The Camera Eyes

PROG ROCK IN FOCUS

Ed’s Letter

Hello, and welcome to the new issue of

Bloody Well Write

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BIG BIG TRAIN’S MODERNISED SOUND

With a new line-up and a different approach to songwriting, David Longdon and Greg Spawton explore how recent times have changed us and them on their album Common Ground

HAWKWIND ENTER THE REALM OF SLEEP

New album Somnia explores Roman gods and visions in the dark

TOM NEWMAN PRESENTS A NEW FAERIE SYMPHONY

Album and EP develop themes from 44 years ago

GENTLE GIANT LOVE WILSON’S FREE HAND

Derek Shulman believes remix of 1975 album demonstrates the band’s strengths

INTRO extras

KINGFISHER SKY ON THE RISE Kingfisher Sky will release

NOSOUND’S ERRA CHANNELS HIS PAIN

Giancarlo’s second solo album Departure Tapes deals with his father’s cancer battle

CAST MARK FOUR DECADES OF PROG WITH 20TH ALBUM

Mexican veterans return with “very diverse” Vigesimus

STYX CRASH BACK TO THE PAST ON LATEST

New concept album seeks to offer positive message with lessons learned

INTRO extras

MICHAEL WOODMAN'S SINISTER NOSTALGIA Michael Woodman of Thumpermonkey

DIM GRAY EXTEND DEBUT ALBUM FLOWN

Norwegian post-prog trio offer glimpse into their early days with first physical versions

PLENTY RAID ARCHIVES FOR MORE THAN ENOUGH

Tim Bowness’ 80s trio return with double-length release

FAD GADGETS

Rhodri Marsden on three of the latest must-have gizmos currently putting the prog in progress

CICCADA

Greek collective aim to balance global ambitions with the reality of being located in “a small country in the far corner of Europe.”

PROG IN BRIEF

Dream Theater (right) will release a “treasure trove”

CALIGONAUT

Self-effacing Airbag acolyte makes solo hay with a little help from his friends

SENSE OF ENTITLEMENT

A Prog writer says there’s not enough distance between artists and fans

OPETH KLUB

Kristian and Benjamin Mølgaard share their mission to unite Opeth’s fans via their Denmark-based online club

PROG IN BRIEF

The Resonance Association (right) end a four-year hiatus

RÏCÏNN

Igorrr vocalist follows a more tribal path on her evocative solo album

Now our turn…

The Editor Jerry Ewing STONE GIANTS West Coast

LEAGUE OF LIGHTS

Irresistible art-pop project from Threshold’s keyboard player and his vocalist wife

CHRISTIAN RICHET

Kosmiche traveller harnesses celestial energy on his latest recording

DAVID COUSINS

Strawbs’ new album, Settlement, is vivid proof that not even a global shutdown could stop them from adding to their powerful legacy. Fifty-two years after the band’s self-titled debut planted their flag as progressive rock groundbreakers, frontman David Cousins describes the improbable creation of their latest recording

“Who plays like that? Nobody”

The year was 1970 and Robert Fripp was on the verge of quitting King Crimson. Just 12 months after their original line-up had imploded, they were facing internal rifts again on third album Lizard. But along came Islands – the only studio recording to feature the touring line-up of Fripp, Mel Collins, Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace – and the band’s trajectory was changed for good. As the Crimsons’ fourth album hits the big 5-0, their biographer reassembles the cast and looks back on the reinvention and reshaping of one of progressive rock’s most influential acts

PETER SINFIELD: WHERE NEXT?

