Steven Wilson- The Future Bites

[aith01]

Thanks for the link to the GW interview, but I think some other quotes should be included, which change the perspective quite a bit:

Thanks for sharing that part. I think it's good to have the complete picture. I don't see it as Wilson saying the guitar isn't progressing in general, but talking about contemporary pop/rock music and how little guitar is being used (inventively or otherwise). And I agree with him.

However, in my opinion, SW really has a quite ‚tame‘ and controlled general aesthetic and a lot of his parts are ultimately generic: super-clichéd acoustic strum patterns, some very tasteful and considered indie-esque riffing etc. It's all very well done and everything, but progress?…

I kind of agree. He's got a style of guitar playing that's not particularly inventive/progressive, although I do like it. But if anyone was expecting Steven Wilson to "reinvent" the guitar, I've no idea what in his repertoire would give them the idea that he'd ever be the one to do it.

And that's not a knock against Steven. I mean, we can't all be the next Allan Holdsworth.

[Kcrimso]

But if anyone was expecting Steven Wilson to "reinvent" the guitar, I've no idea what in his repertoire would give them the idea that he'd ever be the one to do it.

And that's not a knock against Steven. I mean, we can't all be the next Allan Holdsworth.

Well why should he have to do it alone as he can access Guthrie Gowan and other great players? But yes of course it is unrealistic to expect that from him. Innovation and progression in synth department is more realistic. Hopefully next time.

[aith01]

Well why should he have to do it alone as he can access Guthrie Gowan and other great players? But yes of course it is unrealistic to expect that from him. Innovation and progression in synth department is more realistic. Hopefully next time.

You're right, he doesn't have to do it alone and he's used musicians more accomplished than himself (by his own admission) on his records in the past. I think his interest just lies elsewhere nowadays.

[JKL2000]

I sense that with TFB he's dabbling in the realm of Euro-electro-pop that's not as well known or popular in the U.S., which may be why a lot of us are puzzled by it.

That's a pretty valid observation. Earlier today I heard a track from the most recent Tame Impala album (Australian, I know, but...) that didn't sound a million miles away from TFB. I'm not really familiar with Tame Impala, so that's why I was listening to the track. I could be wrong about them having some similarity though. Am I?

[aith01]

That's a pretty valid observation. Earlier today I heard a track from the most recent Tame Impala album (Australian, I know, but...) that didn't sound a million miles away from TFB. I'm not really familiar with Tame Impala, so that's why I was listening to the track. I could be wrong about them having some similarity though. Am I?

I dunno... I don't hear much similarity between Steven Wilson and Tame Impala, although that doesn't mean there aren't any similarities of course -- I might just not be hearing them myself. Tame Impala/Kevin Parker has more in common with Todd Rundgren, IMO. But Steven, Kevin, and Todd all do the one-man-band "studio wizardry" thing so that's a common thread right there.

[JKL2000]

Thanks for sharing that part. I think it's good to have the complete picture. I don't see it as Wilson saying the guitar isn't progressing in general, but talking about contemporary pop/rock music and how little guitar is being used (inventively or otherwise). And I agree with him.




I kind of agree. He's got a style of guitar playing that's not particularly inventive/progressive, although I do like it. But if anyone was expecting Steven Wilson to "reinvent" the guitar, I've no idea what in his repertoire would give them the idea that he'd ever be the one to do it.

And that's not a knock against Steven. I mean, we can't all be the next Allan Holdsworth.

I saw what was, as far as I know, a rather unique Porcupine Tree show, when the band played at the Progscape festival in Baltimore in the 90s. Steve announced at the beginning that for some reason he was missing a lot of their usual "sound effects." I don't remember what kind of equipment they were missing, really - either it hadn't arrived in time, or they'd accidentally forgotten to bring it. In any case, he said they were going to play a more stripped-down show, and he was going to play more straight-forward guitar than usual, and more of it.

So they had a very simple stage setup, and Steve played a lot of really nice guitar solos. To me, he sounded very good. Kind of like Martin Barre, in that there was nothing particularly "weird" about his playing - the sound was very pure, but it was all very tasty. This was my introduction to PT, and I came away being really impressed with his guitar playing.

[Sean]

It's a shame SW never had a TR phase. He could teach him a thing or two about what reinvention really is.

[JKL2000]

It's a shame SW never had a TR phase. He could teach him a thing or two about what reinvention really is.

I do think SW is a bit too restrained, so even his shifts seem too carefully plotted. Like, telling his audience that he wishes they'd get up and dance, but saying it exactly the same way every night.

[Sean]

[jefftiger]

This Brian guy is quite amazing! Thanks for the link. That was 15 minutes well spent.

[julioscissors]

I saw PT a couple of times. The first time was a MONSTER show on the "Deadwing" tour in Virginia. It would've been worth the price of admission just to see Gavin Harrison play "Anesthetize". Great concert.

The second show was the "Incident" tour, which I went to with our friend Duncan Glenday, a buddy of mine and Mrs. Glenday up in Baltimore. It was a fun night, but I was a little disappointed with the performance. Kings X opened, and I felt they blew PT out of the water. Matter of fact, I stepped out on a couple of occasions for a cig and The Gin Blossoms were playing an outdoor show across the way . I think I spent as much time watching them as I did watching the PT show.

