Why Isn't John Wesley More Popular?

[SteveSly]

Sitting here spinning the new John Wesley album this morning and I think it is outstanding stuff. In fact I think every album he has produced since his time in Porcupine Tree has been outstanding. He never seems to gain much popularity though. It just seems like a lot of people here would really dig this new one. He gets to tour as opening act for Marillion so gets some exposure (albeit in an acoustic format), and the times I have met him he just seems like a really nice down to earth guy, but never seems to gain much ground. Any thoughts from Wes fans on why he never seems to catch on with the prog crowd?

[Phlakaton]

This just shines a light on yet another hole in my music - I seem to have dead spots floating around and sometimes its cool to fill them. I never really listened to Porcupine Tree much at all and thus - no clue who this is. Yep... been into music of the off the beaten path variety since I was like 8 years old and yet - I still dont know who some of these people are. haha. Kinda like discovering Cardiacs two years ago - I mean WTF!

[Sunlight Caller]

I'm not familiar with his music at all, but saw the new CD in HMV yesterday so he must be getting some record label support. Is there anywhere to stream / try before you buy?


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[jamesmanzi]

Is there anywhere to stream / try before you buy?

The new album - a way you'll never be - is on spotify, and I'm guessing all the streaming services.

He has a bunch of stuff, a sampler and some early albums, up for free at his site:
http://www.john-wesley.com/free/

The Emperor Falls is a great one, I played that into the ground when it came out.

[PixelDelirium]

Bandcamp:

https://johnwesley.bandcamp.com/

[jamesmanzi]

Bandcamp:

https://johnwesley.bandcamp.com/

I should probably be better about directing people to bandcamp.

[rdclark]

So he opens the Marillion shows as an acoustic solo? Does that work at all?

I was hoping for maybe a power-trio configuration. I've never seen him live, but I like his two recent solo records.

[SteveSly]

So he opens the Marillion shows as an acoustic solo? Does that work at all?

I was hoping for maybe a power-trio configuration. I've never seen him live, but I like his two recent solo records.

It works, but more in a singer / songwriter type of way. I would much rather see him with a band, but it is what it is.

[jamesmanzi]

So he opens the Marillion shows as an acoustic solo? Does that work at all?

Don't know how he handles the new stuff acoustic solo, but he got his start as marillion's guitar tech in the early 90's, and started doing the acoustic opening sets for them way back then. His earlier stuff is more singer/songwritery than PTree heavy, so it worked well.

[Paulrus]

Don't know how he handles the new stuff acoustic solo, but he got his start as marillion's guitar tech in the early 90's, and started doing the acoustic opening sets for them way back then. His earlier stuff is more singer/songwritery than PTree heavy, so it worked well.

And not long after he was making the rounds with Marillion Steven Wilson picked him up for P-Tree, doing basically his same acoustic opening gig as well as acting as P-Tree's second guitarist.

[jamesmanzi]

And not long after he was making the rounds with Marillion Steven Wilson picked him up for P-Tree, doing basically his same acoustic opening gig as well as acting as P-Tree's second guitarist.

Did he? Not doubting you, just trying to remember - I think I saw him with PTree twice, don't remember if I saw him open those shows.

[ytserush]

Never been a fan since he first opened up for Marillion all those years ago. Just not a fan of his work.


We'll likely be eating dinner when he's on stage opening for Marillion in about a week.

[progcd54]

During the current tour opening for Marillion, he is NOT playing acoustic at all. He comes out with a full-blown electric guitar and starts playing and singing. OK...this might work. But then as he starts a new song, he hits a peddle or two on the floor and is suddenly backed up by drums, bass and rhythm guitar....a virtual full 4-piece band. This really turns me off. I could have stayed home and listened to this in my living room...that is if I even liked his music, which I don't. I don't understand why he can't perform with a full real band rather than backing tracks. Funny...when ELO used backing tracks years ago, they were blasted for doing it!!

Surely Wesley must have "friends" that would accompany him no matter the size of the paycheck.

[Reginod]

His name doesn't help. Really.

[The Dark Elf]

Sorry, I never had a John Wesley Hardon.

[rdclark]

I can understand why Wesley can't afford to hire a band, rehearse them, and drag them across the continent for several weeks on the salary of an opening act. Even worse if he had to bring them from England. I'm actually encouraged by the news that he's playing to backing tracks rather than solo acoustic. After listening to his two most recent (very good) solo albums, I couldn't imagine most of that as singer/songwriter material. And I'm weary unto death of solo acoustic opening acts at rock shows. I would ban the practice if I could.

