Recent writing
-
The Progressive Aspect
Hypnoma – High And Just Proceedings
Album review: Finnish band Hypnoma’s debut hides Conrad’s Heart of Darkness inside three weaving guitars, and asks why we follow any voice promising greatness.
-
Concert Reviews
Marillion – Eventim Apollo, Thursday 1st October 2026
Marillion at the Eventim Apollo: Gaza, a choir, and a hall of strangers carrying the world's unanswerable questions, which weigh a little less by the end.
-
Our Progressive Planet
Our Progressive Planet: South America
From the Andes to São Paulo, a journey through South American progressive rock: landscape, resistance under dictatorship, and a sound in full flower.
-
The Progressive Aspect
Raphael Weinroth-Browne – Empyrean
Raphael Weinroth-Browne's Empyrean spans 300 years of transcendence, exploring the limits of human creativity through Bach's own reach toward the eternal.
-
Concert Reviews
Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks
Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks at Oxford's New Theatre, 10th September 2026: Yes epics and new songs played with such joy that a self-confessed non-Yes fan left elated.
Latest covers
-
Hypnoma – High And Just Proceedings
-
Marillion – Eventim Apollo, Thursday 1st October 2026
-
Our Progressive Planet: South America
-
Raphael Weinroth-Browne – Empyrean
-
Jon Anderson & The Band Geeks
-
RematriNation – ᎠᏌᏃ ᎩᎦᎨ (The Red Dress)
-
Dick van der Heijde – Locked-In
-
Alone Together – A Progressive Journey Through Loneliness
Ongoing work
-
The Progressive Aspect
Music appreciation for progressive listeners, explored with context, depth, and reflection.
Read the articles -
Progressive Discoveries
Track-by-track album listening on Prog-Watch, Progzilla Radio: close, contemplative, personal. Music as something to be lived with and thought about.
See the segments -
Our Progressive Planet
A series exploring progressive music around the world: where it has taken root, how it has emerged there, and what it says to us.
See the series -
Progressive Resonances
A quarterly themed series looking at themes in human experience captured in progressive rock music: loneliness, wonder, desire, love and joy. Music which knows about being human.
Explore the series
About
I’m Rob, a music journalist, writer and editor based in Oxfordshire. I write music appreciation for The Progressive Aspect, present Progressive Discoveries on Prog-Watch (Progzilla Radio), survey the sounds of prog rock from countries around the world for Our Progressive Planet, and explore themes in human experience in my new series, Progressive Resonances.
I got into progressive rock as a teenager, when a friend took me to see Camel at Poole Arts Centre on 5th October 1979. They opened with “Breathless,” and that started a love affair with prog that’s never really ended.
Before music writing became the main occupation, I spent years as a Principal Lecturer in Philosophy and Theology, founded Inter-Disciplinary.Net and Progressive Connexions, and organised hundreds of international interdisciplinary conferences. I hold a D.Phil from Oxford (Oriel College, 1993).
Alongside my musical interests, I offer book coaching and copyediting through Reedsy (as Writing Connexions), and run a not-for-profit publishing house (Inter/Connexions).
Coaching & Editing
- Book coaching
- Coaching (and encouragement) for writers working on a book: guidance on narrative structure, coherence across chapters, improving reader accessibility and making sure, above all, it is your voice which is heard. Offered through Reedsy as Writing Connexions.
- Editing
- Advice and guidance on the setup and information required for all aspects of book and manuscript preparation, including front and end piece materials; grammar and syntax correction; improving the rhythm and feel of your text so it conveys your intent and character.
- Working style
- Humorous, responsive, and always honest. Your voice is what the reader needs to hear: its passion, intensity, and above all, what you want people to take away with them from having read your work. I am here to help you say what you already mean, more clearly. Writing is both fun and frustrating, and I'm a fellow traveller and companion with you on your journey.