Prog “I’m choosing Tony as my prog icon, although obviously his work straddles a great deal of genres. He’s as much art-rock as anything; you could say the same of . Tony has played on so many records that I love.
He’s probably been the biggest influence on me as a bass player, more than anyone, yet not in an overt way. What’s so extraordinary about him is that for someone who has such stratospheric technical ability – he’s transcribed Stravinsky’s for the Chapman Stick, for Christ’s sake – he’s so playful and cheeky as a player. Nothing he ever does sounds muso.
I recognise the punk-rock chancer that I am in his playing. He’s one of the few players where I often think: ‘I would have done that!’ I only got the Pink Floyd gig because Tony had to go on tour with Peter Gabriel, so I owe him. On that first tour with Floyd, on there’s a Stick solo in it, which I had to emulate on bass.
I did it by turning up every effect I had and just going nuts. Copying his playing felt really natural – pretty much everything he does feels incredibly natural. I went with Lee Harris [from 's ] to see him at the reunion of L’Image, Tony’s original 70s band with Steve Gadd.
Everyone in this band was so stellar. Lee said that they were so good, it was the only time he’d ever seen a band with Steve Gadd in it and forgotten that Steve Gadd was in it! I’ve always got on fantastically with Tony – he’s the most charming, delightful company. We got on stage toge.