Plus, there were more girls in the Gin Blossoms crowd

[JKL2000]

I saw PT a couple of times. The first time was a MONSTER show on the "Deadwing" tour in Virginia. It would've been worth the price of admission just to see Gavin Harrison play "Anesthetize". Great concert.

The second show was the "Incident" tour, which I went to with our friend Duncan Glenday, a buddy of mine and Mrs. Glenday up in Baltimore. It was a fun night, but I was a little disappointed with the performance. Kings X opened, and I felt they blew PT out of the water. Matter of fact, I stepped out on a couple of occasions for a cig and The Gin Blossoms were playing an outdoor show across the way . I think I spent as much time watching them as I did watching the PT show.

Plus, there were more girls in the Gin Blossoms crowd

I saw PT open for Opeth, on that tour where they took turns opening. I was really there to see Opeth, and wasn't very impressed with PT. If I saw their show now I'd probably get more out of it, but at the time they just didn't do much for me.

[Sunlight Caller]

Thanks for the link Sean, that was a good 15 minutes and well argued.

[Camelogue]

Have not heard it and by most descriptions, probably never will.

[3LockBox]

I think it's bullshit if SW thinks the guitar bas been "tapped" of ideas. He needs to get out more imo. The irony is that he then writes an album of keyboard-based compositions that could have been made in 1983 with recycled ideas. I own a lot of his stuff, so I am not a hater by any means, but those comments reek of bad stereotypes. Maybe he needs to learn to compose for a 120-piece orchestra if he wants to expand his compositional palette.

Yeah, that's how his statement struck me. It's ok for him to declare that he himself as run out of ideas for guitar but to declare that guitar is now passe sounds a tad arrogant I'm afraid. His grapes keep getting more sour the older he gets instead of less.

[aith01]

Yeah, that's how his statement struck me. It's ok for him to declare that he himself as run out of ideas for guitar but to declare that guitar is now passe sounds a tad arrogant I'm afraid. His grapes keep getting more sour the older he gets instead of less.

That wasn't what he said. Go read the whole thing, man.

[moecurlythanu]

Yeah, that's how his statement struck me. It's ok for him to declare that he himself as run out of ideas for guitar but to declare that guitar is now passe sounds a tad arrogant I'm afraid. His grapes keep getting more sour the older he gets instead of less.

When he gets to our age, he'll have reached full-blown curmudgeon status. He might even join PE.

[spacefreak]

For those interested:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...=1000509663164

[3LockBox]

That wasn't what he said. Go read the whole thing, man.

“I am a bit bored of the guitar right now. But I think there's a broader thing here, which is we live in the electronic world now. All the sound we hear on a daily basis around us is electronic... What place does the guitar or the bass or the drums have in the world like that? Well, increasingly less and less... And I think the reality is that the guitar is going to become a bit like a saxophone or the trumpet before it.

What am I to infer other than he thinks the guitar is passe..

man?

[Sean]

How well has this album charted so far?

[julioscissors]

Wilson may have a point about the guitar. I played clarinet when I was 13, and then realized that guitar was a) more in line with the music I loved and b) chicks don't want to date a clarinet player.

Maybe guitars in 2021 are like clarinets in the late 80's. All the "make music like the pros" videos on Youtube are about laying down beats; guitar is viewed as a niche instrument now for people under a certain age.

[Crawford Glissadevil]

How well has this album charted so far?

Topped out at #37 on The Billboard Top 200 Album Chart and then dropped out.
Lowest charting SW solo album. The Future Bites tumbled down the Charts, after cascade of preorders.
Fared better in Europe. For example: Peaked at #2 on Dutch Charts, immediately dropped to #41, earning it the designation as "Biggest Fall"

https://www.billboard.com/music/stev...rt-history/RCK

https://acharts.co/dutch_albums_top_100

[Sean]

For those interested:

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcas...=1000509663164

This was great. I really enjoyed this. They talked a lot about his remixing process and gear and routine and all that and I found that really interesting. Never heard anyone pose those questions to him that way. Thanks for sharing that.

[Sunlight Caller]

How well has this album charted so far?

I checked the U.K. chart, where it entered at number 2 and it’s not in the top 100 anymore, so it was a one week thing based on limited editions and special releases, and fan pre-sales. With no shops open, you’ll not get any casual purchases these Covid days, not that there are that many record shops left in any case. This doesn’t sound like a resounding success to me.

A year or so ago he had booked out the O2 arena in the hope of new pop kids filling the seats, but that was switched to the more realistic Hammersmith Apollo (Odeon as it was to us rock fans of old). Who knows when or if that will actually ever happen. Last time in London he sold out three nights at the Royal Albert Hall, but as I pointed out at the time, many went to all three shows. This is his audience, obsessive prog rocking chaps, who will throw money at his events and releases. I really do not believe at his age he is going to crack open a new market.

[Steve983]

^^^^
Agreed, his record co must have sunk a lot into this and it seems to be no more successful than TTB. Of course there is the lockdown too that has affected his touring plans, he said he lost his slot at the London 02 which is booked up for years in advance apparently but I still doubt he could have filled it anyway.


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