John Wesley: Disconnect

Guitar star sidles convincingly centre-stage.

You can trust Louder Our experienced team has worked for some of the biggest brands in music. From testing headphones to reviewing albums, our experts aim to create reviews you can trust. Find out more about how we review.

John Wesley is among the very few musicians equally entrusted by both sides of the Fish-Marillion divide, though despite having released five of his own full-length albums between 1994 and 2005, and also helped out Sound Of Contact during a recent batch of live dates, the Floridian is probably best known as a long-term touring guitarist for both Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson.

After rediscovering his mojo a year ago, an underrated talent has stepped back out from the shadows. Disconnect is very much a guitarist’s album, though its creator rarely resorts to mere widdling. There’s a real substance to the likes of Any Old Saint and Take What You Need; personal songs with real dirt under their fingernails.

Alex Lifeson from Rush also contributes a majestic guitar solo to one of the album’s weightiest yet most memorable tunes, Once A Warrior. Indeed, last issue Wesley proposed the notion that the album has ‘a Rush vibe’.

With its references to booze, sweat, drowning and greed, it’s patently the handiwork of a man who’s lived a bit. More than just a gun for hire, John Wesley craves a little of your time. On this evidence, he’s been hiding away for too long.

Dave Ling
News/Lives Editor, Classic Rock

Dave Ling was a co-founder of Classic Rock magazine. His words have appeared in a variety of music publications, including RAW, Kerrang!, Metal Hammer, Prog, Rock Candy, Fireworks and Sounds. Dave’s life was shaped in 1974 through the purchase of a copy of Sweet’s album ‘Sweet Fanny Adams’, along with early gig experiences from Status Quo, Rush, Iron Maiden, AC/DC, Yes and Queen. As a lifelong season ticket holder of Crystal Palace FC, he is completely incapable of uttering the word ‘Br***ton’.