Articles by Chris Roberts

Chris Roberts has written about music, films, and art for innumerable outlets. His new book The Velvet Underground is out April 4. He has also published books on Lou Reed, Elton John, the Gothic arts, Talk Talk, Kate Moss, Scarlett Johansson, Abba, Tom Jones and others. Among his interviewees over the years have been David Bowie, Iggy Pop, Patti Smith, Debbie Harry, Bryan Ferry, Al Green, Tom Waits & Lou Reed. Born in North Wales, he lives in London.

Articles by: Chris Roberts

“To listen now is to be dazzled by how many of its ideas were embraced and expanded by key artists… its ripples today dominate modern music”: Kraftwerk’s 50th anniversary edition of Autobahn

By Chris Roberts published 16 March 25

The less-is-more electronic music milestone returns with Ralf Hutter Atmos remix

The cover of Steven Wilson’s The Overview album

“A return to full-fat prog from the man who gave the genre a good name in recent years”: Prog fans rejoice! Steven Wilson has come home with cosmic modern classic The Overview

By Chris Roberts published 10 March 25

Steven Wilson’s interstellar new album The Overview measures up to prog’s greats

“On a frenetic album about consumerism and masturbation, you need your moments of contrast to count": The 10 best Genesis songs, as chosen by Prog readers

By Chris Roberts, David West, Johnny Sharp published 7 March 25

Over 28 years the genre giants released 15 albums, achieving over 100 million sales. It’s unfair to boil their work down to just a handful of key songs – but you did it anyway

“A universe of strangeness and charm”: Parts Of The Process – The Complete Godley & Creme is a trip into a subversive, mischievous world of erratic genius

By Chris Roberts published 2 March 25

11-disc set gathers what the perverse polymath pair did after 10cc – which was basically anything they wanted to do

“Peter Gabriel started singing over my solos. I was pissed off – ‘You’re singing on my bit!’ But that half-minute is probably our peak”: How Genesis made Supper’s Ready, arguably their greatest song

By Chris Roberts published 24 February 25

The band believe it’s the moment they began to become significant – and the construction of the 23-minute anthem for 1972’s Foxtrot was itself an epic experience

“A classic style of hopeful, melancholy which will pleasantly trigger Moody Blues fans”: John Lodge’s Love Conquers All EP

By Chris Roberts published 14 February 25

Yes’ Jon Davison is among the guests as bassist/singer limbers up for a return to the road after suffering a stroke

“Being dramatic is their charm, but here they let go of a degree of preciousness, allowing themselves to react to the audience’s gusto”: Riverside are charged up on Live ID

By Chris Roberts published 5 February 25

The Polish prog metallers’ fourth live album contains maximum simpatico between band and audience

“Some bands would think such an unlikely chart-topping feat would require them to lurch into a new chapter. Instead, Mogwai retreat to their discomfort zone”: The Bad Fire is reassuringly blurry

By Chris Roberts published 24 January 25

11th album, which follows No.1 hit As The Love Continues, is a confident and competent helping of their curiously uplifting dourness

“We cared so much about the music that we’d have these confrontational group therapy sessions… And then the switch went off”: Spirit didn’t know they were a prog band, but were always proud of their fearless diversity

By Chris Roberts published 22 January 25

Original bassist Mark Andes embraces what they achieved – but regrets they weren’t able to offer the support that “keystone” member Randy California needed

“The sort of thing which got prog a bad name, but which now seems increasingly bold and ambitious”: 10 essential Greg Lake songs

By Chris Roberts published 7 December 24

From King Crimson to ELP and beyond, Greg Lake left a catalogue of impressive creations from an extraordinary musical journey which included that Christmas song

“All the poise and balance they exude in the studio flies out the window once they get their dander up”: Tears For Fears’ Songs For A Nervous Planet blends stunning live tracks with four powerful new songs

By Chris Roberts published 1 December 24

As 2022’s The Tipping Point confirmed, they’ve always known how to go big without ever going over the top

“I’m glad I took the risk, and I’m glad we have the kind of audiences that not only accept that but revel in it”: Ian Anderson looks back on his six solo albums

