PORCUPINE TREE mainman Steven Wilson spoke to Alternative-Zine.com recently about a number of topics including their new album, Fear Of A Blank Planet and the upcoming project with OPETH's Mikael Åkerfeldt. Here are a few excerpts from the chat:

Alternative-Zine.com: The new Porcupine Tree album, "Fear of a blank planet", is a definitive concept album, how would you summary to concept of the album?

Wilson: "Well, basically it reflects my concerns for the current younger generation; a generation born into an era of accessible information, living vicariously through gadgets where they can download everything via the internet – music, movies, information, and pornography. Everything is available through the internet. About how all this affects the human quality of curiosity, and I believe that curiosity is one of humanity's most important qualities. Without curiosity we will never find what's underneath the surface; the different meanings and interpretations and levels that there are to music as an example. How the overload of information affects their curiosity about the world outside their bedroom. My fear for this potentially blank generation. Or to use more a romantic expression, do the young people of today have the same sense of soul?"

Alternative-Zine.com: There is a lot of references to the way people consume their music these days, and basically the way people consume, in general, these days. What do you think is the future of it?

Wilson: "Difficult to say. This is the worst time in history for the music industry. Everyone agrees on it, artists and labels - everyone involved. I believe that ultimately what will happen is that recorded music will become something no one will pay for. People will expect to get it for free, even now a lot of people don't think about buying music, just to download it. Recorded music will become an advertisement for the live show. I already see it in Porcupine Tree concerts, where the attendances keep on growing, and the record sales as well, but not in the same proportion. People get to know the band from downloading on the internet for free but they pay for the shows. This has a positive side, because it means that bands who play real instruments, and can manage a good live show will survive, and the kind of manufactured artists like BRITNEY SPEARS won't. These are interesting times. Also, music is much more available now days, it's getting more and more into people's life, especially that almost everyone has an Ipod now."

Alternative-Zine.com: What other future projects are in plan?

Wilson: "Hopefully the project with OPETH's Mikael Åkerfeldt, which will probably have Mike Portnoy on drums. It will be heavier then Porcupine Tree but softer then Opeth. Also, I'm planning on releasing a first solo album under the Steven Wilson name. I've written songs that don't belong to any project. It will be more laid back, and will have some longer ambitious tracks along with shorter songs. Maybe I will remix some of the cover versions which I've released. I feel there are some really good ones, such as the Alanis track (i.e. 'Thank U', originally by ALANIS MORISSETTE), that should be heard, but weren't released in a way that they will be approachable to many people, being only available from my mail order until now."

Alternative-Zine.com: You do a guest appearance on the new DREAM THEATER album Systematic Chaos. How did that came to be?

Wilson: "I appear briefly, yeah. Well, I'm not a big fan of Dream Theater music, but they are really good friends of mine. Mike called me and told me of this track 'Redemption' they were recording, which was basically about people apologizing for things they've done. So I offered as a joke that I will apologize for disrespecting Dream Theater, and saying not flattering things about them in the media! And he thought it was a great idea, so I ended up apologizing to Dream Theater on their record. Which I think is kinda funny! It's a beautiful song in my opinion."

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