Progtopia Archives (general)

It's the end of a long and trying year, but that doesn't mean that there wasn't plenty of great music to be found in 2020. You'll hear Mark's picks for the top five albums of this year, plus five honorable mentions, all of which are worth your time.

Bands/artists featured (in alphabetical order):

Circuline

Simon Collins

The Cyberiam

Days Between Stations

Fish

Glass Hammer

Haken

Mark Kelly's Marathon

Silent Skies

Rick Wakeman

Originally posted 29 December 2020

Direct download: The_Five_From...2020.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:14pm EDT

For the second part of our Halloween 2020 special, we delve into the heavier side of progressive tracks with spooky titles and themes. Listen to songs from the Fierce and the Dead, Within Temptation, Odd Logic, Braindance, the Murder of My Sweet, Voyager, To-Mera, Venturia, Hemina, and the Cyberiam. To hear interviews and features with many of these bands, go to the Archival Episodes tab at www.progtopia.com. If this episode is too scary for you, check out Part 1 for some "lighter" fare!

Originally posted 29 October 2020

Direct download: Progtopia_Halloween_2020_Special_Part_2.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:08pm EDT

In the first part of our Halloween 2020 special, we highlight some of the (dare we say?) lighter progressive songs with creepy-sounding titles or themes. Hear tracks from Francis Dunnery, the Alan Parsons Project, iamthemorning, the Flower Kings, Edison's Children, Anathema, Atomic Rooster, Djam Karet, Darryl Way, In Continuum, Adam Rabin, and Tom Slatter. Many of these artists have been featured in past Progtopia episodes, so go to www.progtopia.com to hear from them. Check out Part 2 for some heavier tunes!

Originally posted 29 October 2020

Direct download: Progtopia_Halloween_2020_Special_Part_1.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:05pm EDT

With Genesis founder Mike Rutherford's recent 70th birthday, we thought we'd have a listen to five tracks from his non-Genesis output. That includes solo albums and, of course, his side band Mike + the Mechanics. Some of it's prog, some of it's not, but you can't deny he can write the kind of music many people enjoy listening to. Here's to you, Mr. Rutherford!

To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 16 October 2020

Direct download: The_Five_From...Mike_Rutherford.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:01pm EDT

The late Eric Woolfson spent the 70s and 80s as the silent but equal partner of Alan Parsons in the rock band named after the producer. Having penned hits like "Games People Play" and "Time," and even singing several of them himself, Woolfson eventually moved on from rock radio to writing scores for musical theatre. His subjects included historical figures like Sigmund Freud, Antoni Gaudi, and of course Edgar Allan Poe. With five such productions out there, it only follows that instead of spotlighting well-known Alan Parsons Project tracks, we take a look at one song from each of those musicals. Among those, you'll hear some updated takes on APP songs from years past, and Woolfson himself singing his own words once more. Find Woolfson and APP merchandise and music at www.ericwoolfsonmusic.com.

 To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 27 September 2020

Direct download: The_Five_From_Eric_Woolfson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:00pm EDT

Hailing from Perth, Western Australia, Voyager have spent the better part of two decades creating their signature blend of prog metal with hooks aplenty in every instrument and some of the slickest production around. Alex Canion, Ash Doodkorte, Simone Dow, Danny Estrin, and Scott Kay have been the lineup for the past few albums, the most recent of which -- Colours in the Sun -- was released in 2019. And to make it even harder to choose which five songs from their seven-album discography make the cut, we placed the further restriction that none of the Five here can have an official MTV-style video. That leaves out a lot of great tracks, but the good news is there are plenty more standouts to choose from. Did we get it right? Tell us what you think! Find the band at https://www.voyagerau.com/ and their Bandcamp page: https://voyager.bandcamp.com/ 

To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 4 September 2020

Direct download: The_Five_From...Voyager.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:58pm EDT

Under the consistent guidance of Steve Babb and Fred Schendel, American proggers Glass Hammer have been around for close to 30 years without interruption and with quite a sizeable discography to show for it. Members have come and gone and come back again, and many styles and epic tracks are strewn through their catalog. But with such varied output as albums inspired by Tolkien and C.S. Lewis through more accessible and hard-driving tracks, what five sub-10-minute songs will be chosen as representative of the group? Your intrepid host takes a shot. Do you agree with the choices? Visit the band at www.glasshammer.com for merchandise and albums like the brand new Dreaming City and the Ultimate Middle Earth Download.

To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 16 August 2020

Direct download: The_Five_from...Glass_Hammer.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:56pm EDT

We're back with a new, and hopefully more sustainable, format for the program: "The Five From...". The rules are: 1) Choose a progressive rock, metal, or electronic band or artist with at least five releases; 2) Choose five of their songs that represent aspects of their output that are worth highlighting; 3) None of those songs can be over ten minutes long; and 4) Explain why these tracks were chosen. This is to force your host into making some difficult decisions in reducing what might be decades of material into only five songs, as well as create discussion among listeners about what they might choose instead. We hope you'll join in the debate -- respectfully, of course! Danish prog metallers Anubis Gate were our first guests on Progtopia back in 2012 and have been featured twice since, so naturally it made sense to place them first here, too. With several albums, three lead singers, and a box set to their credit since 2004, what five tracks make the cut? The choices include an eastern-influenced tour-de-force, a trip inside a troubled mind, and one of their lesser-known versions covering another band. Visit the band and get the albums and merchandise at www.anubisgate.com and www.nightmarerecords.com.

To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 2 August 2020

Direct download: The_Five_from...Anubis_Gate.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:54pm EDT

Named after an obscure topographical feature, California-based Lobate Scarp has been sharing their brand of theatrical prog with the world for close to a decade, and while they haven't had a formal release for a few years since their debut Time and Space, they're back with an EP called Spirals and Portals. The release is a prelude to an upcoming Kickstarter campaign for their second full-length album, to be formally announced in October. Host Mark Ashby speaks with singer, keyboardist, and songwriter Adam Sears about that odd band name, their crowd-funding successes and shortfalls, and their addition to the bill for RoSfest 2020 in Florida. You can learn more about them online and get their music at https://www.lobatescarp.com/

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Nothing Wrong"

"Time and Space"

"And We Tried"

"Beautiful Light"

To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 18 September 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_144.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:52pm EDT

Some prog metal fans will know the name Jessica Lehto from her involvement in the bands Factory of Dreams (Episode 044) and Beto Vazquez Infinity. But there's a softer side to this Swedish singer/songwriter with the angelic voice, and that is reflected in her solo project, Once There Was. The style of music under this name has been fluid over the years, but the most recent release Breathe, Be, Bleed is being called "electro pop opera." Whatever you describe it as, it contains haunting vocals and harmonies, with synthesizer accompaniment ranging from driving to quietly symphonic. Host Mark Ashby speaks with her about how Once There Was has changed over the years and how it differs from other albums she guests on, why she's content being mostly a studio musician, and how digital-only releases suit artists like her. Find her online at www.jessicalehto.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Blue"

"Heartbeats"

"Anywhere"

"Black"

"Unknown"

"Fading"

To hear previous archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com, and follow the show on Facebook (www.facebook.com/progtopia).

Originally posted 30 August 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_143.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:50pm EDT

We obviously can't get enough of Sydney's Hemina, who have been supporters of this program since its very early days (check the archives at www.progtopia.com if you want proof). So with the release of their fourth album Night Echoes, it's only right that we check in with band members Doug Skene and Jess Martin and see what it's all about. They talk about the chances they take with diverse influences from funk to pop to 80s retro stylings mixed in with their trademark brand of progressive metal, how a song like "What's the Catch?" and its associated video were formed and fashioned, and which country seems to be surpassing all others for streams of their music. You can order all their music at http://hemina.bandcamp.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"One Short"

"We Will"

"Flicker"

"What's the Catch?"

"In Technicolour"

"The Only Way"

To hear previous episodes featuring Hemina, as well as all archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com.

Originally posted 14 August 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_142.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:44pm EDT

Edison's Children are no strangers to Progtopia, having been featured twice already, but this is their return to the program after a few years' absence, with their fourth album The Disturbance Fields freshly released in mid-July. Begun as the duo of Marillion's Pete Trewavas and Eric Blackwood of Blackwood & Foti, they've added members like Rick Armstrong (son of astronaut Neil), Lisa Wetton, and Henry Rogers to create a soundscape of darkened moods and messages of warning. Those warnings on the new album are for the climate changes happening around us all with alarming speed, and with the albums single track "Washed Away" spread over 14 parts, the band tells a tale of peril at the hands of a wrathful Mother Nature. Trewavas stops by to talk about the band's recent gig in Florida supporting Alan Parsons, how likely he thinks a scenario like the one depicted in the album could be to really happen, and...all right, a little bit about his *other* band, too. Find them online and get the album at www.edisonschildren.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"A Random Disturbance"

"Asphyxiation"

"The Tempest"

"A Cold Gray Morning"

"The Surge"

"Into the Dead Calm"

To hear previous episodes featuring Edison's Children and Marillion, as well as all archival episodes, go to www.progtopia.com.

Originally posted 23 July 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_141.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:41pm EDT

Drummer Mark Zonder and guitarist/keyboardist Gary Wehrkamp are familiar names to progressive metal fans who listen to the likes of Fates Warning, Shadow Gallery, and Warlord. So it may come as a surprise to learn that their first album as a duo, If It's Real, leans to the introspective, melodic side. Still displaying the high-quality musicianship they're known for, Zonder and Wehrkamp take listeners down some darker trails, but with a message that if you're feeling down, this doesn't have to be the end of your story. Host Mark Ashby chats with them about the pros and cons of releasing their album independently, how they deliberately chose a more scaled-back approach on the majority of the 10 tracks on If It's Real, and how they might continue this collaboration. They're online at www.zwband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Too Late"

"I'd Do Anything"

"Where Are the Children Going?"

"If It's Real"

"The Next Big Thing"

"It's Not the End"

To hear all archival episodes, visit www.progtopia.com, and www.facebook.com/progtopia to follow the show on social media.

Originally posted 10 July 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_140.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:39pm EDT

Back with their fourth album, Antenna, on Bad Elephant Music are UK sextet The Gift (Mike Morton [vocals], David Lloyd [lead and rhythm guitar], Leroy James [guitar], Stefan Dickers [bass], Gabriele Baldocci [keyboards] and Neil Hayman [drums]). This release sees the band keeping true to a progressive sound while pushing their own personal boundaries from their usual 70s-based aesthetic into new territory. Host Mark Ashby chats with Morton about the liberating feeling that comes from not feeling the need to produce epic tracks, how the band has meshed over the course of the past two albums, and the intimate motivations for the beautiful track "Snowfall," which is played in full here. Find the band online at http://http://thegiftmusic.com/

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Wild Roses"

"We Are Connected"

"Far Stranger"

"Long Time Dead"

"Snowfall"

To hear previous episodes featuring The Gift and all other archival episodes, visit www.progtopia.com, and www.facebook.com/progtopia to follow the show on social media.

Originally posted 22 June 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_139.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:37pm EDT

It's been several months since the last episode of the show, but we're back in a big way with long-time friends of the program, London's The Mariana Hollow. In this interview with members Richie Walden (rhythm guitar), Gabriel Moreira (lead guitar), and Rebecca Stanley (vocals), they talk about The Abandoned Parade, their first full-length album since 2012's Velvet Black Sky, as well as amusing names they give their songs in the demo stages, the evolution of the band since their 2009 debut Coma Heart, and the recent departure of bassist Scott Chesworth. After the interview, Mark explains the reasons why he took an eight-month break from production and what you can expect from the podcast in the future. Find TMH online and order their music at http://themarianahollow.bandcamp.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Swear to God"

"Chambers and Valves"

"Protocol"

"Girl Overboard"

"Tides"

"Damage Limitation"

"The Abandoned Parade"

To listen to the previous episodes with The Mariana Hollow, go to these links: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-002-diving-deep-into-the-mariana-hollow

http://progtopia.libsyn.com/progtopia-planetary-premiere-16-august-2013-the-mariana-hollow-scars-not-wounds

Visit www.progtopia.com for all archival episodes and www.facebook.com/progtopia to follow the show.

