An extensive review of Roger Waters' "Radio K.A.O.S"

by Mia Chitisvili

Roger Waters, the former bassist, lyricist and co-lead vocalist of the English rock band Pink Floyd, released his second studio album on June 15th, 1987, titled ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ It was also his first album since leaving the band in 1985, amid personal tensions with fellow bandmates. Similar to several albums he spearheaded during the golden years of Pink Floyd, it is a concept album with a storyline and a commentary on our world, one of the musician’s favourite things, next to feuding with the guitarist of his former band.

I have always admired Waters’ role in Pink Floyd, which I am a huge fan of, and his musical geniosity, but I started digging into his solo works not a long while ago. I came across ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’, which caught my attention with its minimalistic yet eye-catching album cover and its story. Needless to say, after giving it a listen, I grew enamoured with it and can confidently say that this album is one of the greatest musical experiences I have ever gone through. This review serves to show my admiration for it.

Concept of the album

Before I get into describing the tracks, it is important that I explain the storyline of this album. 

‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ follows a Welsh man named Billy, who is disabled with cerebral palsy and can only operate the upper part of his body. His disability, surprisingly, gives him the supernatural ability of hearing radio waves. His twin brother Benny, who he lives with, has his coal mine shut down. During a protest night, Benny steals a cordless phone to let out his frustration and later kills a taxi driver by accident after dropping a concrete block from a bridge. This results in him being arrested and taken to prison.

Benny’s wife, who was living with them too, sends Billy to Los Angeles, California, to live with his uncle as she is unable to bear Benny’s arrest. Surprisingly, the cordless phone that got stolen was hidden in Billy’s wheelchair by his brother, upon being seized by the police. Billy analyses the cordless phone and discovers that he is able to, literally, tune himself into radio stations through computers, due to his ability of hearing radio waves. 

Eventually, with the aid of his abilities, he hacks into a military satellite and manages to trick the global population into believing that a nuclear war is bound to break out, and that the world is ultimately doomed. This is later overturned, with everybody realising that this is fake news. They were all fooled by only one man, Billy.

The tracks of the album

The album starts out with a 4 minute and 57 second long opening track titled Radio Waves, which is probably one of my favourite ones out of here. Sounds that seem to be that of morse code can be heard in the beginning, which also appears on the cover art itself. The guitar riffs, the keyboards, (backing) vocals and every other personnel in the track work together to make a great opening track. Yes, it may sound a little cheesy and typical of 80s-esque riffs, which is what many have commented about it, but I still adore it. It’s a catchy, uplifting-sounding track, even if it is the complete opposite of what the album is about, and the fact that its lyrics describe the radio waves as “fish-stunning” and “mind-numbing” - clearly, not a positive vibe. We are also introduced to the radio station speaker, named Jim (voiced by American disc jockey Jim Ladd), who accepts Billy’s request and converses with him throughout the album. A solid and very enjoyable opening track, in which the atmosphere juxtaposes with its lyrics and overall theme of the album.

The second track is named Who Needs Information, almost 6 minutes long. Here, Billy begins to talk about Benny’s situation and his accidental murder of the taxi driver to Jim and the radio station. The lyrics explore the manipulation of information and shaping of public perception in the hands of those in power, disconnecting people from the truth. Hence, the lyrics “Who needs information (when you’re living in constant fear) (when you’re working underground) (this high off the ground)”). The public is left uninformed and constricted, while powerful political figures battle each other out, using information as a weapon. The themes of criticising establishment and political figures are a recurrent theme of Waters’ songwriting, both during his time in Pink Floyd and in his solo works. This is, undeniably, a core piece of the album, shining more light on the present themes and commentary.

Me or Him is the third track, lasting 5 minutes and 23 seconds. Billy continues describing his brother’s arrest and being sent to L.A. The lyrics also seem to be divided between talking from a third person view and Benny’s point of view. Lyrics such as, “Forgive me father, for I have sinned!”, “I never meant to drop the concrete block!” and “Father, can we turn back the clock?” clearly point to Benny’s point of view. There are also two voices talking here, the second sounding much more desperate and agonised, again pointing to Benny. Other voices, such as those of policemen, campaign advertisements of Ronald Reagan and others are heard in the song. Though not my most favourite out of the album, partly due to the musical components, I admire its storytelling and the split between the points of view.

