Ed’s Letter
Hello and welcome to the 100th issue of Prog! A momentous and celebratory occasion. It’s been quite a year, not only passing our 10th anniversary a few months ago, but also now hitting the big 100! Having successfully completed the 185-mile charity bike ride to Download (in horrendous weather) totally unscathed, I didn’t expect to be writing this while recuperating from a broken leg in the Wiltshire countryside while Hannah and Rus slave over finishing the issue in the office, so a big doff of the cap to them for the issue you now hold in your hands.
There are other thank yous to be dished out, too. To the long-serving Jo Kendall and Natasha Scharf, who make up the rest of the editorial team, and all our great contributors over the years. Kate and her commercial team. And to Ange Joseph, Victoria Ford, Big John and Johnny Goddard, who’ve all served. To Scott Rowley, a man I sat down with more than a decade ago and who asked, “So what are we going to call this magazine?” A man who, along with Brad Merrett, still greets the sight of myself and Rus arriving to discuss the latest cover concept with a look of “What on earth are they doing now?”, and who still guides us in the right direction every month.
Certainly to Alexander Milas and Chris Ingham, two people within Future’s rock magazine framework back in 2008. When I approached them with the idea of Prog they saw, believed in, and really got the magazine off the ground.
But the biggest thank-you goes to you, the readers, who support us month in and month out, and the wonderful musicians who create the music that we love to write about. Because without you guys we certainly wouldn’t be here.
So enjoy our special 100 Icons Of Prog issue. There’s some fascinating stuff inside. Hannah and Rus are about to take a well-deserved holiday. And I’ll be learning to walk again. And getting stuck into a bold new era of Prog magazine with issue 101. Stood on one leg. But not necessarily waving a flute.
Hop to it…