By Chris Roberts published 18 November 24

Between 1983 and 2014 he released a series of records that took him beyond the confines of Jethro Tull – for a variety of reasons and with a variety of results

“An obvious smash in hindsight, given its chart-friendly tale of a gardener who refuses to grow up because he’d rather push his lawnmower around”: Genesis’ 10 best songs with Peter Gabriel

By Chris Roberts published 11 November 24

The band’s first phase features a charming, very English sense of melancholy and melodrama – matched with wilful prog complexity

Pixies: The Night The Zombies Came cover art

"This album drops its bombs with honed precision": Pixies prove that class is permanent on The Night The Zombies Came

By Chris Roberts published 25 October 24

Influential icons Pixies' second act refuses to die

"It's got some good stuff on it." Tony Banks revisits the classic Genesis live album Seconds Out

By Chris Roberts last updated 14 October 24

"It's got some good stuff on it," says a typically understated Tony Banks, on Genesis's Seconds Out

“Lavish yet controlled angst… for what was then considered regular pop music, it’s fearlessly miserable”: Ultravox’s 40th anniversary edition of Lament

By Chris Roberts published 25 September 24

Classy reissue package includes contributions from Steven Wilson and Moby, plus live show that proves they could deliver on stage too

Peter Gabriel performing in costume with rock group Genesis, Newcastle City Hall, 1st October 1972

“It was early days for the band. We’d gone out on a limb… it was by no means certain that the response would be positive”: Genesis’ early fears for Foxtrot

By Chris Roberts published 15 September 24

Barely planned, recorded in fits and starts and complete with one of King Crimson’s Mellotron, their 1972 album was, they believe, the moment they began to be taken seriously

Actors, artists, transvestites, junkies and wannabes: How Lou Reed made the defining album of his career

By Chris Roberts published 8 September 24

Rudderless after the Velvet Underground, Lou Reed ditched New York for London and hooked up with David Bowie: The rest is history

“I felt they were having second thoughts… I got quite angry – ‘Just stop the bus, I’ll get off, no problem’”: Ray Wilson knows what went wrong during his time in Genesis

By Chris Roberts published 1 September 24

The singer who fronted 1997’s Calling All Stations only had one serious argument with Tony Banks and Mike Rutherford – and remains glad he was there at all

“History tends to point to 1975 as something of a slump… worthy names prove it was another very good year”: Ring The Bells And Sing – Progressive Sounds Of 1975 box set

By Chris Roberts published 31 August 24

With Yes and Genesis between albums, Camel, Renaissance, Gentle Giant, Be Bop Deluxe, Soft Machine, Steve Hillage and Steve Hackett were among those proved here to be keeping the quality high

Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks: True cover art

"Hugging the corners of Seventies Yes with just the right balance of mimicry and mutability": Jon Anderson and The Band Geeks capture the right essence on True

By Chris Roberts published 23 August 24

Jon Anderson taps into spirit of Yes, aided by The Band Geeks and that bloke out of Blue Öyster Cult

“If anybody had him pigeonholed as the master of epic melancholy, they’re in for a shock”: Tim Bowness displays a stunning change of pace with Powder Dry

By Chris Roberts published 16 August 24

His voice is as mellifluous as ever – but with songs averaging around two minutes long, this dynamic album feels like a reset

"A rewarding retrospective, not dissimilar to the kind revered artists get at major museums": Elvis Presley's Memphis recordings are immortal gold

By Chris Roberts published 8 August 24

Memphis is a mammoth, probably definitive set of Elvis Presley's Bluff City belters

The Police - Synchronicity 40th Anniversary

“Proof that three men can grate on each other’s last remaining nerves but still retain unique chemistry and deliver diamonds”: The Police’s Synchronicity (40th Anniversary Edition)

By Chris Roberts published 4 August 24

Tension-torn trio’s final studio album extended with fascination under-construction demo collection and energetic live show

“When the mood took them, the prog legends of the 70s could write simple but catchy music with aplomb”: The 40 greatest Yes songs ever

By Jerry Ewing, Grant Moon, Chris Roberts, Johnny Sharp, David West published 25 July 24

When 50,000 Prog magazine readers voted on the band’s catalogue, the resulting chart contained a few surprises

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Chris Roberts

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