
Grant Moon
A music journalist for over 20 years, Grant writes regularly for titles including Prog, Classic Rock and Total Guitar, and his CV also includes stints as a radio producer/presenter and podcast host. His first book, 'Big Big Train - Between The Lines', is out now through Kingmaker Publishing.
Latest articles by Grant Moon

NoSound’s To The Core could be a masochistic experience – but it’s worth it
By Grant Moon published
In these difficult times, it could be a masochistic experience for some – but it’s thoughtful, sensitive and worth it

“As I grew, hopefully my writing was growing too”: Five great Al Di Meola albums
By Grant Moon published
From fruitful fusion forays to gentle world acoustica, the revered guitarist has covered a lot of ground since joining Return To Forever at the age of 20

Carl Sentance isn’t much of a prog fan, but his respect for Don Airey is limitless
By Grant Moon published
Metal is more the singer’s thing, but he’s in awe of his bandmate’s achievements with Deep Purple, Jethro Tull, Colosseum II and others

How Van Halen followed one of rock's greatest-ever debuts
By Grant Moon published
For their second album, Van Halen created an infectious sound that was perfect for the new decade, and a look that MTV couldn’t get enough of

“I paid a scalper $400 to see The Who play Tommy. It was worth it”: Mike Portnoy’s prog world
By Grant Moon published
The Dream Theater drummer’s musical world includes Rush, Yes, King Crimson, Roger Waters and Frank Zappa – alongside the Bee Gees

Big Big Train once hated 2002 album Bard. Long deleted, the dark secret has become a rare gem
By Grant Moon published
In the process of remastering it for a limited edition, friendships were rekindled, music was re-evaluated, and the band’s current line-up demonstrated what the quarter-century journey had been all about

The prog world of Nightwish’s Troy Donockley
By Grant Moon published
Multi-instrumentalist on the musician he’d most like to work with, his leading inspiration, his guilty musical pleasure and his passion for baking bread

Lifesigns’ John Young on Kate Bush’s baking, Frank Zappa’s humour and Patrick Moraz’s romance
By Grant Moon published
Keyboardist on Kate Bush’s baking, Frank Zappa’s humour, Patrick Moraz’s romance, Eva Cassidy’s mystery – and buying his own band’s album from Amazon

The Band's second album is an acknowledged classic, but there are some dissenters
By Classic Rock Magazine published
For their second album, The Band relocated from upstate New York to California and turned Sammy Davis Jr.’s poolhouse into a makeshift studio

Richard Thompson’s battle with barking dogs, planes and leaf blowers to make Acoustic Classics
By Grant Moon published
Richard Thompson thought 2014 solo album Acoustic Classics would just be a nice product for his merch stall – until he’d got over his reluctance to make it

More than a shredbot: The Joe Satriani albums you should definitely listen to
By Grant Moon published
Joe Satriani’s spectacular albums have dazzled and inspired for the best part of four decades, and these are the best of the bunch

The Datsuns back themselves into a musical cul-de-sac on Outta Sight / Outta Mind
By Classic Rock Magazine published
The trousers were tight, the guitars were wielded like weapons, but The Datsuns' second album hasn't aged well

“He encouraged us to dream big”: How Bob Ezrin brought out the prog in Kula Shaker
By Grant Moon published
Crispian Mills hails the “complete maniac” Pink Floyd, Peter Gabriel and Alice Cooper producer for his work on 1999 album Peasants, Pigs & Astronauts

How hard rock supergroup Chickenfoot restarted the party on their second album, III
By Grant Moon published
Chickenfoot’s second album, III, picked up where their debut left off

"My mother took me to see Saga when I was 15. It was fantastic!". A glimpse inside Yogi Lang's prog world
By Grant Moon published
When German prog rockers RPWL released their album Crime Scene we grilled singer and keyboardist Yogi Lang on his prog loves

"I have the art for In The Court Of The Crimson King blown up on my office wall, right next to The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway." Nova Collective's Dan Briggs gives us a glimpse into his prog world...
By Grant Moon published
BTB&M bassist Dan Briggs formed Nova Collective with members of Haken and Cynic and they released their debut album The Further Side in 2017

“Think you’re heavy? Listen to this song from 1969!” Ivar Bjørnson’s gateway from metal to prog
By Grant Moon published
Norwegian multi-instrumentalist explains what the genres have in common, buying a synth just to learn one Pink Floyd song, and discovering musical airplane engines via his wife

How Rush and Pink Floyd led James Dean Bradfield to Man – a band he’d previously dismissed
By Grant Moon published
Manic Street Preachers frontman wasn’t convinced by his fellow Welsh musicians, until he discovered the Steely Dan and Little Feat elements of their 11th album

The anarchic early years of one of rock's most enigmatic groups, The Mars Volta
By Grant Moon published
An interview with The Mars Volta's Omar Rodriguez-Lopez and Cedric Bixler-Zavala

Kansas’ Joe Deninzon left the USSR and built a musical world out of a surprising coincidence
By Grant Moon published
Violinist discovered MTV and never looked back thanks to the influence of Yes, Rush, Zappa – and the band he’d later join

Focus guitarist Menno Gootjes on his prog life: Frank Zappa, Opeth, Genesis… Kiss
By Grant Moon published
He discovered Canterbury bands in his teens before moving on to Frank Zappa, Opeth, Genesis, obscure Dutch trio Three Dwarves Make War – oh, and Kiss

How William Shatner learned to love prog and make an album with the humanity of Star Trek
By Grant Moon published
Knowing some people would never get over the novelty, Billy Sherwood decided to go for broke with Ponder The Mystery, featuring Steve Vai, Rick Wakeman, Nik Turner, Edgar Froese and others

“Childlike qualities are where music comes from”: Tal Wilkenfeld’s prog connections
By Grant Moon published
Inspired by Tool, the Australian bassist got her big break from Jeff Beck and went on to play with Prince, The Who and Brian Wilson – and her solo work is equally impressive

Frank Zappa’s talent for using popular music to sell unpopular music, by people who helped
By Grant Moon published
Jon Anderson, Adrian Belew, Mike Keneally and Don Preston discuss dealing with the filthy freak’s genius up close – and what you’re missing if you haven’t investigated his catalogue
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