Alison Reijman

A life long prog fan, Alison trained as a journalist in Portsmouth after which she worked on local newspapers for more nearly 15 years. Her remit included compiling a weekly entertainments page, writing album and gig reviews. Alongside her career in journalism and PR, she regularly writes reviews, interviews and blogs for prog websites and magazines. She has also contributed features to band tour programmes. Alison’s writings helped her to be one of three winners of a national competition in 2013 to find inspiring women in their 50s. Alison still works as a PR coordinator and is a regular gig-goer.

Latest articles by Alison Reijman

“We hoped he’d come back. It was very disappointing”: Mystery after Benoit David

By Alison Reijman Published 26 July 26

Ninth studio album Redemption was their third since Jean Pageau joined, and comes after the Canadians took advantage of enforced hiatus to refine their latest compositions

Albums

They took a risk to escape broken music industry models. So far, it’s paying off

By Alison Reijman Published 13 May 26

Anglo-Welsh quintet wrote enough material for a double album, but that’s not the format it’s being released in. Have they found a way to break the mould?

Albums

Pagan band harnessed a fake feud, kickboxing and a Cornish faery, and it all ran out of control

By Alison Reijman Published 29 December 25

After falling together by accident, making use of family talents and winning festival slots the hard way, their seventh album shows they’ve really arrived

Albums

“I’m quite allergic to people who talk too much!" How John Mitchell brought Lonely Robot back down to earth with Feelings Are Good

By Alison Reijman Published 17 July 25

The spacesuit is now stowed away as Lonely Robot embark on a completely different kind of musical voyage with 2020's fourth album Feelins Are Good

Bands & Artists

The positive prog of Solstice’s 45-year journey to success

By Alison Reijman Published 18 June 25

Latest album Clann is a proud family affair with its roots in the 80s, when leader Andy Glass set an ambitious agenda with no regard for commercial gain

Bands & Artists

Stuckfish’s fourth album contains a collection of firsts

By Alison Reijman Published 5 December 24

Inspired by hold music, movie scenes, Sarah Bernhardt, Carry On Wayward Son and more, the Northumberland-based proggers have a new line-up and a new energy to go with their new music

Albums

How jazz master Lee Ritenour helped Pink Floyd with Another Brick In The Wall Part 2

By Alison Reijman Published 23 November 24

American guitarist knew his recordings would never appear on the record, but knows his contribution made a difference to the 1979 song

Interviews

Azure’s new album Fym wasn’t complete until they’d recorded a real oboe

By Alison Reijman Published 2 October 24

Previously voted Prog’s best unsigned band, they spent two years perfecting their concept’s sounds and story – with every atonal note and slash from a set of keys entirely deliberate

Interviews

"The absolute best vehicle for communicating our emotions is through the medium of stories, imagery and fantasy." The story of young UK proggers Azure

By Alison Reijman Published 22 July 24

How young Brighton prog metallers Azure ended up winning Prog's Best Unsigned Band category in the 2021 reades' poll

Biographies

Prog’s Best New Band winners EBB explain The Management Of Consequences

By Alison Reijman Published 12 June 24

Reader award winners explain the motivation for latest release The Management Of Consequences, and their ambitions for expanding their already impressive live show

Interviews

“He listened to our first album and said, ‘I see spaceships.’ We asked him what he thought of the second album. He said, ‘More spaceships – just darker!’” There are no spaceships on The Emerald Dawn’s time-travelling album

By Alison Reijman Published 23 January 24

In Time adds to the symphonic proggers’ thought-provoking catalogue as they discover that the juggling act during their shows can be, well, a juggling act

Albums

“We prefer to remain free and in control, even if the road is difficult alone. I’m also clear the record industry today is probably no longer interested in groups like ours." The trials of Lazuli and their latest album11

By Alison Reijman Published 18 January 24

French prog rockers Lazuli tell the story of their eleventh studio album, cunningly titled 11

Albums

"There's a lack of occasion in music these days." How Threshold are trying to right that with Dividing Lines

By Alison Reijman Published 18 November 23

After much critical acclaim was heaped on their 2017 epic, Legends Of The Shires, prog metal exponents Threshold are back with their 12th studio album, the darkly brooding Dividing Lines.

Albums

Lazuli b/w image from 2020 of the band laughing backstage

Lazuli take Prog on the fantastic journey of Dieter Böhm!

By Alison Reijman Published 14 October 22

In 2020, French proggers Lazuli paid tribute to their fans on their ninth studio album Le Fantastique Envoi de Dieter Böhm. Singer Dominique Leonetti shares the fantastic story that inspired it

Albums