Articles by 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.

Articles by: Alison Reijman

“You study music, learn harmonies, technique and business. Then you come into a band like this and rip up the rule book”: 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

"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

“The supermassive black hole renders our experience terminally irrelevant… we need to be more light-hearted about stuff”: Prog’s Best New Band EBB are guided by the galaxy

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

“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

“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

"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.

“We did not announce he was leaving as we hoped he would come back… It was very disappointing - we ended up thinking we would have to go for second best”: How Mystery moved on from Benoit David

By Alison Reijman published 26 September 23

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

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