a massive betrayal, not just to me, but Jews everywhere, when he went in the direction that he did. And it wasn't just two years ago, he's been doing this for a long time. Roger has a penchant for dictators, for the worst motherfuckers on planet Earth. Roger just cozies right up to them. He has no problem whatsoever."

"My attempt at peacemaking failed," Corgan said. Yeah, sure did. Draiman continued to call Waters "a hypocrite" and say that he's "not for human rights." Corgan tried another approach, asking if Draiman, a person open to hearing someone else's presentation of facts or dialogue, would be open to a chat with Waters if, hypothetically, he called him tomorrow.

"I'd have to punch him first," the Disturbed frontman responded. "I'd be willing to sit down and have a conversation with just about anybody except someone that can no longer be reached. And I am very, very convinced that Roger Waters can no longer be reached."

Unsurprisingly, Waters caught word of all of this and has already issued a statement calling Draiman a "psychotic racist Nazi pig." He also wrote: "If you, my friend are wondering if I want a conversation with this obnoxious little prick? The answer is non merci Billy, life’s too short, he can inhabit his tiny corner of hell without the benefit of my love and truth."

You can read Waters' response and watch the conversation between Corgan and Draiman below.

An open letter to @Billy: Dear Billy Corgan How are you? It’s been too long.

@davidmdraiman Someone forwarded me this chap’s appearance on your podcast. I’d never heard of him. Anyway, it turns out he has heard of me. It seems he has a problem with me standing up for human rights, particularly the human rights of my brothers and sisters in Gaza who are being slaughtered in a genocide by the armed forces of the Nazi racist, pariah state of Israel. You, being the lovely fella you are gave this little piece of shit a chance to clarify or even modify his position. He did. He is a psychotic racist Nazi pig. I’m told, Billy, he writes messages on bombs before the IDF drops them on civilians in Gaza. Enough said. I will continue to work with all my brothers and sisters all over the world in the movement to demand equal human rights for all human beings, irrespective of their religion or ethnicity or nationality. If you, my friend are wondering if I want a conversation with this obnoxious little prick? The answer is non merci Billy, life’s too short, he can inhabit his tiny corner of hell without the benefit of my love and truth. Love R.

PS. @Disturbed ?Er? Yeah! Just a bit!