Originally posted 1 June 2019

Direct download: Progtopia_138.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:35pm EDT

The Vermont-based prog darlings Elephants of Scotland (Episode 055) might be on something of a hiatus, but luckily for us all, keyboardist/singer and founding member Adam Rabin hasn't gone into hiding. In fact, his solo album The Badger Flies at Dawn is set for release on the 26th of October, and ahead of that, he's been kind enough to grant Progtopia an exclusive premiere of the contemplative track "Trains That Never Come." Hear in his interview with host Mark Ashby about the metaphor embodied in the lyrics for this song as well as the wild idea behind the title track, why he feels like going it alone is AOK for now, and where the Elephants stand at the moment. After that, you'll hear reaction audio of Mark's first listen to the rare Vangelis soundtrack from 1970, Sex Power. How does it stand up to the Greek giant's other works? You can pre-order The Badger Flies at Dawn and learn more about Adam Rabin at his website http://imadeitup.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

Adam Rabin-"One of a Kind," "Mistakes," "The Badger Flies at Dawn," "Trains That Never Come," "Sending Me Feathers"

Vangelis-"Sex Power Introduction; Movements 1-10"

To hear the 2014 episode with Elephants of Scotland, follow this link: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-055-in-the-other-room-with-elephants-of-scotland

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 12 October 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_Planetary_Premiere_12_October_2018.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:32pm EDT

We devote the entire episode this time to musical gadabout and Englishman-in-Philadelphia Simon Godfrey and his Shineback project. With a cavalcade of guest musicians from bands like We Are Kin and Echolyn, among others, Shineback's latest album Dial is receiving the same sort of acclaim its predecessor Rise Up Forgotten, Return Destroyed received five years ago as the first release of the Bad Elephant Music label. We thought it only fitting to have Simon and host Mark Ashby be joined by BEM's boss and frequent Progtopia guest David Elliott for something of a retrospective look at their relationship, as well as discussions about the new album, and why Shineback exists best as a collective of collaborators. Music can be streamed and purchased through https://shineback.badelephant.co.uk/.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Bedlam Days"

"Is This the Dream?"

"I Love You from Memory"

"Let Her Sleep"

"Dial"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 September 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_137_Dialing_It_In_with_Shineback.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:19pm EDT

It's only a few days from the annual installment of ProgPower USA, and although your humble host won't be in attendance this year, he's still in the spirit by speaking with someone who will be shifting from attendee to performer this time. Vikram Shankar's dance card is quite full at the moment, because not only will he be on the ProgPower stage with stalwarts Redemption as their new keyboardist, he and his band Lux Terminus have just released their debut album The Courage to Be. In his chat with Mark, he runs through how Tom Englund's enthusiasm for his piano cover song videos got him the Redemption gig, his many upcoming projects, and why he wanted the only song with vocals on the new album to be voiced by his favorite singer, Anneke van Giersbergen. Then we go back to the archives with an interview with ProgPower promoter Glenn Harveston from 2015, in which he goes into detail (often forcefully!) about the challenges surrounding visas and how much he appreciates his staff and fans of the festival for supporting his efforts through thick and thin. You'll find Lux Terminus online at https://luxterminus.bandcamp.com/ and ProgPower USA at http://progpowerusa.com/

Featured songs/excerpts:

Lux Terminus: "Miles Away," "Fly," "The Courage to Be," "The Journey," "Effusion"

Redemption: "The Echo Chamber"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 2 September 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_136_ProgPower_Prep_with_Lux_Terminus.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:16pm EDT

The Plagued Raven's music isn't easily boxed into a word or two, but the one-time solo guitar project of Raven Kyle has branched out with its third album Celeste to add the vocals of Katie Thompson (of Chiasma, from Episode 081) to its moody soundscapes. The resulting short tracks are perhaps best described by the artistic term chiaroscuro (the contrast of light and shade), and they're probably not what you think of when you hear that only guitar and voice are involved. Kyle and Katie both describe to host Mark Ashby the circumstances that brought them together, how their creative flow is achieved since they live six hours apart, and what they tell people their music is intended to evoke. Yes-expert Roman Guzman stops in next to trade questions with Mark about various common and obscure topics relating to the band (such as which band member once provided real-time DVD commentary to Roman). Finally, a Potentially Unpopular Position that encourages you to think emotion over technique when considering who is the "best" on an instrument. Go to https://theplaguedraven.bandcamp.com/ to get digital copies of Celeste and other Plagued Raven releases.

Featured songs/excerpts:

The Plagued Raven: "Wrath," "Synergy," "Vengeance," "Koi," "Deities"

Yes: "Endless Dream," "Five Per Cent for Nothing," "Awaken"

Rush: "The Rhythm Method"

King Crimson: "Larks' Tongues in Aspic Part III"

Pink Floyd: "Sorrow"

Marillion: "Sugar Mice"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 23 August 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_135_The_Plagued_Ravens_Wrath.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:12pm EDT

Head with Wings is the sort of band you might want to set aside time to concentrate on, as with their debut full-length album From Worry to Shame, they tackle heavy topics like tragic and senseless death, coping with loss, and forgiveness. Guitarists Joshua Corum and Brandon Cousino enlisted their friends from Earthside Frank Sacramone and Jamie van Dyck for production duties, and the result is a riveting work that's timely and poignant. Corum talks with host Mark Ashby about the emotions he mined to create this work and what sorts of people he senses gravitate toward it. Next, correspondent Andrew Bennett gives his report as an American making his first trip to the Night of the Prog Festival in St. Goarshausen, Germany, telling us his highlights from the shows, what to expect if you're a first-timer, who he met, and what he'll do differently if he's able to return. And our Triple Track Special has three songs all with the theme of "sky." Head with Wings' Facebook page is www.facebook.com/HeadWithWingsband/

Featured songs/excerpts:

Head with Wings: "In Dark Motel Rooms," "Misanthropy," "Somewhere, Something Gives," "Goodbye Sky," "From Worry to Shame"

Riverside: "Towards the Blue Horizon"

Big Big Train: "Big Empty Skies"

Threshold: "Snowblind"

Tangerine Dream: "Tear Down the Grey Skies"

To hear the Progtopia archival episode featuring Earthside, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-097-entering-the-light-with-earthside

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 2 August 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_134_Head_with_Wings_Soars.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:28pm EDT

Jordan Brown might be known as the driving force behind the Rube Goldberg Machine (Episode 093) or as a gigging bassist around London, but for his latest project, he's gone totally '80s. Under the name Nostromo, he's released the nine-track homage to analog synth soundtracks from that time period, Synchestral Works Vol. 1. It's everything a kid born in the early-to-mid-70s could want in a nostalgia trip through the sounds of films scored by the likes of Giorgio Moroder or Tangerine Dream, and he does so with reverence, not irony (well, not completely). Hear his interview with host Mark Ashby about the impetus for creating a different sort of album than he's ever done, the thought process for making digital technology sound analog, and how he got help for the obligatory vocal track that closes the album -- just like they did on your favorite movie scores in 1985. Next, a talk with music journalist and Innerviews founder Anil Prasad about where he sees the sorry state of artist compensation in the era of streaming music. He's long advocated for a different approach when it comes to paying musicians fairly for their creations, and he has some thoughts about how to combat the creeping demise of worthwhile art in the name of "free stuff." Finally, you'll hear "Closer," the latest single from (iam)warface, a band who is trying to use Spotify to their advantage (and profiled in Episode 120). See if you think their strategy is a good one and whether you want to assist them in reaching their goal. Nostromo: http://nostromoproject.bandcamp.com

Innerviews (Anil Prasad): www.innerviews.org

(iam)warface: www.iamwarface.com

Featured songs/excerpts:

Nostromo: "The Battle for Nebula 359," "Water on Mars," "Training to Be the Best (Montage Music)," "Reason in the Black (featuring Glitterwølf)," "Love Theme," "The Hero We Need"

Mahavishnu Orchestra: "Birds of Fire"

(iam)warface: "Closer"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 22 July 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_133_Nostromos_80s_Vibe.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:22pm EDT

The sea levels haven't quite risen high enough to put us all underwater yet, but until we get there, Baltimore duo Waterplanet (James Hesser and Millie Landrum) will be playing their brand of acoustic, intelligent, genre-bending music. And this July, they'll be playing songs from their album Ghost-Hypnotic and more in various parts of the US on a three-week tour. Host Mark Ashby talks with them about the way they tend to write songs solo and then turn them into something bigger, how 60s pop and punk and many other styles inform their sound, and where you'll be able to hear them out and about. Next Mark gets in on the "reaction video" trend (except it's only audio, of course) as you'll hear pieces of his in-the-moment commentary while listening to Kiss's "prog" album, Music from "The Elder." Does it pass muster? Finally, new contributor Mark Nagy has a proposition for you: Haken's masterful album The Mountain could benefit from a slight shuffling of tracks. Will you agree with his reasons why? Find Waterplanet online at www.waterplanetband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

Waterplanet: "Adrenaline", "Kingmaker", "Something Somebody Said", "Don't Cry", "Sea Shanty (If You Should Go)"

Kiss: Music from "The Elder" (excerpts from full album)

Haken: "Cockroach King", "Because It's There", "Falling Back to Earth"

To hear a previous episode featuring an interview with Richard Henshall of Haken, click this link: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-038-climbing-the-mountain-with-haken

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 6 July 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_132_Waterplanets_Kingmakers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:18pm EDT

Mechanicsburg, Pennsylvania keyboardist and singer Robert Richardson has been through a lot in his life, not all of it positive. But he's taken a difficult past and turned it into a productive present with his band Cell15. Following on from the success of their 2014 debut Chapter One, they've just released their sophomore effort River Utopia, and you'll hear his interview with host Mark Ashby about the spread-out nature of the band, why sharing his story in recovery is so important, and whether or not he might have an epic-length track in him someday. The Prog Squad archives are mined for an episode from 3 July 2015 just after the passing of Yes' Chris Squire, but wherein the usual panelists and guest Geoffrey Langley of the Twenty Committee talk Primus, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, and rare tracks they'd love to hear live. And appropriately enough, the Triple Track Special's theme this time is "utopia," with additional tracks in that vein from Factory of Dreams and Hawkwind. Find Cell15 online at www.cell15.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Castle Walls" (Cell15)

"Criminal" (Cell15)

"River Utopia" (Cell15)

"Street Lights" (Cell15)

"Voyage to Utopia" (Factory of Dreams)

"Soon" (Yes)

"DMV" (Primus)

"Several Species of Small Furry Animals Gathered Together in a Cave and Grooving with a Pict" (Pink Floyd)

"How Wonderful" (The Twenty Committee)

"Arrival in Utopia" (Hawkwind)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 25 June 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_131_Locked_in_Cell15.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:12pm EDT

Last on the show in 2012 on Episode 007, Germany's Subsignal is back in the land of Progtopia, fresh off the release of their newest album La Muerta on May 25. Singer Arno Menses joins host Mark Ashby for a chat about the changes in the band's lineup in the past few albums now to include drummer Dirk Brand and keyboardist Markus Maichel, why long titles and the Spanish language seem to take some prominence for guitarist and lyricist Markus Steffen, and where they can be found on tour later in 2018. Next we'll hear from Rita Drew, one of the organizers of the latest US-based festival, ProgStock, coming to you this October 5-7 in Rahway, New Jersey. Now in its second year, this festival proves with its headliners and support acts that it's going to be a major player on the east coast for years to come. Finally, Mark takes the Potentially Unpopular Position that Record Store Day might not be all it's cracked -- or scratched -- up to be. Visit Subsignal online at www.subsignalband.com, and the ProgStock festival at http://progstock.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Tempest" (Subsignal)

"Even Though the Stars Don't Shine" (Subsignal)

"Some Kind of Drowning" (Subsignal ft. Marjana Semkina)

"The Bells of Lyonesse" (Subsignal)

"Red Dust Shadow" (IQ)

"Another Record" (Genesis)

"La Muerta" (Subsignal)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 10 June 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_130_Subsignals_Shining_Star.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:07pm EDT

Guitarist Matt Stevens should be no stranger to fans of up-and-coming prog and post-rock music, as the band he's part of -- The Fierce and the Dead -- are on quite the tear in the past couple of years. Securing some key opening slot and festival gigs, the band is riding the wave to greater success, the latest chapter of which is the release of their new album The Euphoric on Bad Elephant Music. Stevens chats with host Mark Ashby about how they're controlling the tempo of their increase in stature, how much of the recorded output is live-to-tape or otherwise, and some tales of playing RoSfest in the USA in 2017. For the second half of the show, we set the wayback machine to August 2014 for a listen in on the very first episode of The Prog Squad, just when you thought those shows might be lost forever. Hear what David Elliott, Jason Spencer, and Cliff Pearson were like before they got to know each other better -- it's like a blind date! Visit The Fierce and the Dead online at www.fierceandthedead.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Dancing Robots" (The Fierce and the Dead)

"Truck" (The Fierce and the Dead)

"Parts 7 & 8" (The Fierce and the Dead)

"Verbose" (The Fierce and the Dead)

"Step Beyond" (Yes)

"Lonely People" (Styx)

"I've Seen All Good People" (Yes)

"Time Flies" (Porcupine Tree)

"Hitchhiking to Byzantium" (Anubis)

"The Euphoric" (The Fierce and the Dead)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 23 May 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_129_Matt_Stevens_Gets_Verbose.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:02pm EDT