Post Crimson, Sinfield produced, wrote and even recorded his lone solo album…

THE BURRELL AND WALLACE SHOW

Despite their short tenure in King Crimson, both Boz Burrell and Ian Wallace made a considerable mark on rock music

THE KEITH TIPPETT JAZZ CONNECTION

Although he declined Fripp’s invitation to join King Crimson, Keith Tippett and Robert Fripp have had a lasting impression on each other’s work

LOCKDOWN LUNACY

From Metallica to Britney Spears, the Fripp-Willcox’s Sunday Lunch series has shown off another side to King Crimson’s serious guitarist

Penny Rimbaud

Anarcho punk and prog? Has Prog completely lost the plot? Not at all! The Crass co-founder started his musical career in the avant-garde performance art groups EXIT and Ceres Confusion, collaborated with jazz musicians with Crass Agenda, and has recently revisited the world of concept albums with a full-length recording inspired by John Coltrane and the life of  French poet Arthur Rimbaud.    So it’s high time we asked: how prog is Penny Rimbaud?  

THE PROG INTERVIEW

DENNIS  DE YOUNG

IT BITES

Francis who? It Bites’ triumphant second act finally gets its time in the spotlight with the reissue of two 21st century prog classics

MY PROG

Scott Milligan (Kitten Pyramid)

THE (UN)LIKELY LADS

He’s the snooker legend and Prog columnist, and his companion the frontman of Gong and Knifeworld, together they became the unlikely voices of a prog radio show and two-thirds of otherworldly trio The Utopia Strong. Now Steve Davis and Kavus Torabi have teamed up for their joint memoirs, Medical Grade Music. Prog gets the lowdown on their latest extra-curricular activities

The Future Bites

It was the album that should have launched Ian Anderson’s solo career, but A nearly broke Jethro Tull. The frontman revisits the heady 80s and discusses the Big Split, nuclear war and inadvisable stagewear

Map To Nowhere?

In 2019, It Bites’ drummer Bob Dalton announced the band had split up. Two years on, the band’s 00s albums, The Tall Ships and Map Of The Past, have lovingly been remastered and reissued amid rumours that new material could well be on the way. Prog caught up with Dalton and John Mitchell to find out the real story behind their stormy past

All Change!

Never a band to repeat themselves, VOLA have created their most diverse album yet with Witness. Prog catches up with singer Asger Mygind and drummer Adam Janzi to discuss their new sound and why one track even found them searching for “a hip hop vibe”

Space Lords

Nik Turner and Killing Joke bassist/remixer extraordinaire Youth have reunited for a return journey to kosmische city with Interstellar Energy. Prog catches up with the pair to find out the story behind their inspired collaboration and their future plans

POETS CORNER

At first glance Nad Sylvan might have little in common with WB Yeats, but appearances can be deceptive. On the Swedish vocalist’s latest release, Spiritus Mundi, he closes the coffin lid on his Vampirate trilogy and finds inspiration in the work of the celebrated Irish writer who was once awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature

Lunar Rovers

For their eighth album Flat White Moon, multi-instrumentalist Sunderland siblings Field Music have found much needed comfort, joy and inspiration in the sounds they grew up with, and their favourite ever records. They’ve also been spreading the love with community projects all over their city – sorry, “town”

DON’T STOP BELIEVING

Against all odds Kayak have returned with their 18th studio album, Out Of This World. Prog catches up with co-founder Ton Scherpenzeel to find out more and take a glance over the Dutch band’s career so far

The Best US Prog Band

You’ve Never  Heard [© Rolling Stone]

Inner Visions

In 2010, Tame Impala released an album that would change the course of modern psychedelic prog. InnerSpeaker took Kevin Parker on a journey from western Australia’s underground clubs to international arenas and led to him becoming a sought-after music producer. Prog takes the reluctant rock star on a trip down memory lane to celebrate the LP’s 10th anniversary reissue

Fables Of Deconstruction

She made her debut on the UK’s post-rock scene in early 2019 and sold out her first headline show at London’s Southbank Centre less than a year later, but even 2020 couldn’t slow down AA Williams. When the cellist-turned-singer-songwriter decided to add a new sheen to some old musical gems last year, she had no idea the result would help her not only find a new audience but also develop new skills. She takes Prog on a journey through Songs From Isolation.