MY PROG
The great and good of progressive music give us a glimpse into their prog worlds. As told to Grant Moon
Dream Theater, Matt Stevens, Meat Loaf and comedy help make up Tom Slatter’s prog world.
Where’s home?
Chesham in Hertfordshire, just north of London.
Earliest prog memory?
In 2004 I was a metal fan teaching guitar, and one of my bass students came in with Dream Theater’s Images And Words saying, “I want to learn this!” It was way beyond both our limits, but that’s when I started paying real attention to prog.
First album you bought?
Dream Theater’s Train Of Thought was their new one at the time, so I bought that and went on a binge of their music.
And the last?
Emperor Norton by Emperor Norton, a band from York. They play proper, guitar-led prog, like Yes if you dialled down the classical influences and turned up the guitars. Fun.
First prog gig?
Dream Theater at Wembley Arena with Symphony X [2007]. Soon after that I saw Alan Reed, ex of Pallas, at The Peel in Kingston.
Latest prog gig?
In March I played The Fiddler’s Elbow in London with Circu5 and IT, who are a left-wing prog band – very political but with good tunes too.
Your latest prog discovery?
A Manchester band called Mothertongue. They’re not traditional prog, but there’s a big hint of 90s rock and Britpop in there with lots of silly stuff, changes and
singalong choruses. Their first album, Unsongs, starts with a great song called King Of The Tyrant Lizards.
Guilty musical pleasure?
I’m a big fan of Meat Loaf,
Jim Steinman’s a genius. And Sondheim, particularly Sweeney Todd. I don’t feel guilty at all though!
Mastermind specialist subject?
Professional wrestling, both the current stuff and the late 90s stuff when it was really popular.
Favourite prog venue?
They keep on closing them! I have happy memories of The Peel and The Borderline and my new favourite is The Fiddler’s
Elbow. They’re putting on lots of interesting new bands.
Your prog hero?
Matt Stevens of The Fierce
And The Dead. A nice bloke with a real work ethic, he’s grown a popular band in the proper old-fashioned grassroots way. And we can both bore people at length about [extreme metal band] Carcass!
Outside of music, what else are you into?
I’m a real comedy nerd. I enjoy listening to podcasts, such as Richard Herring’s As It Occurs To Me, and I go to see live standup as often as I can. My wife and I actually went to the Edinburgh Festival as part of our honeymoon!
Who do you call in the prog community for a good night out?
I’m a music nerd and have no interest in socialising! Having said that, the whole Bad Elephant label family are always good for a curry – David Elephant [Elliott, label head], Simon Godfrey,
Rob Ramsay…
Most important piece of prog music?
The whole of David Bowie’s Outside epitomises what prog is to me. It’s just so weird, from the concept to the way it was created.
Prog muso you’d most like to work with?
I’d really like to do a songwriting session with Jon Hunt. His song Making Tea Is Freedom is a prog epic, if Paul Weller was into prog.
Which prog album do you put on to get you in a good mood?
Red by King Crimson. There is just something about the energy of it.
The best prog gig you ever saw?
I saw the Stabbing A Dead Horse tour at The Lexington [in 2012]. Knifeworld, Trojan Horse and The Fierce And The Dead – that was a proper smash in the face…
Recommend us a good proggy read.
I’m a big sci-fi and fantasy guy. I’m really enjoying The Expanse series, the books the Netflix show is based on. That and anything by Robin Hobb, like Assassin’s
Apprentice.
Your favourite prog album cover?
Anything by [artist] Dave McKean, like Dream Theater’s Scenes From A Memory.
What are you up to at the moment?
Demon is out now and I’m trying to tell the world about it. For the first time in 10 years all the songs I’ve written have been recorded, so I need to write new stuff and figure out what’s next.
Demon is out now via Bad Elephant. See www.tomslatter. co.uk for more information.
I’m a big fan of Meat Loaf, Jim Steinman’s a genius.