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Index
Index is a deluxe hardback book illustrating the visual language of Steven Wilson, as executed by his long-term collaborators, Lasse Hoile and Carl Glover.
The book covers the period from Porcupine Tree's 2002 album In Absentia up to Steven's fourth solo album Hand. Cannot. Erase from early 2015.
The book features an introduction from Steven Wilson, an interview in the form of an extended conversation between Lasse and Carl, and 340 pictures (including 178 previously unseen images).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKsuY...
The book covers the period from Porcupine Tree's 2002 album In Absentia up to Steven's fourth solo album Hand. Cannot. Erase from early 2015.
The book features an introduction from Steven Wilson, an interview in the form of an extended conversation between Lasse and Carl, and 340 pictures (including 178 previously unseen images).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKsuY...
- GenresMusic
241 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 2015
19 people want to read
About the author
Steven John Wilson
2 books44 followersSteven John Wilson is an English musician, singer, songwriter and record producer, most closely associated with the progressive rock genre. Currently a solo artist, he became known as the founder, lead guitarist, lead vocalist and songwriter of the band Porcupine Tree, as well as being a member of several other bands.
Wilson is a self-taught composer, producer, audio engineer, guitar and keyboard player, and plays other instruments as needed, including bass guitar, autoharp, hammered dulcimer and flute. Despite being mainly associated with progressive rock, his influences and work have encompassed a diverse range of genres including psychedelia, pop, extreme metal, electronic and jazz, among others, shifting his musical direction through his albums. His concerts incorporate quadraphonic sound and elaborate visuals. He has also worked with artists such as Opeth, King Crimson, Pendulum, Jethro Tull, Andy Partridge, Yes, Marillion, Tears for Fears, Roxy Music and Anathema.
In a career spanning more than 30 years, Wilson has made music prolifically and earned critical acclaim. His honours include four nominations for the Grammy Awards, twice with Porcupine Tree, with his collaborative band Storm Corrosion and as a soloist on one occasion. In 2015, he received three awards at the Progressive Music Awards in London for his services to the genre, where he was crowned "the king of prog rock". Nevertheless, his work has largely stayed away from mainstream music, and he has been described by publications such as The Daily Telegraph as "the most successful British artist you’ve never heard of."
Wilson is a self-taught composer, producer, audio engineer, guitar and keyboard player, and plays other instruments as needed, including bass guitar, autoharp, hammered dulcimer and flute. Despite being mainly associated with progressive rock, his influences and work have encompassed a diverse range of genres including psychedelia, pop, extreme metal, electronic and jazz, among others, shifting his musical direction through his albums. His concerts incorporate quadraphonic sound and elaborate visuals. He has also worked with artists such as Opeth, King Crimson, Pendulum, Jethro Tull, Andy Partridge, Yes, Marillion, Tears for Fears, Roxy Music and Anathema.
In a career spanning more than 30 years, Wilson has made music prolifically and earned critical acclaim. His honours include four nominations for the Grammy Awards, twice with Porcupine Tree, with his collaborative band Storm Corrosion and as a soloist on one occasion. In 2015, he received three awards at the Progressive Music Awards in London for his services to the genre, where he was crowned "the king of prog rock". Nevertheless, his work has largely stayed away from mainstream music, and he has been described by publications such as The Daily Telegraph as "the most successful British artist you’ve never heard of."
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 23, 2020
Index is a gorgeous hardback coffee-table-style art-book that illustrates the visual language of Steven Wilson's music projects as brought to life by his long-time collaborators Carl Glover and Lasse Hoile—released as a deluxe edition (which is a misleading description—it's not like there's a standard one!) with a green cover (the one I have), and a red cover edition limited to 800 copies, sold exclusively at SW's Royal Albert Hall shows back in 2015.
All the descriptions of it I've found online (on the publisher's site and even Steven's blog) assert that it covers the period from Porcupine Tree's In Absentia up to Steven's fourth solo album Hand. Cannot. Erase., his most recent at the time of the book's release, but that's not strictly true—pictures that were used for Bass Communion II are included, which was released in 1999. I think that's the only outlier though; a lot of the musical projects covered predate In Absentia, but the photographs were shot for later reissues.
The book starts with an introduction by Steven, which is why the two photographers chose to add his name on the cover as well—and probably because he drives their artistic vision to a certain extent. He writes that as soon as he has a song in progress, he also "sees it", but he lacks the skills to translate this vision into something tangible. That's where Glover and Hoile come in; two very different personalities who have a knack for translating SW's ideas into art that has a symbiotic relationship with his music.