Six years ago, multi-instrumentalist Geoff Barone was on the program discussing his conceptual work Conversation Pieces. He's back this year with a somewhat heavier and, in his words, more "to the point" collection of songs titled Acquiescence. With echoes of the likes of Devin Townsend and even some musical theater, this eclectic album covers topics from his ambivalent relationship with the city he came to and later left -- New York -- and how he hopes his children will turn out all right, among many others. Hear some insights into his inspirations and influences in his chat with host Mark Ashby. Lady Obscure editor Lacy Mucklow and her concert-going pal Dave Perrussel (also a LO contributor) have a first-person report of their journey from their homebase in Washington, DC, all the way to Anubis Gate's home country of Denmark for one of the gigs on their "Shortest Tour Ever." And our Triple Track Special uses the theme of Babylon in three songs from prog artists present and past. Find the artists featured here at www.geoffbarone.com and www.anubisgate.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Something Beautiful" (Geoff Barone)

"Faded" (Geoff Barone)

"Precious Pieces" (Geoff Barone)

"Headhunter" (Geoff Barone)

"6:33 to Babylon" (Geoff Barone)

"In These Waiting Arms" (Geoff Barone)

"Babylon" (Glass Hammer)

"Blackest" (Anubis Gate)

"Erasure" (Anubis Gate)

"Babylon" (Aphrodite's Child)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 11 May 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_128_Acquiescing_with_Geoff_Barone.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:53am EDT

It's been many years since the original electronic-music duo Wavestar of John Dyson and Dave Ward-Hunt got together -- about 35, to be somewhat precise. And although Dyson has produced several solo albums since then, it's been many years since the last release with the Wavestar name came out. Now with Paul Ward and Stefan Whitlan bringing their keyboard and compositional skills to the fold, the band is retagged Wavestar II, and the long-awaited album Nightwinds is now available. All three of the guys chat with host Mark Ashby about the olden days of Wavestar, the importance of the Korg Sigma to the trademark Dyson sound, and how this album went from being a Dyson solo project to a group effort. In the Prog Squad, Cliff, Jason, and David join Mark in discussions about the upcoming Frank Zappa hologram tour, awesome album openers, and bands they were behind the times in appreciating. You can order Nightwinds from www.groove.nl or www.cd-services.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"I.F.O." (John Dyson)

"Voyager" (Wavestar)

"The Velocity of Dark" (Wavestar II)

"Track of Time" (Wavestar II)

"If I Were the Wind (And You Were the Rain)" (Pendragon)

"King of the Tyrant Lizards" (Mothertongue)

"Script for a Jester's Tear" (Marillion)

"Red" (King Crimson)

"Eldritch" (Wavestar II)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 20 April 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_127_Wavestar_Part_Deux.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:49am EDT

New York's Circuline is going live -- on CD, DVD, and Blu-Ray, that is. The band first heard from on Progtopia in Episode 094 is making the first of two planned concert products available this May, two years after their appearance at RoSFest in Gettysburg. Dubbed Circulive::Majestik, it chronicles that show in both video and audio form, and if you jump in on their Pledge Music campaign by April 17, you can get some neat perks along with it. Hear from keyboardist Andrew Colyer and drummer Darin Brannon about the process of creating the video version, the planned second live release later this year, and why they won't be touring again until 2019. In the Prog Squad, all four panelists are miraculously present to talk about the rumored demise of iTunes in favor of fully-streaming platforms, whether Gizmodrome truly is a super group, and if music videos still have a place 30-plus years after TV showed them regularly. Finally, Mark makes a plea for recognition of Webber and Rice's musical Jesus Christ Superstar as a progressive masterwork. Circuline is on the web at www.circulinemusic.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Hollow" (Circuline)

"Summit" (Circuline)

"Stereotypes" (Circuline)

"Man in the Mountain" (Gizmodrome)

"Trial before Pilate" (Jesus Christ Superstar cast)

"Gethsemane (I Only Want to Say)" (Jesus Christ Superstar cast)

"One Wish" (Circuline)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 6 April 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_126_Circuline_Is_Majestik.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:45am EDT

Sweden isn't just a land of top-quality prog metal; you'll also find some great electronic-based prog there, too. Xanima's newest album Planet Hope was released in late 2017, and you'll hear from singer Jade Ell and keyboardist Pelle Händén about their many influences and how they conceptualize their works, as well as why they incorporate spoken word and dance elements into their live shows. Also, Prog Squad panelist David Elliott joins us for a one-on-one to talk about the ins-and-outs of running his label Bad Elephant Music, including the types of demanding journalists that bother him the most. Finally, a Potentially Unpopular Position segment from Mark about why maybe some folks need to tone down their fetish with Pink Floyd's Syd Barrett. Websites to visit include https://xanimamusic.bandcamp.com and www.badelephant.co.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Planet Hope" (Xanima)

"Eternal Truth" (Xanima)

"Ode to Creation" (Xanima)

"Spooky Action" (The Fierce and the Dead)

"Earthbound" (Mothertongue)

"Flaming" (Pink Floyd)

"Bike" (Pink Floyd)

"False Moon" (Astral Dance)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 15 March 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_125_Xanima_Travels_to_Planet_Hope.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:41am EDT

Featured in this episode of the show is our interview with three of the four members of Chicago's The Cyberiam. Comprised of Tommy Murray on drums, Keith Semple on vocals and guitar, Brian Kovacs on bass, and Frank Lucas on keyboards, their self-titled debut album is now out, and with their respective groundings in genres within and beyond prog, it's a fully-formed recording that sounds more mature than most bands' first outings. You'll hear about the making of the album and a lot more besides. Plus, we hear from Yes expert and broadcaster/podcaster Roman Guzman with his and Mark's thoughts about the reissue (with new vocals) of the band's 2011 album Fly From Here. And there's a theme of nostalgia running through this show, with three tracks all dealing with that particular emotion in their own ways. All that and a 30 Second Sales Pitch from Poland's Pinn Dropp! www.thecyberiam.com https://pinndropp.bandcamp.com/releases

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Juxtaposer" (The Cyberiam)

"Don't Blink" (The Cyberiam)

"Nostalgia" (The Cyberiam)

"Fly from Here" (Yes)

"Nostalgia" (David Sylvian)

"Nostalgia" (Yanni)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 2 March 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_124_The_Cyberiam_Doesnt_Blink.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:10am EDT

Marillionaires. Freaks. Denizens of The Web. They've gone by many names over the years, but one defining characteristic of Marillion's fan base is that they're a family. Intensely loyal, unfailingly generous to each other, and passionate about their favorite band, we spend this special double episode examining these curious folks, of which host Mark Ashby proudly counts himself as a member. With their short US tour in February beginning on the Cruise to the Edge and ending in Dallas, Marillion is swinging through North America for the second time in less than two years including neglected areas in the south, and you'll hear pre-concert views and opinions from some enthusiasts, excerpts from Progtopia's interview with Pete Trewavas from 2016, and a rant/plea from your host about proper concert etiquette and what we all can do about breaches of it.

To hear the Backstage Pass interview with Pete, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/progtopia-backstage-pass-5-marillion-risks-melting-their-guns-as-a-show-of-strength

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Goodbye to All That"

"Whatever Is Wrong with You"

"Most Toys"

"The Sky Above the Rain"

"After Me"

"White Russian"

"The New Kings"

"This Is the 21st Century"

"The King of Sunset Town"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 18 February 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_123_Whatever_Is_Wrong_with_Us.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:06am EDT

Australia's prog scene is by all accounts booming, and one indication of that was the Progfest show held in Sydney on the 20th of January. Several-time guests Hemina were part of the Poseidon Stage there, and guitarist/singer Doug Skene checks in as a correspondent about the bands that were part of the festival -- most of which are new to us at Progtopia. Jason, David, and Mark chat in the Prog Squad about a UK pub's policy of not booking female-fronted bands and other subjects. Finally, Mark debuts the Potentially Unpopular Position (PUP) to explain why he thinks it's all right that Tangerine Dream pressed onward without their late founding member Edgar Froese.

Featured song excerpts:

"Moonlight Bride" (Hemina)

"The Fragile Serene" (Voyager)

"Proton Bonfire" (Tangerine Dream)

"It Is Time to Leave When Everyone Is Dancing" (Tangerine Dream)

"When Isis Starts to Cry" (Breaking Orbit)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 January 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_122_Sydneys_Progfest.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:02pm EDT

Our first episode with the new format features host Mark Ashby's interview with keyboardist, guitarist, and singer/songwriter Adam Wakeman. Last heard from in Episode 030, Wakeman is releasing a new album with Headspace bandmate Damian Wilson (interviewed in Episode 107 last year), their second. Hear about the Kickstarter for the album and its unique perks, how he went about booking their tour, and exclusive first listens to excerpts from tracks from their sophomore effort. Next, Lady Obscure editor Lacy Mucklow checks in with her report on the Galactic Cowboys reunion and album release show in Houston on December 1st. Then, the roundtable Prog Squad returns to the airwaves with Mark, Jason Spencer, and David Elliott discussing Big Big Train, the Security Project, and veteran bands they do and don't necessarily need to see live again. Finally, a call to all bands and artists out there for our 30-Second Sales Pitch segment. We want to hear from you so that the world will hear from you, too! Adam Wakeman's websites: www.wilsonwakeman.com, www.adamwakeman.co.uk

Featured song excerpts:

"Blackpool Clip Joint Racket" (Wilson/Wakeman)

"Kill You with Kindness" (Headspace)

"Always the Lonely One" (Wilson/Wakeman)

"In the Clouds" (Galactic Cowboys)

"Hate Me" (Galactic Cowboys)

"Merry Christmas" (Big Big Train)

"I Have the Touch" (The Security Project)

"On This Battlefield" (Wilson/Wakeman)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 11 January 2018

Direct download: Progtopia_121_Adam_Wakeman_Galactic_Cowboys_and_Big_Big_Train.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:00pm EDT

"Rocktronica" is the preferred term for the brand of music created by singer/songwriter Matt Warneford and the band he fronts, (Iam)warface. Drawing on influences as diverse as film scores, grunge, hip hop, and progressive rock, Warneford has forged something that sounds like music you'd hear at the club but would also enjoy in the dark over headphones at home. The industrial bombast combined with incisive lyrical content is not to be missed in the singles they have released so far, including their latest on 17 November, "U Don't Love Me Anymore." Host Mark Ashby spoke with Warneford about where that odd-looking name comes from, how those disparate influences come into his songwriting (or not), and the support they received from a well-known 80s electronic rocker on their shared tour dates. They can be found online at www.iamwarface.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Trigons"

"Golden Army"

"Bleed Out"

"U Don't Love Me Anymore"

"Say My Name"

"Closer"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 13 November 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_120_Say_Their_Name_-_Iamwarface.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:50pm EDT

Despite being separate by a time zone or two for most of the year between Virginia and Colorado, the members of Iris Divine (Kris Combs [drums and keyboards], Navid Rashid [guitar and vocals], and Brian Dobbs [bass]) are a healthy, happy prog metal trio that is continuing to gain fans and favorable critical reception. Their second, crowdfunded album The Static and the Noise was released in early October, and their sound has evolved since debut effort Karma Sown to become simultaneously more technical and more melodic when both approaches are needed. Making a repeat appearance on the show, Combs chatted with host Mark Ashby about how the recording and writing for the second album required open communication over such long distances when they couldn't jam together, why they've so far stayed away from long, so-called "epic" albums and songs, and why his and Navid's differing personalities combine so well on record and in life. They're online at www.irisdivineband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"The Acolyte"

"The Static and the Noise"

"Taking Back the Fall"

"We All Dissolve"

"Like Glass"

"Catalyst"

To hear the previous episode featuring Iris Divine, follow this link: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-076-sowing-karma-with-iris-divine

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 16 October 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_119_Iris_Divine_Takes_Back_the_Fall.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:44pm EDT

They're a Chicago-based band with an American Idol for a singer, but trust us: District 97 is as prog as they come. With three studio albums under their belts, the group (Jonathan Schang [drums], Tim Seisser [bass], Leslie Hunt [vocals], Jim Tashjian [guitar], and Andrew Lawrence [keyboards]) has been critically-acclaimed by the likes of Bill Bruford and John Wetton, with whom they collaborated on their own songs and classic King Crimson material. They're setting out this October on the Static Vaults tour with their friend Dave Kerzner and his band, so host Mark Ashby caught up with Schang for a discussion about that Idol connection, how the band has moved from being largely made up of his compositions to a group effort, and how Wetton impacted them in many ways. Find the tour dates online at www.district97.net.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Snow Country"

"All's Well That Ends Well"

"The Perfect Young Man" (featuring John Wetton)

"On Paper"

"Death by a Thousand Cuts"

"The Thief"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 1 October 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_118_Through_the_Snow_Country_with_District_97.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:39pm EDT

