Ask any musician what the highlight of their recent tour might be and the answers will invariably range from positive crowd reaction to the new material, through to a hospitality rider that includes a decent feed as much as libation, perhaps Wi-Fi that works or even just good old camaraderie in the tour bus.
For Dave Brock, linchpin of the venerable space rock institution that is Hawkwind, it's all of these things and more, not least as the six-date tour that he recently completed in support of the band's 36th album, Stories From Time And Space very nearly didn't happen.
"It was quite hard going because prior to that, I had just come out of hospital," recalls Brock as he talks to Prog from his farmhouse in Devon. "I got Covid earlier on in February and I was really ill. It affects your breathing a lot and, you know, singing and all that was quite difficult. It knocked my heart out of sync, so I had to go to hospital. I've had all the checks." Much like the stoic generation of which he's a member, 82-year-old Brock isn't one to dwell on what might have been or what he had to go through to get match fit, so we'll draw a discreet veil over his recuperation. Instead, he's more interested in how the tour developed and how his enforced hospitalisation actually brought out the best in his bandmates - that'll be guitarist-singer Magnus Martin, keyboardist Tim 'Thighpaulsandra' Lewis, bassist Doug Mackinnon and longtime drummer Richard Chadwick.
"I started getting better as I went along," Brock reassures airily. "The band had been rehearsing without me for all of March. And because they didn't know if I was going to be able to do it or not, they'd been practising all their vocals. The good thing was, all of them can sing. Some of them say they can't sing, but they really can. So, when I came back, we had really good backing vocals!”
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Esta historia es de la edición Issue 150 de Prog.
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Dig The New Breed
Supergroup collaborator and solo artist Neal Morse has switched things up for his latest album, No Hill For A Climber, and brought in a new team of young talent, referred to as The Resonance. The artist discusses working in a different way, the challenges of lyric-writing, and whether this spells the end of his songwriting partnership with Mike Portnoy.
Tree, Surgin
Formed in Norway in the early 90s, White Willow were among the retro-sounding bands that were at the forefront of Scandinavia's progressive revival, along with Anekdoten and Änglagård. Although they've been inactive for the last seven or so years, their first six albums are in the process of being reissued via Karisma Records. Bandleader Jacob Holm-Lupo revisits those early releases and reveals that album eight could be on the way soon.
An Accidental Decade
Ten years ago, the whimsical stories on Tiger Moth Tales' debut album, Cocoon, captured the imagination of the prog world. Marking the decade with a 10th anniversary edition of the album, TMT's Peter Jones shares some of his personal highlights with Prog and explains why he's still coming to terms with where it all went right.
Rite Here, Rite Now
After a 17-year break, Swedish four-piece Ritual have made a very welcome return with the first part of The Story Of Mr. Bogd. Guitarist/vocalist Patrik Lundström discusses embracing their inner child, the magic of Moomins and the musical journey that led to the creation of the two-part concept album.
The Hiet Is On
The Finnish musical everyman Marko Hietala has been through it all: mental-health issues, leaving the mighty Nightwish and even a stint on reality TV. Fortunately his new album, Roses From The Deep, reveals that he's still as much of a force as ever. Prog caught up with him to find out more.
LIFTING SHADOWS OFF A Dream
It was the reunion that no one thought would ever happen, but after 15 years of making music without him, Dream Theater have welcomed back co-founder Mike Portnoy on their 16th studio album. The drummer discusses Parasomnia, healing old wounds and touring the classic line-up for the band's 40th anniversary.
Ladies And Gentlemen, We Are Floating In Space
Buckle up and prepare to be taken on the ride of a lifetime. Steven Wilson is back with The Overview, an album that even he admits is prog. Comprising two tracks, the conceptual suite includes lyrics from XTC's Andy Partridge and visuals that are out of this world. Prog visits the musician at home to get the lowdown.
RECURRING DREAMS
On his latest album, Heard Noises, Matt Berry takes a leap of faith musically and brings in a more reflective and, at times, confessional approach to lyric-writing. The actor-musician tells Prog about his mind-shift since entering his fifth decade and the very special gift he received from one of his musical heroes that's also played a role on the album package.
Hell - Ain't A Bad Place To Be
In celebration of three decades together, Mogwai have transformed a difficult period into a blazing post-rock extravaganza. The Bad Fire finds the \"prog curious\" Scots in fine form and taking unexpected inspiration from King Crimson, Jan Hammer and Pink Floyd. Bandleader Stuart Braithwaite admits it's never too late to discover The Dark Side Of The Moon.
DORIE JACKSON
Kaprekar's Constant vocalist on her solo career, her dad's influence and why she's happiest being a team player.
