Caught up with the DT guys last night at the Manchester Apollo. Another incredible show to add to a long list I've witnessed over the years. The paperback version of Lifting Shadows is nearing conclusion. There will be a couple of extra chapters, and probably 75% of these are now completed. The intro to the original and the ending need serious tweaking and other chapters need revisiting to ensure that it's a consistent read. I need to speak with the publishers next week to work out a masterplan. At the moment, I'm hoping this will be out in the next 4 months with my intention also being to release my second book (on another band you already love) before the end of the year. Watch this space and thanks for visiting this rarely updated corner of the web!

I see that Classic Rock have just released an online archive of material dating back to the launch of the mag. This means that I no longer have to post any of my old work here, you can just head on over to the link below and read everything I've written for the mag going back over 10 years. I can hardly remember any of the old reviews . . .

http://archive.classicrockmagazine.com/search?term=%22rich+Wilson%22&x=15&y=12

Just got off the phone with John Petrucci for an upcoming piece on Pink Floyd for Classic Rock Presents Prog magazine. Great to have a chat about non Dream Theater related things. Should be an interesting few pages! Also cracking on with reviews for Prog as well as a feature on The Tangent. Indeed, the latter should have the headline of "Wilson manages not to get the shit kicked out of him by irate members of The Tangent" following my less than complimentary review of their last DVD!

So, I just have to get this review finished, the publishers want me to revamp Lifting Shadows for a paperback release and then there's the small matter of getting on with writing book number two on the yet-to-be-revealed-prog-band. All is good!

 With an album title that only hints at the unbridled chaos that has engulfed Dream Theater’s world over the last year, this first album without drummer Mike Portnoy is a pivotal moment in the band’s twenty six year history. With an expectant fan base, Dream Theater quite simply had to deliver a “classic” Dream Theater album. If they moved too far away from their blueprint, or stacked the album with “filler”, they would be immediately be castigated for letting Portnoy leave in the way he did and for rebuffing his attempt to rejoin the band a few weeks later. The central reason Portnoy cited for his departure was that he felt that the band had become stale and that they needed an extended break to recharge. Put simply, he felt that if the band were to survive, something needed to change in order for them to create truly special albums once again. The ultimate irony here is that by leaving, Portnoy has provided that spark, and indeed Dream Theater have returned with a fresh and frankly stunning album in A Dramatic Turn Of Events.

For all the drama of the acrimonious split and the bitterness that is understandably still evident on both sides, eventually it comes down to the music. And no matter which side of the argument your loyalties lie, it’s the music that the band will ultimately be judged on. The most startling aspect of this album is the vigour with which the band have applied themselves. The attention to detail is noticeable – both in the songwriting, the production and the mix – with all members of the band (including the normally reserved John Myung) contributing strong melodies and lyrical concepts. Keyboard player Rudess has talked of how he would write sections to fit snugly around John Petrucci’s riffs, and this careful craftsmanship has provided a fresh edge to the album’s sound that at times is spiritually reminiscent of such standout albums as Images And Words or Scenes From A Memory. Progressive metal as a genre has a sliding scale between the two poles, and the material here veers more towards the prog, which many would say was no bad thing. The growling vocals have vanished to be replaced with typically complex DT musicality and countless melodies, and critically the album is not immediately gratifying, and requires several listens in order to fully grasp exactly what the band have achieved here.

uild Me Up, Break Me Down contains some epic riffs, along with a incredibly catchy chorus, and the same can be said of Lost Not Forgotten – the finale of which has some truly blistering interplay between Rudess and Petrucci. Such a description could be viewed as being Dream-Theater-By-Numbers, but that would be missing the point. This is the sound of a band having fun, playing to their strengths and infusing their sound with an energetic new edge without at any point resorting to prog metal cliché. It’s also easy to fall into the trap of viewing the lyrical content of the album as perhaps hinting at their recent turmoil, and This Is The Life falls into that category. With lines such as “Some of us choose to live gracefully/ Some can get caught in the maze and lose their way home/ This is the life we belong to” reading almost like a revised mission statement, it remains one of the most wonderfully tranquil pieces of music the band have ever created, and the searing guitar solo is on a par with Dave Gilmour in his pomp. The same can be said of the similarly mellow Beneath The Surface, which is another beautifully constructed song that’s propelled by a string section.

