“That was incredibly disingenuous of Radiohead. But I have to acknowledge that perhaps it was very wise”: Steven Wilson and the war between prog and pop
In this Prog magazine interview, Steven Wilson revisits his controversial 2017 claim that his album To The Bone was a pop record rather than a prog one. Speaking from his home in Hertfordshire, the former Porcupine Tree frontman explains that while the label seemed to confuse fans and jars with prog orthodoxy, his use of "pop" was deliberate and considered rather than a rejection of his artistic roots.
Wilson acknowledges that "pop" is a loaded, often pejorative term within prog circles, but says he uses it in a broader sense than genre snobbery allows. The piece also touches on his views regarding Radiohead, whom he describes as having been "incredibly disingenuous" in distancing themselves from prog associations, while conceding that the strategy may have been a shrewd career move. To The Bone itself, despite the pop framing, is described as sounding more like an inventive modern rock record with pop flourishes than conventional chart pop.
- Steven Wilson called his 2017 album To The Bone a "pop" record.
- He says "pop" is unfairly pejorative among prog fans.
- He calls Radiohead's anti-prog stance disingenuous but possibly wise.