THE PROG INTERVIEW ADRIAN BELEW

Every month we get inside the mind of one of the biggest names in music. This issue it’s Adrian Belew. The Kentucky-born musician was discovered by Frank Zappa while playing in a cover band and went on to work with both David Bowie and Talking Heads. At the beginning of the 80s, he became King Crimson’s lyricist, vocalist, second guitarist and occasional drummer. Over the next few decades, he remained in place throughout several different incarnations of the band and contributed to studio albums including Discipline, Three Of A Perfect Pair and Thrak. He’s recently released his 25th solo record, Elevator, and is also behind the audio manipulation app, FLUX. Prog catches up with him to discuss his past, present and future.

Julian Marszalek

Despite his work being familiar to millions thanks to his extraordinary contributions to classic singles including David Bowie’s Boys Keep Swinging, Talking Heads’ existential classic Once In A Lifetime and the utterly joyous Genius Of Love by Tom Tom Club among countless and diverse others that also include Nine Inch Nails, Paul Simon and Laurie Anderson, Adrian Belew’s name is not one that prompts the response it deserves from Joe Public. However, to the cognoscenti, he’s recognised and revered as one of the most inventive, forward-thinking and outright progressive guitarists to have broadened the scope of the instrument. A prodigiously talented autodidact groomed under the wing of Frank Zappa, he’s probably best known round these parts as the singer and guitarist of King Crimson. Introduced to founder and guitarist Robert…

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Prog (Digital) - 1 Issue, Issue 132

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