The UK band Regal Worm is, first and foremost, the creative vehicle of composer and musician Jarrod Gosling, otherwise known as a member of the bands Skywatchers, I Monster and Henry Fool. Regal Worm sees Jarrod striking out on his own and is the fulfillment of a lifelong dream ever since he listened to his dad's cassettes of Pink Floyd, Genesis, Yes, Mike Oldfield and Rick Wakeman. The debut 'Use and Ornament' was recorded in Jarrod's 'Pig View' studio utilising dangerous vintage machinery (including his prized Mellotron M400).
First thing to strike is Golsling's endless instrumental flexibility, handling guitars, modern and analog synths, piano, bass, percussion, wind instruments, effects and samplers and the list goes on…
In this second album, the Regal Worm has created a monumental quintych as two eighteen minute-plus guardians bookend a trio of short unruly children (to prevent them from escaping and setting fire to things). Birthed once again in Pig View studio (a vintage equipment-crammed garret of wonder); aided by choicest heavy friends, the new album knits dark, playful lyricism with rhythmic, angular, multi-layered Prog sound buds. Indeed, a distillation of the highly detailed, anarchic and lysergic tingle of 'Use And Ornament', the critically acclaimed debut.
The worm has (re) turned! And this time the Regal Worm (Jarrod Gosling of I Monster, Cobalt Chapel) is tackling The Hideous Goblink. An album painstakingly created by one solitary man ensconced in his darkened, tiny sky parlour of awe, wonder, and heaps of dusty old gear.
Regal Worm’s mission is putting a ‘ggressive’ back into progressive. Getting grubby with the ghosts of the old gods. The Hideous Goblink reveals a distinct sense of urgency, expressing abstract musings on the shadow cast by our colonial history, nationalism, terrifying overlords, and what the future might hold for the ever shrinking third tone from the sun.
The fourth Regal Worm offering draws on a number of fresh musical influences; be it space rock, cosmic funk, sludge, fusion, choral, electronics or twisted pop…
A panoply of borborygmic bliss and simultaneous sonic febrile compositions, dealing with the usual variety of subject matter, from Nordic vampire folk tales, potential antichrists, volcanoes, the sun to a ghostly doomed love affair. All the important stuff.
Jarrod Gosling returns with his latest album, bringing in a few select guests to help out here and there, but as with the other Regal Worm albums he fully relishes the opportunity to showcase his skills on multiple instruments. Although he brings in pop mentalities and themes, these are heavily indoctrinated with Psyche before all being wrapped up in a solid dose of Canterbury to create something that is very English, very dated, and certainly very delicious…
Henry Fool’s Men Singing is an ambitious four track instrumental album featuring members of No-Man, I Monster and Roxy Music. Sometimes playful, sometimes intense, sometimes eerie and ethereal, Men Singing is equal parts dynamic drums, spiky guitars and atmospheric washes of fluttering flutes and vintage keyboards.
Produced and arranged by band founders keyboardist Stephen Bennett and guitarist Tim Bowness (Steven Wilson’s creative partner in No-Man), the album has been mixed by Jarrod Gosling (I Monster/Regal Worm), who also contributes Mellotron, glockenspiel and the wonderfully surreal artwork…