Steven Wilson: The Remix Maestro - A Look at His Work with Guns N' Roses and More
In a recent interview with the Scars And Guitars podcast, Steven Wilson discussed his remixing work, which he started in 2009 alongside his successful music career. He has remixed albums from renowned bands like TEARS FOR FEARS, ABC, CHIC, and more. However, his remixes of GUNS N' ROSES' "Use Your Illusion I" and "Use Your Illusion II" faced challenges as the band didn't approve of his work, leading to the project being unreleased. Despite this, Wilson's remix of "November Rain" with a real orchestra was included in GUNS N' ROSES' 2022 box set.
Wilson, known for his immersive surround audio remixes, shared that he didn't grow up listening to GUNS N' ROSES but rather bands like THE SMITHS and METALLICA. He enjoys surprising friends with music he has worked on from their childhood. His remix of "November Rain" in the 2022 box set featured a 50-piece orchestra conducted by Christopher Lennertz, replacing the original sampled sounds.
Wilson's journey as a sought-after remixer began with a Grammy nomination for his own surround sound work in 2008/2009. He gradually gained recognition and started receiving invitations from other artists for remix projects. Notably, he has done numerous remixes for bands like JETHRO TULL and KING CRIMSON due to their extensive catalogs, with JETHRO TULL having a record almost every year since 1968.
Renowned for his progressive ideals in rock music, Wilson is a solo artist, a member of PORCUPINE TREE, and a spatial audio remixer for various artists. In 2022, PORCUPINE TREE released their eleventh studio album, "Closure/Continuation," which achieved chart success and was followed by a world tour. Wilson also published his well-received memoir, "Limited Edition Of One," in the same year.