Episode 154: Author Andrew Wild Discusses 80s British Prog Rock Scene

It was my honor recently to speak with music writer Andrew Wild, who has written books about the likes of Queen, Fleetwood Mac, Dire Straits, and Pink Floyd, as well as about the iconic Live Aid concert festival. Andrew just released his second book about the 1980s "neoprog" era in England, chronicling six British bands that kept the progressive rock torch alive when the 1970s bands were either fading out or pivoting to more pop-oriented sounds. Those bands are: Marillion, IQ, Pallas, Pendragon, Twelfth Night, and Solstice. The book, A Playground of Broken Hearts: the Progressive Rock Revival 1984 to 1989, is a sequel to his A Mirror of Dreams: the Progressive Rock Revival 1981 to 1983. Andrew spoke to me about his music history, how he came to write about these six bands, how those groups kept the prog scene alive, and much more (including his upcoming book about Big Big Train!). Learn more about Andrew's work at https://www.andrew-wild.co.uk/ or follow him on Facebook at Andrew Wild - Author. Please hit the like button and/or leave a rating/review wherever you consume this podcast. You can read my Michael's Record Collection newsletter for free by signing up at michaelsrecordcollection.substack.com. Follow MRC on Twitter (@MikesRecords), like it on Facebook, and follow on Instagram, Bluesky, and/or TikTok. Have questions or comments or want to suggest a topic? Hit me up at [email protected]. I'd love to have your support for this independent podcast. You can become a patron of this show by becoming a Michael's Record Collection Patreon subscriber starting at only $2 per month at the MRC Patreon page. Supporter benefits escalate at each level, providing more value the more you support the show. For example, you will know about interviews in advance and at some levels you can submit questions for the artists, come on the show to co-host, enter prize drawings, and more.