WIN!
Devin Signed nd Townse ! Book
ARW
On the road in America with prog’s new supergroup
Dream Theater
The inside story of their breakthrough album Images And Words
Terry Bozzio
Frank Zappa, Beefheart, Jeff Beck and me
prog 74 Feb 2017
Ian Anderson
Digital Edition
“They’ll have to carry me offstage with my boots on…”
GreatDigitalMags.com
Ian Anderson, Martin Barre and more tell the real story of one of prog’s most enduring bands…
Contents Issue 74 15.02.17
it’s on here
stuart wood
if it’s in there
“I’m not interested in telling people how I feel when I wake up in the morning.”
Jethro Tull p34 Ian Anderson and Martin Barre give their most revealing interviews yet…
FEATURES REGULARS
BLOODY WELL WRITE pg 10
The Dream Team: Prog heads to LA to hang with ARW.
Missives, musings and tweets from Planet Prog.
THE INTRO
pg12
Mastodon get conceptual again, plus the latest news from Lonely Robot, Soen, Tim Blake, Pye Hastings, and the return of Kayak!
RECORD COLLECTION pg 30
ARW______________ Pg 50
All those mornings spent watching her on GMTV and we never knew that Penny Smith was a prog fan!
Backstage fun and games on the road in the USA with prog’s new supergroup.
Q&A
The Mute Gods______ Pg 56
pg 32
Caravan keyboard player Jan Schelhaas seeks inspiration from Carl Sagan for his new solo album.
THE managers THAT BUILT PROG
Tim Bowness_______Pg 64 pg 60
Peter Eden discovered Donovan, launched the cult jazz prog label Turtle Records and came up with the idea for Animal Kwackers. This is his story…
THE OUTER LIMITS
pg 78
Leather jerkins, animals pelts, hand-crafted musical instruments and runes. It all sounds very proggy to us, which is why we spoke to Wardruna…
THE PROG INTERVIEW pg 94 He’s worked with Frank Zappa, UK and Jeff Beck, to name a few. Terry Bozzio gives us an insight into a wonderful musical career.
THE MUSICAL BOX
pg 102
Steve Hackett’s new solo album plus Tim Bowness, Mahavishnu Orchestra, Grobschnitt and more…
TAKE A BOW
pg 120
Neal Morse rocks America, plus Touchstone, The Anchoress, Family, Meshuggah and The Dillinger Escape Plan.
my prog
Nick Beggs and band are back with album number two. And they’re angry…
pg 130
Threshold and Headspace singer Damian Wilson talks sparkly suits and drinking with our Editor!
Ghosts of the past return to haunt the future in his latest solo venture.
Dream Theater______Pg 68 On its 25th Anniversary, we get the inside story of Images And Words, the album that broke Dream Theater into the big time.
Blackfield__________ Pg 74 Prog’s odd couple reunite for a melodic and pragmatic new album.
Flaming Lips________ Pg 82 Their usual colourful flourishes inform the band’s new proggy workout.
Nightwish_________Pg 86 As they begin a year out of the spotlight, mainman Tuomas Holopainen gives his account of the symphonic rockers’ career to date.
Avenged Sevenfold __Pg 90 Yes, you read that right. US metallers Avenged Sevenfold have released a prog metal concept album. Needless to say, we had to find out all about it.
SO YOU WANNA BE A PROG STAR?
Fancy taking your place on one of Prog’s covermount CDs but don’t know how? It’s easy. Just contact Prog’s CD coordinator Kate Colgan at: kate.colgan@futurenet.com with the details of your band (some music, band photo and biog), and you might just find yourselves lining up alongside some of your heroes in the pages of Prog!
