The Tangent "Was" 3CD Deluxe Edition (NEW ARTIST & PRE-ORDER)

The Tangent is a progressive/jazz rock collective led by composer and lyricist Andy Tillison from the North of England and have been active for nearly 25 years. They aspire to provide the type of imaginative and cinematic music that was created by the great progressive bands of the 1970s like Yes, Van Der Graaf Generator, Return To Forever and ELP. They are also focused on being a modern, alert and relevant contemporary band whose musical influences span centuries of progression and whose influences are still being gathered from a wealth of styles and sources which did not even exist when their forebears were writing.

From Andy Tillison:
“The Tangent has always catalogued and referenced the progressive movement it seeks to be a part of - from the first album ‘The Music That Died Alone’ and onwards. 14 albums later we've gone maximum pomp, maximum prog and made a huge album that looks back over the world in the 67 years of my own life - the astonishing changes that took people of my own age from the last blasts of the Steam Age, thru interplanetary travel, political upheaval into the world of potentially sentient electronics and global networking. It's a hell of a journey and this is our soundtrack to it.

Nostalgia can be something that is used to reject or oppose change. But it can also be used in a more nuanced way that sees both sides of a story. ‘Was’ tries to do this, juxtaposing warm fuzzy memories of playing LPs during school holidays in hot summers, with wars in Vietnam and Nigeria happening at the same time.

Although The Tangent is very much a ‘scattered to the four winds’ band – we have always maintained a true BAND structure where all contributions are considered and 90 percent accepted by whoever is in the producers chair. Everyone on this album has devised their own parts for it - each member putting their own stamp on how the record feels and sounds - including our new bass player John Jowitt. Although the album is self-produced, Luke Machin was mixer/producer for the whole of the first CD, and I took the reins for the second. Hence the two discs have their differences in priorities – yet have been designed to support each other as best as possible.

The Tangent began recording nearly 25 years ago and will celebrate that anniversary in 2027. With 14 studio albums behind us we have been one of the most prolific and enduring of the 21st century Prog bands and we claim the record for ‘epics’ (defined as SONGS over 15 mins) - now coming up on THIRTY. We've had a lot of members, although the revolving door slowed down a lot 12 years ago with only one lineup change since then with the arrival of John Jowitt and Rob Groucutt earlier this year. We remain committed to the continuation and development of Progressive Rock music, not entirely as a nostalgic revisit, but as an ongoing development in a very different world from where the movement began.”

The Tangent are:

• Andy Tillison - Keyboards, Vocals, Lyrics
• Luke Machin - Guitars, Backing Vocals
• John Jowitt - Bass Guitar, Backing Vocals
• Theo Travis - Saxophones, Flutes and other Wind Instruments
• Steve Roberts - Drums, Percussion and Gongs
• Rob Groucutt - Keyboards, Backing Vocals

Tracks:
Disc 1:

• 1.      Was
• 2.      Follow The River
• 3.      Was Not

Disc 2:

• 1.      L’Aperitif
• 2.      Steak de Chevreuil et Le Fermier
• 3.      Danse
• 4.      La Route Cotiere
• 5.      Multi Partisanisme
• 6.      Laisses Moi Chanter

Bonus Disc – Almost Was

• 1.      The Coat Tail Riders
• 2.      148GTL DX
• 3.      The Owl And The Pussycat
• 4.      Psychlestructure

Format: 3CD
Artist: The Tangent
Release Date: October 2, 2026