The Enid’s Godfrey responds to prog backlash

The Enid’s Robert John Godfrey has responded after facing backlash caused by his recent negative comments on the current state of progressive music.

Earlier this week, Godfrey pointed to Steven Wilson, insisting that the genre was full of “musos” who “offer absolutely no content that is memorable or meaningful.”

Many Prog readers expressed their disappointment at his comments, prompting magazine editor Jerry Ewing to give his own thoughts on Godfrey’s remarks.

Now Godfrey has approached Prog with a follow-up statement in which he says he’s “utterly dedicated” to seeing a new wave of artists emerge.

He says: “It would seem that I’ve provoked something of a debate with some comments I made concerning Steven Wilson and if I have caused any offence I can only apologise.

“I am utterly dedicated to seeing a truly new progressive movement emerge within the younger generation – and my work with Joe Payne and his friends has been to this end.

“Soon all of the founding fathers of the original progressive movement will have faded into the shadows. So what’s next, I wonder? Am I the only one fed-up with a diet of comfort food made up of carefully crafted pastiche?”

Godfrey will step back from live dates with The Enid following their show at London’s Cadogan Hall on April 2 – the last date on their road trip in support of latest album Dust, which is out on April 1.

Before the London show, The Enid will play Bristol’s Redgrave Theatre on March 18.

Dust tracklist

  1. Born In The Fire
  2. Someone Shall Rise
  3. Monsters
  4. 1000 Stars
  5. When The World Is Full
  6. Trophy
  7. Heavy Hearts

The Enid Live In Newcastle

Scott Munro
Louder e-commerce editor

Scott has spent more than 30 years in newspapers, magazines and online as an editor, production editor, sub-editor, designer, writer and reviewer. Scott joined our news desk in the summer of 2014 before moving to the e-commerce team in 2020. Scott maintains Louder’s buyer’s guides, scouts out the best deals for music fans and reviews headphones, speakers, books and more. He's written more than 11,000 articles across Louder, Classic Rock, Metal Hammer and Prog and has previous written for publications including IGN, the Sunday Mirror, Daily Record and The Herald, covering everything from daily news and weekly features, to video games, travel and whisky. Scott's favourite bands are Fields Of The Nephilim, The Cure, New Model Army, All About Eve, The Mission, Cocteau Twins, Drab Majesty, Marillion and Rush.