Harking back to Scenes From A Memory, Outcry contains the type of musical dexterity that drove The Dance Of Eternity but is combined with a striking vocal melody. Similarly engaging is Bridges In The Sky, even if the unexpected sound of an Aboriginal battle cry that opens the track does sound a touch like The Simpson’s Barney Gumble cracking out a hearty burp down in Moe’s Tavern. Far From Heaven is another lilting, heartfelt piano led track that provides a continued balance to the album. Perhaps the most audible contrast with previous albums (and no doubt for the DT hardcore the most widely anticipated song) is Breaking All Illusions which contains John Myung’s first foray into lyric writing for many a year. It also showcases Myung’s talent as a bass player – which many have claimed has been left in the background in the recent past – and it’s a pleasure to hear him so prominent in the mix once again.

Ultimately, this is a breathtaking album that Dream Theater fans will adore. It’s just such a crying shame that it took such cataclysmic change within the band for them to create it.

Admittedly, some of my comments were probably a touch harsh and I have since been in contact with Andy Tillison and we've had a frank exchange of opinions. What I would stress is that I am a fan of the Tangent's music and I can't wait to hear their new CD. In my defence of the DVD review, I'd just like to stress a couple of things:

Whether the release was intended for "fans only" (in itself an odd description as I can't imagine any "non-fans" buying it), I was given a DVD to review. In doing that, I have to give my honest opinion about the visual contents as well as the musical. Although many didn't agree with my criticisms, I feel they were in part justified. It is a low budget film, with no fan interaction to enliven things, and it just looks done on the cheap. Could I therefore recommend that people spend money on it? In my opinion, no. It may be aimed at fans and paid for by fans, but last time I looked it was still on sale on their website and as such can't be treated any different from any release. It's simply not what I personally would be looking for in a live DVD. Others may find it awesome. I guess that's what opinions / freedom of expression is all about. This might sound patronising but I honestly think the band deserved better. Musically, they have always been top notch and the soundtrack on this DVD continues that. But as a visual experience, it's just not one for me. On a more general note, it is irksome how there are people out there who believe that just because something is prog, that it has to be great!!

I know Andy was upset by my comments, which I have since apologised for as I am fully aware he's an honest and decent guy who is determined to make a success of the band. I think he understands where I was coming from, even if I did make my point too bluntly. He's also been gracious enough to ask me over to his place in order I can listen to the new CD - an offer which I hope to take up very soon.

"Who let all of this riff-raff into the room? There's one smoking a joint, And another with spots!If I had my way, I'd have all of you shot!"

Zip forward to 2011. Waters is grossing - by my reckoning - somewhere in the region of £750,000 per night as he recreates Pink Floyd's masterpiece The Wall in large arenas around the globe. As Roger will tell you every night, he's a far happier man than he was all those years ago, yet nothing has really changed. The same morons are still inhabiting these gigs, happy to pay seventy five quid to talk loudly with their mates, and get up to go for a piss / beer / fucking hot dog every five minutes, delighting in disrupting the gig for every other poor fucker who is sat on their row. My only chance the see The Wall ruined by the same type of selfish cunts that you always seem to get going to gigs these days.

Roger doesn't mind though. At least he can get his revenge on these bastards by charging that £75 per ticket and getting them to pay another £35 for a t-shirt. Good on him I say. I'd be happy to pay £300 to sit behind the wall with him next time around.

I can't tell you who the book is on at the moment. I'll have to leave that to your vivid imaginations. But for those of you who bother coming back (there must be a couple of you at least . . .), please keep checking here and I'll keep you updated. All two of you . . .