on this month’s FREE CD… CUP OF WONDER
Over an hour of the hottest prog sounds around today, hand-picked for you with Prog’s warmest compliments. Enjoy…
1 Oceans Of Slumber
Nights In White Satin
Heavy proggers Oceans Of Slumber from Houston, Texas found the missing piece of their puzzle in vocalist Cammie Gilbert, who seriously shines on this enchanting and emotional cover of The Moody Blues’ Nights In White Satin. Taken from Winter on Century Media
2 Ghost Community Rise Up
3 Touchstone
Lights From The Sky
Featuring veteran musicians who have also played in bands like Also Eden and The Reasoning, new prog band Ghost Community are already making serious waves in the scene with their debut album Cycle Of Life. Taken from Cycle Of Life on
Touchstone are back in business with an EP and a new vocalist in their ranks. Polish musical theatre performer Aggie, who replaces Kim Seviour, is a perfect fit for the band’s blend of hard rock and prog. Check out our live review on page 122. Taken from Lights From The Sky EP
www.oceansofslumber.com
ROK Music www.ghostcommunity.co.uk
on Ministry Of Progression www.touchstonemusic.co.uk
5 Richard Barbieri
6 The Beatrix Players
7 Anubis
New Found Land
Japan and Porcupine Tree keyboardist Barbieri has also worked with the likes of Steve Hogarth and Tim Bowness, but his strong solo work shines on this synth and jazz-tinged album. Taken from Planets + Persona on Snapper Music www.facebook.com/ RichardBarbieriOfficial
9 Multi Story
Sly Dream Catcher
This Welsh prog band that formed back in the early 80s are back in business with new album Crimson Stone. Vocalist and guitarist Paul Ford’s vocals are a particular highlight on Sly Dream Catcher. We’re very glad they got the band back together – check them out. Taken from Crimson Stone on F2 Music www.multistoryband.co.uk
Roses
This Londonbased, all‑female trio make an impressive and rich blend of progressive rock, folk, jazz and classical styles, using piano, cello and strong vocals to make a dark yet beautiful musical fairy tale. The result is captivating and beautiful. Taken from Magnified, self-released
Fool’s Gold
Anubis are a cinematic, experimental progressive rock band hailing from Sydney, Australia. They celebrated their 10th anniversary back in 2014, and we here at Prog believe they’ve still got great things ahead of them. Taken from The Second Hand,
www.beatrixplayers.co.uk
self-released www.anubismusic.com
10 JUG BUNDISH
11 Seas Of Mirth
Gaudí
Hackett And Djabe 4 Steve The Steppes
Steve Hackett collaborates with Hungarian jazz-fusion and world music maestros Djabe for this reworking of Hackett’s own The Steppes. You can read our review of their release on page 116. Taken from Summer Storms And Rocking Rivers on Esoteric Antenna www.hackettsongs.com
8 Hemina I
It’s a Down Under double whammy on this issue’s CD, with this four-piece progressive metal band from Sydney. Hemina blend hardhitting grooves with lavish synth and multi-part vocal harmonies to great effect. The perfect mix of heavy and melodic. Taken from Venus, self-released www.hemina.com.au
The Curse Of The Dreaded Devil’s Triangle
Jug Bundish are repping Costa Rican prog on the Prog CD this issue! The San José based collective formed back in 2012 and produce a madcap mix of psychedelic rock, fusion, experimental and alternative sounds to make a truly cosmic and mind-boggling listening experience. From Quimeroide, self-released
This crew describe their sound as “folk instrumentation, prog rock silliness, worldly rhythms and bizarre sea-based song concepts”, and as you’d expect from that description, they’re a whole lotta fun. Taken from Hark! The Headland Approacheth on I’m Not From London
www.facebook.com/JugBundish
www.seasofmirth.com progmagazine.com 7
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ue
Jerry Ewing - Editor
i xt ss Mar
FIND US ONLINE
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M
uch as I didn’t expect to be penning last month’s editorial on the back of the news that TeamRock was no more, it comes as something of a surprise, albeit a delightful one, that Prog is back with you. Along with Classic Rock and Metal Hammer, we are back with our previous owners Future Publishing, who saved the magazines just after Christmas. In the three weeks that everything was in limbo, we saw an amazing coming together of the rock community in support of the magazines. This was headed by the JustGiving fund set up by my good friend Ben Ward of Orange Goblin and his partner Sandie, which thousands of you, from major bands to concerned readers, got behind in a show of support that left us stunned, honoured and very proud to be a part of your lives in such a way. Now we’re back, and it’s our duty to repay your faith in what we do, by creating the best magazine we can for you. Issue 74 of Prog is a new start. We’ve served up old faithfuls Jethro Tull on the cover, with very revealing interviews from both Ian Anderson and Martin Barre. We journeyed to Los Angeles to see ARW and get a behind-the-scenes look at what makes prog’s newest supergroup tick. Dream Theater tell us the story of creating their breakthrough album Images And Words as they prepare to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Elsewhere, we hope you agree that it’s a good round-up of what is happening on the progressive scene from bands old and new, not least those acts you’ll find on the accompanying CD who are helping to forge the future of where progressive music might be headed. If you’re a subscriber, head to page 128, where we’ve tried to answer the questions you have been asking since the Future takeover was completed. And if you’re not a subscriber, then you can find out how you can ensure your copy of Prog magazine always gets to you on time, now we’re back on an even keel. I hope you enjoy Prog 74. Finishing the issue as I write brings with it a rather emotional feeling. We had little over two weeks to get a month’s work done, but then we’d rather that than not have a magazine to work on at all. And we’re delighted to be back at Future Publishing. And thank you, every one of you, for your messages of support. We are truly delighted to be back with you. We are, after all, one big, happy prog rock community.
ne
Ed’s Letter
progmagazine.com
Letters
Send your letters to us at: Prog, Future Publishing, 1-10 Praed Mews, London W2 1QY, or email prog@futurenet.com. We regret that we cannot reply to phone calls. For more comment and prog news and views, find us on facebook.com under Prog.