Transitioning into the fourth track, we have The Powers That Be, which is 4 minutes and 45 seconds long. This song explores those in positions of authority (the name The Powers That Be referring to the people in power) and the negative and excessive influence that they exert over their people, urging them to unite and stand against them. 

The fifth track, Sunset Strip, playing for the same amount of time as the previous one, is about Billy’s stay in L.A. and his longing for Wales, examples:

“I like staying with my Uncle Dave

And I like playing with his great dane

But I don’t fit

I feel alien and strange

Kinda outta range”

“There’s a blood red dragon on a field of green

Calling me back

Back to the Black Hills again

(Ooh, ooh, Billy come home)

Billy is searching for his native land

Flicking through the stations with the dial in his head)”

Multiple Welsh symbols are referenced throughout the song, such as “the blood red dragon” (a cultural marker of Wales which also appears on its flag), “the land of my fathers” (the English name of Wales’ (unofficial) national anthem, Hen Wlad Fy Nhadau) and the Black Hills, a range of coalfields across Wales. The end of the song transitions into a conversation between Jim and two other radio speakers, prompting the next song.

It is a quite upbeat-sounding song of one’s time in L.A., though it’s not so upbeat for Billy at the moment. I do like how Waters sneaked some of Wales’ symbols into the lyrics, which I feel is a good combination with the other side of the lyrics that show Billy’s melancholy. Had it been just that, it would have still sounded great, but a little too ordinary. Sneaking in details is something I enjoy in general, too.

Sunset Strip then magnificently transitions into Home, the sixth track. Here is now the breaking point of the album - Billy has hacked into the military satellites and fools the world into thinking that a nuclear disaster is set to happen. The song mixes potential targets of missile engagement, but also the themes of alienation and mistreatment, a large part of what the album is about. It also denounces the “market dictators”, asking whether one will stand by passively or challenge them and their excessive power:

“Will you stand by a passive spectator

Of the market dictators

Will you discreetly withdraw

With your ear pressed to the bathroom door

Will you hear when the lion within you roars

Will you take to the hills

(Oh, will you stand,

Will you stand for it)”

This, to me, comes out as one of the powerful songs from the album, and one of my favourites from it too. A song that calls, not only in the story, but also to the listener, to challenge excessive authority around them, to think of everyone. Everyone who is affected by these games played between leaders, which endanger everyone below. In the song is a long list of types of people (listing everyone would take up more than a page, so I recommend you read the lyrics yourself) which can come across with two meanings, at least for me - any unsuspecting person who is affected by dictatorial behaviour, or simply a target for a missile. The first one is more meaningful to me. Without a doubt, one of the best songs written by Waters - it’s essentially a public letter. 

Fun fact, Home features Clare Torry, the English singer who also provided the outstanding vocals in Pink Floyd’s The Great Gig In The Sky, from their 1973 album The Dark Side Of The Moon. She also appears in the next song - Four Minutes. Here continues Billy’s radio rampage on the world. As the title suggests, the world comes to an end after four minutes. With Billy’s robotic messages of warning, a piano riff giving off the essence of hopelessness and a ticking clock being heard, it really does seem like the end. The song is primarily about the mistakes many in the world have done, and of the littlest or most insensible things they have done or worried about, now being unable to turn it back as it is the final few minutes for them. Margaret Thatcher is also heard at the end, saying, “Our own independent nuclear deterrent has helped to keep the peace for nearly forty years”, a juxtaposition of what is happening at the moment.

The raw feeling of doom and anxiety portrayed in this song was done exceptionally, alongside lyrics that really do portray how many in society behave, and how worse our world could have been (or might even become). Clare Torry’s vocals, as always, sound wonderful and really add on to the desperate tone of the song.

We finally conclude the album with the song The Tide is Turning (After Live Aid). The world eventually comes to the realisation that what they heard on radio was wrong: there will be no nuclear war, they and the planet are safe. Everybody recognises how they have abandoned genuine human feelings in favour of mass hatred, fear and glorification of violence (the latter being also referred to at the end). International conflict plagues the world and is being subjected to even the youngest (“Who is the strongest, who is the best, who holds the aces, the East or the West, this is the crap that our children are learning”). Thankfully, the world is now actively trying to minimise the negativity that comes from the exposure of mass media and technology and enter a new era of peace, a very heartwarming message:

“Now the satellite’s confused, 

‘Cause on Saturday night

 the airwaves were full of compassion and light, 

and his silicon heart warmed 

to the sight of a billion candles burning”