They were our first featured band ever. They gifted us with a world premiere a couple of years later. Of course we love Denmark's Anubis Gate, and so do tens of thousands of other prog metal fans the world over. Through three changes in lead vocalists, the band currently consists of Morten Gade Sørensen (drums), Michael Bodin (guitars), Henrik Fevre (bass, vocals), and Kim Olesen (guitars, keyboards), and their newest album Covered in Black is a descent into some even heavier territory than they've gone through in the past -- call it the analogue to Pink Floyd's Animals album. With subject matter inspired by Olesen's personal struggles, it's perhaps the most intimate Anubis Gate album yet. You'll hear Olesen discuss those inner demons and his rise above them, the Orbits box set which came to fruition in 2016, and some possible new directions the band might want to investigate. They can be found on the web at www.anubisgate.com.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Too Much Time"

"The Combat"

"Hear My Call"

"Black"

"Operation Cairo"

"Psychotopia"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 18 September 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_117_Anubis_Gate_Goes_Black_Blacker_Blackest.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:35pm EDT

In the heart of Tornado Alley in the United States, a trio named after a mentally-ill Dutch painter has been creating quite a few storms of their own for nearly a decade. Oklahoma City-based Vangough is comprised of Jeren Martin on bass, Clay Withrow on guitar and vocals, and Kyle Haws on drums, and their latest album Warpaint was released back in March of this year. With elements of Tool and Opeth, they've crafted a gritty, down-to-earth brand of progressive metal that has gotten them supporting slots for Fates Warning and Pain of Salvation. Host Mark Ashby talked with Withrow about the reasons behind the band's name and altered spelling, where musical inspiration comes from, why rabbits are such an important part of his creativity and life in general, and why they might leave the album format behind with forthcoming releases. They can be found on the web at www.officialvangough.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Morphine"

"Black Rabbit"

"Christmas Scars"

"Schizophrenia"

"Dust"

"Knell"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 August 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_116_Vangough_and_the_Tale_of_the_Black_Rabbit.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:33pm EDT

In a Brazilian artist's depiction of progressive music's Last Supper, among the likes of Ian Anderson and Roger Waters, the placid figure at the center of it all is the owner of perhaps the most soaring voice in the genre: Annie Haslam of Renaissance. Since the early 70s, Haslam and the band have been delighting audiences with their brand of symphonic rock that features her five-octave vocal range. While still an active musician who will be touring with the band this autumn, Haslam has branched out into the visual arts, as well. Host Mark Ashby speaks about those endeavors as well as the process of adding a 10-piece chamber orchestra to four dates on the upcoming eastern US jaunt, what advice she gives younger musicians, and the recent moment in Rio de Janeiro that nearly brought her to tears on-stage. Visit her and the band online at www.renaissancetouring.com and www.anniehaslam.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Can You Understand?"

"Spare Some Love"

"Mother Russia"

"At the Harbour"

"Turn of the Century" (w/Steve Howe)"

"Going Home"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 15 August 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_115_Spare_Some_Love_for_Annie_Haslam.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:29pm EDT

They're a UK band that spells their name in a Russian way, but make no mistake: Prospekt is full-on progressive metal that is neither formulaic nor derivative. With their second album The Illuminated Sky just released, band members Lee Luland (guitars), Rox Capriotti (keyboards), Phil Wicker (bass), Black Richardson (drums), and Michael Morris (vocals) have crafted a science-fictional framework to guide the ten songs within it. Luland speaks with host Mark Ashby about influences ranging from Dream Theater to John Williams, the changes in personnel and style between albums 1 and 2, and how he got one of his favorite artists to do a guest spot on the new album. Catch up with them on social media at www.facebook.com/ProspektUK.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Ex Nihilo"

"Akaibara"

"Dissident Priests"

"Alien Makers of Discord"

"The Illuminated Sky"

"Beneath Enriya"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 26 July 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_114_Illuminating_the_Sky_with_Prospekt.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:25pm EDT

Two years ago, when Soul Secret keyboardist and story-writer Luca Di Gennaro was last on Progtopia, host Mark Ashby asked him (off-air) if the band would be willing to provide an exclusive track for a world premiere when their next album would be released. Di Gennaro agreed, and now we know he is an honest man. In this episode, you'll get a listen to a song from their upcoming conceptual work Babel, due for release on 28 July. The early-prog enthusiast also talks about why he prefers the focus of writing to a concept, the philosophical and literary bases for Babel, and their performance this weekend in support of Mike Portnoy at the Night of the Prog Festival. They can be found online at www.soulsecret.net.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Newton's Law"

"Awakened by the Light"

"What We're All About"

"Entering the City of Gods"

"Will They?"

To hear the previous two episodes featuring Soul Secret, click these links: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-006-getting-closer-to-daylight-with-soul-secret (2012) http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-071-climbing-the-white-stairs-with-soul-secret (2015)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening! 

Originally posted 12 July 2017


The air guitar was invented because of musicians like Bogotá, Colombia's Nicolas Waldo. With blisteringly-fast technique that has gotten him compared to John Petrucci and Joe Satriani, Waldo has released several solo albums showcasing his shredding style that is still firmly rooted in progressive elements. With the recent releases of his solo album Equilibrium and band project Energema's The Lion's Forces (based on the Chronicles of Narnia), Waldo has been busy this spring. Host Mark Ashby speaks with him about how long it took him to practice to become this fast, his work as a guitar teacher and who can train with him, and which guitarist he'd most like to share a stage with. Waldo's Facebook page is https://www.facebook.com/nicolaswaldo/.

Featured songs/excerpts: "Mirror of Madness" "The Final Code" "Multiverse" "Equilibrium" "Ancient Rebellion" (Energema)  "Mystic Fingers" "Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening! Originally posted 24 June 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_113_In_Equilibrium_with_Nicolas_Waldo.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:33pm EDT

Thirty-two years in the business, and still going through the changes in personnel, the ups and downs in the sizes of prog audiences, and all the creative challenges that come with that sort of longevity, Galahad are true survivors. Owing much of their early sound to Gabriel-era Genesis and 70s Yes, they've since carved out their own personality, which often includes extensive reworkings and reimaginings of their past tracks. Some of that is on display on their latest release, Quiet Storms, which also contains several new songs with a more contemplative feel overall. Host Mark Ashby chatted with singer Stu Nicholson about the inspiration he draws from a band that is very different from them -- Rammstein -- changes in guitarists, and why certain tracks might be more logical for reworkings than others. They're on the web at www.galahadonline.com.

Featured songs/excerpts: "Melt" "Don't Lose Control" "Mein Herz Brennt" "Guardian Angel (Hybrid)" "Weightless" "Marz (and Beyond)" "Termination" To hear the previous episode featuring Galahad, click this link: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-024-galahad-battle-scarred-but-euphoric

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening! Originally posted 3 June 2017

Category:general -- posted at: 11:32pm EDT

"This is real cream!" So says a YouTube commenter about the music of Perth, Australia's Voyager (Simone Dow, guitar; Ashley Doodkorte, drums; Danny Estrin, vocals and keyboards; Scott Kay, guitar; and Alex Canion, bass and backing vocals). Seems as good of a description as any of the powerful (and tasty) blend of metal, pop, and prog that they've been banging out for six albums now. The most recent of those, Ghost Mile, is just out, and host Mark Ashby catches up once again with Canion about the crowds they've been playing for, including in their hometown, how it's possible to be close friends and still make a band work together without either suffering, and if djent is an appropriate word to apply to them. Visit www.voyager-australia.com for more information.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Disconnected"

"Misery Is Only Company"

"Ghost Mile"

"As the City Takes the Night"

"Lifeline"

"What a Wonderful Day"

To hear previous episodes featuring Voyager, click these links: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-051-breaking-down-voyager and http://progtopia.libsyn.com/backstage-pass-4-progpower-usa-xvi-retrospective

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening! 

Originally posted 21 May 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_111_Riding_the_Ghost_Mile_with_Voyager.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:18am EDT

Six months since our last Planetary Premiere show, and we're going on the heavy side with this exclusive-to-Progtopia track from Pennsylvania's MindMaze, a prog-power metal quartet that is now on the cusp of bigger and better things. With the new album Resolve coming out at the end of the month on Inner Wound, they'll be embarking on a North American tour of over a month in length in which you'd be wise to check out their high-energy sets. Host Mark Ashby talked with guitarist Jeff Teets about listening back to older material and why they chose the theme and concept for the new album, and you'll hear Resolve's fourth track "Drown Me" here before you'll hear it anywhere else. They're online at www.mindmazeband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Moment of Flight"

"Dreamwalker"

"Edge of Eternity"

"Sign of Life"

"Drown Me"

To hear the first episode featuring MindMaze, click the link: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-063-mindmaze-walks-through-the-open-door

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening! 

Originally posted 18 April 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_Planetary_Premiere_18_April_2017_Mindmaze_Drown_Me.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:53pm EDT

You know him mainly from his vocal work with classic rockers Toto, particularly on big hits like "Hold the Line" and "Rosanna," but did you know he's the guy singing backup on the Tubes' "She's a Beauty," or albums from the likes of Diana Ross, Barbra Streisand, and Quiet Riot? Bobby Kimball is in his seventh decade but still sounding like a singer half his age, and his latest solo album We're Not in Kansas Anymore has just been released in the US after a November release overseas. AOR listeners everywhere will have plenty to love about this record, and he speaks with host Mark Ashby about his early musical development and cross-racial friendship with a man nicknamed Tanner, his pride in the Grammy Awards Toto garnered with their smash album Toto IV, and how he keeps his vocals in shape after all these years. He's online at www.bobbykimball.com

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Flatline"

"Hey It's Me"

"Good for You" (Toto)

"On My Feet"

"Scam"

"Africa" (Toto)

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening! 

Originally posted 02 May 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_110_Hey_Its_Bobby_Kimball.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:14pm EDT

He's been called "discomfiting" and "overly whimsical," and while those labels are debatable, there's no denying that UK singer/songwriter Tom Slatter creates the kind of music he wants to, and fans of quirky storytelling and often-progressive music have been finding him. His latest album, Happy People, was released on the 17th of March on Bad Elephant Music, with members of the Rube Goldberg Machine (Episode 093) assisting. With concepts that are reminiscent of dystopian science fiction and riffs that are alternately toe-tapping and impossible to count, Slatter has earned himself a nomination for the Prog Magazine Limelight Award in 2016, though the world will never know why he didn't win. Hear him talk with host Mark Ashby about the literary inspirations he draws on, why bad reviews can sometimes be good, and how being late on a deadline turned into a running joke among his supporters. He's on the web at www.tomslatter.co.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"The Steam Engine Murders and the Trial of Seven Bells John"

"Happy People"

"Some of the Creatures Have Broken the Locks on the Door to Lab 558"

"Even Then We're Scared"

"A Name in a File"

"All of the Dark"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 31 March 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_109_Tom_Slatter_One_of_the_Happy_People.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:22am EDT

We love our female-fronted symphonic rock on this show, but Karnataka transcends such a label with a blend of progressive, metal, and world music that has been entrancing fans for a couple of decades. Frequent guests at festivals like this year's HRH Prog and on their own tours like the current End II End jaunts, the band (Jimmy Pallagrosi [drums], Hayley Griffiths [vocals], Enrico Pinna [guitar], Ian Jones [bass], and Çağri Tozluoğlu [keyboards]) has built a sizeable fan base through their live shows and albums like 2015's Secrets of Angels. With influences and instrumentation that suggest areas of the world from India to Ireland and all points between, they're a must-listen for fans of intelligent yet accessible prog. Jones chats with host Mark Ashby about the early pre-Karnataka years, how the classically-trained Riverdance veteran Griffiths became their singer in 2011, and why they try to play live as much as possible. They're online at www.karnataka.org.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"The Gathering Light"

"Feels Like Home"

"Your World"

"Road to Cairo"

"Forbidden Dreams"

"The Calling"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 17 Mar 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_108_Feels_Like_Home_for_Karnataka.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:22pm EDT

The feeling you get when you hear a truly remarkable voice is a special one, and that's the way many prog fans feel when they find out that Damian Wilson is part of a project. And those projects over the years have been many, whether in his early years with Landmarq through fronting Threshold and Headspace, or on his own solo albums like 2016's Built for Fighting. His versatility in flowing between genres is remarkable, and in this interview with host Mark Ashby, Wilson discusses why he would actually like to be involved in more projects, the pros and cons of performing as Jean Valjean in a touring company of Les Miz, and how fans will be able to hear a piece of him in every song he's written over the years. You can find him online and learn more at www.damianwilson.net.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Can't Heal War"

"Impossible"

"Seek for Adventure" (Wilson & Wakeman)

"Your Life Will Change" (Headspace)

"Fire"

"Road to Supremacy" (Headspace)

"Sex & Vanilla"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 02 March 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_107_Nothing_Is_Impossible_for_Damian_Wilson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:22pm EDT

