“Like songs built around samples of earlier songs, or cover versions that are more famous than the originals we build this map of our lives. My 1970s were all about the wonders of discovering music. Vietnam was on the periphery of my consciousness, and, like the lack of those phones at Knebowrth were later realised, added to the story, but are not my own memories.
Like Billy Pilgrim, I think that most of us are lost in time. Those like me who are on the cusp of the Boomers and Generation X – ( i.e. proggers at school – punks at college) I can travel haphazrdly to the Pistols gig at Wolverhampton, to a trip to a Glacier in Switzerland, to a day when my motorbike took me across the Pennines to Sally’s house for the first time, to waking up to the Brexit result having fallen asleep in front of the telly thinking it was all gonna be OK.
What Was and what was not has become more and more difficult to gauge in life during my 20, 471 days on the job. But I have had a constant friend throughout that time – the unceasing River Wharfe to which I am so attached that my attempts to live in other lands were thwarted by the symbiosis with it.
I can create my favourite moment in my own mind. We all can. Sally and I sitting in a damp field together in 1978. Roy Harper has just sung “One of those Days In England”. The Sun Is now out and boiling red on the western horizon and between the sun and us there are around 100,000 people and a huge stage full of giant mirrors, laser beams and the lights from Jumbo Jets exploding into the sun. I smile at Luke, Carl, John, Jonas, Guy, Liz, Tony, Jonathan, Roine, Jaime, Krister, Theo, Dan who have magically appeared sat near us. There’s a bearded bloke in a rugby shirt throwing a tambourine. We’re singing a song about a lawnmower. Our time is here. It was.”
That’s Andy Tillison, Andy is The Tangent. yes, he surrounds himself with incredible musicians but, deep at its core, Andy IS The Tangent. He’s a typical Yorkshireman, he’ll tell you what he thinks, whether you asked him or not but he’s a deep thinker and a very intelligent man who chooses to be left-field and opinionated and, to be honest, if he wasn’t then his band and his music wouldn’t be as bloody good as it is.
I consider Andy a friend and am a huge fan of his music and have been for many years. We have often had chats about new music, either over the internet or in his remote Yorkshire abode (a stunning part of the country) and even though Progradar had been on a lengthy hiatus while I sorted out a new server, migrated the data and found a love of music again, Andy sent me the new album without wanting anything from me, that’s what you call a decent bloke, well I would say that as I’m a Yorkshireman too!
Nobody creates music like The Tangent’s output, it is wonderfully unique and of the moment, political and winsome and just strikes a perfect chord with me and a lot of other music lovers.
I have had the album since June and have had many, many listens and it is an album that just keeps on giving. On my first listen ‘Was’ felt like a more mellow side to The Tangent, I’d listened to the opening track twice and it starts to make more sense on a second listen, a lot more subtle in my opinion, track 2 and track 3 were belters immediately and the instrumental made me feel like it should have been played at Ronnie Scotts in the 70’s, utter genius!
Andy’s comments were, “We’re free of record companies now and can start to take on a few avenues that Insideout might have thought were too risky. Second time someone has mentioned Ronnie Scotts in connection with that piece… must be something there… I listened to a lot of Don Ellis, Zappa, Miles, Stravinsky and Debussy to do this piece – as well as the frighteningly obvious ELP bit.”
“There’s a photo that my Dad took, and it’s of me sitting in, … a pram and I’m, holding a, a dandelion. What we used to call a dandelion clock, and .. er I’m blowing it into the wind. And, er…it’s actually the first thing I can remember.
Anyway I found out many years later that – that carefree photograph which as I say was “My First Memory” took place…. the photo was taken on the day of the, er, Cuban “Bay Of Pigs” invasion, a kind of major Cold War event in the run up to the Cuban Missile Crisis
Which I kinda thought was weird…”
‘Was’ is one of those albums that is a grower and , like I said, will continue to give more on each listen and they are the ones I like. The Tangent have taken a subtle new route with this album, it’s a treasure trove of musical wonder that refuses to give out all its jewels in one go. The opening, title, track, is a case in point. I liked Was on the first listen but it took three or four plays to get deeper into the track and discover it’s prog wonder. It’s an involving and evolving piece of music that Andy likens to Pink Floyd. We got into a discussion about how you nearly give up on some albums but they just click eventually. Although I did have to disagree with him about Henry Cow! Andy’s words, “I nearly took The Lamb, Zeit, and my first Henry Cow back to the shops. Boy am I glad I didn’t.”
If you imagine making a record as being creating a living and breathing entity from the cosmic dust and not knowing where it will go next, that is what Andy gives us with the first track. it’s complex and multi-layered and has a wonderful, two note, repeating motif running through, which continues throughout the album. Andy is like a modern classical composer, creating huge musical tapestries that almost overawe you. This what progressive rock is all about for me, no boundaries and no limits.
