Steven Wilson has spoken about what he thinks is “the one factor” prog rock artists have all acquired in frequent.
The Porcupine Tree frontman launched his eighth studio album ‘The Overview’, which is comprised of two, 20-minute-long tracks. He’s now doing press interviews to advertise the brand new undertaking, and when talking with on-line music journal and YouTube channel Innerviews, he gave his views on prog rock artists.
Wilson mentioned the one factor prog rock artists have in frequent is a “will to maneuver away from the usual pop type”, arguing that they’ve a need to “take a listener on a journey.”
When Wilson was requested concerning the lengths of his tracks on the brand new undertaking, and why he selected to return to prog rock, he mentioned (as reported in Loudwire): “I believe the return to progressive rock is within the thought of the lengthy type.”
He added: “What’s “progressive rock”? To me, the one factor all of it actually has it frequent – and I’m speaking about the entire spectrum . . . from Pink Floyd to Frank Zappa, to Rush, to Mogwai, to Radiohead – the one factor it has it frequent, actually, is it’s a will to maneuver away from the usual pop type. It’s sort of a – this concept that you would be able to take the listener on a journey and you may shock them, and fairly often, that includes doing one thing over an extended time period.
“Not all the time, however plenty of bands clearly veer in the direction of 10, 15, 20-minute-long items, and that’s clearly what this report is. And that, I believe, is likely one of the hallmarks – if not the preeminent hallmark – of what I consider as “progressive rock.”
In different Steven Wilson-related information, he opened up about his current chart battle with Playboi Carti, saying he’s “but to satisfy anybody who’s even heard of” the rapper.
The discharge of his album coincided with the discharge of Carti’s fourth LP ‘Music‘. The next week, Wilson hit Quantity One within the UK’s midweek album chart in a shock victory in opposition to the rap famous person. Nonetheless, although it appeared like he could have been on monitor to obtain the primary UK Quantity Certainly one of his profession, he in the end landed at Quantity Three within the end-of-week chart, with Carti claiming the highest spot.
Wilson advised The Telegraph that he wasn’t shocked concerning the rapper’s victory. “It was no competitors, actually, let’s be sincere,” he mentioned. “[Carti’s] music is sort of the antithesis of mine – quick, minimal, filled with the sort of digital sounds you hear on cell phones. There aren’t any solos, which have fully disappeared from trendy music.
“It’s all concerning the vocals nowadays, and it displays the tempo of life we reside now. I fully perceive why it could be extra fascinating to 15-year-old youngsters raised on laptop video games and TikTok.”
Final summer time, Steven Wilson introduced particulars of a 2025 UK and European headline tour, which can mark his first solo dates in seven years.
The European leg will kick off on Might 1, whereas the UK dates begin on Might 10 with a present at Beacon in Bristol. This will probably be adopted by two nights on the London Palladium on Might 12 and 13, earlier than additional stops in Newcastle, Glasgow and Salford. Go to right here for tickets and extra info.