... AND WE’RE BACK mRock, the
Been trying to get the latest edition in Sheffield for over a week. No joy at WH Smith’s or supermarkets, then my good lady wife went to Durham yesterday and when she came home, Prog magazine was in her hands! (Huge brownie points due.) I’ve just listened to the free CD and it’s outstanding, one of the best yet! This is one of the great strengths of the mag, to bring bands we may never have heard of to our attention. It’s great that you’re back in business – keep on doing what you’re best at! From one very happy prog rocker (and wife)! Graham Lee, via Facebook I would just like to thank every single person that had a hand in bringing our beloved Prog, with Classic Rock and the likes, back. Prog is probably the best magazine I have ever read and it deserves to survive through its love of both oldies and newbies of the Progisphere. Thank you Prog lovers! Kate Armstrong, via Facebook Great news. Welcome back! It made me really down when I saw the magazine had gone. It’s the most amazing escapism in the palm of your hand. I don’t read books but Prog seemed so different. My attention span for page upon page of monotony is very, very low. The balance and aesthetics in Prog were perfect for me. Best news of 2017! Andrew Jones, via Facebook
Jem Godfrey
tweet talk follow us on twitter.com/ progmagazineUK 10 progmagazine.com
@JemGodfrey Keyboard players of a certain age! Remember this ad? [Right]
Above: Prog 73, celebrating the life of Greg Lake.
kevin nixon
On December 19, 2016, Tea g, went into company that owned Pro , Future ully nkf administration. Tha ed the sav and in ped step ing Publish the by ed elm rwh day. We were ove s, to this der rea the , you from e respons would return. fantastic news that Prog r comments you of e som just are Here page, and our ok ebo taken from our Fac g Magazine Pro up, gro ok ebo Fac new here: Readers, which you can find you all nk Tha rs. ade gre ma rog bit.ly/p ’s keep Let t. por sup ed for your continu Ed. Dep – ng… goi gs thin
Ray Wilson: dealt a raw deal?
Jerry, Jo, Natasha and everyone else on the Prog team - you’ve been through the wringer over the last few weeks and yet still managed to answer everyone’s queries with courtesy and patience, and keep the presses running. I’d like to say thank you, and I’ve dedicated my latest blog post to you guys: momentstransition.wordpress.com/ 2017/01/12/happy-endings. I hope you get a break over the weekend, settle down with some cool ones and enjoy your favourite albums. John Stout, via Facebook RAY OF LIGHT Good to see the article on Ray Wilson [issue 73]. I’ve always thought he had a bit of a raw deal regarding his time in Genesis. He was absolutely right in his comments on how difficult it was always going to be replacing Phil Collins, and about the inconsistency of Calling All Stations as an album (“some good songs but some rubbish ones as well”). I’ve never been able to understand why Banks and Rutherford didn’t stick with Daryl Stuermer and Chester Thompson for the tour as that would have surely
Greg Spawton
@bigbigtrain What would have been the final issue is now, thankfully, just the end of the beginning for Prog. Please support our rock magazines.
made the whole live show run much more smoothly. I remember seeing Genesis on that tour and it seemed that Ray Wilson was working really hard to make it work – but without much support. Good luck to him – I hope he continues to be happy and successful. Neil Mason A WARM WELCOME I was at Barnes & Noble in San Luis Obispo, California yesterday looking for the latest issue of Rolling Stone when I saw what I thought was a Roger Dean drawing on the cover of a magazine, and sure enough, it was! Being that Yes have always been one of my favourite bands, I bought the only issue of Prog magazine that was on the stand. I’m very pleased I did! I’ve been listening to the CD that was included and I had no idea these bands even existed. How often do you publish this magazine? Thanks again, and by the way, Jon Anderson lives in Arroyo Grande, about 15 miles from me… Kevin A Lee Prog magazine comes out every five weeks, Kevin. Glad you enjoy it. We hope you keep reading! – Dep Ed.
