BLOODY WELL WRITE

Missives, musings and tweets from Planet Prog.

I was quite critical of Steve Wilson’s last album [To The Bone], not because it wasn’t “progressive enough” but simply because personally I didn’t think it was as good as his previous material. I haven’t yet heard his newest album [The Future Bites] so can’t comment on that.

This led me to think about the term ‘progressive’. Obviously some people see progressive rock as a genre with a distinctive sound: that sound being Genesis, Yes, Jethro Tull and Pink

Floyd but from the 1970s. But the term progressive would imply that music should literally progress. So, progressive bands/artists would include Led Zeppelin. No two albums were the same. Frank Zappa would be the ultimate progressive artist for obvious reasons.

Other obvious artists would include acts like Magma and Scott Walker. Their music constantly changed and explored new ideas.

So, which new artist constantly changes and explores new ideas? Why, Steve Wilson!

So, like me you may not like everything he does, but do not criticise him for no longer being progressive because that is the one thing that you can never accuse him of.

At the end of the day, like art, it is all in the eye of the beholder, or should that be ear? So let’s embrace all types of really good musicianship because ultimately that is what gives us readers of Prog

a real smile on our faces. And let’s be honest, in this present climate I thank the musicians who are featured in Prog

Magazine who are able to record new interesting music.

Nigel Richards, via email