The book is weird in that it jumps around in both projects and time, not following a linear presentation, but simply alternating the two photographers' work—other than Porcupine Tree and Steven's solo work, which is mostly Lasse's domain, Carl's work covers his other, lesser known side projects such as Blackfield, Bass Communion, I.E.M., no-man, and Continuum. Steven provides a short blurb for the Insurgentes and Stupid Dream reissue photographs, while each photographer otherwise introduces his own work. I'll admit that Glover's work doesn't do much for me—I'm not a fan of his minimalist photographs of abandoned industrial structures, devoid of all life—but he has a way with words, and his short introductory sentences made me appreciate the art itself more than I otherwise would. His photographs, especially the ones for the ambient/drone/electronica projects (Bass Communion and Continuum) fit the music, but I don't think they stand that well on their own; I can appreciate that the frames are well-composed and interesting in their own way, but they don't evoke an emotional response in me, which is what I look for in art.
Lasse Hoile's work, on the other hand, is simply breathtaking to me; it manages to perfectly capture the essence of the (more conceptual) music and adds an additional dimension to the sonic art it accompanies, and I'm much more drawn to his eerie, nightmarish visions that often include featureless or distorted people—his photographs tell stories and contain multitudes. He likes to experiment with unconventional effects or mixed media (such as the expired analog film used for the Grace For Drowning art, or the bold, colorful strokes of paint over the Hand. Cannot. Erase. portraits), and his art speaks for itself—his blurbs added little or no substance. There's an interview in the form of an extended conversation between the two artists included at the back, which was interesting enough, but not really about the matter at hand—SW's music—instead focusing on how they came to be interested in art and how their respective careers unfolded, their inspirations, challenges they've faced, and ponderings of what the future of photography holds.
It's a beautiful book to have, and while it doesn't exactly feel like a comprehensive retrospective, it includes many outtakes and never-before-seen pictures, making it a nice addition to the collection of any fan of SW's music.
All the descriptions of it I've found online (on the publisher's site and even Steven's blog) assert that it covers the period from Porcupine Tree's In Absentia up to Steven's fourth solo album Hand. Cannot. Erase., his most recent at the time of the book's release, but that's not strictly true—pictures that were used for Bass Communion II are included, which was released in 1999. I think that's the only outlier though; a lot of the musical projects covered predate In Absentia, but the photographs were shot for later reissues.
The book starts with an introduction by Steven, which is why the two photographers chose to add his name on the cover as well—and probably because he drives their artistic vision to a certain extent. He writes that as soon as he has a song in progress, he also "sees it", but he lacks the skills to translate this vision into something tangible. That's where Glover and Hoile come in; two very different personalities who have a knack for translating SW's ideas into art that has a symbiotic relationship with his music.
The book is weird in that it jumps around in both projects and time, not following a linear presentation, but simply alternating the two photographers' work—other than Porcupine Tree and Steven's solo work, which is mostly Lasse's domain, Carl's work covers his other, lesser known side projects such as Blackfield, Bass Communion, I.E.M., no-man, and Continuum. Steven provides a short blurb for the Insurgentes and Stupid Dream reissue photographs, while each photographer otherwise introduces his own work. I'll admit that Glover's work doesn't do much for me—I'm not a fan of his minimalist photographs of abandoned industrial structures, devoid of all life—but he has a way with words, and his short introductory sentences made me appreciate the art itself more than I otherwise would. His photographs, especially the ones for the ambient/drone/electronica projects (Bass Communion and Continuum) fit the music, but I don't think they stand that well on their own; I can appreciate that the frames are well-composed and interesting in their own way, but they don't evoke an emotional response in me, which is what I look for in art.
Lasse Hoile's work, on the other hand, is simply breathtaking to me; it manages to perfectly capture the essence of the (more conceptual) music and adds an additional dimension to the sonic art it accompanies, and I'm much more drawn to his eerie, nightmarish visions that often include featureless or distorted people—his photographs tell stories and contain multitudes. He likes to experiment with unconventional effects or mixed media (such as the expired analog film used for the Grace For Drowning art, or the bold, colorful strokes of paint over the Hand. Cannot. Erase. portraits), and his art speaks for itself—his blurbs added little or no substance. There's an interview in the form of an extended conversation between the two artists included at the back, which was interesting enough, but not really about the matter at hand—SW's music—instead focusing on how they came to be interested in art and how their respective careers unfolded, their inspirations, challenges they've faced, and ponderings of what the future of photography holds.
It's a beautiful book to have, and while it doesn't exactly feel like a comprehensive retrospective, it includes many outtakes and never-before-seen pictures, making it a nice addition to the collection of any fan of SW's music.
October 29, 2018
Wonderful
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews