Floyd Gets Fancy: Roger Waters Buys $15 M. Louis XVI Townhouse
A Vogue-approved townhouse has passed from a handbag mogul to a long-haired psych rock legend. Pink Floyd front-man Roger Waters (whose iconic song “Money” from Dark Side of the Moon assailed wealth and new cars and caviar) bought the nine-fireplace townhouse at 157 East 61st Street late last month.
According to city records, he paid $14.995 million to Coach president and executive creative director Reed Krakoff. That’s nearly a half million more than Mr. Waters got for three apartments he sold last year at the glossy Olympic Tower.
But this deal has been an incredibly long time coming. City records show his contract was signed in June 2006: Back then, The Observer reported on the deal without knowing that the Floyd singer (and songwriter, and bassist) was the buyer.
So Mr. Waters, bless his psychedelic soul, will have himself a townhouse built by “an army of French craftsmen,” according to the listing with Brown Harris Stevens brokers Paula Del Nunzio and Shirley A. Mueller. The French hardware is “done in nickel and silver” (except in the glass bathrooms, or the Macasar Ebony powder room.) Even the light toggle switches are nickel.
But don’t forget the 26-foot wall of glass over the planted garden, the double-height living room, the five-floor elevator, or the nine Louis XVI-period fireplaces.
Floyd’s more rebellious fans, the ones who cry when listening to The Wall, might be sorry to hear that Mr. Waters also has Louis XVI parquet floors and lots of Louis XVI stone—in the kitchen, the master bedroom, and on the rear terrace. (Maybe that’s why Vogue and House & Garden has photographed the house.)
Symbols of late-60's rebellion really live very well in the mid-00’s.
Meanwhile, Mr. Rogers has Mr. Krakoff to thank for the townhouse--because the place was "gut renovated and entirely rebuilt" by the Coach mogul. But Mr. Krakoff has more work ahead: In November, his newly-purchased $17 million townhouse on East 70th Street was gutted in a massive fire.
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Waters gives 25% of all earnings to charity, has for years. Hwe wrote a GREAT song about Lebanon for his last tour - the progressive New York audience boo’d it at the Garden.
I have been a Roger fan for 25+ years. His music and lyrics are great, but to say he is anything more than an artist who has benefitted greatly from the capitalism he pretends to despise is false. There is no evidence that Roger donates 25% of his "proceeds" to anything except New York real estate investments, a huge home in the Hamptons, $15M mansions and nice cars. Google "Roger Waters Charity" and and you'll find he auctioned a bass guitar to help a charity. Big freakin deal. You'll find he's a spokesman for a charity. Wow..that takes about an hour out of his busy week.
Roger lives in the US because he loves the low tax rates. Where else in the world can an artist build incredible wealth through huge royalties, real-estate investments, and minimal touring. Roger gives listeners the impression that he is a socialist but he wouldn't dare move to France where 50%+ of his wealth would be "donated" to the state via their high tax rates.
Get your head out of the sand and realize that Roger is a very very rich person who got there by preaching about the evils of $. He's no different than the very wealthy televangelists he spotlights about in his latest solo album.
I saw Roger Waters last summer in concert. I am big fan of his work. I hope that Mr. Waters loves his new home, since his former wife Judy made him give most of his earnings away in the past. The place sounds wonderful. By the way, if anyone is a Pink Floyd fan and wants to see a Pink Floyd movie, please sign my online petition requesting a movie about Pink Floyd:
http://www.petitiononline.com/PinkF123/
I am have been a fan of Pink Floyd and Roger Waters since 1971 at the age of nine. Roger Water's has throughout his career produced a impressive catalog of meaningful thought provoking music to the delight of hundreds of millions of music lovers.
The music has a timeless quality will continue to inspire future generations as is evident when I see kids today listening to and loving this type of music.
I saw Roger Water's twice at the Hollywood Bowl in 2006 and once again in 2007 at Irvine Meadows and they were remarkable
performances. In contrast to the New York crowd,the Los Angeles crowd cheered during and after his new song called leaving Leaving Beruit. Best wishes to Mr. Waters in his new home he has certainly earned it. BAM. 9.30.07 12:15am
Roger gave and is giving big emotions to my life.
I'll never forget.
Thank's Roger