Ever heard of a band who combine the prog sensibilities of Yes with the hard rocking aptitudes of Van Halen? No? You have now…
WORDS: GEOFF BARTON
If you’re a fan of veteran proggers Yes, you’ll doubtless have noticed the kerfuffle over their new singer, Benoit David, who used to be in a Yes tribute band. But if you go back to the turn of the 80s, you’ll probably remember another controversial Yes line-up change. No, not the one involving those Buggles. We’re talking about when South African guitarist Trevor Rabin joined to help create Yes’s hyper-commercial album 90125, which spawned the glossy hit Owner Of A Lonely Heart.

For Touchstone guitarist Adam Hodgson, albums don’t get much more pivotal than 90125. “It transformed my way of thinking about music,” he states. “I used to be into heavy metal but when Trevor added his power chords to Yes’s music it was gold dust.”

“I’m a big fan of Elton John and Sting,” chips in keyboardist Rob Cottingham. “I’ve got a softer, more melodious side, and then you’ve got Adam, this hard rock fucker. It’s a good combination.”

“Touchstone’s music is like a mix of Yes and Van Halen,” grins Hodgson. “I like big, biblical epics. Stadium rock!”

Both Cottingham and Hodgson released solo albums before Touchstone formed. Cottingham’s was Behind The Orchard Tree; Hodgson’s was South Side Of The Sky. The two met in April 2003, compared notes and decided to form Touchstone.

“It’s taken a long time to get a proper line-up together,” says Cottingham. “There’s always been a weak link in the chain.”

After the additions of bassist Paul Moorghen and drummer Al Melville, the final piece of the jigsaw arrived in the form of singer Kim Seviour. She joined in April 2007, replacing Lis Clayden who sang on Touchstone’s 2006 Mad Hatters EP.

“Kim shares the vocals with Rob, but the idea is for her to front the band in future,” Hodgson explains.

“I stuck an advert on a website with a sultry photo of myself and got invited to audition,” Seviour reveals. “I said to my flatmate: ‘I’m going to a random industrial estate in the middle of nowhere to meet a bunch of guys I don’t know – if I don’t ring by midnight call the police!’ But it worked out fine.”

Touchstone released their debut album Discordant Dreams this summer and have just finished a tour supporting It Bites. Their next big date is an appearance at RosFest, the US prog-rock fandango, in May 2009.

“We’ve got the coveted breakfast-time spot on Sunday morning,” Hodgson chuckles. “We’re on stage at 11am.”

Hey, there’s nothing like a hefty dollop of prog in your porridge.

• Discordant Dreams is available via www.touchstonemusic.co.uk

A TOUCH TOO MUCH
Before joining Touchstone, Kim Seviour was a karaoke queen. “I entered a competition called Karaoke Krazy, which was run by the Hungry Horse pub chain,” she recalls. “I beat more than 2,000 singers to come third in the national final. I sang Shirley Bassey’s Big Spender. There was a guy dressed as the Hungry Horse and I dragged him on stage and threw my feather boa over him. He was scared shitless.”
While working at Virgin Mobile, Seviour sang at a staff party at Richard Branson’s house. “I went on stage dressed as half Axl Rose, half Slash, wearing a kilt and waving an inflatable guitar about.”
Sheesh – does the genteel world of prog know what it’s letting itself in for?