Steven Wilson Interview

I stumbled upon a link to a Steven Wilson interview at DPRP (http://www.dprp.net/news/index.php?i=2007_18) web page. Just click on the blog title ("Steven Wilson Interview") above to go to the interview.

I would just like to say "I was right!" During the interview, SW admits that this album is his therapy! Look what he says about FOABP:

"Yes it's all dark and if not dark it's melancholic, so it's all on the side of melancholia, negativity, sadness, depression, loneliness. It dwells on the darker side of things so that allows me to be as a person, well I guess as a human to be a bit more positive. It's almost like an exorcism of that side of my personality." (Caerllysi Music)

In the interview he talks about the inspiration for the album. This provides a very interesting perspective that may help the listener understand his intent and make you realize he isn't so completely dismal in real life.

Oh, and by the way, just to be clear, I do love this album. And Tom, you'll be happy to know that "Anesthetize" has already reached Top 10 status! And "Sleep Together", while lyrically challenging, is a fantastic closing song and I can't wait to hear it performed live this Thursday!

Porcupine Tree - Fear of a Blank Planet (Kevin's Review)

OK. You knew it was coming, Kevin's review of the new Porcupine Tree album, "Fear of a Blank Planet" (FOABP). (Disclaimer: Please note that this review may be premature. I have not listened to the album 20 times yet and I'm still "learning" what it's all about. Yet, I feel compelled to offer some initial thoughts about the latest CD from one of the finest bands of our age.)

FOABP takes over where Deadwing left off. The band appears to be producing darker material with each new release. What is interesting about FOABP is that it really seems to be Steven Wilson's first serious attempt at a concept album. It is the type of concept album where the songs are related in topic and not a story about a particular character (like The Lamb, The Wall or Subterranea). From the title of the album one gets the impression that Steven Wilson may be concerned about the future of our planet. And sadly, it also appears that he does not see much hope for it. Even in some of the darkest and saddest writing from the band in the past, it seemed that there was a fragment of hope. Yes, the world is a mess or my life is a mess but it might work out in the end and I still have hope. FOABP holds out no hope to these ears.

Don't get me wrong, the songs on this album are captivating, brilliant and unmistakably Wilson-like throughout. There is not a weak song on this album. The sound/production/mix is uniformly excellent. Barbieri, Edwin, Harrison and Wilson play their instruments as well as ever. Guest musicians include Alex Lifeson with some fiery guitar-work on "Anesthetize" and Robert Fripp providing "soundscapes" on "Way Out of Here".

So what's wrong you ask?! Well, the focus of the album is about our drugged up youth, bored with life, obsessed with XBox, iPods and all things to do with computers/TV. The lyrics portray a lost generation of stupefied kids and parents that can't relate or don't care. And if you think the last track, "Sleep Together" has anything to do with sex well then you've been taken for a ride my friend. It has more to do with sleeping with the fishes than sleeping in a bed for some wondrous sexcapade.

Just watch the video for the title track of the album on youtube. It is shocking, graphic and all-together depressing. While musically, everything about this album is better than the song "Strip the Soul" from In Absentia, lyrically it leaves me with the same disturbed feeling. I cannot fully enjoy the great music after hearing the lyrics. I guess you have to look at it like a great but disturbing piece of literature (The Jungle?, Clockwork Orange? take your pick) written by an important artist.

My favorite track on the album is the aforementioned "Anesthetize" (Track 3 for you Mark). As you might expect, it is the longest song on the album clocking in at an impressive 17:42. Not that longer means better as a rule but it does here because it allows the song to have more changes in mood. Fantastic drumming draws you in and doesn't let go at the beginning of the song. It builds and builds to a fantastic tom-tom crescendo thanks to Mr. Harrison. Crunchy guitars by Rush's Lifeson and Wilson then take over and lead to the Porcupine Tree sound of today that sometimes borders on Scandinavian death metal (think Opeth) with deep, deep hard guitar playing and phenomenal (I expect no less) drumming with double bass runs and fills beyond belief.

