Ed’s Letter
So the sixth annual Progressive Music Awards has been and gone. And boy, what a night it was. A delightful gathering from the progressive world that really does rate as probably the most enjoyable night we’ve hosted so far. The vibe in the room was incredible, and hopefully some of that comes through in our coverage of the night, which begins on page 34.
This issue we feature an in depth interview with Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt, one of modern progressive music’s standardbearers. His band Opeth picked up the Best International Band gong at the Awards this year, and Dave Everley’s profile of him (p 42) is one of the most revealing I’ve read, delving deep into what makes this fascinating and single-minded musician tick.
And of course, not only do we feature Opeth on the cover of this issue, but we have a fantastic live CD from the band that is unavailable anywhere else. Recorded when the band performed with a choir and orchestra in Plovdiv, Bulgaria, it offers a unique insight into how the band’s music has evolved over the years. Quite the collectors’ item.
Christian Vander of Magma, the subject of The Prog Interview on page 92, is an equally absorbing character with another incredibly unique story to tell. Quite fascinating to read where he got his first ever drum kit!
And of course, there’s the usual round up of what’s been happening on Planet Prog, from the return of Brand X to the continued progressive shift of bands like Enslaved and The Contortionist.
I’ve just had a glance at the cover artists who’ll be gracing the cover of Prog between now and the end of the year. Suffice to say, I think you’re going to enjoy them. Until next month, prog on…