Mike Portnoy
@MikePortnoy Great to see my old friend, my LTE brother and one of my favorite players Tony Levin tonight here in San Francisco. #NealAndTonyAndMe
letter
In September, my wife Beth and I had the privilege and pleasure of hosting a house concert at which Andy Tillison and Theo Travis performed to an audience of 20 in the front room of our humble abode in Stretham, a village near Ely, (previously) best known in prog circles as the location for the iconic The Division Bell cover shoot. We enjoyed the experience and the concert so much that Andy Tillison and Theo Travis: live in we’re seriously thinking your living room? about hosting more – perhaps three or four concerts a year. The more I think about the house concert model, the more it commends itself. Perhaps most importantly, it provides the performers with some guaranteed revenue, helping them to continue making the music we love. For the members of the audience, it provides an opportunity to enjoy beautiful music in an intimate setting, a chance to meet and chat
with the performers, the company of friends (existing or new) and none of the hassles that can detract from normal gigs: difficulties parking, overpriced refreshments, loud and distracting conversations, etc. I’m dimly aware that there are others scattered round the country who also host house concerts for prog musicians. Perhaps (with Prog’s help?) we could establish a prog house concerts network? If there are Prog readers who live within reach of Stretham and who would like to be added to the house concerts mailing list I’m putting together, they are very welcome to contact me by email: geofftparks@gmail.com. Similarly, if there are prog musicians who might be willing to come to the Fens to entertain us, they are also very welcome to get in touch. Geoff Parks Is this the future of the live prog gig? We’d love to hear other readers’ thoughts on this… thanks Geoff! – Dep Ed.
This issue’s star letter wins a goodie bag from The Merch Desk at www.themerchdesk.com. CAT SCRATCH FEVER A little levity from the wrong side of the big pond. I came home today to hear Close To The Edge blasting out of my laptop, and to see my cat Lincoln sitting on the laptop relaxing. Somehow, he opened Windows Media Player and opened up the Yes Folder and then selected Close To The Edge to play. I have a prog cat! Ken Forrest, via Facebook DISC WARS Nearly all of the views I’ve seen in Prog on the matter of ‘vinyl versus digital’ have been pro-vinyl. As someone who prefers CDs (gasp), I would like to offer the following comments. A selling point of CDs in the mid-80s was the wider dynamic range they can have compared to vinyl. So it’s ironic that digital media is now being criticised for having a narrower dynamic range than vinyl. This is a result of unnecessary digital compression applied in the mastering stage, which serves to make the overall sound level higher (ie louder). Dynamic range is not just a function of the amount of compression applied (if any) – it’s an intrinsic feature of the music itself. Some music has naturally narrow dynamic range. Prog is naturally broad; metal less so. So it’s not the case that a low DR rating is ‘bad’.
Haken
@Haken_Official Thanks for all of your support throughout 2016. We wish you all the best for 2017!
Nick Beggs
@NickBeggs Day five of Hackett rehearsals. [Right]
Above: Roger Dean’s artwork on issue 72.
Close To The Edge: music for cats?
Not surprisingly, the DR rating of the original 2002 version of Rush’s Vapor Trails is low. However, the much-lauded 2013 remix/remaster isn’t much broader, which goes to show that there’s more to sounding good than how wide the dynamic range is (though this helps). The CD’s potential as a music carrier is far greater than that of vinyl, but sadly this is not always achieved. Where it does fall short is usually as a result of sloppy mastering work. Vinyl requires careful mastering in order to sound as good as it does. But when CD mastering is done properly, the result is matchless. That said, many modern albums are too long. Composers of classical symphonies understood that the attention span of the listener is around 30 to 40 minutes. It’s no accident that vinyl LPs have a carrying capacity of about 40 minutes. The CD made it possible to record longer albums, and this is usually touted as a good thing in terms of “value for money”. But, musically, this is not necessarily so. Many albums weighing in at 70-plus minutes nowadays are a tad tiring to listen to all the way through - and it’s not just due to digital compression! Best wishes to all at Prog, and many thanks for a great magazine. We need it. Olly Renton
1-10 Praed Mews, London W2 1QY
