Tree, Surgin

Formed in Norway in the early 90s, White Willow were among the retro-sounding bands that were at the forefront of Scandinavia's progressive revival, along with Anekdoten and Änglagård. Although they've been inactive for the last seven or so years, their first six albums are in the process of being reissued via Karisma Records. Bandleader Jacob Holm-Lupo revisits those early releases and reveals that album eight could be on the way soon.

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In the early 90s, progressive rock was beginning to sprout a few green shoots of recovery.

Sustained by its own global community of die-hard fans and musicians, it was firmly off the mainstream radar, and many of those who successfully contributed to its rebirth were operating alone, unknowingly anticipating the arrival of the internet to make everything a lot easier. In Norway, which already had a rich tradition of prog bands, a very young Jacob-Holm Lupo was beginning to explore his own love of adventurous rock music. Now known as the man behind White Willow and a host of other notable projects, he started his life as a prog musician with no expectations whatsoever.

"We were not aware of any kind of global prog scene at all, actually," he says with a grin over video-call. "I got into this music when I was 12 years old, and I was given a tape of Duke by Genesis for my birthday. From then I was totally hooked. In my late teens I started playing with some friends.