Steven Wilson interview - 2011 (part 1)

Steven Wilson about his comment on modern consumerism, playlist mentality, big release dates, vinyl, cd's.
Watch more videos at www.faceculture... and follow us on / _faceculture . Video interview with Steven Wilson. FaceCulture spoke to the British musician, who also plays in bands like Porcupine Tree, Blackfield, No-Man and many more, about his comment on modern consumerism, the playlist mentality, vinyl, creating bonus material, his second solo album Grace For Drowning, compromising in the past, movie soundtracks, collaboration with Mikael Akerfeldt, a new Porcupine Tree album and more. (11/07/2011)

[@ummmwhatnow]

Im 17 and still collect albums from bands i really love despite having the torrents at my fingertips. I agree with SW, owning a physical piece of art is special and helps support bands to create more great music.

[@BerettaDarkwolf]

'89 as well. :) I own over 500 cds and 30 vinyls. Listening to albums is really the only proper way to actually sit down a listen to music. Granted I still shuffle my Zune in my car and or on my computer playing games. When I actually want to sit down and listen to something though I listen to albums.

[@FenixiaDuo]

Steven Wilson is one of the greatest musicians of the past 20 years

[@voido8303]

I will always go for the physical item over digital. I like packaging as I am a collector of music.

[@IGotAHaloRoundMyHead]

SW is not dictating how music should be listened to. His commentary is sentimental as he reminiscences on purchasing newly released vinyl records and the wonder of opening the packaging, with gatefold sleeves, posters, lyric sheets, etc. Having grown up with vinyl, I appreciate his recollection and his recognition of its near extinction.

[@locosychocrazy1]

I always buy cd's and I like actually owning something. I havent gotten into vinyls, but I have been thinking about collecting some. I dont have a turntable though.

[@MultiCrimsonRain]

Thank You! Finally someone else actually understands the value of physically owning something rather than downloading it. It makes things much more personal.

[@FormerlyMrBean667]

I try as hard as possible to not hear an album before it comes out. It's so hard these days esp with youtube, leaks etc.

[@CitizenKANE2277]

Great insight. I really never started listening to albums in their entirety until listening to "Dark Side of the Moon" and "The Wall."

[@Chickenlovercamp]

i keep being impressed how right he is...

[@IGotAHaloRoundMyHead]

His observation of the transition to .mp3 playlists is relevant and has significant implications for recording artists. I can fully understand his view on the continuity and cohesiveness of his music, as this can be lost when a particular piece is listened to out of context.

[@lordmorgoth7]

If I ever interview Steve I would ask how does he have his hair like that

[@achanook]

Steven's absolutely right. I know I'm not the only one: single songs don't do it for me. If I go to work or am around the house, I want to put on an entire album, or at the very least several songs at a time. (Even if I want to hear one song in particular, I'll put on an instrumental before that to get my juices going, call me crazy). Progressive rock = my life

[@0nthesundayoflife]

ahjdkasjkdht it's just fascinating how he always talkes about things i never really found anyone to talk about or understand. he just always finds the perfect words for it, and once again it kinda makes me feel depressed that he doesn't know how much he means to me and what a huuge central role he plays in my life and he doesn't know that i even exist and feel the same about so many things. damnit

[@shauny1408]

I always buy the cd. I dont know how people can be satisfied with downloads. I like to have a physical product in my hand. Plus I love album artwork too. Another reason to buy: keeping artists in jobs

[@bilikeogh3995]

shauny1408 I only had downloads for ages, I was aching for physical products, just got my first two vinyl records (Deadwing and FOABP) and they’re both signed by Steven!!! Physical products are so much better in my opinion, to be able to hold something in your hand and look at it and take it all in

[@teajerk]

i agree with him, but he's definitely made his point clear now and should start talking about other stuff since he has pretty much been repeating himself in every interview for the past 5 years or so.

[@06KingDave]

@ajd626 I get your point but I don't think that nostalgia is neccessarily boring. The 70's were an increadibly creaive era in music but now there has really been a lack of originality in the mainstream. Therefore I think that remebering that time and saying that "I miss that and I really want attitudes towards music to return to what they were" is valid and more refreshing than shouting "Pump out the hits and breakdowns!"

[@singleplayermoments]

Steven Wilson is my thoughts from the last 5 years.

