Rich Wilson

Articles by: Rich Wilson

“It was like having Billy Joel try to sing with Queensryche or Iron Maiden. It just didn’t work”: Watch five examples of Dream Theater’s early live struggles

By Rich Wilson published

Alarming shorts, pixie boots, meeting fans in silence, dad dancing – evidence that it takes a while to refine a stage sensation

Dream Theater

"To say it sounds too much like Dream Theater, I just can’t wrap my head around it. What do you want us to sound like?" Dream Theater hit back at the trolls with A View From The Top Of The World

By Rich Wilson published

Dream Theater's fifteenth studio album A View From The Top Of The World found them facing down online toxicity in fine form

Kansas in 2016

“It really wasn’t emotional… We walked to the front of the stage together and waved at the audience. He walked off, got into a car and drove off. That was it”: How Kansas survived Steve Walsh’s departure

By Rich Wilson published

Wayward sons regrouped after 2014 bombshell moment and returned with their first album in 16 years

Tiger Moth Tales

“I always get depressed at the beginning of the year and I thought this would be something to do and take my mind off it." Tiger Moth Tales and their A Song Of Spring

By Rich Wilson published

With 2022's A Song Of Spring, Tiger Moth Tales mainman Peter Jones looked back thematically to 2017’s The Depths Of Winter

The Tangent

"We do it the old way. If people like our music then they play it." The Tangent and COMM

By Rich Wilson published

The Tangent released their sixth studio album COMM in 2011. This is the story

Sons Of Apollo

"This band brings the spectacle of Van Halen or Guns N’ Roses into the prog platform." Sons Of Apollo and their second abum MMXX

By Rich Wilson published

Prog supergroup Sons Of Apollo returned in 2020 with a second album, MMXX, to prove they weren't just a flash in the pan

Tinyfish

"We figured if you were in a band, you got girls and it was a whole moment of ‘Well, I’ve got to lose my virginity before I’m 30’." The inspiration for Tinyfish's The Big Red Spark

By Rich Wilson published

Sadly defunct UK prog rockers Tinyfish tell the story of their third and final album, 2010's The Big Red Spark

Dream Theater

“Obviously we will have people who love Mike Portnoy, who won’t be able to accept the change and will probably still be bitter." How Dream Theater survived the loss of Mike Portnoy and made A Dramatic Turn Of Events

By Rich Wilson published

US prog metallers Dream Theater faced the unthinkable in 2010 when de facto band leader and drummer Mike Portnoy left the band. They returned a year later with a brand new drummer and album

“The label were less than pleased to be confronted by a 10-minute track with Robert Fripp on it… For Steven Wilson and I, that was the beginning of us having a genuine audience”: Tim Bowness recalls No-Man’s escape from pop

By Rich Wilson published

The duo lost their album budget and marketing support, but gained so much more when they went creatively wild on Flowermouth

Michael Romeo

“It might take a few people by surprise". Michael Romeo and his second solo album War Of The Worlds Pt. 1

By Rich Wilson published

With Symphony X's future somewhat uncertain, guitarist Michael Romeo decided to launch a solo career

Maschine

“Personally, I’d love to get to where Steven Wilson’s at". Luke Machin welcomes you to the Maschine

By Rich Wilson published

The story of how young UK prog rockers Maschine evolved from Concrete Lake, with a bit of help from The Tangent

Pendragon

"It was like falling off a log" - how Pendragon took on the pandemic. And won!

By Rich Wilson published

Nick Barrett's always chosen to do thing his way with Pendragon. Here he tells the story of battling back against being ion tour when Covid struck...

Symphony X

"We don’t cheese out with a bunch of noodling." Symphony X and Iconoclast

By Rich Wilson published

Singer Russell Allen and guitarist Michael Romeo talk us through Symphony X's eighth studio album Iconoclast

Haken

How Haken took their love of 80s prog and made Affinity

By Rich Wilson published

Yes' 90125, the Transformers cartoon soundtrack and Toto were just some of the influences for Haken's 2016 album Infinty

Sons Of Apollo

"No Dungeons & Dragons shit!": The Sons Of Apollo story

By Rich Wilson published

Modern day prog supergroup Sons Of Apollo introduced members of Guns N' Roses, Mr. Big and an AOR singer to the prog fraternity

Diving For Pearls album cover details

Diving For Pearls: the band who should have been kings of melodic rock

By Rich Wilson published

Diving For Pearls' self-titled debut album might be the greatest melodic rock album you've never heard - so where did it all go wrong?

Headspace

How Headspace made All That You Fear Is Gone

By Rich Wilson published

Damian Wilson and Adam Wakeman tell Prog the story of the band's second, and thus far latest album, 2016's All That You Fear Is Gone

D'Virgilio, Morse, Jennings

D'Virgilio, Morse and Jennings: three of a proggy kind

By Rich Wilson published

What happened when a member of Big Big Train, NMB and Haken joined forces for an album

Arjen Lucassen

The return of Arjen Lucassen's Star One

By Rich Wilson published

Following the success of his sprawling 2020 Ayreon Transitus album, Arjen Lucassen decided to dust off his Star One supergroup for a third album

Blackfield

Blackfield's For The Music: none more black

By Rich Wilson last updated

Blackfield's Avivi Geffen opens up on how being on the scene pf the assassination of former Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin still affects his music

Mariusz Duda

Riverside's Mariusz Duda reveals the story behind his 'lockdown trilogy' of solo albums

By Rich Wilson published

In 2021, Riverside's Mariusz Duda looked inwards to release Claustrophobic Universe - the second of his lockdown trilogy. He discusses the Vangelis and Tangerine Dream tapes that inspired his minimalist electronic instrumentals

Derek Sherinian shot against a black background with keyboard

"It’s all about making the best music possible." Derek Sherinian discusses The Phoenix

By Rich Wilson published

In 2020, Sons Of Apollo’s keysman Derek Sherinian regrouped with Protocol’s Simon Phillips for The Phoenix. Here he discusses working with Phillips, playing from the heart and that time he jammed with Eddie Van Halen

Streve Hackett

“It’s a heavier album than I’ve done before..."Steve Hackett on Surrender Of Silence

By Rich Wilson published

Steve Hackett discusses the making of his 27th studio album Surrender Of Silence

Fish

How Fish drew inspiration from family WWI experiences for A Feast Of Consequences

By Rich Wilson published

Fish talks us through the terror of almost losing his voice and how he drew inspiration from both his grandfather's WWI experiences for the personal A Feast Of Consequences

Marillion standing together, looking at the camera.

Marillion: a track by track guide to F.E.A.R

By Rich Wilson last updated

Marillion frontman Steve Hogarth talks us through their 2016 album F.E.A.R.