Bleeding Edge Interviews

I've been very lucky to speak with a number of rising stars in recent months, and Nospūn have been one of the biggest of 2023, so far. Phil Rich (vocals) and Cole Millward (bass) joined me to talk about their debut, Opus, which is living up to its title and garnering them comparisons to prog metal titans Dream Theater and Haken.

2023 has been an amazing year for prog in all forms, but especially in the number of amazing debuts that have been released.  One of the best of them so far has belonged to The Anchoret, who brought out their special blend of rock, metal and jazz in the form of their amazing debut, It All Began With Loneliness.  Ed Levitsky, the mastermind behind the band, sat down to talk with me about the genesi...

Long-time Neal Morse Band bassist Randy George joins me to talk about the band's latest live collection, An Evening of Innocence and Danger: Live in Hamburg, as well as his own upcoming studio album, Beyond Words.

Take two guys who share a lifelong bond through music, mix in a love of literature, and then add a bit of technology to help out, and you have Hats Off Gentlemen It's Adequate.  Join me for an extended conversation with Mark Gatland and Malcolm Galloway about the origins of the band, their love of science fiction, their upcoming new album and benefit show, and how modern technology helps to make i...

I've said it before and I'll say it again: I love discovering new artists and new music.  It's one of the reasons I am so drawn to the progressive rock/metal world.  And it's always a joy to have the opportunity to get to know artists early in their career, so you can see the star rise.  Stellar Circuits is one of those band whose star is on the rise, as they launch their major-label debut with Nu...

It's easy to spend a lot of time admiring the artists and performers up on stage.  How often have you thought about the people behind the scenes helping to make all of that magic happen smoothly?  Rikk Feulner has been a tour manager for four decades, working with icons in the music industry during that time, and currently working as the tour manager for the Dreamsonic tour, featuring Dream Theate...

Is it possible for somone to be born with Prog already in their DNA?  Or perhaps it's only a genre that one can develop an inclination towards as part of their environment.  Vocalist/guitarist Simon Bergseth of rising stars AVKRVST joined me to ponder this nature vs nurture question.  Actually, no, we didn't ponder that concept, but we did talk about the development of AVKRVST's debut album, The A...

When you talk about the top drummers in rock music, and especially prog rock/metal, Mike Mangini's name is absolutely certain to come up.  When you're part of arguably the biggest prog band in the world, you come with a loads of skill and credentials.  And when the biggest prog band in the world announces a new tour with top level artists like Devin Townsend and Animals as Leaders, it's a VERY big...

So, Diana Studenberg and Moonhead of Trope joined me, so we could geek out over 80's music, music production perfectionism, the underrated dangers of donkeys, and what their lives have been like since Eleutheromania was released. Oh, yeah... we also talked about their upcoming PROGGIER sophmore effort, due for release in September!  It was fun!

When you've reached the point of celebrating your 20th anniversary in any business, you quite likely will take stock of what you've accomplished. And you may also look forward to what you still want to achieve.  Mariusz Duda and his band mates in Riverside have a lot they want to say about the future of the band in ID.Entity, their latest album and the first since the band hit the 2-decade mark. ...

Jason Bieler took the prog world by storm in 2021 with Songs for the Apocalypse and now he's back with Postcards from the Asylum, his latest collection of unique, genre-bending, star-studded songs. He's been releasing tracks at a trickle over the past 18 months, and now the new album is finally coming out!  Will there be a tour? Listen to this, the 20th Episode of Bleeding Edge Interviews, and fin...

If you haven't yet discovered We Came From Space, now is the time! Taking a blend of eclectic influences and merging them in to a uniquely poppy and proggy sound, they are poised to hit big with their latest release, Overlords.  I spent some time with Bill and Dave, talking about the new albume, their influences, lizard people, and the differences between British and American prog. (Spoiler - The...

The lads of Haken are back with a new album entitled Fauna and a globe-spanning tour in the works! Join me and half the band as we talk about everything going on with them these days!

YYNOT is an "original progressive rock band with a marked propensity for playing vintage Rush covers."  That's their description, and I would agree that's the best wording I can think of.  Billy Alexander (guitar) & Tim Starace (bass) joined me to talk about the band, a little about their latest album (Light and Shadows), and a lot about their upcoming concert, The Bubba Bash, on 1/7/2023. This in...

James Lascelles is the force behind the conceptual heart of Wheel, one of the fastest rising bands in the world of progressive metal, brining a signature blend of social consciousness and literary inspiration to the concepts that inform the band's complex compositions.  Find out what and who inspired him and Wheel to create the music that has made them rising stars in the prog world.

Call them a "super group" or simply call them one of the finest progressive metal bands on the planet.  Either way, it's hard not to be seriously impressed by Soen, and especially their talented guitarist, Cody Lee Ford.  This conversation with Cody covers the upcoming North American tour, including the first US dates for the band; their lastest album Atlantis, which takes a bunch of songs from th...

Steve Rothery, guitarist and founding member of legendary band Marillion, joined me for an extended conversation about touring, creativity, longevity, and legacy after 40+ years in the music business. We also discussed the amazing success of An Hour Before It's Dark, their latest album and the themes of the album, from cynicism to hope.

Ian Crichton has been iconic as the guitar hero of Saga throughout their 40+ year career. Now, he's got a new project with Robert Berry (3, Alliance) and Nigel Glockler (Saxon) called SiX BY SiX, bringing together their diverse influences into one sound as unique as you might expect with their debut album. This is my extended conversation with Ian about the new band, the drive to continue to play...

A winde-ranging and casual conversation with Charlie Griffiths and Richard Henshall of Haken, covering the latest Haken single - Nightingale, their current tour, work on the upcoming album, and their solo albums, including Charlie's upcoming solo debut - Tiktaalika.

Ross Jennings is seemingly everywhere these days, stretching his own boundaries into new projects outside of Haken.  Most notable of those projects would be his solo debut, "A Shadow of My Future Self" and the soon to be released "Troika", which is his debut with prog legends Nick D'Virgilio and Neal Morse.  The sky is the limit and Ross' talents are in high demand. This is my conversation with hi...

As the violinist of the the talented and unique band, Thank You Scientist , Ben Karas is at the forefront of musicians who are actively broadening the scope of what prog rock/metal can be, and is always exploring new ways to integrate his instrument in creative ways.  We chat about the new EP, new label and their return to touring after two years on hiatus.  We also get some insight into Ben's inf...

My lengthy conversation with Tom Monda , guitarist and Huey Lewis impersonator of Thank You Scientist , the eminently unique band that blends jazz fusion with progressive metal, and any other genre they can throw into the mix.  We chat about the new EP, new label and upcoming tour, as well as products that destroy record players and Tim Allen, two subjects that may or may not be related.

Cody Lee Ford of Soen joined me to chat about Imperial, the upcoming tour, how he joined the band, and what it's REALLY like to work with the other members of the band.

A very fun, insightful, and wide-ranging interview with Jason Bieler , music lover, philosopher, and prolific recording artist.  We discuss his most recent album: Songs For the Apocalypse, his latest single: Human Head, touring, and many other things.

A nice long chat with Ross Jennings, as he fills us in on his upcoming solo album and solo acoustic live stream event, as well as tour plans for Haken in 2022.  What was it like producing his first solo album? How did it differ from working with Haken and other artists?  What was the origin of the first single from the album, Words We Can't Unsay?  Find out here!