“The tide is turning Billy

I’m not saying the battle is won

But on Saturday night all those kids in the sun

Wrestled technology’s sword from the hands of the warlords”

An interesting part of this song is how Waters mentions Sylvester Stallone, a well-known American actor. Initially, I did not understand why he was referred to, but after a bit of research, it makes sense now. According to the website Ultimate Classic Rock, Waters was condemning Stallone and the overall glamorisation of war portrayed in movies:

“Waters being Waters, there was an additional message relayed in a verse that didn’t appear in the recorded version, in which he berates Sylvester Stallone and the glamorization of war portrayed in the actor's ‘80s movies, such as the Rambo franchise. Allegedly concerned about potential legal action, the lines left out included “Now the past is over but you are not alone / Together we’ll fight Sylvester Stallone / We will not be dragged down in his South China Sea of macho bullshit and mediocrity.” [1]

Conclusion

Overall, listening to ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ left me amazed, and has made it up to my most favourite albums of all times. It’s a project that tackles international conflict, the effects of monetarism and the negative use of communication technologies, real problems that have been faced before and still continue to be to this day (though, monetarism is less relevant today than before). Despite its dark storyline, it concludes with a hopeful message of the importance of love for those around you and more. 

However, the album did not sell out as much, and performed especially weaker compared to ‘A Momentary Lapse Of Reason’ (another album I really like), Pink Floyd’s 13th studio album which was released the same year. Waters no longer had involvement in a Pink Floyd album and instead was worked on by three lasting members, guitarist David Gilmour, drummer Nick Mason and keyboardist Richard Wright (which was also the first time the latter has worked with Floyd since being fired from Pink Floyd in ‘79 by none other than Waters himself). According to bestsellingalbums.org [2] [3], ‘A Momentary Lapse Of Reason’ placed 15th on the top selling albums of 1987, while Radio K.A.O.S. only placed 427th the same year. Additionally, ‘A Momentary Lapse Of Reason’ had total sales of over five million worldwide, whereas ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ had only around 110,000. Not the best thing to happen after leaving the band on sour terms.

The album received mixed reviews upon release, and many have criticised it for the slightly generic 80’s tunes and questionable storyline. Surprisingly, Waters has expressed dislike for his very own creation too. He did not like how “modern he tried to make it sound”, and has said that the storyline felt embarrassing to him too. 

To quote:

“In hindsight, Waters is not overly fond of the album where, due partly with his own insecurities and the pressure he was under with the Pink Floyd dispute, he attempts to tread a more contemporary musical line: "Between Ian Ritchie [the high tech co-producer] and myself, we really fucked that record up. We tried very hard to make it sound modern." He added, "I allowed myself to get pushed down roads that were uncomfortable for me. I should never have made that record." Waters used drum machines both for the demos and in the recording stages for the first time.” [4]

Nonetheless, while the storyline may seem quite far-fetched and overly dramatic, it still conveys an important message and warns us about how being a passive human being is dangerous, and that no changes will be made with that. While I don’t necessarily enjoy every song from the album, it still has pieces that I am very fond of and love. Apologies for the long review - but, with a concept album that has a story and themes this complex, it’s impossible to fit it into just one page and a half or a little more. I hope I did not bore you with the many pages, and if you found interest in ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’ from my article, I definitely suggest you go check it out! Despite its criticisms (and the creator not even liking it himself) - it really is a great album.

🥇 - Home

🥈 - Radio Waves

🥉 - Sunset Strip

Image credit: Giles J., 2015 Why Roger Waters stumbled so badly with ‘Radio K.A.O.S.’, Ultimate Classic Rock,

<https://ultimateclassicrock.com/roger-waters-radio-kaos-turns-25/>, accessed 2024.

[1] Kielty M., 2022, Why Roger Waters had to add ‘The Tide is Turning’ to ‘Radio KAOS’, Ultimate Classic Rock, paragraph 6, <https://ultimateclassicrock.com/roger-waters-tide-is-turning/>, accessed 2024.

[2] RADIO K.A.O.S. by ROGER WATERS sales and awards, <https://bestsellingalbums.org/album/39095>, accessed 2024.

[3] A MOMENTARY LAPSE OF REASON by PINK FLOYD sales and awards, <https://bestsellingalbums.org/album/36313>, accessed 2024.

[4] Radio K.A.O.S., Roger Waters, <https://web.archive.org/web/19990508160058/http://www.rogerwaters.org/kaosdisco.html>, paragraph 4, accessed 2024.