Email prog@futurenet.com twitter.com/ProgMagazineUK You can also find us on facebook.com under Prog EDITORIAL Editor Jerry Ewing Deputy Editor Hannah May Kilroy Art Editor Russell Fairbrother News Editor Natasha Scharf Reviews Editor Jo Kendall Lives Editor Malcolm Dome Designer Patrick Minnikin CONTRIBUTORS Joe Banks, Mike Barnes, Geoff Barton, Mark Blake, Chris Cope, Isere Lloyd-Davis, Stephen Dalton, Steve Davis, Daryl Easlea, Briony Edwards, Dave Everley, Ian Fortnam, Pete Fowler, Polly Glass, Felicity Hall, Paul Henderson, Rob Hughes, Stephen Humphries, Emma Johnston, David Keevill, Tina Korhonen, Dom Lawson, Paul Lester, Fraser Lewry, Dave Ling, Roger Lotring, Alex Lynham, Rachel Mann, Rhodri Marsden, Clay Marshall, Ben Myers, Greg Moffitt, Rob Monk, Kris Needs, Kevin Nixon, Matt Parker, Steve Pilkington, Chris Roberts, Paul Sexton, Jonathan Selzer, Johnny Sharp, Nick Shilton, Sid Smith, Joseph Stannard, Rick Wakeman, David West, Mark Wheatley, Philip Wilding, Rich Wilson, Sarah Worsley, Holly Wright Cover Gijsbert Hanekroot./Redferns/Getty Images. Lettering: Steve Mitchell/57 Design ADVERTISING Commercial Sales Director Clare Dove clare.dove@futurenet.com Advertising Sales Manager Kate Colgan kate.colgan@futurenet.com New Business Account Manager Lee Mann lee.mann@futurenet.com MARKETING Head of Brand and Trade Marketing Nada Khalil Brand Manager Emma Clapp Head of Subscriptions Sharon Todd Circulation Director Darren Pearce PRODUCTION Production Controller Keely Miller Production Manager Mark Constance Printed in the UK by William Gibbons & Sons Ltd on behalf of Future. Distributed by Marketforce, 2nd Floor, 5 Churchill Place, Canary Wharf, London E14 5HU. MANAGEMENT Creative Director, Magazines Aaron Asadi Finance and Operations Director, Magazines Marco Peroni Editorial Director Paul Newman Art and Design Director Ross Andrews Editor-in-Chief Scott Rowley Business Operations Manager Alex Burrows LICENSING Senior Licensing & Syndication Manager Matt Ellis Matt.Ellis@futurenet.com +44 (0)1225 442244 SUBSCRIPTIONS +44(0)344 848 2852 www.myfavouritemagazines.oc.uk/PROG
All contents © 2017 Future Publishing Limited or published under licence. All rights reserved. No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored, transmitted or used in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath, BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price and other details of products or services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any changes or updates to them. If you submit unsolicited material to us, you automatically grant Future a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in all editions of the magazine, including licensed editions worldwide and in any physical or digital format throughout the world. Any material you submit is sent at your risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents or subcontractors shall be liable for loss or damage.
Matt Cohen
@MattCohenBass I just want to tour, tour & tour some more. I love playing music SO much. It’s not the money, it’s not the fame. It’s the band, the music! x
progmagazine.com 11
INTRO
if it’s out there, it’s in here Mastodon dig up their roots on their latest album.
Mastodon Announce New Concept Album
Atlanta heavyweights return to the style of 2009’s ultra-prog Crack The Skye. Mastodon will release their seventh studio album, album describes everything he goes through trying to avoid Emperor Of Sand through Reprise Records on March being captured while trying to survive in the desert.” 31. It comes 17 years into a career as one of the most Recorded in Los Angeles with the band’s long-time unique bands, moving from proggy sludge to hard rock, producer Brendan O’Brien, Emperor… adds plenty of progressive metal and beyond, while maintaining a fiercely Mellotron and Moog to the band’s ever-expanding adventurous streak. Emperor… will expand their repertoire armoury of explosive riffs, and it was a labour-intensive further still, while heralding a return to the proggier process as well. sounds of the band’s earlier work. “We look for something different and try not to repeat “We’d kind of abandoned the concept for the last ourselves too much,” says Dailor, “but we have a certain couple of albums,” says drummer Brann Dailor, “but we’ve sound that’s in our DNA, and there’s not much we can do come back around to the idea. There are a lot of twists and to alter that. We do try and stretch; it all comes down to turns in the songs, and there are a couple that are more putting the work in. You sift through oodles and oodles of straightforward, but I feel like we always offer riffs, and see what tickles everyone’s fancy. a lot of variety with each album. We’ve got You’ll have bad days, when you don’t find a nice long epic at the end with some superanything, and it’s like you’ve been mining all proggy stuff going on. And the art is right up day and you don’t come up with any precious the alley of any prog fan. It’s very involved, stones. And other days you’ll come out really it’s got the great big gatefold, and there’s tons excited that you’ve found something. We put “We’ve got a nice of cool art to feast your eyes on.” the time in, and we built these cool bridges, long epic at the So what’s the concept? “It’s about a Sultan and we’ve got super, super catchy verses and end with some who hands down a death sentence to a man choruses and intros. super-proggy who’s lost in the desert,” says Dailor. “He tries “We wanna embrace the days of old, where it stuff going on.” to run and escape the punishment, and the was possible to build some anticipation about
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