INTERVIEW
SOUND CHASER
Progressive rock mastermind and super producer Steven Wilson explains his abstract approach to guitar on his new album The Future Bites, reveals the secrets of his studio gear, and makes the shocking confession: “I DON’T KNOW THE NAMES OF THE CHORDS I PLAY!”
Words Amit Sharma
When I looked at my schedule and saw Total Guitar, I thought, ‘Oh god, what are we going to talk about?!’” laughs Steven Wilson as he notes that his latest album, The Future Bites, is one of the least guitardriven records he’s put his name to. “There are guitars on there,” he says, “but they’re being used in more of a sound design kind of way. And that goes for even the solos! They’re not conventional muso leads, they’re quite abstract and dissonant in places... More about the way the guitar sound integrates within the overall texture of the song and the rest of the musical palette.”
Though he clearly distances himself from being seen as any kind of guitar hero, the ever-evolving English singersongwriter has become one of the biggest names in progressive pop music, in many ways a modern equivalent to David Bowie in the 70s or Prince the decade after. As well as fronting Porcupine Tree for over 20 years, and working with other musicians in projects such as Blackfield, Storm Corrosion and No-Man, he’s also been highly lauded for producing bands including Opeth and Anathema, and remixing famous works by King Crimson, Jethro Tull and Yes.
But it’s his solo endeavours that have led to him playing multiple nights at the Royal Albert Hall and crashing into the top 10 of numerous album charts across Europe, described by mainstream broadsheets as ‘The most successful British artist you’ve never heard of’.
Speaking to TG from his home studio, he talks through the creative process behind The Future Bites and gets into the fine detail about his favourite tools...