You could call them a jam band, you could call them instrumental prog, but whatever you do, don't called them commercial. California's Djam Karet has been creating their own brand of self-described "self-indulgent" music for over three decades, but a devoted following has managed to find them, anyway. Maybe that's because their excursions into improvised territory don't meander and wander in directions that nobody else can follow. Their approach comes off as focused and highly musical, as evidenced on almost 20 albums including their newest, Sonic Celluloid. Host Mark Ashby talked with founder and multi-instrumentalist Gayle Ellett about why they've never even thought about satisfying anyone but themselves when composing and recording, what allows them to have stayed together for so long, and whether or not he feels they have anything in common with bands like the Grateful Dead or Phish. They're on the web at www.djamkaret.com.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Long Shot"

"The Denouement Device"

"Web of Medea"

"Saul Says So"

"Forced Perspective"

"Lower"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 13 February 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_106_Because_Djam_Karet_Says_So.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:37pm EDT

One of progressive music's true Renaissance men, singer and multi-instrumentalist Francis Dunnery will resist any attempt you or anyone else makes to classify him. Having begun his musical career in the eighties with pop-proggers It Bites, Dunnery has done much in the years since he left the band, including moving from the UK to the US and exploring all sorts of genres and endeavors within and outside of the music business. His most recent album Vampires is a collection of re-recorded It Bites tunes, and he'll be performing a few concerts from the 20th to the 22nd of January 2017. In this interview, he talks with host Mark Ashby about wanting to clear the mental clutter of the past, how his in-house concerts evolved and what you can expect if you attend one, and why he chose not to "wear the clown shoes" in his career. Find him online at www.francisdunnery.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Old Man and the Angel"

"Once Around the World"

"Calling All the Heroes"

"Underneath Your Pillow"

"Moonflower"

"Screaming on the Beaches"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 14 Jan 2017

Direct download: Progtopia_105_Once_Around_the_World_with_Francis_Dunnery.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:10am EDT

We like them so much around here, they're back for a third time. Hemina from Sydney, Australia, first appeared on Progtopia in April 2012, and now with their third album Venus, this foursome (seated l. to r. Doug Skene [guitars, keyboards, vocals], Nathan McMahon [drums, vocals], Mitch Coull [guitars, vocals]; standing Jess Martin [bass, vocals]) has created their most well-rounded work to date. With influences ranging from the most technical metal to 80s pop and funk, Venus contains plenty for fans of smart, eclectic progressive music. You'll hear from all four members about McMahon's entry into and role in the band (and which prog metal vocalist took an interest in his setup), the science behind the vocal harmonies that distinguish them from the crowd, and which of them would be most likely to make an embarrassing social media post (among other things). They're at www.hemina.com.au.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Fantasy"

"High Kite Ride"

"Secret's Safe"

"Down Will Come Baby"

"I"

 

Listen to Hemina's previous episodes: http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-005-and-now-to-find-hemina

http://progtopia.libsyn.com/progtopia-planetary-premiere-5-august-2014-hemina-nebulae

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 19 December 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_104_Down_Will_Come_Hemina.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:14pm EDT

What were you doing in the mid-1960s? Were you even born yet? That's when the story of the Little Rock, Arkansas band Rayburn begins. As teenagers, they honed their craft and gained the attention of Chuck Berry and Levon Helm, among others, even recording demos and signing a recording contract. So what happened? Why are we only just now hearing of Rayburn and their 2016 album The Living End? The story is kind of amazing, with family drama and medical tragedy, and you'll hear the band's keyboardist and driving force Steve Stephens (pictured while recording the new album) discuss the ups and downs that have followed Rayburn for years. You'll even hear an excerpt from one of those early demos along with the band's unique blend of progressive and southern rock elements. Fans of Hammond organs, be sure to tune in! Find them online at www.rayburn.band.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Jealous Mistress"

"Deep in Blue"

"Steam Shuffle" (early demo)

"At the Gate"

"Malachi"

"I Still Believe"

"Not Going Back"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 5 December 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_103_Rayburn_Is_Not_Going_Back.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:09pm EDT

Having started over 20 years ago on his prog rock path with Spock's Beard, Nashville's Neal Morse has branched out on several different roads since then -- with Transatlantic, Flying Colors, and with the band named after him. Their newest effort, The Similitude of a Dream, is just out on Morse's Radiant Records, and it's a double-album tour-de-force based on a certain classic work of literature. Morse (center) speaks with host Mark Ashby about his many projects including those with drummer Mike Portnoy (right of Morse in photo), some of the conflict generated during the making of the new album, and how faith informs his art and his life. Find him online at www.nealmorse.com.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Overture"

"Back to the City"

"In the Fire"

"Shine" (Transatlantic)

"The Man in the Iron Cage"

"Breath of Angels"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 16 November 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_102_Back_to_the_City_with_Neal_Morse.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:04pm EDT

When you're a well-respected and veteran progressive band like Marillion, perhaps it's not a risk to make one of the words in the title of your 18th album an expletive. But context is everything, as the band's bassist Pete Trewavas explains in the interview you'll hear as the latest Backstage Pass episode of Progtopia. Touring North America and Europe from October through December in support of "F E A R" (or "F*** Everyone and Run"), Marillion still captures an audience as perhaps no other progressive act can these days, as the many fans who travel the country and even the world to follow them can attest. Trewavas talks with host Mark Ashby about the band's friendship and longevity (and whether they've discussed what they would do if one member would say they couldn't continue), the fickle promotional habits of labels past, and that potentially-controversial album title. Check for more tour dates at www.marillion.com

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Eldorado"

"White Paper"

"The Leavers"

"Living in F E A R"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 1 November 2016


When last we heard from Mike Morton, singer for The Gift out of the UK, their acclaimed second album Land of Shadows was relatively new and the band's star was on the rise after a lengthy hiatus following their first album Awake and Dreaming. Now solidified as a six-piece lineup including Morton (vocals, flute and acoustic guitar), David Lloyd (lead and rhythm guitar), Leroy James (guitar), Stefan Dickers (bass), Gabriele Baldocci (keyboards), and Neil Hayman (percussion), their third album Why the Sea Is Salt will be released on 28 October through Bad Elephant Music. You'll get an exclusive first listen on this show to the track "Tuesday's Child," as well as a wide-ranging interview with Morton about the virtuosity now found among his bandmates, the recurring lyrical themes among The Gift's albums, and a game of "Choose the Best Genesis Song" from among eight tracks for this former tribute band vocalist. Find them online at http://thegiftmusic.com.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"At Sea"

"Sweeper of Dreams"

"The Tallest Tree"

"Tuesday's Child"

"All These Things"

 

To listen to the first episode featuring The Gift, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-058-walk-into-the-water-with-the-gift "Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 17 October 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_Planetary_Premiere_17_October_2016_The_Gift_Tuesdays_Child.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:52pm EDT

Born out of a love for fantasy literature, Chattanooga, Tennessee's Glass Hammer has survived the ups and downs of the prog landscape since the early 90s with 17 consistently listenable, and occasionally classic, albums. Now with 2016's concept album Valkyrie out there to rave reviews, members Fred Schendel (keyboards, guitars, vocals), Aaron Raulston (drums), Steve Babb (bass, keyboards, vocals), Kamran Alan Shikoh (guitars), and Susie Bogdanowicz (lead vocals) are telling the tale of the horrors of war and dealing with the mental trauma that follows the battle. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Schendel and Babb about the way the band has utilized the many vocalists that have come their way, "epic" prog tracks (which they're no strangers to), and the opportunities their hometown provides despite what outsiders might think. Go to www.glasshammer.com for more information and ordering links.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Fog of War"

"The Fields We Know"

"Bandwagon"

"Golden Days"

"Dead and Gone"

"Valkyrie"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 7 October 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_101_Glass_Hammer_Smashes_Through_the_Fog_of_War.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:47pm EDT

 

With this milestone episode of the show, it's only fitting that we mark it by inviting to the program one of the most innovative musicians of his generation. Thomas Dolby is often pigeonholed by those who haven't delved into his output as a one-hit wonder, new wave technogeek, but when you get past "She Blinded Me with Science," you'll hear an artist who has dabbled in almost every style of popular music there is. Having taken a hiatus from music of nearly two decades to start a tech company and become the music director for the TED talks, he burst back on the scene in 2011 with an album and interactive online game called A Map of the Floating City. Since then he's taken a position as professor in the arts at Baltimore's Johns Hopkins University, following in the academic footsteps of his parents and siblings. Host and long-time fan Mark Ashby talks with Dolby about his formative years listening to prog rock bands (and which soon-to-be-famous youthful comrade of his later insisted punk was the real deal), the doors that his most well-known hit opened for him, how he creates his own sense of home away from his actual homebase of East Anglia, and his upcoming memoir The Speed of Sound. You can locate him online at www.thomasdolby.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"I Love You Goodbye"
"Hyperactive!"
"Hot Sauce"
"Nuvogue"
"A Jealous Thing Called Love"
"The Toadlickers"
"Airhead"
"The Key to Her Ferrari"
"She Blinded Me with Science"
"Flying North"
"Neon Sisters"
"Spice Train"
"Oceanea"
"Cloudburst at Shingle Street"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 14 September 2016

 

Direct download: Progtopia_100_Breaking_the_Speed_of_Sound_with_Thomas_Dolby.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:11pm EDT

 

If you combine "progressive" with "fusion," the resulting word you would come up with would probably be "Profusion." And the band in this episode certainly takes both of those words seriously. Hailing from Siena, Italy, band members Vladimer Sichinava (drums), Gionatan Caradonna (keyboards), Davide Pepi (guitars), Jury Maccianti (bass), and Luca Latini (vocals) combine many styles on their three albums, the most recent of which is 2015's Phersu. With influences including traditional music from Georgia, where Sichinava has roots, Profusion challenges and excites with their brand of Rock Progressivo Italiano. Host Mark Ashby taled with Caradonna about why they enjoy American prog so much, their support of AIMA (the Italian Alzheimer's Disease Association), and how a little bit of alcohol (or maybe a lot) can create some fun in the studio. Visit the band online at www.profusion.it.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Free Fall"

"Vanity Fair"

"Chuta Chani"

"Nomen"

"Forgetful Hero/Wrinkled Maiden"

"Forbidden"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

 

Originally posted 4 September 2016

 

Direct download: Progtopia_099_A_Free_Fall_with_Profusion.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 5:02pm EDT

 

They've played festivals like RoSfest, although they don't wear their progginess on their sleeves. Dream the Electric Sleep (Matt Page [guitar, vocals], Joey Waters [drums], and Chris Tackett [bass]) has three albums out in the world, including their most recent called Beneath the Dark Wide Sky, and their sound might best be described as falling somewhere on the overlap of the Venn diagram of prog, grunge, and AOR. Perhaps like host Mark Ashby, you'll get so caught up in the hooks in their music that you don't even notice that the songs you're listening to aren't in 4/4. You'll hear from Page about how photographs from the 1930s informed the concepts behind the songs on the newest album, how Tori Amos and other women singers are influential to him, and what it might take for them to become more of a fixture on the touring scene. Find them online at www.dreamtheelectricsleep.com.