The first two-thirds of the song goes up and down with intensity and excellent musical transitions characterizing the best of progressive music. As you might surmise from the song title, it again focuses on the anesthetics of our times -- pills, TV, etc. BUT, and this is why this song is my favorite on the album, the last third of the song transitions to gorgeous poetic imagery and a slower rhythm that at least hints of better days even if they are in the past. Wilson arranges more of his dreamy vocal parts with John Wesley providing harmonies (think "Heart Attack in a Lay by"!). Here are some of the ethereal lyrics that end this song:

"Water so warm that day
I counted out the waves
As they broke into surf
I smiled into the sun"

Unfortunately, this brief glimpse of hope is erased by the lyrics on the next song "Sentimental". Musically, this song is very sweet, even beautiful but the lyrics remind you that there really is no hope in the eyes of the author.

"I don't really know
If I care what is normal
And I'm not really sure
If the pills I've been taking are helping
I'm wasting my life
Hurting inside
I don't really know
And I'm not really sure...

Sullen and bored the kids stay
And in this way they wish away each day
Stoned in the mall the kids play
And in this way they wish away each day"

Maybe Jim is right. Therapy is advisable for Mr. Wilson. I guess that producing music like this provides some sort of therapeutic value for him, but it's killing me!

So, there you have it...my first impressions of the latest PTree offering. I am torn. It's a great album but still leaves me sad and unfulfilled. I certainly recommend it but just don't expect an easy listening album that will make you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.


Now pardon me while I go call my therapist...

ROSfest, Day Three

I woke up Sunday morning with some regret about the extent of our partying the night before. I should know better than to try to keep up with professionals. All I wanted to do was sleep until about 1 o'clock. But no...we had to try to see the first band of the day.

But, alas, I couldn't make it. I chose sleeping in the car and Mark managed to check out their set. Maybe Mark can write a review?

After more shut-eye, I made my way to the second show of the day, Retroheads (from Norway). I have two CDs by this band, "Retrospective" and "Introspective", both of which I really like. This has been one of my favorite new bands of the past couple years. For a change of pace, Mark and I watched their set from the balcony. It's a good and different view of the stage and the sound is just fine up there. It's also easier to see the drummer from up there.

Unfortunately, this "band" has not performed much together and that was obvious right from the git-go. The bass player is the main writer in the band and created much of the first two albums by himself. There was no denying the excitement this band felt being on stage but a foul-mouthed and excited lead singer brought great energy but it was over-the-top in an unprofessional way. He did a good job getting the audience psyched for their set but then talked too much and said goofy things. With a little tweaking though, I do think he could be a decent frontman. I think a lot of it had to do with nerves. You could just tell how nervous they all were.

Oh well, they still managed to play a few great songs or parts of songs but they also had some sound issues that detracted from their set. They started one song and the bass player appeared to have forgotten the words to the song, so they started the song over from the beginning. Ouch! But the show went on and they managed to keep the audience on their side. One of their best tracks had an unbelievably cool and unusual drum part played entirely on brushes!

With lots of practice I do think they could become a good live band but this was a poor and unprofessional performance. I was very disappointed since I really like their albums so much.

Onto a sure thing...Magic Pie. This band played the 1st slot last year and were so great on stage that ROSfest brought them back for a 3rd slot this year. Who knows? Maybe next year they will headline!

Some bands are just meant to be seen live and this band is one of them. With three guitars (two electric and one acoustic), bass, keyboard and drummer, this band provides a very full sound. Five of the six band members sing too! And can they play? As Dick Enberg would say, "Oh my!" These guys are all so talented and they play so well together. The high point for Mark and me is the lead guitarist who simply blows us away with his melodies and technically precise yet emotionally powerful playing. This guy can shred like the top tier guitarists in the world but his playing has great feel and emotion too. A simply stunning performance.

The bar had been set very high for the upcoming Spock's Beard set. Were they up to the task without Neal?!

Magic Pie Plays a Blistering Set

The Beard opened with the first track on the new album. "On a Perfect Day" has quite a bit of the sound we came to expect with Neal Morse-era SB and was a rousing opener indeed! After following this up with "In the Mouth of Madness" from possibly my favorite Beard album "Kindness of Strangers", Spock's Beard had already leapt over the high bar set by Magic Pie. It was clear.

