Roger Waters Explains Autograph Boycott

Rock legend Roger Waters, the biggest-selling live act of 2012 so far, has stopped signing autographs.

According to the Daily Express, the Pink Floyd legend is upset about the commercialization of the autograph business.

Waters told the Daily Telegraph, "I don’t sign any guitars or scratch-plates or anything like that any more. There’s a little sort of industry that’s about eBay."

"It’s about getting a little bit of you that they can sell to somebody who cares, and I find that ugly."

Thanks for the report to Andrew Vaughan, Gibson.com.

Comments

[iommi600]

Well, I think I understand his point, he has all the right to be upset about this. Still, I think it's somehow unfair to a real fan who asks him for an autograph without the purpose of selling it later... consequences I guess.

[Minivirus2]

Such is the reality of autographs and memorabilia and always will be. Why snub your fans, just because you're getting wise to it now?

[JFRules]

Stan Lee is the master of this lol

[tomc2]

He should just get the persons name he signing it for. The autographs arent worth anything when they're personalized, Problem solved.

[Maiden95]

I almost always keep my autographs. Why sell them unless you absolutley have to?

[nargoth]

Will he sign boobs in that case?

[jbass13]

nargoth wrote:

Will he sign boobs in that case?

I don't think anybody will give that one up.

[samhell]

But the autograph still gets to someone who cares, right? If someone can't meet up with him for a personal autograph and is willing to pay someone else to do it on their behalf, where is the problem? I agree with the over commercialization of damn near everything, but I think he's doing his fans a disservice with this one...

[Redsectoreh]

I understand, someone with only the intention of profiting off of your "John Hancock" could be pretty annoying.

[scrymusic]

If I am a big fan and had an autograph on my own personal guitar then I am keeping that guitar... you cant trust ebay that it is authentic.

Besides.. half the fun is getting the signature because it is personal and u get to meet the person and that is a thrill.

I would think he can tell a real fan vs a money maker just by the excitement and the loss for words that we all experience when we are in front of and idol or a person that we respect or admire.

The money maker is always going to be like "Hey can u sign this for me?" and then be on their way where as a real fan will try to milk as much time he or she can get... and that is where we all try the photo op...lol

[Macabre Lullaby]

I think real fans will get by, we live in the age of camera phones. A picture's worth a thousand words!

[-Annihilation-]

Yes, some people ask for autographs to sell them on ebay. But, some people ask for autographs so they can hang them on their walls and remember when their idol signed something for them...

[Spineburger]

I think this is Bullsh1t. Who gives a shit if someone sells their autograph? If that means that that person may get some food, or put the money towards rent or whatever they need the money for, then so be it. These rock stars are who they are because of fans, and if a fan gets something signed, they may want to keep it forever. Or they may intend to keep it until they get hard up. Either way, the artist can afford to give back at least something. What an old, arrogant Prick.

[chedsorr]

Sounds pretty dickish.
He already acknowledges the fans that care, but he screws them out of something meaningful to them to stop the other people selling them.

But whatever he can do what he likes, just seems like hes another out of touch celebrity to me

[dr-g0nz0]

@chedsorr

The saying "this is why we can't have nice things" is perfect for this article.

People take the piss and everyone else loses out. I totally agree with him; why is it ok for someone to make money off of something that was given as a gift.

[HigherThanAMile]

Hmm.....personally, I'd prefer to have a picture taken with him with the two of us playing some air guitar. That would be a far more memorable than an autograph.

[BigMikeBDD]

Waaaaa, they sell my autographs! Waaaa, they download my music for free! waaaaa!!!!! These artists really need to get over it. At the end of the day, they still count their money!

[Swannie]

I got his autograph in June

[Anjohl]

So, will he still sign regular autographs, made out to the fan? At least that way it's honest.