Issue Issue 155 - Prog (2024)

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Since its arrival at the tail end of the 60s progressive rock has offered the world some of the most fascinating music ever heard, in varying guises over the years. Prog magazine brings you the stories behind the people who create these astounding sounds and amazing music, be they the classic originators such as Genesis, Pink Floyd and Yes, to the 80s revivalists such as Marillion and IQ, all the way through to those musicians today who have done so much to help rejuvenate the genre such as Muse, Radiohead, Steven Wilson, Opeth and Anathema. In depth and behind the scenes stories of classic albums and tours sit side by side with widespread coverage of what‘s happening at today’s cutting edge of progressive music.

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in this issue

REGULARSDiscoveringGiant Electric Pea (GEP) formed in 1992 when prog rock mainstay IQ began preparing their first post-major album, Ever, and were looking for a sympathetic label to release it. It quickly became clear that all the major record labels had lost interest in the progressive rock genre, so in response a team of devoted musicians, businessmen and technicians took matters into their own hands and founded GEP, the first truly independent label for progressive rock. With the success of Ever in 1993 the team thought, “If we can do it for IQ, maybe we can help other bands to reach a bigger audience?” Since then, GEP have worked with a succession of artists, from well-known names such as Spock’s Beard, Solstice and Big Big Train to classic performers John Wetton…1 min

REGULARSWhat’s on your free Giant Electric Pea digital album1 IQ No Dominion (First Studio Mix) Taken from Dominion 2 Pattern-Seeking Animals The Seventh Sleeper Taken from Friend Of All Creatures 3 Southern Empire Crossroads Taken from Civilisation 4 Returned To The Earth Drowning Taken from Fall Of The Watcher 5 Damanek A Mountain Of Sky Taken from Making Shore 6 Solstice Love Is Coming Taken from Sia 7 Rain Devils Will Reign Take from Singularity 8 IQ Harvest Of Souls Taken from Dark Matter 9 The Lens To The Power Of Five Taken from Regeneration 10 Purposeful Porpoise Unexplored Taken from The Water Games 11 Security Project Family Snapshot Taken from Live 2 12 Southern Empire How Long Taken from Southern Empire 13 IQ The Road Of Bones Taken from The Road Of Bones 14 Martin Orford Ray…1 min

IN THIS ISSUEEd’s LetterHello and welcome to the latest issue of Prog. Back in 2020, we put Fish on the cover to discuss his impending retirement. It even gave us the opportunity to utilise Douglas Adams’s great book title, So Long, And Thanks For All The Fish. Little did we realise that four years later, we’d be bidding Fish farewell once again, although, as our cover states, this time he really means it. When the current tour is over, Fish and his wife Simone will repair to the Isle of Berneray in the Outer Hebrides to work their croft. And maybe write some books. The big man reflects on a marvellous career and tells Philip Wilding all about his plans for the future in our cover story, and we go full circle, too,…2 min

REGULARSBloody Well WriteAPPRECIATING NAD I attended Steve Hackett’s excellent gig in Portsmouth this October. As the only member of Genesis still honouring their prog years, as well as his solo achievements, hats off to Steve for keeping this material alive. But something has niggled for years: vocalist Nad Sylvan – one of the most underrated names in prog, in my view, and an excellent frontman – is always shoved up the back of the stage, behind the sax player even, seemingly kept in his place. He was at least granted a higher podium for some of the set, but still at the back. Nad deserves better. We get that you’re the star of the show, Steve, but stepping to one side here and there to allow the singer to shine wouldn’t go…5 min

REGULARSDELUXE BOX SET OF THE LAMB LIES DOWN ON BROADWAY TO BE REISSUEDA 50th-anniversary super-deluxe edition of Genesis’s 1974 classic, The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway, is due for release via Rhino in March, although the exact date had still to be confirmed at the time of going to press. The expanded edition of the band’s sixth studio album – and the last to feature the classic line-up of Peter Gabriel, Steve Hackett, Tony Banks, Mike Rutherford and Phil Collins – will be available in multiple formats that include CD, vinyl and Blu-ray with Dolby Atmos and hi-resolution remixes. The bumper versions also feature a live recording and never-before-released material as well as a new book and reproductions of their 1975 tour paraphernalia. “This album was something new for audiences. It’s a Genesis classic.” The Lamb Lies Down On Broadway marked a…3 min

REGULARSPENDRAGON CONFIRM WEEKENDER FOR 2025Gloucestershire’s beloved neo-proggers Pendragon will hold the 2025 edition of their UK VIP weekender in Exeter between September 6–7. It’s a change of location once again as the band look to bring their intimate affair to a new part of the country. First launched in 2023 in Morecombe before moving to Peterbrough last year, Pendragon’s annual event will next year take place at the recently refurbished Northcott Theatre, which is located on Exeter University’s campus. The venue is conveniently placed for easy access to the M5, Exeter St David’s train station and Exeter airport. Once inside, fans won’t go hungry either as the theatre will provide hot and cold food and refreshments at the bar, while Pendragon serve up an extensive triptych of sets. Saturday’s festivities feature a full-band set…1 min

Issue Issue 155 - Prog (2024)

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