But how was the drumming you might ask. If Nick is up front singing (and playing guitar and keyboards!), what was going on at the drum kit? Let me tell you that we witnessed one of the best drummers we've ever seen. Mark will attest to this. This guy was smaller than me with a similar bald look. My guess is that he weighed 140 lbs. How good could he be and how in the world could he be expected to play Nick's drums?

From the very beginning, I knew that we would not be disappointed. He nailed all the trademark fills with stunning aplomb. He was as quick as lightning and played so powerfully. My jaw was wide open and remained so throughout the show. I was speechless. And you knew that Nick would have to play some also and thankfully when we arrived at the venue we saw two drum kits set up. Holy crap! I haven't seen drumming like this since the Phil/Chester duets of old! These guys were really tight and it looked like they'd been playing together their entire lives.

As much as I love drums, I've never been a huge fan of the drum solo. It has to be pretty spectacular for me to enjoy it. But, drum duets are another beast entirely. Two drummers working together to create a conversation that inevitably has highs and lows, and loud and soft moments on floor toms or cymbals, can be a highlight of a concert. And Jimmy and Nick created such a highlight in this concert. I'm still shaking my head.

And the mood of the concert was varied from spectacular playing and some powerful emotional songs to the goofy antics of Ryo Okumoto. Ryo had the whole audience in hysterics when he did a little karaoke ditty in the craziest Japanese voice you can possibly imagine. It had to be pre-planned but it sure seemed spontaneous and was simply hilarious.

The guitarist, Alan Morse, has a new solo album out and the band was kind enough to let him play a track from it. The band ripped this track and it made me want to buy the album. Great guitar playing and a catchy melody. Alan's a quirky guy on stage and you never know what strange antic he will do next. But, his playing was extraordinary tonight and that was undeniable.

And how did Nick do as the frontman? He was better than I imagined possible. His voice was in great form and he was a professional showman and moved the band between tracks gracefully. He played some keyboards, guitar, drums and sang. He's an amazing talent and most importantly, his voice was just great!

And Ryo and Dave Meros (bass) were spectacular. For my money, Ryo is the most enjoyable to watch on stage (other than the drummers). He can go from quirky funny to virtuosic playing in a heartbeat.

The bulk of the show included tracks from the last two albums, "Octane" and their latest self-titled album. These songs are more straight-ahead rock than earlier Beard CDs but I think they have found a new identity now and it works, especially live. Heavy rockers including "Is this Love?" and "Surfing Down the Avalanche" were big and beautiful songs with unreal power.

These rockers were balanced with some gems from the past including "Thoughts, part 2" and "Crack the Big Sky" and then they ended the show with classics from so many years ago. "Walking on the Wind" was no doubt a highlight of the show for me as "Beware of Darkness" was the first album I ever heard from this band. The encore included a medley of songs from "The Light" including "The Water/Go the Way You Go".

Tonight, Spock's Beard impressed me a lot. I have liked this band for a long time now but incredibly I had never seen them perform live. I am here to report that they are still alive and well even without the genius talent of Neal Morse. If you ever get a chance to see them, just do it. You will not be disappointed. They shone tonight and let's hope they keep shining for many years to come. I have seen the light...

Ryo and a Tie-Dyed Alan Morse

(Thank you George and Tom for putting together a world class music festival for the deserving progressive rock community. Slainte Mhath!)

ROSfest, Saturday Night After-Party

Brigitte, John and Mark enjoying a brew at Franco's

I kinda like this photo of our Canadian friends. We were all enjoying a beer outside in downtown Phoenixville, which has really become a fun place to hang out between shows. The restaurant owner Franco was pleased as punch to have all the business and constantly mingled and joked around with the progheads.

But I would be very remiss if I did not have a blog entry for the annual party after the Saturday night concerts. It always takes place in the lower level of the Sheraton in large meeting rooms. This year, one room had an electric jam session and another room was acoustic. The highlight for us was being serenaded by one of the Magic Pie guitarists as he sang Louis Armstrong, Pink Floyd (Wish You Were Here) and a few other choice songs while strumming the acoustic guitar. What talent!

