Tony Banks Reveals the Genesis of A Chord Too Far and His Not-So-Curious Love of Surround Sound

BY MIKE METTLER — AUGUST 13, 2015

In a band of equals, some can appear to be more equal than others. “I always like to have the first word and the last word on albums,” laughs keyboardist Tony Banks, one of the main songwriters in Genesis. Banks has always felt making an impression right as […]

Heart of the Surround Rise: Steve Howe on Relishing Yes in 5.1, Playing Full Albums Live, And What to Expect From Heaven & Earth

BY MIKE METTLER — APRIL 30, 2014

“Yes likes challenges.” So says Yes guitarist Steve Howe, and the proof is in the output. The band has been out on the boards in the U.S. and Canada playing a set comprised of three full albums: The Yes Album, Close to the Edge, and Going for the One. On their July and […]

Total 5.1 Mass Retain: Steven Wilson on Mixing Yes’ Close to the Edge in Surround Sound

BY MIKE METTLER

“On the surround mix, it sounds just like you’re in the room with Steve Howe while he’s playing those guitar harmonics.” Steven Wilson is describing the clarity of the gorgeous acoustic intro to “And You And I,” the second track on Yes’ groundbreaking 1972 LP, Close to the Edge. (Said intro is […]

Steven Wilson’s Raven in 5.1 on Blu-ray: The Undisputed Surround Sound Standard

BY MIKE METTLER

Just when you think Steven Wilson is at the surround sound pinnacle, he ratchets it up another level.

I first heard The Raven That Refused to Sing (and Other Stories) at a playback session in New York’s Avatar Studios back on January 15, 2013. And this is how you know I’m super-hardcore dedicated to […]

King of Hertz: The Continuing Saga of Tony Levin’s Low-End Progressions in the High-End World

Above, an exclusive YouTube clip of Levin Minnemann Rudess jamming on “Marcopolis”

BY MIKE METTLER — OCTOBER 25, 2013

“I work hard on the music end of things, and record my bass parts as high quality as I can.” That, in a nutshell, is the mission statement for Tony Levin, noted bassmaster and Chapman Stick innovator […]

By |October 25th, 2013|The SoundBard Interview|Comments Off on King of Hertz: The Continuing Saga of Tony Levin’s Low-End Progressions in the High-End World