It's amazing enough that Marillion is doing a 13-date tour (is that the number?) that runs from coast to coast. Seems like a serious economic challenge. They can't be making much money.

[Lo-Fi Resistance]

Funny...when ELO used backing tracks years ago, they were blasted for doing it!!

Surely Wesley must have "friends" that would accompany him no matter the size of the paycheck.

With no intention of being condescending here, comparing Wes to ELO is a ridiculous false equivalency. Of course he would prefer a band on the road. This is not economically realistic, as even adding one extra person could mean the difference between losing a lot of money and just breaking even. Simply getting your buddies to play for free drives up the cost dramatically on the finer details (travel, lodging, food, etc). I can understand being disappointed with it, but comparing John Wesley to a band that has sold many millions of records, who could literally afford NOT to use backing tracks, is a bit off.

[rdclark]

When it comes to using pre-recorded tracks in a live performance, I think it mostly comes down to how much of the performance is live and unique to that performance. If a singer just sings to the studio-recorded instrumental tracks from his album, that can be awful. If the tracks were made specifically for his concert set, and he's playing the solos as well as singing live, that's better. Triggering loops and samples can be better still, as there's more spontaneity (and risk) involved.

I still get PO'd when opening acts are announced after tickets have already gone on sale. Especially if the headliner then plays a shorter show.

[SteveSly]

With no intention of being condescending here, comparing Wes to ELO is a ridiculous false equivalency. Of course he would prefer a band on the road. This is not economically realistic, as even adding one extra person could mean the difference between losing a lot of money and just breaking even. Simply getting your buddies to play for free drives up the cost dramatically on the finer details (travel, lodging, food, etc). I can understand being disappointed with it, but comparing John Wesley to a band that has sold many millions of records, who could literally afford NOT to use backing tracks, is a bit off.

Exactly, I saw Wes last night and although I would have rather seen him with a full band, I understand why he did it the way he did. I thought it worked pretty well.

[AncientChord]

Good guitarist and decent vocalist, but IMO it all comes down to the songwriting, and in John Wesley's case it just isn't there. Sorry but he's no Steven Wilson, in fact too many songs on his new album sound like Porcupine Tree to me, just not as good. Sorry Wes.

[Gerhard]

I love a lot of his songs, but wasn't blown away by the first couple of songs released from the new album. I'll buy it at one of the gigs, I'm sure.

Agree that Emperor Falls is a great album, but production on that one could be much better. Had a nice conversation with him after Marillion's show at Toad's Place in '97, so have a soft spot for him and his music. Remember him battling a drunk asshole opening for Marillion in Milwaukee on that '97 tour.

Great musician, super nice guy, wish he could catch a bigger break.

[Scott Bails]

It's amazing enough that Marillion is doing a 13-date tour (is that the number?) that runs from coast to coast. Seems like a serious economic challenge. They can't be making much money.

I believe that they've said that they consider it a success if they break-even during a U.S. tour.

[SteveSly]

I believe that they've said that they consider it a success if they break-even during a U.S. tour.

I am pretty sure I have heard that quoted as well. Touring the U.S. is a daunting task especially when you only have about a dozen cities you can play.

[GuitarGeek]

Funny...when ELO used backing tracks years ago, they were blasted for doing it!!
.

ELO weren't "blasted" for using backing tapes. They were blasted because people thought they were lip synching onstage, largely as a result of the decision to dub studio recordings onto the original version of the Live At Wembley concert.

Lots of bands have used backing tapes: The Who, Pink Floyd, and Hawkwind all come to mind. Lots of bands use sequencers onstage too, for instance, Rush, Tangerine Dream, U2, etc.

[GuitarGeek]

I still get PO'd when opening acts are announced after tickets have already gone on sale. Especially if the headliner then plays a shorter show.

I've come to expect opening bands, even if they're not announced before the tickets go on sale. There's very few bands where I'd expect the group to play for 2 and a half hours with nobody to warm up the crowd beforehand.

As for the band playing a shorter set, a lot of times that's dictated by the venue and/or the local bylaws. A lot of cities have curfews for live music (especially in places where they've rebuilt the downtown district and they're worried about upsetting all the stupid yuppies they've sold downtown apartment spaces to). When Steve Hackett played at Northfield Park a couple years ago, when he finally brought the Genesis Revisisted show here, he had to drop a couple songs because the jackasses who run Northfield Park wanted the show to be over by 11:00, apparently because they expected/hoped that, on a weekday night, fans would want to mill about in their asinine excuse of a casino and play slot machines or whatever, or something like that.