Bill Bruford has retired. His website explicitly states this and kindly directs journalists to consult a reading list before requesting interviews. The reading list is divided into several subheadings, each of which house the relevant books and articles relating to the titular subject. These are: ‘Progressive Rock In General,’ ‘Yes,’ ‘King Crimson/Robert Fripp,’ and ‘Genesis.’ If you were unsure of the scale of Bill’s musical background, a glance at this list will testify to its extensiveness.

So after all this, what, having becoming one of the most respected drummers of all time, do you do with your retirement? Write a book? Alas, the fifth and final subheading is simply entitled ‘Bill Bruford’ and refers the inquisitive to his biography published in 2009.

I can’t quite remember how I discovered he had enrolled as a PhD candidate at the University of Surrey, but in all honesty, I wasn’t particularly surprised to hear of it. During the last three years he has adopted a stage of a different sort and has delivered lectures in the UK, the US and Scandinavia, mostly concerning the drum set’s relationship with creativity and musicianship. His PhD is based on a similar theme.

Taking heed of the reading list, I sent out an email. What follows is the result.

Read the full article in Issue One >

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