Today is this man’s birthday, a legend who turns 75.

This photo was taken by me during his “The Wall” tour in 2010

The amount of influence Roger Waters had on my musical career is enormous. He has inspired me from the very first day I discovered Pink Floyd in the early 90’s, when I was still a young teenager. I wasn’t lucky enough like many of you who are born back in the 50s or 60s, neither was I lucky in the the location I was born. Back in those days when I was still in Syria (and even now) we never had any bands on international level to perform live shows, so when I heard Roger Waters was coming to Lebanon on his “In the Flesh” tour in 2002, I was ecstatic. This also happened to be my very first live experience, so try to imagine my feelings.

I was counting down the days from the day I reserved my ticket. And a couple of days before the show, I got on a bus to Beirut; 7-8 hours drive from my hometown Aleppo. The concert was held at Biel, when we arrived there a few hours early, or I thought it was early, but some folks told me that the man himself stopped by for an autograph session half an hour ago… I was devastated! I went there prepared for an autograph with a Wish You Were Here CD booklet and a sharpie.

My seat was on the far left, and the backstage access was on my level and I was able to peak through the curtains from where I was, so I expected him to stop by and take a peak through the curtains at any moment. I was very alert. And suddenly it happened, just like I expected. I remember running towards him with the sharpie and booklet in my hand, what an excitement to shake the hand of a legend and have him sign your CD, and by the time he was done there was a big crowd lined up behind me. Mission accomplished.

Here’s a photo of the booklet itself, which David Gilmour also signed in 2016 on the Rattle that Lock tour in Toronto.

Happy birthday sir!

What was YOUR very first experience?