The rest of the time we spent mingling with other fans and thanking some of the bands for paying us a visit in the States. It really is a unique experience and everyone is so friendly and happy. The music played during the party really is only a small fraction of why this little party is so fun. It's a great chance to chat with other fans about their impressions of the shows and what other bands they are listening to currently.

Of course, one of my goals was to get a photograph with Nick Barrett who is one of my favorite guitarists and song writers. Meeting musicians can be a dicey thing because a bad interaction can taint your view of that artist forever. For the most part though we have had good experiences meeting the musicians at ROSfest. We had fun talking to the guys in Magenta, Satellite, and of course, everyone's favorite prog bass player, John Jowitt (not here this year). But, we could just tell that Nick Barrett was so approachable and willing to talk to his fans that I wasn't worried about asking him for a photo.

Mark, Nick and I at the After-Party

After the party in the lower level of the hotel, there is another party at a 5th floor suite reserved by Tom, one of the ROSfest organizers. Somehow, last year we got dragged up to this party and ended up talking to various fans and musicians until 6am in the morning. I would say that there are about 25 to 35 people in the room chatting about everything from the mundane to the meaning of life. There is usually some little boom box in the corner of the room playing some great prog CD I've never heard of or playing a classic like "Close to the Edge". Somehow we have become "insiders" and it's quite interesting to be thrust into this rock-and-roll party world that we don't get to see much. Sometimes it gets really loud and I have no idea how hotel management does not get complaints.

It was great talking to Jim R., the keyboardist from Iluvatar. He is another staple at these events but for some reason I have not talked to him before. The great news here is that Iluvatar is working on a new album right now and the songs are coming along nicely. It may be a while before they finish the CD but at least they are still writing music. They would be a great band to have in the 2nd or 3rd slot at this festival. Hmmm. Maybe I need to talk to George.

Jim and Lila at the After-After-Party on the 5th Floor

Long story short, we stayed way too late again this year; 5:30am or so. There would be no tennis Sunday morning. In fact, I had been looking forward to seeing Darwin's Radio, the first band on Sunday at 11am and that was looking nearly impossible. I was beat!

ROSfest, Day Two

On Saturday morning, Mark and I have a tradition of going to Dunkin' Donuts for some wake up juice, a breakfast sandwich, and a bottle of water. Then, we drive some nice winding back roads to some college tennis courts I found using Google Maps. The courts are only a couple miles from the hotel on a really nice small campus setting. We always have the 5 courts there to ourselves and have a great time actually getting some exercise before sitting in a theater for 6 hours or so.

After playing for nearly two hours, we headed to the hotel for a quick shower before making the 20-minute drive to Phoenixville. We skipped the first band of the day (Rocket Scientists) due to the tennis. If we had been in bed before 2:30pm, we might have been able to play tennis and still make it to the first concert of the day. The tennis was worth it but the reports from people were that the Scientists put on a good show.

The second band of the day was Galahad, a band from Britain. I have two CDs by this band and was looking forward to their set. Unfortunately I did not have their most recent albums even though I had read good reviews.

They started the show with a track from their just released album called "Empires Never Last". The song was called "I Could Be God" and the lead singer had Fish-like stage presence and an excellent voice, powerful with great range. From the very start, this band had me transfixed. The keyboards were techno at times (think Ultravox), which is unusual for prog bands, but they somehow added to the unique prog sound and gave them a "fresh" sound. Another great aspect of this band was that they played both heavy and hard stuff mixed with gentle and beautiful keys/guitars.

Roy Keyworth of Galahad

All in all, a fantastic performance of great songs. A highlight for me was a song called "Bug Eye" from the album "Following Ghosts". Since I have this album, I knew the song well and it is a mellow track with many changes in moods but an underlying infectious rhythm throughout. Wow.

The final song off their "Empires" album has an intriguing title called "This Life Could Be My Last". The lyrics were equally interesting and the song was intense. The lyrical tone of this band constantly reminded me of some of the best Fish/Marillion music and that is high praise. To pull it off with a sound that never sounds derivative and is clearly Galahad is all the more impressive.