 

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Drift"

"Flight"

"Headlights"

"Culling the Herd"

"The Good Night Sky"

 

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 17 August 2016

 

 

Direct download: Progtopia_098_Dream_the_Electric_Sleep_Under_the_Good_Night_Sky.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:54pm EDT

Maybe it slipped under your radar, too, but Connecticut's Earthside (Frank Sacramone [keyboards], Jamie van Dyck [guitar], Ryan Griffin [bass], and Ben Shanbrom [drums]) released what might have been one of the most powerful albums of 2015, A Dream in Static. In the process, they earned themselves a nomination for Prog magazine's Vanguard award. While they resist the term prog metal in favor of cinematic rock, you'll find plenty to like here if you're into the heavier stuff. Using vocalists from bands like Tesseract and Sevendust as well as the Moscow Studio Symphony Orchestra, they've got a good thing going. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Sacramone about the band members' musical educations, writing for orchestra, and their upcoming tour with Leprous. Check them out online at www.earthsideband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Entering the Light"

"Crater"

"The Closest I've Come"

"Mob Mentality"

"A Dream in Static"

"Skyline"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 25 July 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_097_Entering_the_Light_with_Earthside.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 7:57pm EDT

It's a veritable feast of consequences. A couple of blokes who have worked with ex-Marillion frontman Fish, Steve Vantsis (bass) and Dave Stewart (drums), have recently recruited guitarist Paul Humphreys and singer PJ Dourley to create a band called Tilt, in homage to the medieval hero Don Quixote. After having produced an earlier EP with a plethora of guests, they've kept the cameo appearances to a minimum on their debut full-length album Hinterland, just out at the end of June. With all the hallmarks of Fish's best output, you know you're in for a treat with this one. Host Mark Ashby speaks with Stewart and Humphreys about the way the band came together, why this may or may not be a prog album, and how Brexit might affect a band like them -- part English and part Scottish. They're online at www.tiltband.co.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Bloodline"

"No Superman"

"Growing Colder"

"Hinterland"

"Strontium Burning"

"Disassembly"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 10 July 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_096_No_Supermen_but_Tilt_Is_a_Super_Band.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 4:14pm EDT

Digital synthesizers are all well and good -- who doesn't love a nice Korg Wavestation, am I right? -- but there's just something warm and reassuring about that old analog sound that we grew to love in the classic 70s prog and electronic music. If you're a fan of that sort of thing, and if you don't already know about Erik Norlander, you'll probably want to check him out after hearing this episode. One-third of the previously-profiled Rocket Scientists (Episode 067), the prolific Norlander has just released his latest solo album, Surreal, and he's here to talk about it. Host Mark Ashby discusses his evolution as a songwriter, why the definition of progressive music might actually mean you can't do a short "prog" song very easily, and what two instruments he might take with him to a magical desert island with electricity. He's on the web in many places, but you can try www.eriknorlander.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"The Party's Overture"

"Unearthly"

"The Galaxy Collectors"

"Surreal"

To hear the Rocket Scientists episode of Progtopia, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-067-refuel-and-regenerate-with-the-rocket-scientists

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 June 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_095_The_Surreal_Soundscapes_of_Erik_Norlander.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:28pm EDT

New bands aren't all 20-somethings searching for their musical identities. Some recently-formed groups are made up of veterans who have performed with rock heavyweights and even musical theater and have the same attorney as King Crimson. That's the case for New York State's Circuline, comprised of singers Billy Spillane and Natalie Brown with Andrew Colyer on keyboards and vocals, Darin Brannon on drums, Beledo on guitars, and Paul Ranieri on bass. Last month they appeared as part of RoSFest in Gettysburg, Pennsylvania, as well as releasing their sophomore effort Counterpoint. You'll hear in the interview with host Mark Ashby about how they came together out of some of the members being in a cover band called Downing Grey, their recent nomination for Prog Magazine's Limelight Award, and some insider dirt on each band member, so even you hardcore fans won't want to skip this one! They're online at www.circulinemusic.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Stay (Peter Frankenstan)"
"Forbidden Planet"
"Return"
"Who I Am"
"Nautilus"
"Inception"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 17 June 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_094_On_Circulines_Forbidden_Planet.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:58am EDT

His name became synonymous with making simple tasks extremely complicated. Sounds like progressive music at times, too, doesn't it? Well, in the case of the late Rube Goldberg, his name and concepts live on in the UK band The Rube Goldberg Machine (Elliot Coombs: Guitars, keyboards, lead vocals; Dan Bowles: Guitars, keyboards, backing vocals; Jordan Brown: Bass, keyboards, backing vocals). Their debut Fragile Times was released in April on Bad Elephant Music, and if you're a fan of the lighter side of Porcupine Tree and Steven Wilson, you have some idea of where the band's prog/pop comes from. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Brown and Coombs about the strong reason behind the band's name (and cover art), the songwriting process and the yin-yang personality types that inform different tracks on the album, and something we'll only refer to as the Mother of Pain. They're online at www.trgmachine.co.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Times Square"
"The Captain's Blackjack"
"Fragile Times"
"In Symmetry"
"Background Noise"
"Little Funerals"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 May 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_093_The_Rube_Goldberg_Machine_Is_Not_Background_Noise.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:57am EDT

Progressive rock and metal lend themselves perhaps more than any other genre to the telling of stories across the arc of an album. For Odd Logic, from the state of Washington, that's been the approach from the beginning. With albums like the two-part Legends of Monta, Over the Underworld, and the brand-new Penny for Your Thoughts, Sean Thompson (guitars, keys, vocals) has crafted tales that range through fantasy and science fiction and satisfy on a musical level, as well. After having been a solo project for years, Thompson has now brought on Mike Lee on bass and Pete Hanson on drums to create a true band that has even managed to play some live dates. Host Mark Ashby talked with the trio about the literary approach the band employs, where the unique album ideas come from, and if the Seattle area can support progressive music. Look for them and the new album on their Bandcamp page: http://oddlogicrock.bandcamp.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Secrets"
"Court of Ancient Rulers"
"Not Anymore"
"Life, Lore, and Love"
"Lighthouses"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 09 May 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_092_Life_Lore_and_Odd_Logic.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:55am EDT

From Los Angeles comes a blended prog metal band that has been storming through speakers everywhere since 2000 with a series of consistently powerful releases. Led by Nick van Dyk on guitars and with Fates Warning's Ray Alder behind the microphone, Redemption has recently come out with their newest album The Art of Loss, and in it they cover territory ranging from straightforward hard rock to cover tunes and 20-minute-plus epics. Host Mark Ashby spoke by phone with van Dyk about the thematic elements that pervade Redemption's albums, health issues that he and guitarist Bernie Versailles have been facing, and how he looks back on the music he created in the wake of his cancer diagnosis several years ago. They're online at www.redemptionweb.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Slouching Towards Bethlehem"

"Love Kills Us All/Life in One Day"

"Walls"

"The Art of Loss"

"Love Reign O'er Me"

"Hope Dies Last"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally published 21 April 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_091_Slouching_Towards_Redemption.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:44pm EDT

St. Petersburg, Russia, is a city known for many things, but don't be surprised if someday it's also known as the home of iamthemorning, who could be called, for lack of a better term, "chamber prog." Singer Marjana Semkina and pianist Gleb Kolyadin compose music that ranges from conservatory-style pieces to guitar-and-drum-driven rockers and all points between. Their new album Lighthouse features the likes of Gavin Harrison, Colin Edwin, and Mariusz Duda as guests on their often ethereal, always interesting tracks. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Semkina about the challenges of being from Russia and trying to get noticed by a label like Kscope, how they are received in live settings that might not be thought at first to suit their style, and who wins in a tournament of four male and four female vocalists between whom she must choose -- sometimes painfully. They're online at http://iamthemorning.com/.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Harmony"

"Clear Clearer"

"To Human Misery"

"Lighthouse"

"Chalk and Coal"

"Post Scriptum"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally published 6 April 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_090_The_View_from_the_Lighthouse_with_iamthemorning.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:42pm EDT

There's no rule that says a German band can't name themselves after an Italian author. So Augsburg's Dante has spent the past decade or so releasing albums, including their most recent called When We Were Beautiful. Members Alexander Göhs (vocals), Markus Maichel (keyboards), Christian Eichlinger (drums), and Julian Kellner (guitars) are firmly prog metal in style, with long songs and complex time signatures alongside more accessible beats that are - dare we say - danceable? Host Mark Ashby talked with Maichel about the band's origins, how Augsburg rates as a place for their sort of music, and the death of founding member Markus Berger and its aftermath. They're online at www.danteband.de.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Rearrangement of the Gods"

"Let Me Down"

"Finally"

"Ambitious"

"Beautiful Again"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 18 Mar 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_089_Dante_Is_Feeling_Beautiful_Again.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:39pm EDT

What would you think if something special to you that had been lost for over 30 years suddenly turned up seemingly unharmed? But then what if, so tantalizingly close to getting this item back, the person who now possessed it decided to lawyer up? That's the scenario that faced Jefferson Starship's guitarist Craig Chaquico and two classic Les Paul instruments that were assumed destroyed in a riot in 1978. The tale of how one of the two was found is almost too perfect to believe, but sadly that guitar isn't back with its rightful owner yet. The courts are involved, and on June 13, 2016, Chaquico will know if he can reunite with his "girlfriend." Host Mark Ashby got the scoop on the whole saga including how the Star Wars Christmas Special figures into it, as well as some insights into his career both solo and with (Jefferson) Starship, including a discussion specifically about that 80s staple "We Built This City." Find him online at www.craigchaquico.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Fast Buck Freddie"

"Find Your Way Back"

"Jane"

"We Built This City"

"El Gato"

"Acoustic Highway"

"Dance with the Dragon"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 29 February 2016


If anyone truly deserves to wear the crown of the Metal Queen, Doro Pesch is worthy of the title. From her days fronting Warlock in the 80s through her solo career, she's spent better than 30 years rocking out in front of audiences worldwide and never wavering from her mission of bringing metal to the masses. With a voice that can cut sharper than a samurai sword, Doro will be touring the eastern US this February and March with plans for more dates later in the year, but first a cruise from Miami on the Monsters of Rock cruise alongside the likes of Tesla, Queensryche, and more. Before soaking up some sun, she talked with host Mark Ashby about how she managed to get through the 90s when record labels and fans alike were turning away from metal, new music that's forthcoming this year and next, and how the late Lemmy Kilmister "saved [her] life." Go to www.doropesch.com for information in both English and German.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Take No Prisoner"

"Rock Till Death"

"The Night of the Warlock"

"Freiheit (Human Rights)"

"It Still Hurts" (featuring Lemmy)

"Raise Your Fist in the Air"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 18 February 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_087_Rock_Till_Death_with_Doro_Pesch.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:00am EDT

Many ideas have begun while two or more friends have drunk an alcoholic beverage of their choice -- some are good, some are not. In the case of the Netherlands' Barstool Philosophers (Bas Hoebink [bass], Martin Kuipers [drums], Peter Van Asselt [vocals], René Kroon [keyboards], and Ivo Poelman [guitar]), it was a very good idea, indeed. They have crafted two albums' worth of songs that lean progressive without going so far that fans of a more classic-rock sound aren't turned off. The most recent album, Crossing Over, features six different singers -- including three tracks with Van Asselt. Host Mark Ashby talked with Kroon about the band's positive philosophy, why they used so many singers on this album after parting ways with their first vocalist, and what concept connects all the songs on Crossing Over. They're online at www.thebarstoolphilosophers.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"'Till We Meet Again"

"Tedious"

"Freeway"

"Beyond the Stars"

"Crossing Over"

"The Scent"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 31 January 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_086_Share_a_Pint_with_The_Barstool_Philosophers.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:56am EDT

Don't worry -- your humble host hasn't lost his mind and started talking to himself. Host Mark Ashby tracked down a German prog-metal band also called Ashby, whose debut album Fragmental was released in November 2015. The quintet usually goes only by their first names (Joel [keyboards], Jan [guitar], Sabina [vocals], Chris [bass], and Rik [drums]), and their sound is already an emotional mix of power and vulnerability that feels familiar without being a carbon copy of other similar bands. In this interview, you'll hear more about how they came up with their name, their writing process, and Sabina's time as a contestant on the German version of The Voice. Find the band online at www.ashbyofficial.de.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Aether - A Lunar Year"

"Ashes Decay"

"The Faceless and the Shore"

"Pax"

"Holy Water"

"A Question Never Heard"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 14 January 2016

Direct download: Progtopia_085_Ashby_Interviews_Ashby.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:32am EDT

From the northern reaches of Europe to the lower regions of South America, the multi-national project Full Nothing released their debut self-titled album in August and has already gained over 10,000 Facebook followers despite not (yet) having a physical CD version of the album. Conceived by Argentinian musicians Nicolas Marcos (guitars) and Guillermo de Medio (keyboards), several singers collaborated on the 14 tracks, including Finland's Juha Kylmänen, who spoke with host Mark Ashby in this episode. You'll hear about the way he connected with a project begun so far away, what kinds of music he does (and doesn't) listen to, and an exclusive about the second Full Nothing album, on which work has already started. Find them online at www.fullnothing.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"In Nothingness We Trust"

"Sunlight"

"The Claim Forgotten"

"Return"

"Epitaph"

"The Book of Fears"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 05 December 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_084_In_Full_Nothing_We_Trust.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:28am EDT

"A metal album with a trombone player" is roughly how brassman Jacob Garchik describes his latest effort Ye Olde. With interweaving Frippian guitars and sometimes-blaring, sometimes-melodic horn work, Garchik and his collaborators have crafted an instrumental tale of an alternate-reality Brooklyn where vinyl siding is the enemy. As if that weren't enough, he's also been a part of the Latin-flavored Banda de los Muertos this year, and he's collaborated with the likes of the Kronos Quartet and Henry Threadgill, among many others. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Garchik about his myriad influences from classical to jazz to prog, why humor is an important part of his approach, and how his nuanced views on religion informed his 2012 work The Heavens: The Atheist Gospel Trombone Album. He's online at www.jacobgarchik.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"The Lady of Duck Island"

"Ye Olde of Flatbush"

"The Problem of Suffering"

"Tu Recuerdo y Yo"

"And Meanwhile"

"Post-Modern Revival"

"The Battle of Brownstone Bulge"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 24 November 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_083_And_Meanwhile_Its_Jacob_Garchik.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:26am EDT

Have you ever just known that an underrated band you enjoy is poised for a breakthrough? Melbourne, Australia's Teramaze could very well be that group. Comprised of Nathan Peachey (vocals), Luis Eguren (bass), Dean Kennedy (drums), and Dean Wells (guitar, backing vocals), the band's latest album Her Halo was released in late October to wide acclaim, as was their 2014 effort Esoteric Symbolism. Since their rebirth several years ago, the band's direction has become more progressive and has steadily gained new fans around the world. In this interview with host Mark Ashby, Wells and Peachey talk about the balance in writing challenging music that still contains accessible elements, how they deal with haters, and the support Mascot Label Group has been giving them surrounding Her Halo. Find the band online at www.teramaze.com.au.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Trapeze"

"Out of Subconscious"

"Her Halo"

"An Ordinary Dream (Enla Momento)"

"To Love, a Tyrant"

To hear the first Progtopia episode featuring Teramaze, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-008-through-the-madness-of-teramaze

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 07 Nov 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_082_Out_of_Teramazes_Subconscious.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:08am EDT

Just another female-fronted prog-metal band? Not exactly. Indianapolis' Chiasma aren't very far into their career, but they're already carving a niche for themselves with a sound that includes the standard symphonic instrumentation and occasional growls, but also vocoders and a willingness to experiment with sound. Members Katie Thompson (vocals and keyboards), Derek Steele (guitar), Ian Inman (guitar), Dan Gugenheim (bass), and Dustin Weddle (drums) have one album, Synthesis, out already and are planning to release their second within the next few months. Host Mark Ashby chats with Thompson and Weddle regarding the piecing-together of the band, what Indiana is like as a progressive destination, and how cats figure into their music-making (or maybe the blocking thereof). Find them online at http://chiasmatheband.bandcamp.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Phajaan"

"Walls"

"Adventure Through Armenia"

"Cry for the Dream"

"Starboard"

"Impetus Lost"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 30 Oct 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_081_A_Turn_to_Starboard_with_Chiasma.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:03am EDT

Ask anyone who has been there: The premiere progressive and power metal festival in the United States takes place every September in Atlanta, Georgia. In 2015, ProgPower USA experienced its sixteenth installment, with four days of events with bands from around the world entertaining sold-out crowds at the Center Stage venue. Headliners this year included the likes of Anathema, Falconer, and Angra, but other up-and-comers like Helker and Native Construct were also received well by the ProgPower faithful. Host Mark Ashby attended for the first time, and he brings you interviews with a few festival attendees, Voyager's Alex Canion, and festival promoter Glenn Harveston, who talks about the visa issues that plagued him this year and his team's quick responses to it, how much time he has to watch the bands he books, and what makes ProgPower the festival that sells out its thousand tickets in nine hours (for next year's shows). And you hear Mark's ideal "ProgtopiaPower USA" lineup, four days of shows comprised entirely of past Progtopia guests. Learn more about the festival at www.progpowerusa.com.

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 12 Oct 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_Backstage_Pass_4_ProgPower_USA_XVI.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:57am EDT

The U8 Touch Guitar is quite the versatile instrument. Creator Markus Reuter uses it as part of the dynamic group Stick Men but also in the avant-garde centrozoon. Another minimalist-style composer who employs the U8 is French-born, Austin-based Cédric Theys. Founder of Mad Ducks Records, Theys has already released two albums this year -- Imagur as part of the duo Dim13nsion (pronounced Dimension 13) and his solo effort Eternity's Antechamber -- and both will appeal to those who enjoy ethereal soundscapes. Host Mark Ashby talked with Theys about his preference of the U8 to the Chapman Stick, his spontaneous composition style, and the other acts on his record label, which you can find at www.madducksrecords.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"We Can't Use the Sun Anymore"

"A Small Stretch of Eternity"

"Atomic Fission"

"Stepping Through Existence"

"Peaceful Plains"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 30 Sept 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_080_Stepping_Through_Existence_with_Cedric_Theys.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:52am EDT

Are they prog? Are they punk? Are they post-rock? Whatever box you put them in, The Fierce and the Dead will probably squeeze into it. This instrumental four-piece with guitarists Matt Stevens and Steve Cleaton, bassist Kev Feazey, and drummer Stuart Marshall have indeed created a cult following beyond their UK home, vocals be damned. Their newest EP Magnet has just been released on Bad Elephant Music, and they've been making the festival circuit in the late summer/early fall. Host Mark Ashby speaks with Stevens about the unclassifiability of TFATD, the scientific ideas that went into their album Spooky Action, and why they embrace the EP as a medium for releasing their songs. Visit them online at www.fierceandthedead.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"I Like It, I'm Into It"

"Let's Start a Cult"

"Part 1."

"Ark"

"Part 6 (The Eighth Circuit)"

"Palm Trees"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 9 Sept 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_079_Lets_Start_a_Cult_with_The_Fierce_and_the_Dead.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:47am EDT

For the second show in a row, we feature a band with a powerful woman at the microphone, although this time, the music is decidedly heavier. Stockholm's The Murder of My Sweet (Daniel Flores [drums, keyboards, vocals], Christopher Vetter [guitar], Angelica Rylin [vocals], and Patrik Jonson [bass]) released their third album Beth Out of Hell this month, and it's a dark concept album about the interplay between good and evil that shows how the world and the forces many believe control it are not necessarily black and white. Host Mark Ashby talks with Flores about the research that went into the story for the album, their acceptance of the "cinematic metal" label that was applied to them early on, and what it means to be a female-fronted band that doesn't subscribe to all the conventions many expect from that genre. Find the band online at www.themurderofmysweet.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Euthanasia"

"Always the Fugitive"

"Bleed Me Dry"

"The Awakening"

"Requiem for a Ghost"

"The Humble Servant"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 27 August 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_078_Awakening_to_The_Murder_of_My_Sweet.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 11:42pm EDT

"Full and fat." That's how Landmarq keyboardist Mike Varty (at far right) describes his band's sound. Joined by bandmates Steve Gee [bass], Uwe D'Rose [guitar], Tracy Hitchings [vocals], and Daniel Martin [drums], Landmarq has been around since the late 80s and is therefore solidly in the neo-prog realm inhabited by IQ or Pendragon. Initially fronted by Damian Wilson, the band made the switch to a woman singer in the late 90s, a move seen as daring by some. Host Mark Ashby talked with Varty about what Hitchings brings to the group, her cancer diagnosis and recovery, and the new CD/DVD RoadSkill: Live in the Netherlands. He also plays the Tournament of Prog Keyboardists -- Who is the winner? Find them online at www.landmarq.net.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Thunderstruck"
"Turbulence"
"Entertaining Angels"
"Glowing"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 9 August 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_077_Riding_Out_the_Turbulence_with_Landmarq.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:58pm EDT

The term "power trio" has become a hallowed lineup formation among prog fans who revere bands like Rush, the Jimi Hendrix Experience, and King's X, among others. Centreville, Virginia's Iris Divine (guitarist/vocalist Navid Rashid, bassist Brian Dobbs, and drummer/keyboardist Kris Combs) are a prog-metal three-piece that has come out of the gate about as powerfully as a band can with their debut Karma Sown. With echoes of some of the previously-mentioned groups as well as Alice in Chains and Pantera, Iris Divine is starting to get some attention outside of the mid-Atlantic and will be touring in late July and early August on the east coast. Host Mark Ashby talked with Combs about the switch from the early days as a quartet, the interesting perks they offered for their Kickstarter campaign, and his winner in an eight-band tournament of famous power trios past (it might not be who you think!). Find the album at https://lasersedge.bandcamp.com/album/karma-sown

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Prisms"

"A Suicide Aware"

"The Everlasting Sea"

"In Spirals"

"Mother's Prayer"

"Fire of the Unknown"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 14 July 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_076_Sowing_Karma_with_Iris_Divine.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:51pm EDT

Is art rock progressive rock, or vice versa? Or are they different styles altogether? For UK multi-instrumentalist Grice Peters, the distinction has some meaning, although his brand of melodic yet atmospheric music isn't easily classified, anyway. With leanings toward the sound of David Sylvian and his associated projects, largely because of the involvement of Sylvian's ex-bandmates Richard Barbieri and Steve Jansen, Grice's new album Alexandrine is a musical journey through space from the North African dunes to the shores of the British Isles. In this interview with host Mark Ashby, Grice gives his take on the art rock label, how his youth in London prepared him for the musical path he'd later follow, and the plethora of guest musicians and producers who have helped shape the sound of his albums. Catch up with Grice on the web at www.gricemusic.co.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Flaw 2 (Silica)"

"12 Syllables"

"Alexandrine"

"Frozen Water"

"Leftside"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 27 June 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_075_12_Syllables_Maybe_More_with_Grice.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:49pm EDT

Progressive filmmaking? You might be able to apply that label to Mathew Miller, who has turned the classic IQ double-album Subterranea and turned it into a feature film that he wrote and directed. Currently making the rounds of various festivals, the film Subterranea stars an Emmy Award nominee and other Hollywood names depicted in gorgeous Montana settings to tell this tale of a twisted social experiment and its aftermath. Host Mark Ashby chatted with Miller about what brought him to this particular prog rock album when there are so many concepts out there, the band's reaction to and involvement in his project, and what else from the prog realm he'd like to be a part of bringing to a visual medium in the future. Keep up with the film at www.subterranea-movie.com and with IQ at www.iq-hq.co.uk.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Failsafe"
"Capricorn"
"Subterranea"
"Unsolid Ground"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 13 June 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_074_Mathew_Millers_High_IQ.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:06am EDT

If you're a fan of audiobooks, radio plays, and the like, Hibernal out of Brisbane, Australia, might just be the type of prog rock project you're looking for. Mark Healy not only composes and performs the music on these albums, he writes the scripts that provide the spoken-word narration to the science-fiction stories contained on the three albums to date. The latest of these, After the Winter, is also the first in a trilogy of books that can be purchased, making Hibernal truly a cross-platform phenomenon. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Healy about the stories that drive Hibernal's albums, how he finds the voice talent to bring the stories to life, and whether he thinks his work could ever be performed live. The albums can be found at http://hibernal.bandcamp.com, and the books at www.amazon.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"A View of the World"
"After the Winter"
"Losing Touch"
"Evasion"
"Worn"
"Beginnings"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 29 May 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_073_Hibernals_View_of_the_World.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:04am EDT

Their band name is a standalone sentence, full-stop. Their music bridges genres, incorporating spoken word, various vocalists, and stylistic touches reminiscent of the golden age of prog. Manchester, UK's We Are Kin (l. to r. Lee Braddock [bass], Lauren Smith [vocals], Adam McCann [guitar], Dan Zambas [keyboards, guitar, vocals], and Gary Boast [drums]) have just released their debut album Pandora on Bad Elephant Music, and it's a mindbender that will either carry you along on their story arc or have you making up a tale of your own. Host Mark Ashby talked with four of the band members about the reason behind their unusual name, their compositional process and how Zambas and Boast keep each other's more extreme tendencies in check, and the politics that creeps into their music, at least in Zambas's case. Look for them online at https://wearekin.bandcamp.com/.

Featured songs/excerpts:

"Faith"

"Home Sweet Home"

"The Door"

"The Speech"

"The Hard Decision"

"Without Them"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 15 May 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_072_Hard_Decisions_from_We_Are_Kin.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:37am EDT

Naples, Italy, has a secret, but we think everybody should know about it. The quintet Soul Secret, previously profiled in Episode 006, is back with their first concept album, called 4, and members Luca Di Gennaro (keyboards), Antonio Vittozzi (guitars), Antonio Mocerino (drums), Lino Di Pietrantonio (vocals), and Claudio Casaburi (bass) - pictured here with Neal Morse - are picking up sonically where they left off with 2011's Closer to Daylight. Combining influences into their own progressive style that includes metal, fusion, and more, this album has already received worldwide critical acclaim. Host Mark Ashby talks to Di Gennaro about the new album, its story, and how their new vocalist came to the band, among other topics. Visit them online at www.soulsecret.net.

