PA:   Speaking of collaboration, to what extent do you actually "collaborate" with a group?  Do they merely pick from an existing series of paintings, or do you draw each cover in response to something - e.g., the music, album title, or album concept?

Roger Dean: We talk, sometimes a great deal, but it is rare if ever that there is a collaboration in the sense you mean.  Strangely enough, a band usually puts its most successful efforts in defining an album into the title, either directly or by allusion.  For example, Fragile and Close to the Edge.

Tales from Topographic Oceans probably came nearest to being a collaboration. Jon and I talked more or less non-stop for eight or nine hours about patterns in the landscape as we flew over Siberia on our way to Japan in 1973.

PA:  How do you choose which groups you will do work for?  Have you ever turned down a group who wanted you to do an album cover?  Would you do an album cover for a group you didn't like (the music of), or for a form of music you didn't enjoy?  What group(s) do you feel "complemented" your own style best?

Roger Dean: This is a very organic process, and I think fate, or destiny, or chance, depending upon your point of view, plays a big role in how things happen. I do know a lot of people who could broadly be described as making up the “Progressive Rock Community,” but at that time I was not aware that such a thing existed. I like all kinds of music and don’t think of myself as a “Prog Rock Fan” or the fan of any other specific thing.  I could just as happily listen to ‘Madame Butterfly,’ ‘Yes,’ ‘Howling Wolf,’ ‘Led Zep,’ ‘Link Wray,’ ‘Pink Floyd’ or even ‘Eminem.’

PA:   Following up on that, is it important for you to listen to the music of a group prior to creating a cover for them, or is that not necessary?  In either case, how often do you do that?

Roger Dean: That is almost never possible no matter how desirable. The cover is often needed long before the music is finished. I have had the experience of a record company flying me halfway around the world to “hear” an album being created in a studio, only to hear the same drum and bass track being played day after day, and never knowing which track it was. The useful thing is spending time with the band talking.

PA:   Why do you think there is such a "natural" relationship between your art and prog music in particular?

Roger Dean: I would like to think anything I did was “natural,” but I do feel very fortunate, very privileged when people think a relationship is “natural” and it’s something I am very grateful for.

PA:   Are there any places on earth that capture your imagination, inspire you, or simply give you pleasure?

Roger Dean: Yes!! The mountains of Scotland and Wales, the mountains of Hong Kong (long buried in developments), Utah, and Arizona. The South Downs Pine Forests … so many places … Big Sur,  Point Lobos in California, New England.

PA:  Has the demise of vinyl, and the 12" sleeve, impacted how you go about providing an illustration for an album?  When designing LP sleeves, were you conscious of the fact that the left hand portion would form the back cover and the right the front, and did this affect the layout?

Roger Dean: The simple answers: no and no. I make a painting to work as a painting with no reference to how it has to work as a cover. This often changes with different formats anyway, but no, the painting is my sole focus.

PA:   Although most artists hate this question, one of our members would like to know which album cover(s) of yours you consider personal favorites.  If you do answer, what makes them favorites?

Roger Dean: In two styles: Asia Alpha and Yes Relayer--which I consider as tinted drawings--and The Dragons Garden, The Centre of the Earth, Red Dragon, and Floating Jungle, representing a very painterly approach. In the former, they were very much planned in advance. With the latter, they evolved gradually as I worked … with me personally getting a lot of feedback from the canvas.

PA:   Do you also paint straight landscapes, or portraits, or any other subject matter or style that might surprise many of your fans?  Do you accept commissions for work outside music, and, if so, which of these are you most proud of?

Roger Dean: Hmmmmmmm, not really in the sense I think you mean. However, most of my paintings are drawn in every sense from real life.  Nearly all my trees, for example, are portraits or combinations of portraits of trees.

PA:  Is there any "label" that bothers you: "Album cover artist?"  "Fantasy artist?"  "Pop artist?"  Etc.?  How would you best describe yourself and your work?

Roger Dean: All these would bother me. Any label such as these are self-limiting.  I would just call myself an artist. Not any particular kind of artist. When asked what I do for a living, I say “I’m an artist,” or “I’m an artist and designer.”

PA:  Did you ever work in tandem, or in any capacity, with the Hipgnosis group, and Storm Thorgeson in particular?  What, if anything, do you think of their work, particularly the covers they did for prog groups like Pink Floyd?

Roger Dean: Yes. Storm is an old friend and a great artist and I love Hipgnosis’ work.

PA:   Are there any other album cover artists (in any genre) whom you admire?  If so, why?

Roger Dean: Many, but here’s a few: Rick Griffin, Mouse and Kelly Vaughn Oliver.

PA:  You are involved in quite a number and variety of projects, including architecture.  Can you talk about some of them?  Any future projects in mind?

Roger Dean: There are quite a number of projects, and when I can we will announce them on my website.

PA:  Forgive this question, but so many of our members are so incredibly curious: did you (or do you) dabble in any "illicit substances?"  If so, what, if any, effect did they have on your art?

Roger Dean: I don’t smoke, drink or take anything …pretty much not even caffeine … and apart from fish, I’m more or less a vegetarian.

PA:  Thank you so much for your time and patience.  And thank you again for making ProgArchives your "prog music" home on the Internet.  We are honored to have you in our "family," and please know that you always have a "home" here with us.

Roger Dean:  My pleasure.