Luke Machin adds a sinuous, glorious guitar to proceedings, intertwining with Andy’s innovative, delightful keyboards. Theo Travis adds his typical grace and John Jowett’s elegant bass and the powerful drumming of Steve Roberts lay the groundwork on which the others create wonder and Andy’s almost spoken vocals take us through the immersive storyline.
‘Springing out from a pot-hole in the hillside it starts running to the sea. Welcoming every rivulet and trickle in the battle to be free and we know it will find its good way!’
Oh what a wonderful, feel good, five minutes of joy is Follow The River. Get yourself back to the funktastic 70’s with this delicious slice of gloriously cheesy music. The keyboards, sax and guitar scream flares and platform heeled boots at you and when Theo gets down and lets loose, you have to move your body. I challenge you to listen to this track and not be grinning from ear to ear, tapping your toes and clicking your fingers in no time at all, it’s the most uplifting piece of music you will hear this year.
“And I asked myself about the present: how wide it was, how deep it was, how much was mine to keep” Kurt Vonnegut. Slaughterhouse 5.
We move back into the depths of Andy’s creative psyche with another lengthy prog masterpiece in Was Not. The sister piece to the opening track but one that opens in a more mellifluous, laid back and chilled manner. Andy’s vocals have a softer, thoughtful edge, giving off a nostalgic feel. The elegant woodwind and tinkling piano give you a feeling of relaxation that Luke’s occasionally spiralling guitar adds a splash of luxury to. It lulls you into calming sense of security but the lyrics always bring you back to the present. “I was living their nostalgia for the future, I was living through their forecasts of the past”. This is The Tangent glimpsing into their past and THE past, touches of the band’s classic sound blending with a more independent direction. You lose yourself in the narrative and the absorbing music. “And we see the world on such a small screen, so imprisoned we should let it fly.”
The Prog Rock Bit in 7 (self explanatory) forms a short interlude before the pace picks up with Andy’s unmistakeable keyboards firing off a rather tasty combo and we head into some of the most uplifting music you are going to hear this year or any! God, it made me realise how much I’d missed while Progradar was on an unintentional hiatus. Luke fires off a hugely impressive virtuoso guitar section and the rest of the merry prog mob add their own unique takes to this superb track, created on the hills of the Yorkshire Dales, it sure makes you proud to be a Yorkshireman! “Putting on the Disco I can Dance the Night Away”. The track closes out with a return to the wonderfully mellow first part, letting you catch your breath and smile to yourself knowingly, “I’ll remember… Rock And Roll.”
And that’s not all folks! The prodigiously talented Mr Tillison has gifted us a second CD, a six-part instrumental suite comprising of L’Aperitif, Steak de chevreuilet Le Fermier, Danse, La route cotiere, Multi partisanisme and Laisses moi chanter. Here we delve into the multi-talented side of Andy Tillison and his compositional skills. This is where Andy takes his Don Ellis, Zappa, Miles, Stravinsky and Debussy influences and listening research and delivers what can only be called as a modern classical/prog crossover masterpiece. You could be at Ronny Scotts or the Royal Albert Hall, each venue could encompass this musical adventure perfectly.
It’s music for the thinking man, music that washes over you and you absorb into your very being. Get comfy in your favourite chair, dim the lights, get your go to tipple (alcoholic or otherwise) and be prepared to wander deep into the musical psyche of one of modern progressive rocks most creative minds. This is more than just music, it’s a way of life. Listen to Andy’s dancing keys, Theo’s ever so smooth playing and Steve’s delicate drumming and you just can’t help but be mesmerised. Martin Taylor is one of the foremost jazz guitarists on the planet and Luke Machin more than matches his undoubted skill on this suite.
Each individual part makes up the whole but also has its own place and identity. There’s a feeling of regeneration running throughout, of the beginning of a new chapter but never forgetting the past, a nod to what made The Tangent and Andy Tillison who they are and should never be downplayed. I feel that, especially on this absolute diamond of an instrumental, Andy is creating and playing with absolute freedom, doing what he wants and just bloody enjoying himself. I’m not going to go through each individual part of the suite, please go and explore and enjoy it yourself but just be assured, you will not be disappointed in any way, shape or form.
Some people have said that ‘Was’ is the most significant album that The Tangent have recorded to date but, to me, it’s more than that. This is Andy Tillison trying to create the best music he has ever created and, do you know what, he has only gone and done it! Chapeau mon ami, chapeau!!
Released 2nd October 2026 via White Knight Records, pre-order here: