Podcasts about progtopia

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!

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).

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.

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!

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!

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! Photo: Kyle Finlan Photography

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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!

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 (pictured) 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!

Featured in this episode of the show is our interview with three of the four members of Chicago's The Cyberiam. Comprised of (l. to r.) 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!

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!

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!

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!

Much like Willy Wonka, Roman opens his gates once a year to fellow podcasters and internet radio people. Unlike Willy Wonka, he doesn't try to kill them off one by one. 1. Psicolorama - Mr. Moog 2. Strunz and Farah - Amazonas 3. Gaelic Storm - Marching Free Guest Host: Marty Dorfman from The Waiting Room 4. Freedom To Glide - Wind and Gales 5. The Samurai Of Prog - After The Echoes 6. Electric Asturias - Tangram Paradox Guest Host: The Gribshnobler from The GribCast 7. John Demarkis - Music Of The Sun 8. Genesis - Can-Utility and the Coastliners 9. Magma - Zombies Guest Host: Kevin Mulryne from The Yes Music Podcast 10. Yes - Starship Trooper 11. Yes - I Am Waiting 12. Yes - Children Of Light: A.Children Of Light - B. Lifeline Guest Host: Lisa Cook from The Music Pit 13. Def Leppard - Animal 14. Avenged Sevenfold - Welcome To The Family 15. To The Pain - Seven Guest Host: Mark Ashby from Progtopia and The Prog Squad 16. Forgotten Suns - Fortress Of Silence 17. The Mariana Hollow - The Line Of Fire And Blood 18. Hemina - Strength Guest Host: JD from Closer To The Edge 19. Steve Wilson - Perfect Life 20. Yes - Close To The Edge 21. Transatlantic - Black As The Sky Roman comes back to close with... 22. Steve Howe - The Nature Of The Sea Produced by Paul Doty An Obe Juan Production Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/welcometoromansworld Find us on the web at http://romansworld.us Listen to Paul Doty and Roman Guzman on the podcast ICON. Subscribe for free on iTunes. In the iTunes store, search Icon Doty Guzman.

Much like Willy Wonka, Roman opens his gates once a year to fellow podcasters and internet radio people. Unlike Willy Wonka, he doesn't try to kill them off one by one. 1. Psicolorama - Mr. Moog 2. Strunz and Farah - Amazonas 3. Gaelic Storm - Marching Free Guest Host: Marty Dorfman from The Waiting Room 4. Freedom To Glide - Wind and Gales 5. The Samurai Of Prog - After The Echoes 6. Electric Asturias - Tangram Paradox Guest Host: The Gribshnobler from The GribCast 7. John Demarkis - Music Of The Sun 8. Genesis - Can-Utility and the Coastliners 9. Magma - Zombies Guest Host: Kevin Mulryne from The Yes Music Podcast 10. Yes - Starship Trooper 11. Yes - I Am Waiting 12. Yes - Children Of Light: A.Children Of Light - B. Lifeline Guest Host: Lisa Cook from The Music Pit 13. Def Leppard - Animal 14. Avenged Sevenfold - Welcome To The Family 15. To The Pain - Seven Guest Host: Mark Ashby from Progtopia and The Prog Squad 16. Forgotten Suns - Fortress Of Silence 17. The Mariana Hollow - The Line Of Fire And Blood 18. Hemina - Strength Guest Host: JD from Closer To The Edge 19. Steve Wilson - Perfect Life 20. Yes - Close To The Edge 21. Transatlantic - Black As The Sky Roman comes back to close with... 22. Steve Howe - The Nature Of The Sea Produced by Paul Doty An Obe Juan Production Like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/welcometoromansworld Find us on the web at http://romansworld.us Listen to Paul Doty and Roman Guzman on the podcast ICON. Subscribe for free on iTunes. In the iTunes store, search Icon Doty Guzman.