Pink Floyd Set For First UK Top 10 Single Since 1979
Pink Floyd look likely to have their first UK Top 10 single since 1979 with their new track, Hey, Hey, Rise Up! David Gilmour and Nick Mason have reunited for new track Hey, Hey, Rise Up! which is currently set to debut at Number 5.
David Gilmour said of the song on its release: “I hope it will receive wide support and publicity. We want to raise funds for humanitarian charities, and raise morale. We want express our support for Ukraine and in that way, show that most of the world thinks that it is totally wrong for a superpower to invade the independent democratic country that Ukraine has become.”
“I thought this could be something that we use our platform for, for enormous good,” Gilmour told Rolling Stone. “When I spoke to Nick [Mason], and he said he was willing to do it as Pink Floyd, it seemed like a no-brainer. We want to spread this message of peace, and we want to raise the morale of the people who are defending their homeland there in Ukraine.”
The song features a sample of Ukrainian band Boombox’s member Andriy Khlyvnyuk. All proceeds will go towards the Ukrainian Humanitarian Effort.
The Floyd guitarist revealed that Khlyvnyuk was wary when the pair made contact by phone: “I gave him a ring, and I think he was maybe a little suspicious of whether I was genuine or not. He said, ‘Could we do this on a FaceTime video call?’ So I said, ‘Sure.’ When he recognized me and he was assured that it was all for real, from then on, he was great. He loved the track, and I’m just thrilled for him and for us for taking a little step for humanity in the midst of all the inhumanity that’s been going on there.”