If you haven't heard this band yet, I highly recommend them. I'm listening to Empires Never Last right now and I'd have to say that it's a fine place to start. These guys ripped in concert with fantastic guitars, keyboards, drums, and a lead singer that pulled it all together. To my ears, this was probably my 3rd favorite show of the weekend behind Pendragon and Spock's Beard. But, to me, it was the biggest "discovery" of the weekend and I bought 2 CDs (Year Zero and Empires Never Last) immediately after the show.

Between bands, Mark and I made our way to the vendor area and managed to get out of there with less than 10 CDs each!! We're like kids in a candy store in there. Imagine a CD store with all the music you like and much of which you don't know yet. I picked up new albums by Galahad, Daryl Stuermer, RPWL (Live), Karnataka, Chris Squire ("Fish Out of Water"!!), Fromuz, The Watch and the new Porcupine Tree, of course. Thankfully Mark pulled me out of there to get some pizza or I might still be there now! We visited Franco's Restaurant across from the theater for a quick beer and pizza outside.

The third band of the day, our second, was Carptree from Sweden. I was looking forward to their show since one of their recent CDs ("Man Made Machine") is excellent in my opinion. When they came on the stage clad in dress shirts and sport coats, I thought this could be interesting. We quickly realized that the show would be ruined by the drummer. This tattooed lug nut, wearing a muscle shirt unlike his bandmates, bashed his three (3) custom-made, 24" crash/ride cymbals as hard as he could for the better part of the 1.5 hours, completely drowning out the other instruments. I have never seen anything like it. A few songs that didn't call for his extreme services were the best songs of their set and the band does have some potential WITHOUT HIM.

(Note: Later in the evening I spoke to a drummer at the after-party who said he came to the festival in part to see Carptree and was disgusted by this drummer's display that ruined the show. This guy, who drums for Sonus Umbra and Kurgan's Bane, wanted to beat this guy up after the show! I'm not sure he was kidding either. I agreed with him too. It was infuriating. He also told me that the guy who was recording all of the shows could not even use any of the material from Carptree due to the dominance of the cymbals!)

Disappointment is to be expected at these music festivals to some degree. Usually there are some sound issues due to switching band equipment around but this was something I'd never seen before. Oh well. Pendragon was up next and I KNEW this would be good.

It has been a dream of mine, since I was first exposed to "Masquerade Overture" many years ago, to see this band perform live. A friend of ours who lives in Toronto has felt the same way. Brigitte wrote an essay to the festival organizers explaining why she wanted to introduce the band onto the stage (a fan introduces each band before they come on stage at ROSfest; it's a fun tradition). You don't know if you are selected until right before the show starts. Lo and behold, Brigitte was selected and she was thrilled to introduce her favorite prog band. It was great to see her get this opportunity.

Onto the show... They opened with one of Jim's favorite tracks, "No Place for the Innocent". From the first guitar chords to the end, this was the perfect opening track to the concert. "Do you believe in Darwin's Theory of Evolution? Do you believe in the President, the Bible, Constitution?" Great lyrics in an upbeat, driving song.

The crowd jumped out of their seats at the end of the first song. The tone of the show had officially been set and this crowd was ready to party. The 2nd track was "As Good As Gold", the opener from Masquerade. The crowd sang the chorus as it has been ingrained into their brains from many years of listening. "Guardian of My Soul" was next, one of my favorite Pendragon songs. But as good as it was, the guitar parts were not loud enough, and frustration began to creep in. Finally, after the next song, "Kowtow", Mark yelled out "Turn up the guitar!!" and this was echoed by others. Nick requested the sound guy to "get back to his post" and correct it. I was ready to go back to the sound board and tell him but I didn't want to leave my seat for a second!

Thanks to Mark the guitar levels were corrected just in time for one of my favorite tracks off "Believe": "The Wishing Well" starting with "Sou' by Sou'west" and the gorgeous guitar! And so the emotion of this show takes over. I have no idea how Nick can sing and play his intricate guitar lines at the same time. It just shows you how talented he is. Peter Gee, the bass player, also played some guitar parts and was superb as well. The guitar solo toward the end of this song nearly always brings tears to my eyes. It is just so beautiful.

Clive Nolan was in excellent form as well. Nick and Clive have been friends since they were little kids (age 4 I think) and you can just see that they are having so much fun performing together up on stage. To my ears, Clive is simply one of the best prog keyboardists in the business. He certainly is more in the background with Pendragon since this band is "Nick's baby" but his playing is still critical to the overall sound and impact.

