STEVEN WILSON: “I’m Not Ashamed to Have Written a Classy Pop Song”

By Prog Sphere on December 12, 2017

Steven Wilson discussed taking a pop-oriented approach on his latest album To the Bone, explaining to Pop Matters:

“I don’t think there’s any musician on Earth who, if you asked them, ‘Would you like your music to reach more people?’, would say no.

“With a song like ‘Permanating,’ I’m aware it has mainstream potential. That song, 20 or 30 years ago, would have definitely been a hit. I’m not so sure about 2017; things have changed so much.

“‘Permanating’ is a new doorway into my musical world. Some of the people who walk through that doorway may find that the rest of the stuff is not what they want.

“But some of them will probably like the rest. If ‘Permanating’ becomes the doorway through which people access the entirety of my catalog, I don’t think they’ll find music that’s so obscure, difficult or avant-garde.

“Many of my best songs are ones that are accessible and easy to enjoy. Should ‘Permanating’ become the conduit for people who don’t know me to experience my musical world, I say bring it on!

“I’m not ashamed to have written a classy pop song that can reach a mainstream audience.

“Growing up, I was as in love with pop stars as anyone. Prince and Bowie were pop stars, very much in the mainstream, and they were my idols too.“