[@Destructerator]

I always listen to my albums start to finish... my friends think that's weird. :/

[@ThePuertoricanBeastJonathan]

Destructerator I also listen to them start to finish, I find it to be like watching a movie you never watch a piece of a movie and watch another one from another movie

[@kueller917]

I think there are some positive things about digital music coming, so I can't say I'm 100% for CD only. But I do agree with him about the playlist mentality. If that continues bands will focus more on making singles than amazing collective albums, and I'm someone who likes hearing albums that are more than the sum of its parts.

[@Thatmetaldude590]

I still love the feeling of buying a brand new album. I disregard that limited-edition-mentality. Unfortunately, if I bought all the albums I love, I wouldn't be able to buy anything else for over a year...

[@06KingDave]

@HeavySoaddict You might say that this is self centered, and it is, however it does make for genuine, heart felt and moving music which is what I love, and would expect from any progressive or even any decent band, such as porcupine tree. I also think that he doesn't attack downloads for the reasons you say. I believe it has more to do with the concept of an album. An artist makes an album from start to finish and intends ever song to be heard in the context of the album, ... see next....

[@Cerebralcinema]

Interesting he mentioned ELO. I have the same album on vinyl (Out Of The Blue). I'm from the same era Steve is (Steve is a year older). ELO was my first favorite group back in the seventies. My appreciation for music and progression wasn't to dissimilar from Steve's. I suppose that's why I'm an ardent fan and, as a musician myself, approach music in a similar way.

[@darrenmcdonagh]

fuckinghell, i just typed out a well balanced comment on how Mr Wilson's view of digital distribution is tad naive, and how you can obviously capture the artists intent if you listen to the album in full, as the artist intended. Regardless of media., the end result is the same. Saying that, Steve Wilson IMO makes the most pure, complete music I have ever hear. From Guitar to mixing desk, and he obviously has more experience in the music industry than I. But Tech is a tool, not a nindrance.

[@ajd626]

@HeavySoaddict I completely agree with you! He annoys me SO SO SO SO much. I used to really like his music but now I just can't listen to it because I just hear him talking in my head! What does want???? Is he actually saying we should all think like him? It also annoys me how your brilliant comment has been silenced simply because all the Wilson-worshippers have disliked it. It's completely undemocratic!

[@06KingDave]

@HeavySoaddict and they do not intend or just the favourite song to be purchased and the rest of the album disregarded. I also think that a lot of effort goes into the physical production of the CD and any fan should appreciate how satisfying it is to have the artwork and the booklet in physical form. All I really think of your opinion is that it is poorly thought through, not that it is bad, so please don't take offence. Sorry for the huge length of my reply...

[@thorazine666]

GENIUS

[@theindigovibe.williamwyatt5563]

In a way this digintal age is good for up and coming bands, but it makes it hard to make a decentof music for more alternative artists unless they are constantly on tour, For example I don't think steve wilson lives in a mansion. Which i thinks some would think he does. and I agree with this however I do download and whatnot a bit, but mainly compilation albums. But I definitely support Vinyl and any albums I have download in the past I do intent to buy on record in the future out of respect.

[@Mfothergillable]

just ordered the 2LP vinyl of Grace for Drowning

[@carlagcortes]

Mi god how interesting!!! Hot and smart..Steven!

[@06KingDave]

@HeavySoaddict Dude... I get that you might not agree with his opinions or like "The Incident" and, even though I think you're wrong, I'm not going to attack you for that. Although I think if you watched the rest of the interview then you would see that alot of what "Mr Steve" does now and has been doing for a long time is to please himself and make music which he feels in his heart and is not simply watered down, radio friendly, commercial stuff to please a large number of people.. see next...

[@harmony0404]

Lovely

[@ajd626]

@06KingDave I don't think I said his point was invalid because he keeps saying it?

[@ajd626]

@06KingDave I think it should be destroyed, questioned and reformed not flat out destroyed. I think it's always impossible to perfectly preserve stuff in life. The concept of an album as Wilson understands it is all well and good for him but he's got a lot of nerve to say that it is wrong for his albums to be used in a different way to how he would use it. It's impossible for him to have control over the use of his music. He laments this but I think it's the best thing about art - ambiguity.

[@mjanos18]

wish i would have the money to buy all the albums that I wish to listen to...