After "The Wishing Well", the show had officially kicked into another gear. The band went on to perform flawless renditions of "The Edge of the World", "Nostradamus", "Dance of the Seven Veils" and "Paintbox"! That all led to the apex of the concert for me, which was "Breaking the Spell" and "Masters of Illusion". I can't even begin to describe the power and emotion of these two songs in concert. By this time, the crowd had completely lost it and the band had the audience in the palm of their hand. They could have played a Madonna song at this point and the crowd would have clapped along with excitement.

For the encores, they played a medley of older songs that worked well. At the end, during one of Nick's phenomenal guitar solos, he came down into the center aisle of the theater and played up close and personal. Being in the 6th row, we had a decent view of the spectacle.

What can I say? It really was a dream come true for me to see this band perform live and I told Nick this later that night. We had met Nick last year but we talked to him again this year at the after-party. He's so approachable and friendly to his fans, a truly kind and humble guy. Thanks Nick, Clive, Peter, and Joe for a show I'll never forget! (By the way, kudos to Joe on drums who was absolutely terrific!)

If it isn't obvious, this was hands down the best concert of the weekend for me. I think Mark would agree.

Nick Barrett of Pendragon

ROSfest Day One

Time for yet another Rites of Spring Festival. This is the third year in a row Mark and I have made the trip. The trip did not get off to a good start as both of us were delayed flying out of our respective cities. Air traffic control in Philly was holding up flights from all over. Mark didn't arrive until nearly 9pm from Manchester, NH! We were supposed to be on the road, headed to Phoenixville by 5pm or so. Bummer.

One good thing about arriving this late is that we did not have to fight any of the usual traffic getting out of the city. Oh well. We were here and luckily we were not missing any bands that we had been anxious to see. Arriving to the theater at about 10:30 or so, we decided to forego Starcastle and enjoy some Knight Area and Darwin's Radio from the comfort of our Mazda 5. A few Coronas later we decided to check out the last bit of the concert. Starcastle was the third band of the night and were supposed to come on stage at 9:30pm. Lo and behold, we walked into the theater and the 2nd band was still playing at about 11pm!! The festival was almost as delayed as our flights!

The second band (still on stage) was Puppet Show, a heavy progressive band from California. I like this band's music to some degree but the lead singer's voice has always been the down side for me. Nonetheless, they sounded good and were performing a decent set when they announced that this would be their final song. The song was a cover of "Cogs in Cogs" by Gentle Giant!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I nearly flipped as they went into a near flawless rendition of a great track off The Power & The Glory album. My immediate thought was that Dave ought to be here!! The audience was as euphoric as me and gave them a standing ovation when it was over.

After this performance, I was hopeful that Starcastle would exceed my expectations. Starcastle is a band with origins in the 1970s and they had a couple albums that were very Yes-like. I always thought they sounded like the B- or C-sides of the Yes stuff. Oh well. Keep an open mind, right?

They came on stage just after MIDNIGHT, and Mark and I were already weary from the travel fiascoes. Unfortunately, for the most part, my expectations were spot on. It was Yes music without substance and depth. They played with great energy though and really seemed to be having fun on stage. Their performance almost made up for the sounds they were creating and the audience rewarded them, song after song, with big ovations. Clearly, much of this crowd had grown up with their music and it meant a lot to them. That was good to see. It was not a bad show but it just didn't hit me or Mark at all. That said, there were a few hints of good music here and there, especially one song with a rousing bass solo leading into an Oliver Wakeman keyboard solo (yes, that's Rick's son, Adam's brother!!). These guys were the youngest members of the band (and obviously not part of the original band) but they were the highlight of the whole performance playing with great skill.

It was bizarre to see a Wakeman playing with a Yes-like band and yet the music pales in comparison to the real thing. Nonetheless, you gotta hand it to Starcastle for their performance and still trying to put out new music (they have a recent album called "Song of Times"). It wasn't our cup of tea but it was for hundreds of others at the show.

Just before the encore (about 2pm!!), Mark and I bolted for the exit and drove directly to the hotel for some much needed sleep.