Featured songs/excerpts: "On the Ledge" "Our Horizon" "K" "The White Stairs" "Downfall"

To listen to the first episode featuring Soul Secret, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-006-getting-closer-to-daylight-with-soul-secret

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 29 April 2015

 

Direct download: Progtopia_071_Climbing_the_White_Stairs_with_Soul_Secret.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:56pm EDT

With a name inspired by an early Marillion song, you might be surprised to know that Lisbon, Portugal's Forgotten Suns sound more like a combination of Pink Floyd and Symphony X. Members Ernesto Rodrigues (keyboards), João Samora (drums), Ricardo Falcão (guitars), Nuno Correia (bass), and Nio Nunes (vocals) play a brand of progressive metal that is refreshing in its stress on melody instead of overly-complex technique and its liberal use of spoken word samples to create often-epic-length works that include their newest album When Worlds Collide, released in March on Premiere Music. Host Mark Ashby talked with Falcão about the change in style for the band from their first two albums until now, why their songs tend to be longer, and what are the advantages and disadvantages of being located in out-of-the-way Portugal as a prog band. Find them online at www.premiere-music.net.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"When Worlds Collide"
"Doppelganger"
"Mind Over Matter"
"News"
"Rise & Fall"
"Fortress of Silence"
"The Road to Nowhere pt. 1"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 13 April 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_070_Inside_Forgotten_Suns_Fortress_of_Silence.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:35am EDT

It's not that difficult, we promise. This Swedish sextet currently comprising Jonas Engdegård and Tord Lindman on guitars, Johan Brand on bass, Anna Holmgren on flute and saxophone, Linus Kåse on keyboards and Erik Hammarström on drums is set to tour Europe in April with their style of progressive rock that hearkens back to the classic sound of early King Crimson and Genesis with modern production values (but still with mellotrons!). Host Mark Ashby chatted with Engdegård and Brand about the upcoming concerts, why they chose not to translate their song titles into English (or any other language), and which country they think has a great set of fans, and why. They're online at www.anglagardrecords.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Ur Vilande"
"Jordrök"
"Sorgmantel"
"Längtans Klocka"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 29 March 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_069_Everyone_Say_Anglagard.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:11am EDT

The name makes them sound like they should be a Norwegian doom outfit with long blond hair and indecipherable growling vocals. While they are somewhat heavy, Odin's Court can best be described as fitting into the niche where Pink Floyd and Iron Maiden meet. The Maryland quintet comprises Dimetrius LaFavors on lead vocals, Jeff Pierpont on bass, Matt Brookins on guitars, keys, and backing vocals, Rick Pierpont on guitar, and Gary Raub on drums (Jeff Sauber - pictured), and their new album Turtles All the Way Down has just been released. Host Mark Ashby talked with Brookins about their influences, the reason that he recently brought in a new lead vocalist when he had been handling those duties for years, and the concepts behind the current and past albums. You'll find them online at www.odinscourtband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Back Where the Daffodils Grow"
"The Warmth of Mediocrity"
"Mammonific"
"...But What's the Question?"
"Box of Dice (Does God Play?)"
"Turtles All the Way Down Part 3"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 19 Mar 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_068_All_the_Way_Down_with_Odins_Court.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 12:45am EDT

Twenty years is a long time for any band to be together, but to keep the same lineup over that time is rarer still. In the case of California's Rocket Scientists (Erik Norlander [keyboards/vocals], Don Schiff [bass, stick, bowed string instruments], Mark McCrite [guitar/lead vocals]), their cohesiveness is attributable, they say, to mutual respect and a disinclination to reject each other's ideas. They released two albums in 2014, the all-instrumental EP Supernatural Highways and the full-length Refuel, with traces of Yes, the Moody Blues, Pink Floyd, and other more pop elements present in a toe-tapping mixture. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Norlander and Schiff about how they all met and began making music together, the reason behind all the videos they've released recently, and the lucky break Schiff got when looking to buy a cello. You'll find the band online at www.thetank.com. Featured songs/excerpts: "Galileo" "Regenerate" "Traveler on the Supernatural Highways" "She's Getting Hysterical" "It's Over" "Cheshire Cat Smile" "Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 Feb 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_067_Refuel_and_Regenerate_with_the_Rocket_Scientists.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:20pm EDT

A producer for Pink Floyd striking out on his own with a work bearing his name. Is this 1976 and Alan Parsons we're talking about? No, indeed. We're in the present day, and the twice-Grammy-nominated producer (A Momentary Lapse of Reason, The Division Bell) that we're talking about is Andy Jackson. Fresh off his production work on the band's latest (and likely last) effort The Endless River, Jackson has released a new album of his own, perhaps appropriately for a recording engineer titled Signal to Noise. While not his debut solo work, it is his first in years, and host Mark Ashby spoke with Jackson about the new work and the influences he brought to bear on it, the challenges of putting together The Endless River from pre-existing work without the benefit of the late Richard Wright being around to record new parts, and what it was like to work with Pink Floyd during Roger Waters' final years with the band. He can be found online at www.andyjacksonmusic.com. *** "Whilst the ethos of the engineer does make a difference to the sound of the final thing ..., what really makes [Pink Floyd] sound like them is their choices and their arrangements and their aesthetic. ... We are enablers." Featured songs/excerpts: "Brownian Motion" "One More Push" "Spray Paint" "The Boy in the Forest" "Herman at the Fountain" "Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 14 January 2015

Direct download: Progtopia_065_Spray_Painting_with_Andy_Jackson.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 10:25pm EDT

The world of progressive music is truly global, as interesting, challenging, rewarding songs can be found everywhere. Israeli stringed-instrumentalist Yossi Sassi is a shining example of that, as he not only incorporates Mediterranean sounds into his work, but as he's said elsewhere, no matter where a stringed instrument can be found in the world, "I will find you, and I will play you." A founding and long-time member of oriental metal pioneers Orphaned Land (profiled in Episode 034), Sassi recently struck out on his own, this year releasing his second solo album, Desert Butterflies. Host Mark Ashby talked about his eclectic style, the connection between his family roots and the kind of music he creates and seeks out (and why he won't move away from his native land for bigger opportunities), and his own unique instrument, the bouzoukitara, among many other topics. Find him online at www.yossisassi.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Orient Sun"
"Cocoon"
"Drive"
"Fata Morgana"
"Believe"

To hear the interview with Orphaned Land's vocalist Kobi Farhi, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-034-for-orphaned-land-all-is-one

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 12 December 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_064_Yossi_Sassi_and_the_Rise_of_the_Orient_Sun.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 2:42pm EDT

Female-fronted metal bands are often expected to have a certain sound. Their singers are expected to cite the likes of Cristina Scabbia or Sharon den Adel as their main influences. That's not what you'll find from Whitehall, Pennsylvania's, MindMaze. Joining sibling duo Sarah (vocals) and Jeff (guitar) Teets are drummer Kalin Schweizerhof and live bassist Rich Pasqualone in a combo that is forging its own identity with its two albums to date, Mask of Lies (2013) and this October's Back from the Edge. Symphony X bassist Mike LePond sat in on the new album, which is one of the topics host Mark Ashby talked about with Sarah and Jeff, as well as their early days under a different name, what it's like being family members who write together, and the double-edged sword that is the existence of a metal band with a woman at the microphone. You can find them online at www.mindmazeband.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Back from the Edge"
"The Machine Stops"
"This Holy War"
"Through the Open Door"
"Onward (Destiny Calls 2)"
"Consequence of Choice"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 23 November 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_063_MindMaze_Walks_Through_the_Open_Door.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:13pm EDT

Ambient music is often misunderstood. Since the songs often deviate from traditional compositional forms, some might think it's easy to create it. German/Swiss trio centrozoon prove that when musicians go beyond improvisation to "composing in the moment," the result is anything but simple or repeatable. Tobias Reber (electronics), Markus Reuter (touch guitar), and Bernhard Wöstheinrich (synthesizers, electronics) create tonal sculptures that challenge and engage in ways that traditional music cannot. Host Mark Ashby talked with Reber and Wöstheinrich about their enjoyment in wordplay, what it means to "play the wrong notes," how to turn a laptop into an instrument, and news about their brand new album The Room of Plenty. Find them an www.centrozoon.de and www.centrozoon.bandcamp.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Paalm"
"Aarooma"
"tales of children in trees"
"Hoorn"
"Tooong"
"Plaan"

For previous episodes featuring centrozoon's Markus Reuter, go to http://progtopia.libsyn.com/episode-018-markus-reuter-more-than-just-a-stick-man and http://progtopia.libsyn.com/backstage-pass-1-markus-reuter-more-than-just-a-stick-man-part-2

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 10 Nov 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_062_centrozoons_Room_of_Plain_Tea.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:56pm EDT

Every band claims at least some degree of uniqueness. Few actually achieve it. New York's Braindance not only sound like little else out there, they coined a new term to describe their sound: progressive darkwave. Melding elements of prog metal, goth, new age, and more, guitarist Vora Vor and vocalist Sebastian Elliott have been building a devoted fan base since the early 90s, and although they only have four releases, they obviously believe in quality over quantity. Their newest concept album, Master of Disguise, was released recently in an eye-catching package complete with 16-page comic, and features their signature blend of styles plus samples from film and television to advance the story of an alternate reality from our own. Mark Ashby spoke with Elliott about the multiple terms he once used to describe the band before landing on progressive darkwave, the finances involved in being an independent artist marketing his own work, his take on the differences between New York's and LA's progressive metal music scenes, and the type of fans that "get" Braindance's music. They're online at www.progressivedarkwave.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Valley of the Kings Chapter I: Beyond"
"Written in Stone"
"Only a Moment"
"The Game"
"Lost"
"Entombed"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 29 Oct 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_061_Only_a_Moment_with_Braindance.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 1:53am EDT

As collaborator to some of the luminaries in prog (Wetton, Downes, Emerson, etc.), guitarist Dave Kilminster has been able to participate in some incredible tours while still remaining somewhat anonymous. But as part of Roger Waters' latest incarnation of the band performing his classic The Wall, he's played in front of hundreds of thousands of fans around the world. But he's no simple hired gun playing parts David Gilmour originated: he's an accomplished composer in his own right. His newest album, ...And the Truth Will Set You Free, was released in late September, and its combination of prog, pop, and soul is a melodic and lyrical tour-de-force worthy of inclusion in any collection. Host Mark Ashby spoke with Kilminster about his somewhat stripped-down and old-school approach to writing and production, the pros and cons of playing in venues large and small, what he thinks about the Gilmour comparisons, and why you don't necessarily want to play perfectly in sync with a click track. You can visit him online at www.davekilminster.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Thieves"
"Circles"
"Addict"
"Stardust"
"The Fallen"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Please also visit our partner stations IAAM Radio at www.itsallaboutmusic.net and PRM Radio at www.progrockandmetal.net, where you can listen to and request songs hundreds of bands in the genre. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 10 Oct 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_060_Dave_Kilminster_Will_Set_You_Free.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 9:05pm EDT

With this show, let's get back to bass-ics. (Okay, sorry for the bad pun.) In Episode 052, Progtopia featured two bassists and their project as a duo, one of whom (Marco Machera) is from Italy. Perhaps it's something in the water in that country, because there's another phenomenal bassist from there named Alberto Rigoni, whose fourth studio album, "Overloaded," is out on 1 October. An all-instrumental work that explores various aspects of our high-tech, information-heavy society, Overloaded benefits not only from Rigoni's eclectic mix of playing styles, but also from guests like guitarist Simone Mularoni of DGM and others. Host Mark Ashby talked with Rigoni about why he chose the bass as his instrument (and what he actually tried to play first), how he balances the need to use social media to promote his music and his life outside of computers and mobile devices, and what other projects he's working on, even a bit about the top secret ones. He's on the web at www.albertorigoni.net.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Chron"
"Ubick"
"Floating Capsule"
"Overloaded"
"Liberation"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Please also visit our partner stations IAAM Radio at www.itsallaboutmusic.net and PRM Radio at www.progrockandmetal.net, where you can listen to and request songs hundreds of bands in the genre, including Alberto Rigoni. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 28 September 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_059_Alberto_Rigoni_Will_Overload_You.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 3:42pm EDT

Powerful prog music comes in many flavors. Sometimes you want that power to come from virtuosic instrumental displays, and sometimes you want that power to be more understated and goosebump-inducing. The Gift, from the UK, fall in the latter camp. Vocalist Mike Morton has served as the muse for the band since its inception in the early 2000s and two albums, 2006's Awake and Dreaming and this year's Land of Shadows. Joined by guitarist David Lloyd, bassist Stefan Dickers, keyboardist Samuele Matteucci, and drummer Scott James, Morton isn't afraid to tackle heady subjects like war and religion through melodically-driven music that is reminiscent of the likes of Roger Waters and Alan Parsons. Host Mark Ashby talked with Morton about those challenging subjects and his philosophy on them, which band first stirred his interest in progressive music (which is the same as the host's), and his involvement in the recent Resonance festival. They can be found on the web at www.thegiftmusic.com.

Featured songs/excerpts:
"Dark Clouds Gathering"
"The Willows"
"Awake and Dreaming"
"The Comforting Cold"
"Walk into the Water"

"Like" Progtopia on Facebook (www.facebook.com/Progtopia and www.facebook.com/groups/1380357308874546/) and follow Progtopia on Twitter (@Progtopia) to send a message about the show and to receive news about current and upcoming interviews. Please also visit our partner stations IAAM Radio at www.itsallaboutmusic.net and PRM Radio at www.progrockandmetal.net, where you can listen to and request songs hundreds of bands in the genre. Thanks for listening!

Originally posted 16 September 2014

Direct download: Progtopia_058_Walk_Into_the_Water_with_The_Gift.mp3
Category:general -- posted at: 8:54pm EDT