[@BinaryPill]

@willregnier In Australia it isn't

[@06KingDave]

@ajd626 Fair enough. I disagree about his music but honestly I haven't listened to enough of his interviews to pick up on his two face'dness and I'm not really impressed by how much obscure stuff he knows. Really i think that the concept of the album should be kept alive because if I was a releasing artist I would want people to listen to the music I made in the way I intended it to be listened to which would be in the form of a cohesive album. Why do u think that it should be destroyed

[@Jonok911l]

"Christians are often seen as judgmental if they disagree with society's moral standards (with homosexuality as an example). The other main reason is that we just don't like being exposed as sinners who don't want to live God's way." - James M Krieg

[@BogdanEchoMilosevic]

best comment ever

[@06KingDave]

@ajd626 sorry for the contraction of you to u but the youtube character limit forced me to do so...

[@elponchex]

@HeavySoaddict The dude is over forty. vynils weren't gimmick at all, it was the normal thing. they weren't expensive like they are now. Or Did you expect him to download music back in the eighties??

[@06KingDave]

@ajd626 getting annoying because his point was valid. I think you should consider the validity of his point and the quality of his music rather than your opinion of him as a person or his view of progress.

[@lordmorgoth7]

awesome! ;)

[@Arik1989]

I was born in 89. I too share the "fetishism for owning art".

[@BinaryPill]

So sad that CDs and are dying. Music will never be the same ... By the way, WHY IS YOUR NEW ALBUM NOT ON ITUNES!

[@ludvigottosson8023]

Cmon, I love Porcupine Tree and I listen to their songs mostly through album but sometimes I just don't know what I want to listen to so I set at random and what the fuck is wrong with that? Just because Steven doesn't like it he doesn't need to be so against it.

[@FaceCulture]

Maybe we'll ask him that next time ;)

[@BenHarrisProductions]

sme here and i was born in 92 Lol

[@seblar9315]

Sheldon

[@06KingDave]

@ajd626 annoyance does not mean you cannot enjoy his music. For example Dave Grohl's voice (when he speaks) really gets on my nerves but I don't refuse to listen to his music because of that. Equally Yngwie Malmsteen, he is a dick... but an awsome guitarist so I would have a guitar lesson with him any day of the week. I also think that you shouldn't just say his point is invalid because he keeps saying it. Martin Luther King said the same thing for years but you wouldn't say he was...

[@williewortelkanaal]

you can hear the interviewer is dutch

[@ajd626]

@06KingDave I am annoyed because I don't think his point his valid. Also, I don't think his music is that great anymore. It's stuck in a rut and derivative. Also his view of what constitutes progress IS the point I think is invalid. I don't like him as a person, his views or his music. He is completely two-faced about lots of things. People need to stop being impressed at how many bands he knows about, how well he can talk and how confident he is. NONE of these things mean anything.

[@ajd626]

@06KingDave I don't think the album needs to be completely destroyed but questioned and redefined. Wilson seems to be saying that people should listen to his music the way he would listen to his music, the way music was listened to in the 70s. That's outrageous. He cannot reasonably expect to have control over his listeners. One of the best things about art is its ambiguity. Steven Wilson is just expressing nostalgia in intellectual language. It's nothing more than nostalgia. Boring.

[@ajd626]

Also, he flatters himself that he's going against the grain. There were musicians, artists and writers going more against the grain in the 30s and 40s. In my opinion, destroying the concept of the album, questioning it, and re-forming it is what progress looks like. Steven Wilson makes a lot of generalisations about today's culture that make him seem edgy. Seems like he's just had a couple of bad experiences with young people and become very very bitter and nostalgic.

[@dabbit66]

If they don't want him to repeat himself they should ask different questions.

[@henders1992]

Why the FLYING FUCK would you compare SW to Justin Beiber?!?

[@qriofficial1769]

This has aged too well...

[@Florcitax]

this guy instead of water use formol for showers

[@ajd626]

@06KingDave I think it should be destroyed, questioned and reformed not flat out destroyed. I think it's always impossible to perfectly preserve stuff in life. The concept of an album as Wilson understands it is all well and good for him but he's got a lot of nerve to say that it is wrong for his albums to be used in a different way to how he would use it. It's impossible for him to have control over the use of his music. He laments this but I think it's the best thing about art - ambiguity.