Steven Wilson Vs. Roine Stolt

I know, but if we're going to have another one of these, then let's discuss it outside a framework that started out as a negative interaction between two people who are not evenly matched. Let's face it, Steven is a native speaker of the lingo, whereas Roine is Swedish.

...and interestingly, Wetton felt the climate in which he could pull off ambitious improvisations in concert with KC didn't really exist anymore in the 90s (when the interview was published) and they had to restrict themselves to more modest stuff.  Quite the opposite of what Wilson suggests, it would appear.

Mirror Image wrote: richardh wrote: No one can actually define exactly what is 'progressive music' least of all Steven who obviously has his own agenda. Its the fans that decide what is progressive not the musicians. You pays your money you takes your choice is an old adage and one I adhere to. Another way of putting it is the public gets the public wants and if the puiblic wants recycled prog then there were always be artists like Stolt happy to deliver it. The fans don't decide anything. The fans also don't dictate what a band does or will ever do. I think you're reasoning here, especially in regards to Stolt is pretty damn negative. If anybody is the death of progressive rock, it's YOU.

not given the amount of money I spend on prog it isn't

I have been a PT/SW fan since 2003. PT nor SW is progressive rock, though elements exist therein. If you listen to PT live at XM I , he catalogs the band quite well. He is a talented song writer/performer. He writes mostly dark material that is far from what progressive rock is all about.

prog4evr wrote: Touche!  You caught me in a drunken rage.  You are right - I do care... P.S.  I totally agree on your adulation of Shostakovich!  I would add Rachmaninov to him as well...

I prefer SW of the two. TFK sounds like retro prog to my ears, and thus not really 'true' prog. He was a little arrogant in this interview, lol, but that's Steve for you. I don't think it's cool to diss other bands or your contemporaries. I am a big fan of Steven's music, though

^ not convinced that the album is stripped of filler as you state although I do like the powerfull drumming and its certainly better than Glass Hammer's 'If'. I think if I was to review it I might give it 3 stars for being a throughly professional job on the playing side. Production is decent enough also. Overall its not terrible thats for sure and I will listen to it again despite my admittedly over the top reaction to MIrror Images equally OTT post.

Roj, you said it perfectly!

I love both Wilson and Stolt's musical outputs.  I find Stolt to be a bit more modest and diplomatic (certainly in this case, of the thread topic), but really both are very, very good at what they do.

I have never thought of Porcupine Tree as Progressive at all.  Honestly I don't see much "progress" between Signify and The Incident (in terms of style, musical approach, atmosphere, etc.).

The same is more or less true for the Flower Kings, though I think they have made far more of an effort to change it up from album to album.  Which is something others might not notice if they haven't followed them from album to album, which I have done with both PT and FK.

I love Wilson's latest solo album, and Storm Corrosion.  However, I don't think it gets much more "retro" than those two albums, in just about every possible way.  Still, I wouldn't call them "copies" of anything, just heavily influenced by early 70's prog (mainly Crimson, but some others as well).

As to the interview, that was not the first time I read an interview with Wilson where he came across as smug and superior.  I think that is maybe just how he is, which is fine with me, as long as he keeps making good music.  I don't have to like him personally to enjoy it.  And maybe he's not really like that in private, I don't know.

I think the moral of this thread is that everyone thinks they know best what is prog and what isn't, and that the rest of us must be deluded for not seeing the supreme wisdom in their musical viewpoints.  We all want to believe we are special, and we probably all are in some way or other.  Music, however, is what it is, regardless of individual opinions.  Both of these individuals are skilled and devoted creators, and for that I am grateful, even if I don't love every note they produce.


Edited by infandous - August 06 2012 at 15:04

hey guys, i'm going to post some old articles that show gabriel and anderson feuding over prog rock!

richardh wrote: Mirror Image wrote: richardh wrote: No one can actually define exactly what is 'progressive music' least of all Steven who obviously has his own agenda. Its the fans that decide what is progressive not the musicians. You pays your money you takes your choice is an old adage and one I adhere to. Another way of putting it is the public gets the public wants and if the puiblic wants recycled prog then there were always be artists like Stolt happy to deliver it. The fans don't decide anything. The fans also don't dictate what a band does or will ever do. I think you're reasoning here, especially in regards to Stolt is pretty damn negative. If anybody is the death of progressive rock, it's YOU. not given the amount of money I spend on prog it isn't   I downloaded (regrettably) the new TFK album and its just the usual heartless stuff that I will doubt I will want to revisit.Stolt knows his market oh too well. Music needs to be driven by something other than formulas imo.